BELLEVUE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
INSTRUCTIONAL
TECHNOLOGY PLAN
INSTRUCTIONAL
Technology PLAN
INTRODUCTION
TECHNOLOGY is the systematic application of knowledge, materials,
tools, and skills to extend human capabilities.
The rapidly changing
global society requires that students and adults use technology to interact and
communicate clearly, manage information, solve problems, make decisions, and
apply high level thinking skills.
Advancements in
technology will continue to change our educational needs. Learning includes the processes of knowing
where information can be located and how information can be accessed and
applied.
As the information
society advances, educators must stress "how to learn" using
technology for problem solving and decision-making; for retrieving, sorting,
analyzing, applying, marketing, and synthesizing data; and for evaluating large
quantities of information. The
challenge for education is to make this a reality.
BELLEVUE
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
TECHNOLOGY
MISSION STATEMENT
Bellevue Public Schools provides a
technological environment in which students and staff use current and emerging
technologies to access information, communicate effectively, solve problems,
and think creatively. The district
integrates technology into the educational programs in order to enhance
learning and prepare our students and staff to succeed in a global information
society.
Our
Mission is driven by beliefs that:
1. our students and staff require technological
competence to succeed in an
information society.
2. training and support for staff and students
is necessary to assist in their
acquisition of technological knowledge
and skills to becoming lifelong
learners and contributing participants in
a technological world community.
3. technologies should be integrated into
curricula where appropriate to enhance
learning.
4. administratively, the district must use
technology to streamline the
information process and to provide an
efficient, accurate, and secure system
for data retrieval and electronic
correspondence.
5. all persons involved in the learning process
in Bellevue Public Schools
will have equitable access to
technological resources in the school setting.
Goals
1. TO ENABLE STUDENTS TO APPLY TECHNOLOGY TO
SUCCEED
IN SCHOOL, CAREERS, AND TO PROMOTE LIFE-LONG
LEARNING.
·
Every student will: (expected
outcomes as the result of accomplishing this goal)
¨ Be actively engaged in the learning process, both individually and
collaboratively.
¨ Demonstrate his/her own potential as a life-long learner.
¨ Use critical thinking strategies in the learning process.
¨ Use new technologies as tools in learning.
¨ Gather, analyze, and synthesize information from various sources and
communicate his/her understanding of it effectively.
¨ Develop and practice skills in software application and in hardware and
system maintenance.
Þ Some strategies for accomplishing these outcomes:
* Encourage students to be explorers, teachers, and
producers as they construct
meaning.
* Utilize flexible grouping practices to assist students
in taking on new roles as
learners.
* Use performance based and portfolio assessment
practices.
* Apply flexible and innovative scheduling and use of
time, space, and personnel.
* Develop goal-setting strategies in student, both
individually and collectively.
* Provide students opportunities to make choices; to
become partners in learning.
* Develop an understanding of diversity among cultures,
persons with disabilities,
and other
differences among individuals/groups within and beyond our school
community.
* Use metacognition (thinking about how I learn)
strategies, such as reflective
journals and
processing activities.
* Outline specific critical thinking strategies for the
district curriculum.
* Encourage students to share their ideas and express
their viewpoints in class.
* Encourage students to explore and challenge themselves
to use new
technologies as
tools in learning (e.g., multimedia presentations, assistive
technologies).
* Use multiple sources for collecting data-human, print,
CD-ROM, on-line, etc.
* Use multiple means for presenting information-print,
video, multimedia, WWW,
etc.
* Make presentations to authentic' audiences and discuss
new ideas with them.
* Select activities that are meaningful to students in
their own community and
beyond.
* Develop teaming skills and conflict management
strategies.
* Implement multiple intelligences strategies in guiding
students.
* Develop appropriate technological skills in relation to
the learning process.
* Establish opportunities for students with diverse needs
to develop social skills
to support
meaningful peer relationships
* Enhance the independent functioning of students with
special needs through
the use of a variety of assistive
technology systems (no tech, low tech, high
tech).
* Provide ongoing opportunities for students to integrate
assistive technologies
by creating and
adapting curriculum/materials for themselves and /or others.
* Utilize a variety of assistive technology systems (no
tech, low tech, high tech)
with students who require assistance in
accessing information and
communicating
effectively with others.
2. TO USE
TECHNOLOGIES AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE
TEACHING AND
LEARNING PROCESS.
·
The school district will: (expected
outcomes as the result of accomplishing this goal)
¨ Create an adaptable and flexible environment for all
learners.
¨ Utilize technology as a tool to enhance learning
throughout the curriculum; including critical thinking strategies and problem
based learning practices.
¨ Utilize a variety of technologies (camcorder, digital
probes, Personal Digital Assistants [PDA], e-mail, Internet, FAX, telephone,
etc,) to collect and analyze data.
.
¨ Utilize a variety of existing and emerging
information and communication technologies within and beyond our school walls
to enhance teaching and learning.
¨ Offer ongoing professional development and support for
utilizing technology tools and assistive technology systems.
¨ Provide opportunities to update the curricula to
include emerging technologies.
Þ Some strategies the district can use to accomplish these outcomes:
* Implement flexible scheduling in Library Media Centers
and Computer Labs.
* Offer flexible scheduling options in classrooms.
* Provide open lab times before school, during lunch, and
after school for staff
and students.
* Utilize cooperative groups, collaborative work groups,
flexible groups, cross age groups (e.g., 2nd & 6th graders or 4th
graders & senior citizens), multi-age
groups (e.g. 1st & 2nd grades in one class sharing the same curriculum), etc.
* Expand opportunities for dual language classrooms, area
clustering for bi-
lingual students, mainstreaming, and inclusion.
* Offer ongoing professional development and support in
creating and sustaining
new learning environments.
* Participate in collaborative on line experiences such
as key pals, bulletin
boards, simulation, problem solving
projects, mentoring, creating web pages,
etc.
* Develop multimedia presentations to share information
and communicate new
ideas.
* Provide ongoing professional development and support in
strategies for
developing engaged learning units/projects with students and in fully utilizing
technology tools.
* Provide linkage between and among our schools and homes
by offering services
such as homework
hotline, web sites, computer checkout, and open lab
during nonschool hours.
* Offer ongoing professional development and support in
assistive technology
systems (no
tech, low tech, high tech).
* Develop and maintain an Assistive
Technology Site to provide technical
assistance, equipment (no tech, low tech,
high tech), and ongoing support for
students who
require assistance in accessing information and communicating
effectively
with others.
3. TO IMPLEMENT CONNECTIVITY OPTIONS THAT CREATES A
POSITIVE AND CONTINUALLY EVOLVING LEARNING COMMUNITY.
·
The school district will: (expected outcomes as the result of
accomplishing this goal)
¨ Develop seamless connectivity/network infrastructure
services for information and communication leading to a more productive,
efficient, and dynamic organization.
¨ Acknowledge, understand, and plan for the realities
of change.
¨ Continually review, evaluate and improve this plan
based upon changing needs and the availability of resources.
¨ Ensure the network infrastructure will support access
to global, Near Real Time (nrt) data.
Þ Some strategies the district can use to accomplish
these outcomes:
* Provide and maintain an inter-and intra-building
network with capacities and
services
throughout the district and available to all staff for document exchange,
* Develop and maintain an interactive calendar system,
accessible through the
district network
services and available to all staff.
* Maintain a central database of pertinent information
such as minutes from
committee
meetings, school board meetings, board policies, etc. accessible
through the district network services.
* Offer ongoing professional development to build skills
for fully utilizing such a
network.
* Develop improved communications strategies.
* Establish district guidelines for computer security.
* Implement voice mail capacity for all staff.
* Recognize and address the human need for time and
support to adjust to
change and to learn new ways of operating.
* Develop and maintain district and building web sites.
* Provide opportunities for district community members to
develop and practice
using
appropriate assistive technologies (no tech, low tech, high tech) for
students who require assistance in accessing
information and communicating
effectively with others.
* Maintain a searchable database of existing assistive
technology systems and
strategies
available with the district.
* Develop and maintain user-friendly links among
district, the community, and
worldwide
assistive technology databases.
4. TO BUILD AND
MAINTAIN PRODUCTIVE COALITIONS FOR
LEARNING
THROUGHOUT THE LOCAL AND GLOBAL COMMUNITY.
·
The district along with the local
community will: (expected
outcomes as the result of accomplishing this goal)
¨ Participate in working collaboratively for everyone
's benefit
¨ Continually learn to use existing and emerging
information and communication technologies.
¨ Establish equitable, not necessarily equal, access to
information and communication technologies for all stakeholders.
Þ Some strategies for accomplishing these outcomes:
* Continue and build upon the strength of collaboration
among a representative
group of stakeholders such as had been begun in our Technology Committee.
* Continue and expand connectivity with home, local
libraries, businesses, and
agencies.
* Offer services students such as homework hotline,
computer checkout, and
open labs during
nonschool hours, etc.
* Offer learning opportunities for community members.
* Establishing working relationships with local, state,
and federal agencies and
policy makers in order to influence development and implementation
of
programs and policies related to education
and information/communication
technologies.
* Establish networks of individuals and organizations
willing to lend their
expertise in designing and adapting systems
for students who require
assistance accessing information and
communicating effectively with others.
* Establish working relationships with local, state, and
federal departments, policy
makers and
private entities (insurance companies, corporation, etc.) in order to
influence
development, funding, and implementation of programs and policies
related to
assistive technologies.
* Establish networks (human and electronic) among
district, agencies, and other
interested parties for the purpose of staying
current with best practices and for
the sharing of
resources for student who require assistance in accessing
information and communicating effectively with others.
* Provide public awareness and opportunities for
involvement in promoting the
understanding
and use of assistive technologies (no tech, low tech, high tech).
STAFF DEVELOPMENT
Bellevue Public Schools
embraces the mission of integrating technology into the curriculum. Aligning curriculum and technology to
improve student achievement will require extensive staff development. Staff must learn how to operate equipment
and applications, evaluate the potential of instructional applications,
integrate the technology into the curriculum, and use technology for
administrative and assessment purposes.
They must also learn how technology can change the classroom-learning
environment into one where students take an active part in the learning process
and connect what they are learning to the world beyond the classroom.
The technology
committee will work closely with the building administrator to assess the
school's technology environment. Needs assessment instruments will be used to
collect data to generate school wide and individual learning plans for each
teacher. Based on the data from the
needs assessment inventory, each school will identify staff development
needs.
Schools will work with
the instructional technology team to develop, implement, and provide support
for a comprehensive technology program.
Staff development activities will be offered in a variety of ways.
·
The district technology trainers provide:
1. classroom
demonstration lessons
2. individual
and small group activities for staff
3. instructional
technology consultations
4. technology
courses
5. and
develop technology-based lessons that teachers can integrate into the
curriculum.
·
Other methods of technology training include:
1. online
courses, and college courses
2. national,
state, local workshops
3. self-directed
training, and collaborative (small group) learning.
Educating staff to use
electronic technology is an ongoing activity.
Staff development activities provided are constructed to assist staff
members in achieving competencies in:
