Determining technology uses in classrooms has caught educators in a profound belief gap between being used to support classroom practices as we have always known them or being used as a robust catalyst to accelerate new cultures of learning that will serve the highest interest of our students’ capacity to step successfully into a global economy. The BIG question is not whether students are learning, practicing or using technology but to probe deeper: Are these resources organized to deliver high-yielding visible, added-value, worth-the-money and time RESULTS for all students! Many school goals for technology resources are couched in terms such as “enriching or enhancing curriculum,” “creating lifelong learners,” “supporting state standards,” or “integrating technology throughout the curriculum.” Though these sound like worthy goals, when it comes to implementing and evaluating these outcomes, we are actually left with counting the ITs (Instructional technology) activities not specific practices, skills or understandings—student results if they did use IT! Participants will practice three categories of technology uses that shape goals, staff development, curriculum, and focus student achievement on results school-wide.

Outline

• Identifying three categories of technology uses
• Conducting walk-throughs to code technology uses as staff development and decision-making dialogues
• Using student work as a body of evidence
• Shifting strategies from optional, mood use to essential, expected experiences
• Embedding high-yielding instructional strategies

Supporting Research

Technology Planning Strategies for Stoking the Catalysts of Change. Bernajean Porter. Leading and Learning with Technology. March, 2003.
Grappling with Accountability: Resources and Tools for Assessing Technology Impact. Bernajean Porter.

Presenter Background

Bernajean Porter provides a spectrum of practical tools and services to scale and sustain technology’s potential culled from 22 years of national and international experience. Her work reflects a belief that technology can accelerate all students in rediscovering their joy, spirit and personal success as learners. Bernajean’s philosophy of work uses cutting edge organizational processes for building local capacity to translate the power of technology’s potential into actual classroom practices for ALL students. Her enthusiasm and vivacious presentations create an energetic climate for all learners. When it comes to doing the hard or impossible things now necessary in schools to ensure students having out-of-this-world possibilities, Bernajean’s personal motto of “Da Um Jeitinho”- there is ALWAYS a way – sets the tone for her dedicated long, term work with national and international educators.

She is author of Grappling with Accountability 2002:MAPPing Tools for Organizing and Assessing Technology for Student Results; Evaluating Digital Products: Training and Resource Tools for Using Student Scoring Guides; DigiTales: The Art of Telling Digital Stories; Nutz and Boltz of Engaging and Empowering Large Groups; and contributor to Snapshots: Educational Insights from the Thornburg Center. Bernajean has been on presidential advisory boards, worked as a state department of education technology consultant, recognized by ISTE as Consultant of the Year, directed state-wide initiatives, and participated in multiple technology literacy challenge grant training/assessments. Bernajean’s work uses the application of systems thinking and chaos theory to deal with the challenges of change and re-culturing efforts in education today.