EPSDtechintplan2004

Educational Focus
The plan is organized around the outcomes for students encapsulated by the vision for the
various instructional levels (elementary, middle and high school). In addition, the
Curriculum/Instruction plan provides the future direction of the Professional Development
Institute in providing growth opportunities for technology integration.
Effective integration of technology is achieved when students are able to
select technology tools to help them obtain information in a timely manner,
analyze and synthesize the information, and present it professionally. The
technology should become an integral part of how the classroom functions –
as accessible as all other classroom tools. (National Educational Technology
Standards for Students, ISTE)
The Information Technology plan highlights the equipment and infrastructure used to facilitate
student learning. According to the Principals’ Executive Program, 2000, Taking a Good Look at
Instructional Technology (TAGLIT), a school develops a technology program over time and
includes stages of development:
1. Embarking: The school is just getting started with aspects of technology.
2. Progressing: The school is making some effort and showing some progress with
aspects of technology for teaching and learning.
3. Emerging: The school is making considerable effort and showing considerable
progress with using aspects of technology fro teaching and learning.
4. Transforming: The school’s use of technology is transforming the way teaching and
learning take place.
A district’s professional development program needs to parallel the same stages. In defining
professional development profiles, the Year 4 StaR Chart builds upon the five phases of
professional development identified by Apple Classroom of Tomorrow through a decade of
research on the instructional changes that occur during the process of integrating technology to
transform the learning environment. Those five phases are:
1. Entry: Educators struggle to learn the basics of using technology.
2. Adoption: Educators move from the initial struggles to successful use of technology
on a basic level (i.e., integration of drill and practice software into instruction).
3. Adaptation: Educators move from basic use to discovery of its potential for increased
productivity (i.e., use of word processors for student writing and research on the
Internet).
4. Appropriation: Having achieved complete mastery over the technology, educators
use it effortlessly as a tool to accomplish a variety of instructional and management
goals.
5. Invention: Educators are prepared to develop entirely new learning environments that
utilize technology as a flexible tool. Learning becomes more collaborative, interactive,
and customized.
The proposed outcomes that are evident in the level plans exemplify a commitment to
transforming the way teaching and learning take place.
Elementary level
• Learning in a more interactive manner by engaging children in exploring, thinking,
inventing, problem-solving, and experiencing the world digitally.
• Shifting from teacher instruction to student construction through discovery, the creation of
learning cultures and learning partnerships.
Middle Level
• Meeting the needs of diverse learners.
• Home school connection through parent involvement.
EPSD Technology Integration Plan
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