Independent School Educators' List (ISED-L): Re: Technology Standards

I agree that giving teachers options with a lot of support is the best =
way to go. But, there still has to be administrative support to =
ensuring teachers continue to move forward each year. Although Joel =
states that 88% of his teachers use technology regularly, that still =
means 12% don't use it.=20

I don't think you have to mandate a specific technology, but there needs =
to be support in place to help that 12% find tools that will work well =
for them as a teacher. =20

I also think at some point, there are things that need to be uniform in =
a school. For example, if grades and / or homework are being posted =
online, everyone in identified grades should be doing this, not just =
some teachers in those grades. If there are teacher web pages on the =
school website, then these should be updated regularly by all teachers, =
not just some teachers. The key is that there has to be a lot of =
support for teachers to be able to do this. You cannot just say - you =
are required to do a web page this year. Some teachers would have no =
idea where to start. If they are shown, it is just like typing in their =
word processor, then the scariness of a "web page" goes away, and they =
feel empowered and can do it.

I have two teachers that still prefer a chalkboard to a Smartboard. They =
were the last two teachers in our K-5 school to be without a Smartboard. =
I put Smartboards in their classrooms this year and paired them up with =
a Technology Integration Mentor (TIM). They meet with their TIM each =
week for 30 minutes. They know if they have a problem that they can ask =
their TIM anything in the safety of their classroom. They can still =
call the tech line for techie issues, but now they have support for the =
educational side too. Both of these teachers are using their =
Smartboards everyday. They still get frustrated sometimes, but I have =
heard both of them sharing new lessons they have done with other =
teachers! These two teachers would never have asked for a Smartboard, =
but they are using them in amazing ways in their classrooms now that =
they have them.

Renee Ramig
Seven Hills School

-----Original Message-----
From: A forum for independent school educators on behalf of Fred Bartels
Sent: Tue 11/2/2010 3:50 PM
To: ISED-L@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
Subject: Re: Technology Standards
=20
Joel,

Just want to say how much I appreciate your response. It seems such a =
breath
of fresh air to see articulated so strongly and clearly a belief in the
intelligence, responsibility and wisdom of teachers. Why don't we hear =
this
more often?

Thanks,

Fred

On Mon, Nov 1, 2010 at 9:11 PM, Backon, Joel <jbackon@choate.edu> wrote:

> Hi Lorri,
>
> We have only one guideline:
> Choate believes that our teachers are at their best when free to =
customize
> their classrooms to best match their teaching styles and the learning =
needs
> of their students. Consequently, we are not inclined to mandate any =
specific
> technology tools or approaches to teaching and learning.
> The following data was recently collected from our faculty to test the
> above statement:
>
> 1. 78% of our faculty use Blackboard without an administrative =
mandate.
> 2. 88% use technology tools of some kind on a regular basis (in =
addition to
> Blackboard) without standards or mandates.
>
> My preliminary conclusion - create a positive, supportive environment =
for
> teachers, and they will do what is necessary to provide the best =
education
> for our kids. According to our data, teachers do see the importance of =
using
> technology tools to improve teaching and learning.
>
> Joel
>
> --
> Joel Backon
> Director of Academic Technology / History
> Choate Rosemary Hall
> 333 Christian St.
> Wallingford, CT 06492
> 203-697-2514
>
>
>
>
> On Nov 1, 2010, at 12:02 PM, Lorri Carroll wrote:
>
> Hi All-
>
> I am curious as to what your school uses as a guide in developing and
> updating school curriculum with respect to technology standards?
>
> For example, what does your History Department (Math Dept.?, Lower
> School?, etc.) use as a guide to ensure they are preparing students =
for
> the digital age?
>
> ISTE?
> 21st Century Skills?
> Some other guidelines?
> no guidelines?
>
> Thanks!
>
> Lorri Carroll
> Director of Technology
> Hamden Hall Country Day School
> 1108 Whitney Avenue
> Hamden, CT 06517
> lcarroll@hamdenhall.org<mailto:lcarroll@hamdenhall.org>
> work (203) 752-2606
> cell (203) 215-9833
>
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