The National Technology Plan

The National Education Technology Plan outlines its goals for student learning and how the learning should be accomplished.  Students are to be the center of the learning environment: they are allowed to make decisions about how they will learn.  They are also expected to take ownership of their own learning.  Learning online will be an option as well as learning at one’s own pace.  The new classroom will be project based, but student expectations will still take control of what must be mastered.  Differentiated activities allow students to move at their own pace with extended time allowed if needed.  Online learning courses were also a method of extending the school year and touted giving students a quality way to learn more.

In respect to professional development, the plan indicates teachers should create communities of online social networking platforms in order to share practices of great teaching.  Online access for career and personal learning is related.  Education centers and districts should also provide preservice and in-service sessions that will provide educators with opportunities to increase their digital literacy.

Several issues became evident through the review.  One:  When students learn at their own pace, the risk of being unprepared for the high stakes state test is present.  This would cause more problems for the student since they are required to score a set score or higher to receive credit for the exam toward graduation.  They would also be penalized for the class they are taking since 15% of the final state test score will be averaged with their final class grade.  Two:  Intrinsic motivation.   I worry that the motivation needed to complete online courses will be absent in students who need that extrinsic motivation to keep them on track.  There are also the issues of having access to the technology tools and Internet as some families are not financially equipped for that type of situation.

Overall, the plan has positive ideas and goals for the implementation of technology into the classroom and the provision for student centered learning.