Technology changes quickly, and additional resources become available every day. Understanding how to maintain awareness of new but proven tools will benefit educators and students.
You will reflect on resources present within your school, research educational technology professional development best practices, and locate 6 – 8 options for continuing your learning about technology tools.
Step 1. Create a table outlining 6 – 8 providers of professional development related to educational technology. Use these column headers: company, website, type of technology, key dates; focus of sessions, total PD credits/points. Each row should be a new provider.
How can these providers supplement what is available at your school?
Step 2. Incorporate your findings in a 3-page reflection paper (not including the title and references pages). Research your school or district’s technology plan and conduct an interview with an administrator such as the principal or technology coordinator.
Ask: How is the use of educational technology supported? What types of data are utilized to report the impact of technology on student achievement? What types of professional development are provided to teachers? (Please make up the responses)
Step 3. Compare the types of professional development at your school with those included in your table.
Step 4. Compare the responses from the interview with researched best practices found in the literature.
Step 5. Reflect on the similarities and differences and how any gaps, if present, can be filled.
