An important conversation has begun in the High School. Yesterday, department and other school leaders met to discuss the technology vision for ISB and specifically, the High School. We’ve got a lot of background “pieces” related to technology in place: the 5-year strategic plan, learning 21 framework, and school-wide ICT philosophy and vision, along with some things that are on the horizon including newly adopted ICT/Library goals that need to be integrated into existing curriculum and technology standards becoming part of teacher’s professional evaluations. While these pieces are an important and necessary part of the process, we urgently needed a chance to get down to the nuts and bolts of how teachers are using technology to enhance student learning and how the tech facilitators can support them.Several things are resonating with me after this meeting, the cognitive dissonance between some who see tech as an “add-on”, and increasingly, a distraction and hindrance to learning versus those who see tech as an essential and enriching part of life in the world today including school. There’s also concern over the widening “technology gap” as those who choose to dive in and embrace technology obtain a new skill set and I might say different outlook on their role as teacher versus those who haven’t. This is what concerns me most.
How do I as a tech facilitator confront the duality of my job, being at the same time a cutting-edge innovator yet someone who is able to meet colleagues where they are? There are a few possible paths to take here: those of us heading out into the tech frontier could pull back on the reigns and wait for the rest of the pack to catch up, or we can keep going and act as scouts along the journey, trying new trails to find the ones that will help the rest travel more easily.
I plan on pursuing the latter approach. But, as a good scout, I have to keep checking in with the group, leaving markers to find the right paths. To do this we need to get better at articulating two things: the technology integration continuum and integration model. People need to know what technology integration looks like at varying levels from using technology as “digital paper” to using it in a transformative way. Also, people need to clearly understand that we expect to be engaged with them in their tech learning however they want it. This may include personal PD, co-planning/teaching, and group sessions.
Though different models exist and these are not the models adopted by our school, I have found them particularly helpful.
The Technology Integration Matrix by the Florida Center for Instructional Technology
The Collaboration Cycle by Kim Cofino, International School of Bangkok
The conversation has only just begun, but hopefully we’ll be able to move together toward our common goals of preparing our students for a life of learning.
Images:
"Mind the Gap" by kevingessner on Flickr!
"wagon train" by hugslife on Flickr!