EDUC 5373 Week 4 Blog

     When creating an effective technology integration plan, addressing any components, people, and resources that might influence technology integration is crucial. This ensures that no critical factors of the technology integration plan are overlooked in the process, including the professional development component. Professional learning is the core concept of my technology integration plan, so it is crucial that it is planned and executed in a collaborative manner to best meet the needs of teachers, staff, and students to ensure digital literacy is effectively developed.

  Williams, Atkinson, Cate, and O'Hair (2008) emphasize the collaborative component of professional development through their research-based change model that demonstrates the significance of teachers and communities learning together to support the success of student learning outcomes. When teachers, schools, and communities share ideas and learn how to incorporate technology into their daily lives together, they create effective learning communities that produce digitally competent individuals.  

Research conducted by Crompton (2023) discusses how teachers knowing and applying the educator ISTE standards can lead to positive learning outcomes for students. Therefore, it is crucial that educators know and implement these standards into their instruction. Technology integration alone will not suffice; teachers must have a set of pedagogical practices to guide their own personal learning development to better aid students' learning. 

In creating my plan, I can use research findings from these two studies as a guide and foundation to ensure that my plan can be thoughtfully and efficiently planned out.  When you start with foundational structures, create moments with authentic teaching and learning with frequent and meaningful monitoring and adjustments with research-based practices involving professional development of staff with multiple stakeholders' inputs, the technology integration plan will lead to empowered teachers and staff that can seamlessly leverage technological practices for students' growth. 

Teacher learning and digital competence directly correlate with students' learning outcomes. Schools that provide meaningful and specifically tailored professional development through the technology integration plan enhance their teachers teaching strategies and pedagogy. In turn, students have teachers who can effectively and authentically support their learning goals in a technological-driven world. My vision for my school is to empower digitally competent educators who can effectively integrate digital tools to enhance student's learning outcomes and prepare them for success in a technology-driven world. With effective professional development, bringing my vision to life will be a realistic possibility. 

 My district has multiple technological structures in place for the use and access to technology. However, they lack in providing meaningful support through professional learning and instructional coaching. Since I started the process of creating a technology integration plan, I have been communicating more frequently with staff from the technology department. The department realizes that providing teachers with customized technology support in professional development is a weakness and is brainstorming multiple avenues to combat this issue. Recently, they have prioritized more summer professional development, given by highly digital component teachers, to share ideas, digital platforms, and successes; this approach's effectiveness is supported by Willams et al. (2008) study. However, they still need refinement in monitoring, adjusting, and providing feedback on how these professional development sessions are directly developing teachers' digital skills and students' learning outcomes. 

 

 The impact of a technology integration plan, specifically implementing technology professional development, will significantly influence both students' formal learning and community initiatives. When students are more frequently exposed to technology in their learning, it becomes authentic and creates an increase in engagement and motivation while creating personalized, collaborative learning environments for multiple learning styles that ready students to become critical thinkers and problem solvers. Technology can transform community learning by increasing the opportunities to become better digital citizens by shaping the digital literacy skills of the community. 

In order to tackle tests like the PSIA, my technology plan will need to provide teachers with a broader understanding of technology usage around the world. I would need to consider training that will allow teachers  to incorporate technology into all of their subject areas and  increase higher-order thinking skills in technological environments. Using technology in this manner can help develop and use digital environments in new and meaningful ways, preparing all students for their future in a digital world. 

References

Williams, L. A., Atkinson, L. C., Cate, J. M., & O'Hair, M. J. (2008). Mutual support between learning community development and technology integration: Impact on school practices and student achievement. Theory Into Practice, 47(4), 294-302. https://doi.org/10.1080/00405840802329219

Crompton, H. (2023). Evidence of the ISTE standards for educators leading to learning gains. Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education, 39(4), 201-219. https://doi.org/10.1080/21532974.2023.2244089