Technology+Facilitator+Standard+1

ISTE’s Essential Conditions and TF/TL Standard 1

Chapter 1

Chapter 1 was about the operations and concepts. It briefly spoke technology proficiency, literacy and fluency in the classroom. It talked about what teachers need to be familiar with when teaching and using technology to meet content standards. It mentioned in Chapter 1 what teachers need to understand in order to be successful with the integration of technology. It talked about how technology changes minute by minute and will be continuously changing throughout our lifetimes and our children’s lifetimes. Technology is a huge part of our lives not only in education, but in our personal lives as well. These chapters stressed about the importance of letting teachers acquire basic skills in order to be able to transfer their knowledge to their students. Chapter 1 stated, “Also like their students, educators need learning environments accommodating their individual learning styles, abilities, skills, and interests.” (Williamson, & Redish, 2009). This is so true about teachers. As a young student, I learned by doing. I feel that some teachers need hands on experience along with the explanation of technology. Not everyone can pick it up by reading a book, or listening to a lecture. It is important for a teacher to have basic knowledge about technology before he/she decides to incorporate it in their classroom. It would be impossible for an inexperienced teacher to walk into a classroom and try to teach with it. However, I feel that they do NOT have to know the ins and outs of technology. One of our classes had a video showing a teacher learning beside her students. This is perfectly acceptable. I know from personal experience that students can learn more about technology in 30 minutes than we can in 2 hours. This is especially true for Junior High and High School students. Something about their brains is wired for technology.

Williamson, J. & Redish, T. (2009). //Technology facilitation and leadership standards: What every K-12 leader should know and be able to do//. Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education.

TF/TL Standard 1: Technology Operations and Concepts ensure that schools have skilled personnel.

“Skilled Personnel and Ongoing Professional Learning are two of the essential conditions necessary for achieving the NET-S.” (Williamson & Redish, 2009). I personally love this quote. We know from all our coursework through Lamar University that technology is not simple all of the time and it is ongoing and ever changing. The possibilities that technology bring are never going to cease. Every time teachers and students get used to using one type of technology, another bigger and better technology will come along. We as facilitators will have to be lifelong learners… especially with technology if we want our teachers to be as passionate and up to date with technology. If we want our students to be learning through the best possible technology advances, we must provide them with the tools. Leaders are expected to perform at a higher, more advanced level than other peers. This is to ensure continuous growth in our instructors and educators. We must know our technology operations and we must be able to extend our knowledge and understanding of the concepts. This way, we can integrate new knowledge of new concepts as they come along. Facilitators and Leaders must keep their knowledge base current. It may be harder for leaders to keep up their content base because their job is not as hands on but this should not let that get in the way of their growth. I would highly recommend leaders have field work assignments as facilitators do. They should have small group training or individual trainings along with assistance of teachers developing lesson plans that meet the needs of their students. I have witnessed this with our technology leader. He has been out of practice for an extended period of time, yet makes time to be out in the field. Therefore, he is current and aware of what teachers are requesting and wanting to see in their classrooms. He is not a deer in the headlights and can be assessable for anyone to approach about new ideas or concepts of technology. I have not had many concerns about our skilled personnel standards being met. However, I do feel that older teachers have been more resistant to the new and upcoming technologies coming our way. I think it is scary for them since they have not been part of our digital generation. I have noticed in recent months, technology professional development opportunities have dwindled on our districts website. I do worry about our campuses budget seeing that many jobs are being cut, and many demonstration teachers have been reassigned to classrooms due to the lack of funds. I have also had some concerns about why technology has not been a big priority on many of our campuses. LISD is a huge school district and is growing rapidly. Our new schools have been built with technology built in which I think is fabulous. However, the older schools are not equipped with technology and teachers have to EARN their pieces of technology IF there is money in the budget. I do not think this is fair to our students. Students in older schools are usually the students who need technology the most. They are low economic, unprivileged kids who could benefit even more than average students from technology integration. This has puzzled me for some time. I think our priorities are sometimes struggling seeing it from this point of view. If these students are struggling, and the average/high students are not… Why not put the technology in the lower income schools? Surely scores would be boosted and students would be more motivated to learn this way.

Williamson, J. & Redish, T. (2009). //Technology facilitation and leadership standards: What every K-12 leader should know and be able to do//. Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education.