Review NETS-T and NETS-A. In your original post, describe how we
will know if teachers and administrators are meeting these competencies. At the
end of your post, pose one hypothetical situation in which one or more of these
groups may be working toward one of the NETS. Be sure to provide enough context
so that your classmates can respond to the hypothetical with potential methods
for measuring the competency or competencies. Respond to your classmates'
hypotheticals with potential methods for measuring NETS.
How we will know if teachers and
administrators are meeting NETS-T and NETS-A? What a good question and one that I
feel is hard to answer. The push to increase student learning in our schools
today is sometimes overwhelming. Teachers are required to build their lessons
inline with local, state and national standards. Administration is to model and
support the implantation of these standards into their teachers excising pedagogy’s. They are to adjust and teach to all types of learning
styles to ensure students are at mastery level. To confirm teachers and administrators are
meeting NET-T and NET-A standards we can use assessment data from previous
years in comparison to the present. Technology resources can be utilized to
collect and analyze the data, such as Google docs spreadsheets. Another way to
see if the teacher’s and administrators are meeting NET-T and NET-A standards is
through teacher and administrator observations. In our district administrators and
teachers are currently being observed yearly. I believe the technology integrators
will have to work with these observers to prepare them for what to look for
when observing a teacher or administrator utilizing and digital age technology,
resources as well as supporting the integration of such tools
For example, we currently have
approximately 560 Promethean Activeboards installed in the school district of
which all are located in classrooms or teaching spaces — such as library, lab,
etc. The cost of this technology integration plan is approximately $1.4
million dollars. With this said I believe administration is Staying in
touch with educational trends regarding the effective use of technology to
improve student learning through adding Promethean Active boards to the
schools (NETS·A 2009-Standard 3).
The
observer will then have to compile data, then interpret results, and with final
results communicate if the findings show proof of improved
student learning.
Reference:
ISTE. (2012). Standards. Digital
Age Teaching and Digital Age Leadership.
ISTE.NETS-A
(2009) and ISTA.NETS-T (2008). Retrieved from:
(Let me fix my pocket protector and push up my glasses first, before I share this opinion) Maybe it's just me, but I think that a one-to-one program is better worth the 1.4 million dollars, than Promethean boards. Something like the lenovo edge 530t with ubuntu is probably gets you more bang for the buck.
ReplyDeleteTrue, Promethean boards are cool and fun, and it does promote professional practice. The administration must have seen the value in spending money for technology integration. But, I would be curious to see how many of those 560 boards are being put to use effectively with students, and aiding in students achieve the common core, NETS, and NGSS. As you said, the observer will have to compile some significant data, interpret results and share their findings. The data collected has to be more substantial than one snapshot of an observation.
Just out of curiosity what ActivBoard are you using and for what OS?
You have a good point Mike although our technology staff did do research prior to making the purchase. Our follow up on usage is lacking. There are many teachers in my district that don’t use them to capacity and some teachers choose just not to use them at all. But most boards are being used and are benefiting our students.
ReplyDeletePutnam County Schools did much research to show the benefits of an Interactive Whiteboard as a tool to engage students and increase achievement. Dr. Robert Marzano released an extensive study and his findings also showed positive gains in classrooms where Interactive Whiteboards were located. Dr. Robert Marzano research found, “ in general, using interactive whiteboards was associated with a 16 percentile point gain in student achievement. This means that we can expect a student at the 50th percentile in a classroom without the technology to increase to the 66th percentile in a classroom using whiteboards (Marzano 2009)”. For Putnam County Schools, where I work, the decision to standardize on the “brand” of Interactive Whiteboard was made, the two key players were Smart and Promethean. That was nearly five years ago, and many vendors now produce similar products. Putnam County Schools use Promethean brand Whiteboard with OS Mac.
Thanks for the comment and it has been great working with you.
Jason
Marzano, R. 2009. The Art and Science of Teaching / Teaching with Interactive
Whiteboards. Retrived From: http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/nov09/vol67/num03/Teaching-with-Interactive-Whiteboards.aspx
Marzano, R. J., & Haystead, M. (2009). Final report on the evaluation of the
Promethean technology. Englewood, CO: Marzano Research Laboratory.
You make a good point about observers needing to know what they are looking for when observing to assess NETS-T and NETS-A. The administrators in the school that I teach at are pretty tech savvy, and are familiar with the ISTE standards, and so I think they would be able to adequately assess teachers. However, this is not always the case, and your suggestion to involve the tech integrator may be necessary.
ReplyDeleteI would think if I were making the decisions I would rather have a 1:1 program myself as well, but the promethean boards can be effective if they are used properly. Often times there is not a lot of professional development surrounding tools such as interactive whiteboards, but that may not be the case. I think that the promethean boards can only be used by one student at a time, although engaging, I would hope they are recording lessons, flipping their classroom and using them for other methods to engage students. They can record and post them online to allow students to watch at home for reinforcement. Those are some positives.
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