Regional
Technology Planning Guide
for North Carolina
Educational Consortia
The University of North Carolina
and
Instructional Technologies Division
North Carolina Department of Public Instruction
April 1997
Contents
Acknowledgments Background Summary Planning Guide Framework Sample Goals and Objectives Technology Fund Usage Lead Responsibilities of the Proposed Delivery Structure to Public School Educators Deans' Council on Teacher Education Appendices
Strategy and Timeline for Developing and Implementing Assessments of Teachers' Essential and Advanced Skills in Technology Prior to Initial Licensure
Technology Assessment Instrument for Basic Technology Skills
Developed by E.T.G. (Educator Technology Group)
Technology Assessment Instrument for Advanced Technology Skills
Developed by E.T.G.
| Charles Coble Associate Vice President UNC General Administration Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27515-2688
Elizabeth Long, Director
Brad Sneeden, Director
Lawrence Walker, Director
Robert Kanoy, Director
Shirley Farrar, Director
Frances Jones, Director
Eddie West, Director
Phil Monk, Director |
Elsie Brumback, Director Instructional Technologies Division NC Department of Public Instruction Raleigh, North Carolina 27601-2825
Margaret Bingham, Section Chief
Alisa Chapman, Consultant
Benny Hendrix, Consultant
Camp Price, Consultant
Sue Rogers, Consultant NOTE: A special thanks to Alisa Chapman with the NC Department of Public Instruction for her extensive work on this document. |
"The faculty have been genuinely excited about the technologies that are available to them."
Steve Springer
|
North Carolina has demonstrated many leading efforts to support technology in education.
These efforts have focused on the importance of instructional technologies in our
public schools and in our university teacher preparation programs. These efforts
are 1) the School Technology Commission and the North Carolina Instructional
Technology Plan, 2) the School Technology Users Task Force; Technology Competencies
for practicing educators and Instructional Technology Specialists, 3) the seven
regional Educational Consortia (ASU - Public School Partnership, ECU - Eastern
North Carolina Consortium for Assistance and Research in Education, NCCU - Central
Carolina Consortium, UNC-Charlotte - UNC Charlotte Education Consortium,
UNC-Greensboro - Piedmont Triad Horizons Alliance, UNC-Wilmington - Consortium
for the Advancement of Public Education, WCU - Alliance of Business Leaders and
Educators) and the educational consortium at UNC-Chapel Hill, and the 4) Assessment
of Essential and Advanced Technology Skills for preservice teachers.
The School Technology Commission was created in 1994 by the General Assembly and
charged with the responsibility to establish statewide requirements and guidelines
for instructional technology in K-12 schools. The commission was to create an
instructional technology plan for North Carolina that would require the development
of Local Education Agency (LEA) plans, and to monitor and evaluate the state and
local plans. As a result, all 117 LEAs now have a five-year instructional
technology plan addressing curriculum integration, connectivity, collaboration,
and staff development. The Department of Public Instruction (DPI) employs four
Instructional Technology Consultants to assist school systems as they implement
their local technology plans.
The Technology Users Task Force was appointed by the Education Cabinet (Superintendent
of Public Instruction, President of the Community College System, and President of
the UNC System) to develop a comprehensive plan for professional development in the
area of technology. This plan was to target preservice and inservice teachers and
administrators. A report issued by the Task Force in October 1995 outlined and
identified the technical knowledge and skills deemed essential for all North Carolina
educators. These skills are known as the Basic and Advanced Technology Competencies
for Educators.
On March 14, 1996, the State Board of Education (SBE) endorsed the School Technology
Users Task Force Report and approved the following recommendation for teacher
license renewal: "During each five year cycle for license renewal, all North
Carolina educators shall focus a portion of their training opportunities (three to
five renewal credits) on Task Force recommended technology competencies, relevant
to their licensure area, as deemed appropriate by their local school system."
To determine licensure eligibility, a timeline of assessment for preservice teachers
has been adopted by the SBE. Each of the fifteen schools of education in the
University of North Carolina employ an Instructional Technology Specialist to support
their faculty and future graduates in meeting the competencies.
The Educational Consortia are responsible for coordinating regional collaboration
and planning with the community-at-large. As recommended by the Task Force, each
of the consortia have hosted meetings within their region that brought together respective
members of their organization to plan for technology professional development. These
meetings included partners from business and industry, community colleges, LEAs,
constituent institutions of the University, and private colleges. Summaries of these
plans are available in a report entitled Implementation of Recommendations of The
School Technology Users Task Force. Most recently developed is the strategy and timeline for assessments of teachers' essential and advanced skills in technology prior to initial licensure, adopted by the State Board of Education on December 5, 1996. To assess essential technology skills, an Essential Technology Skills Inventory (ETSI) is being developed for administration to all institutions of higher education with teacher education programs. By 1998, Version D, the fourth version of the ETSI will be used as one criterion for initial licensing of all preservice teachers in North Carolina. Advanced technology skills will be assessed through a set of criteria developed by teams of University faculty, DPI staff, and public school teachers. Beginning in April 1998, graduates applying for initial licensure will be required to have demonstrated an acceptable level of mastery of the advanced technology competencies through displays of student work and through a preservice teacher portfolio. |
"Our faculty are enthused about the humanizing of technology resources available to them."
Craig Kaml
|
The success of students and the future teaching workforce is dependent upon their
ability to acquire the skills and knowledge demanded in a global information economy.
Skills associated with job preparedness in such a high-tech environment suggest the need
for increased access to instructional technologies. This can best be achieved by
developing and implementing a plan for the professional development of teachers.
Teachers must receive training if they are to use instructional technologies in the
classroom.
The challenge is to create a technology plan that delivers high quality professional
development; provides access to the appropriate tools; and promotes a reliable support
structure through regional collaboration and partnerships. This guide seeks to serve
as a template for developing a regional technology plan that will better prepare students
for the 21st Century.
The following themes, at a minimum, should be addressed in a regional technology plan:
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"Through appropriate staff development for educators and
sufficient access to the technology, students develop the skills needed to become
productive citizens in the 21st Century"
Sue Rogers
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Professional Development
Access to Technology
Collaboration
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Goals and Objectives
Timeline
Funding Analysis
Evaluation
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Amount |
(equipment, software, supplies, staff development, etc.) |
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State
Federal
Grant | |
State
Federal
Grant | |
State
Federal
Grant | |
Educational Consortia |
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P u b l i c S c h o o l s
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of Education |
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Colleges |
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Vision Statement The University of North Carolina's schools, colleges and departments of education, in collaboration with public school partners and others, are committed to producing professional educators of the highest quality and to supporting their continued development on behalf of children in North Carolina. |
| Dr. Charles Duke Reich College of Education Appalachian State University Boone, North Carolina 28608 Dr. Henry Peel Dr. Lois Green Dr. Saundra Shorter Dr. David Boger Dr. Sammie Campbell Parrish Dr. Joan Michael Dr. Gwendolyn Henderson |
Dr. William Burke School of Education University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599 Dr. John M. Nagle Dr. Mary Olson Dr. Kathryn Sullivan Dr. Robert Tyndall Dr. Gurney E. Chambers Dr. Lelia Vickers Dr. Charles R. Coble |
