About this Daily Classroom Special
Technology 101 provides pointers, strategies
and suggestions for helping your school design a technology plan that
meets the needs of members of your learning community. Technology
101 was written by Peggy Wyns-Madison, a former Teachers Network
web mentor.
Visioning
Creating a vision is a very important process. It will help
your school team "see" the necessary changes needed to improve or
enhance the teaching-learning process in your building. Here are
a few questions you can use to focus the group you have assembled.
- What is the mission of the school, our raison d'etre?
The answer to this question should reflect our school's unique
role and contribution.
- What do we think young people should be learning in school?
- What are some of the major challenges that we face?
- What are our values? How do people treat each other? (e.g.,
teacher-student, teacher-teacher, student-student, teacher-parent,
teacher-administrator, etc.)? How are people recognized? (Consider
formal and informal recognition.)
- What role does our school play in the community?
- What role do parents play in the school?
- What aspects of our school environment allow people to be autonomous
or empowered?
- What aspects of our school disempower people?
- Describe the role of the teacher in the school.
- Describe the role of the student in the school.
- What strategies and tools are we using to achieve our curricular
objectives?
The first ten questions focus on the teaching-learning process.
Technology should be part of the tools available to assist in the
teaching-learning process.
Quebec English Schools Network
IMPACT II - The Teachers Network sponsored a New York City Teacher
Policy Institute in 1995-96. As a result, a group of 50 teachers
examined policies and created a tool for helping others create visions.
In their policy document, an envisioning workshop is presented.
Envisioning Exercises
Before the Envisioning Process A group of people
should come together:
- by their own choice
- with an adequate amount of time to be thoughtful
- with some real, usable end-product as a goal
Two Exercises Precede the Envisioning Process
1. INSPIRATIONS
Participants take a few moments to remind themselves of why they
became educators in the first place and how the use of educational
technology continues to inspire them. Then participants share their
inspirations in small groups and/or with the group as a whole.
2. CONCERNS
Participants name and explore their deepest concerns related to
educational technology and its role in professional learning, student
achievement and policy influence.
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