TP5-C&I


 * Curriculum and Instruction**

// **Members: Dale, Deb D., Deb W., Katie, Kristy, Selene, Ellie, Terri (please add your name to the list)** //
**GAP ANALYSIS (In Progress):**

UPDATED:
 * Because **technology is a fundamental component of every phase of the teaching and learning process, the ratio of 2:1 student-to-computer ratio on a daily basis would be optimum. The current ratio of student use laptop computers to students is 5.67:1. **
 * Curriculum materials are increasingly available in digital form, and as Web technologies improve, more student work is conducted in the Cloud online. More internet capable devices are needed in the hands of students, and a more robust wireless infrastructure is needed for instant Internet access.
 * Teachers need strong tools and resources to support differentiation to widely varying levels of technology experience among students.
 * Teachers need time and support to increase, develop, and deepen their fluency with technical tools so that they can integrate technology more frequently in the learning process.
 * There needs to be agreement about a base level of student skills at each grade level, along with establishing the persons responsible for evaluating those skill levels.
 * A common technology vocabulary needs to be established.
 * The current focus is on the teacher to provide the technology framework and tools for the students to use for projects. Students need to be empowered to choose the technology tools they wish to use to complete a project. **It is not about the teacher, it is about the student. **
 * Technology needs to be used more frequently as a tool **to individualize the instruction according to students' needs and learning styles. **
 * **Technology should be viewed as another learning tool; as ****the 'work of the day' and not something extra. **
 * **Technology needs to be a vehicle for students to use 21st-century skills and reasoning. **

**ORIGINAL: ** **Technology is a fundamental component of every phase of the teaching and learning process. It needs to be ****instantly ****accessible. **
 * **Technology needs will increase with the Science adoption (in 2011), especially in the Middle school curriculum where a 2:1 student-to-computer ratio on a daily basis is required. **
 * **As curriculum is updated, materials are increasingly available primarily in digital form. **
 * **As a result of Cloud computing, materials wanted are available freely online. **
 * **Student learning is increasingly being demonstrated by means of technology-based projects. **
 * **Student work is more frequently published for global audiences. **

**<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At present, we do not have high enough device-to-student ratios, or reliable internet connections. **  **<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teacher learning and support **
 * **<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Need to have strong tools and resources for differentiating to widely varying levels of tech experience among students. **
 * **<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teachers need time and support to increase, develop, deepen their fluency with technical tools. **
 * **<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">More people should be integrating technology as part of the learning process **
 * **<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teachers need skills to teach students to communicate visuallly and use principles of design. **<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #ad0b36; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(See Professional Development Section)


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Student learning and support **
 * **<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Need to come to a common agreement about a base level of student skills at each grade-level. **
 * **<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Common understanding of what it means and establishing common vocabulary **
 * **<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Design to improve visual communication is missing **<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #ab1212; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Needs clarification)
 * **<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Changing relationship between teacher and student - empowering kids **
 * **<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Having the student use the technology. It is not about the teacher, it is about the student **
 * **<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Using technology to individualize the instruction according to kids' needs and learning styles **
 * ** <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Making the use of technology integrated into the classroom <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">_ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the 'work of the day' and not something extra **
 * **<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tech needs to be a vehicle for students to use 21st-century skills and reasoning. **

**ACTIVITIES TO CLOSE GAP (In Progress):**
 * Develop and implement units of study and find online resources and tools to support 21st-century skills
 * Explore and adopt emerging technologies to enhance student learning
 * Provide opportunities for students to make global connections, and for online skill acquisition
 * Promote the concept of technology integration as a team effort between the classroom teacher, LMC/CLC staff and technology staff
 * Support collaboration between departments and schools to design and implement technology as related to curriculum adoptions
 * Include strategies for implementing technology into the curriculum mapping process
 * Revisit and revise district technology standards and grade level skills based on NETS-S standards and define common technology vocabulary
 * Make sure that available hardware is distributed throughout the district where it is needed and will be used.
 * Review and support assistive technology for varying student abilities
 * Support work time for teachers to explore technology and develop skills for technology integration
 * Empower students to define the technology and tools they need to complete a project
 * Support opportunities for teachers to co-plan lessons integrating technology with other teachers, tech team and LMC/CLC staff
 * Explore the inclusion of technology assessment information on student progress reports


 * Revision 01-11-2011**
 * Curriculum and Instruction**

There is a sense of urgency to change the school culture and classroom environment to reflect the shift from teacher directed learning to students being empowered to learn. 21st century skills require students to use technology to create, design communicate, and learn, and therefore should be viewed as a resource that is a part of the “work of the day”.

As a result, technology needs for the area of curriculum and instruction include:


 * Gap** : Not enough technology tools and variety of tools to provide students instant access to necessary tools
 * Need** : Depending of the tools, change ratio of students to technology (i.e.- iPads, iPods, computers, digital cameras, student response systems, etc.) Ratio of 2:1 student to computer ratio on a daily basis would be optimum


 * Gap** : Teacher comfort level with technology tools and resources in order to seamlessly integrate technology into learning process
 * Need** : Teachers need time and support to increase, develop, and deepen their fluency with technology tools so children can integrate technology more frequently in the learning process.


 * Gap** : Inadequate understanding of how to balance technology, pedagogy, content, and knowledge in order to create units and activities that empower students
 * Need** : Professional development and training for teachers on tech. tools and resources in order to determine how various tools and resources can be effectively used to individualize instruction and support learners


 * Gap** : There is not a structure in place for teachers to provide feedback to parents and students electronically at the elementary level.
 * Need** : Adoption/Implementation of a program such as EdLine etc. in elementary schools


 * Gap** : Parents and students are not aware of student development of process skills
 * Need** : Report student development of process skills as identified by The Partnership for 21st Century Learning to both parents and students


 * Gap** : Students do not have an opportunity to explore personal interests or interact electronically with experts in the areas in which they are most interested
 * Need** : Personal learning networks for students


 * Gap** : Ability for students to work online without worrying about reliability
 * Need** : More robust wireless infrastructure that enables instant Internet access

to design and implement units of study
 * Gap** : Lack of collaborative plan teams and plan time at each school
 * Need** : Use a collaborative planning model that include classroom teachers, LMC staff, students, and tech staff


 * Gap** : There is not a common understanding of which technology skills should be developed for students grades K-8
 * Need** : An agreement on a continuum of technology skills K-8


 * Gap** : Students do not have a common understanding of technology terms
 * Need** : An agreement among staff as to which terms will be used with students to identify technology tools and resources


 * Gap** : Current focus is on the teacher providing technology framework and tools for students to use in order to enhance learning
 * Need** : Focus on students choosing technology tools based upon learning needs – empowering students

**MONITORING PLAN (TBD):**

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