Urging policy makers and school leaders "to take bold steps
... to improve education for America's 21st-century leaders," the State
Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA) has issued new
guidance for reforming the nation's schools with the help of technology.
Hoping to reach the attention of a new administration and Congress,
SETDA's "Class of 2020: Action Plan for Education" notes that every
child entering kindergarten this year deserves a high-quality,
21st-century education. The plan includes several white papers, a
Student Bill of Rights, and a set of 10 recommendations to improve
teaching and learning using technology.
With input from more than 100 national policy makers and all
50 state educational technology offices, SETDA's action plan sets forth
the following 10 recommendations for national, state, and local
education leaders:
1. Ensure that technology tools and resources are used continuously
and seamlessly for instruction, collaboration, and assessment.
2. Expose all students (pre-K through 12th grade) to STEM fields and careers.
3. Make ongoing, sustainable professional development available to all teachers.
4. Use virtual learning opportunities for teachers to further their
professional development, such as through online communities and
education portals.
5. Incorporate innovative, consistent, and timely assessments into daily instruction.
6. Strengthen the home-school connection by using technology to communicate with parents on student progress.
7. Provide the necessary resources so that every community has the
infrastructure to support learning with technology, including
assessments and virtual learning.
8. Obtain societal support for education that uses technology from all
stakeholders--students, parents, teachers, state and district
administrators, business leaders, legislators, and local community
members.
9. Provide federal leadership to support states and districts regarding
technology's role in school reform by passing the ATTAIN Act.
10. Increase available funding for the e-Rate so that schools can
acquire telecommunication services, internet access, internal
connections, and maintenance of those connections.
More information: http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/top-news/index.cfm?i=56081
