SETDA Pushes for Equal Access to Technology, Interstate Agency Cooperation in New Strategic Plan
The State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA) has published its new strategic plan to reflect the current position of education technology as an integral
component of curriculum, instruction and professional development.
State
education agency leaders launched SETDA in 2001 "to serve, support and
represent their emerging interests and needs with respect to the use of
technology for teaching, learning and school operations," according to
SETDA's site. In the intervening years, educational technology has
emerged as a critical tool for personalizing each student's learning
experience and offering equity of education for all students.
With
this new strategic plan, SETDA aims "to sharpen the focus of our work,
to do so collaboratively with others who share our goals, and to make a
marked difference in teaching and learning," said Candice Dodson, chair
of SETDA's board of directors, in a prepared statement.
The 2017-20 SETDA Strategic Plan outlines six core values driving SETDA's work:
- To serve every state and territorial education agency in the United States to affect change in education;
- To maintain a future-focused, holistic view on how to leverage technology for learning;
- To foster collaboration among SETDA members, strategic partners and other education leaders and policymakers;
- To take action on the important issues facing public education; and
- To
ensure equity of access to all facets of learning, including devices,
broadband, content and instructional practices that provide the
opportunities for all students to use technology for personalized
learning.
The document also outlines six priorities of SETDA for 2017 to 2020:
- To advocate for education and technology policies and practices designed to effectively leverage technology for learning;
- To inspire and assist states to act collaboratively to advance education through technology policy and practice;
- To establish and engage in strategic partnerships to advance education through technology policy and practice;
- To provide relevant, high-quality professional learning opportunities for SETDA members;
- To ensure effective communication between and among SETDA, its members, strategic partners and other key audiences; and
- To provide effective organizational governance, planning and management to fulfill SETDA's mission.
The 2017-20 SETDA Strategic Plan is available as a free, downloadable PDF from SETDA's site.
About the Author
Leila Meyer is a technology writer based in British Columbia. She can be reached at [email protected].