1.1 - Shared Vision
Candidates facilitate the development and implementation of a shared vision for the use of technology in teaching, learning, and leadership. (PSC 1.1/ISTE 1a)
Artifact: Vision Plan for Technology Integration
Reflection:
The Vision Plan for Technology Integration was completed to articulate the vision of technology use for Lee County High School 9th Grade Campus. In this task, we were to examine the vision and mission of the school and consider how technology could be incorporated into that vision. While preparing the vision, we were to consider all of the various roles that would be a part of the technology vision for the school: teacher, student, administrator, parent, and community member. This was an individual project completed for class but was generated with the assistance of my mentor, the assistant principal, and other faculty from the school.
Standard 1.1, the Shared Vision component of the ISTE standards asks that candidates have the ability to “facilitate the development and implementation of a shared vision for the use of technology in teaching, learning, and leadership (ISTE, 2012). This artifact demonstrates my ability to develop a shared vision of technology integration. While creating this artifact, it was necessary to work with school leadership, technology leaders, and other faculty to complete a shared vision that encompassed all aspects of learning. In order to complete the task, it was critical for me to facilitate discussion of the current vision and how the development of twenty-first century skills were a vital component of that vision. Once the discussion began, I began to work with leadership in the development of a vision of technology use that enhanced the current overall vision of Lee County 9th Grade Campus, to ensure students become “productive citizens in a rapidly changing world.”
Though I was not a part of the faculty at the time of the implementation of the Lee County High School 9th Grade Campus Vision for Technology Use, I got to play a key role in its implementation as one of our system technology specialists. The implementation of this plan began with the administrators by working with us on “evaluat[ing] the needs of their staff and select[ing] appropriate professional development (from Vision for Technology Use, 2014). We worked on developing a professional development plan that would further the use of the Bring Your Own Technology (BYOT) policy by both teachers and students. We facilitated the implementation of the plan by providing the requested professional development, usually assisting teachers in the creation of technology-infused, project-based lessons.
By completing this artifact, I learned that many teachers see the implementation of technology as a separate piece of learning, just one more thing that has to be done. However, when closely examining a school’s mission and goals will bring teachers’ attention to the fact that the incorporation of technology into learning furthers student skills and enhances the vision of the school, rather than working separately or against it. It is important for teachers to understand that the vision for technology use is a critical piece of the vision. I think that the development of the vision was an important learning experience for me as it helped me to understand the differing opinions of the team with whom I was working and helped us come to collaborative vision that we all were behind. If I were to go back and do it again, I would approach an administrator first and see if this piece could be completed before any professional development on incorporating technology into lessons. Much professional development prior to this centered around the technology without any clear overall objective and no explanation of how this correlated to this vision of the school. Rather than simply telling teachers to do it, it is critical that they be a part of the development of the vision of technology use.
I think that the development of the vision had a positive impact on school improvement, faculty development, and student learning. By the end of the year, administrators reported an increase in lessons that incorporated technology and some teachers reported higher levels of student engagement, especially in the time period after testing, which is usually when students are disengaged and burnt out. Student produced artifacts showed increased understanding of much of the content. Overall, most of the faculty feels they have benefited from the training they have received.
The Vision Plan for Technology Integration was completed to articulate the vision of technology use for Lee County High School 9th Grade Campus. In this task, we were to examine the vision and mission of the school and consider how technology could be incorporated into that vision. While preparing the vision, we were to consider all of the various roles that would be a part of the technology vision for the school: teacher, student, administrator, parent, and community member. This was an individual project completed for class but was generated with the assistance of my mentor, the assistant principal, and other faculty from the school.
Standard 1.1, the Shared Vision component of the ISTE standards asks that candidates have the ability to “facilitate the development and implementation of a shared vision for the use of technology in teaching, learning, and leadership (ISTE, 2012). This artifact demonstrates my ability to develop a shared vision of technology integration. While creating this artifact, it was necessary to work with school leadership, technology leaders, and other faculty to complete a shared vision that encompassed all aspects of learning. In order to complete the task, it was critical for me to facilitate discussion of the current vision and how the development of twenty-first century skills were a vital component of that vision. Once the discussion began, I began to work with leadership in the development of a vision of technology use that enhanced the current overall vision of Lee County 9th Grade Campus, to ensure students become “productive citizens in a rapidly changing world.”
Though I was not a part of the faculty at the time of the implementation of the Lee County High School 9th Grade Campus Vision for Technology Use, I got to play a key role in its implementation as one of our system technology specialists. The implementation of this plan began with the administrators by working with us on “evaluat[ing] the needs of their staff and select[ing] appropriate professional development (from Vision for Technology Use, 2014). We worked on developing a professional development plan that would further the use of the Bring Your Own Technology (BYOT) policy by both teachers and students. We facilitated the implementation of the plan by providing the requested professional development, usually assisting teachers in the creation of technology-infused, project-based lessons.
By completing this artifact, I learned that many teachers see the implementation of technology as a separate piece of learning, just one more thing that has to be done. However, when closely examining a school’s mission and goals will bring teachers’ attention to the fact that the incorporation of technology into learning furthers student skills and enhances the vision of the school, rather than working separately or against it. It is important for teachers to understand that the vision for technology use is a critical piece of the vision. I think that the development of the vision was an important learning experience for me as it helped me to understand the differing opinions of the team with whom I was working and helped us come to collaborative vision that we all were behind. If I were to go back and do it again, I would approach an administrator first and see if this piece could be completed before any professional development on incorporating technology into lessons. Much professional development prior to this centered around the technology without any clear overall objective and no explanation of how this correlated to this vision of the school. Rather than simply telling teachers to do it, it is critical that they be a part of the development of the vision of technology use.
I think that the development of the vision had a positive impact on school improvement, faculty development, and student learning. By the end of the year, administrators reported an increase in lessons that incorporated technology and some teachers reported higher levels of student engagement, especially in the time period after testing, which is usually when students are disengaged and burnt out. Student produced artifacts showed increased understanding of much of the content. Overall, most of the faculty feels they have benefited from the training they have received.