July 2004 — SETDA
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Pennsylvania: Technology's Potential, Promise for Enhancing Student Learning
A focus on educator training will be critical to the effectiveness of this technology implementation since teachers are the linchpins for technology integration in the classroom. Effective teachers who are attentive to the goal of quality instruction are using technology as a tool to get there. Therefore, we must establish programs for ongoing professional development on the applicability and benefits of technology, while sharing and supporting our successes.
Effectively Implementing Instructional Technology
In collaboration with the Pennsylvania Intermediate Units, we developed and deliver "Core Teaching Skills for an Information Age," a customizable, nine-module professional development program designed to assist commonwealth teachers in creating standards-based, technology-rich learning experiences for students. Participants focus on integrating technology into the content, grade level and school curriculum that they teach in order to gain practical skill sets, as well as to discover tools and resources specific to their needs.
A new program called "Keystones" celebrates model practices of teachers throughout Pennsylvania. With a daily discussion of "highly qualified" teachers as the baseline requirement for instructors in each classroom, we want to recognize those educators who far exceed those specifications. These teachers bring to the classroom all of the content, motivational and management expertise to capture students' imaginations and harness learning in our children. As "Keystones: Technology Integrators," these teachers use technology to foster student curiosity and creativity, as well as engage students in meaningful problem-solving activities. They share the joy of teaching with their colleagues, as well as promote collaboration and communication in their learning communities. We look to these teacher leaders to help build capacity throughout the educational system by sharing their practices and acting as mentors to colleagues.
In addition to providing resources and training to our current teachers, the Pennsylvania Department of Education's Office of Educational Technology is working in collaboration with its Office of Postsecondary and Higher Education to design a program which ensures that teacher candidates receive thorough training on how to use technology as a mechanism for improving instruction. While these efforts will include resources and training for higher education faculty, the major focus of this initiative is to assist teacher candidates in implementing instructional technology effectively, as well as using student data to assess and modify instruction.
Students as Leaders
Students also play a significant role in supporting teacher and administrator leadership. Whether done informally after class or through a more formal mechanism such as scheduled workshops, schools harness the advanced technology skills of students to develop administrative familiarity with the latest applications of technology, as well as to help teachers present technology-infused lessons that pique learners' interests.
The annual Pennsylvania High School Computer Fair provides local, regional and statewide opportunities for high school students to showcase their technological prowess and unleash their creativity. Supported by strong mentors, participants gain something invaluable - the ability to convey information more dynamically, the capacity for deeper cognitive learning, and the empowerment to strengthen their talents while expressing their own ideas.
