Technology Plan

Reading all these technology plans is tiring when the plans are more than 100 pages long.  I did find some good things about each plan that I have read.  I have looked over the technology plan for my district as well as Cobb and Cherokee.  With the plan from my district, it sounded like they just put together a plan and post it on the county website.  I did ask a few teachers if they knew we had a district technology plan.  No one knew we had a technology plan with the exception of the media specialist.  I even asked one of the county technology instructor and he didn't know either but he was glad I informed him.  With the other district plans, there were great differences.  Cobb and Cherokee County has lots of results of data from what it looks like a variety of surveys.  Cobb showed the percentage of technology being use by teachers and how often they are used.  Cherokee showed the different software and websites they use.  The only data we have is how much technology we have in the county.  I wish we could show how it is being dispersed throughout the county by the number of teachers, administrators and other county personnel.  Each plan did have goals as well as strategies, benchmarks, budget and projected dates.  With the hopes of the district plan being renewed in 2012,  hopefully they can add data from the technology usage the teachers are implementing in their classroom.

Comparing the technology plan with the state, was completely different.  I was impressed by the results of Georgia's ranking with the usage of technology compared to other states.   It is showing we are trying to move in a positive direction but we still have a ways to go to compare with the northern states as being well educated.  Georgia's plan is showing that we are using other data gathered around the states to see if we can improve the way we use technology.  Also they added questions that could help those reading it, to  understand the direction that Georgia wants to go.  One question that stands out is "Do we have sustained state funding sources to support the technology needs in our school?".  This showed that there is funding there but we need more funding and are currently still searching for it to support technology in schools. This plan also showed the strengths and are weaknesses that we need to overcome to be successful.

The National Technology Plan was the longest or seemed like the longest.  I'm glad it reviewed our past in education and how education is changing with the use of technology.  We are trying to improve education in the U.S., but there are obstacles with budget, politics, and importance.  Some minor obstacles on the education level is the income level, english lanuage learners, and students with disabilities. We are trying to make sure all students are being educated, but what the plan pointed out was the time limit to educate the students.  Not all students can learn on the same level and in the same time frame.  It proposed a more flexible classroom based on whole group, small group, hands-on activities, and drills for those who need extra skills and attention to master the standards.  The technology that this incorporated into the classroom is being able to upload student data and utilizing it for to fine their strengths and weaknesses in a particular subject area.  This plan does show some examples on using technology as an instructional tool and project tool for students to work with.  I am glad that the plan had the potential of using cell phones in the classroom as a technology tool since majority of the high schools students have one.  There is a lot of potential goals that we could meet with this plan as a nation if we get the states on the same technology level.

I am glad each plan has realistic goals and show where we need to step up through technology.  They reflect data on which subgroups that have may technology access at home, how teachers are utilizing the technology in the classroom, and how we can communicate outside of school.  I just wish my district could have more of a reflection of the state goals, and  input more data on how we are utilizing technology.  I am glad to see that the district is on the same page with having a flexible classroom grouping and hands-on activities of the National Technology Plan.  I am also glad that the district wants the mastery of technology before the students reach 8th grade which coincides with the Georgia Technology Plan.  My district needs to catch up a little more with the implementation of technology projects and have the technology reflect more on a timeframe to reach our goals.