Running head: Bevis Vision Statement 1

A New Vision for Technology

Kennesaw State University
Carole Bevis


















Bevis Vision Statement 2

Vision Statement
Technology in the hands of young children needs teachers, administrators and parents to
understand best practices when implementing technology in early childhood classrooms.
Technology used in project based activities, would be a more developmentally appropriate
approach to using digital tools with young students. In project based learning students learn by
doing, an active approach and according to NAEYC key to meeting appropriate practices with
young children. Project based learning helps prepare students to work collaboratively with
others, construct deep meaning of topics and helps them retain the information of those topics.
Training and education is essential for teachers and administrators of young children, to create
the educational environment that uses technology to positively affect student learning
(Creighton, 2003).
Rationale
Hand in Hand is fortunate to have many technology resources for its students. Teachers,
however, have not had the benefit of training and education to incorporate these tools. As
young children today are being pulled further away from what early childhood educators know
are best practices, it is imperative that educators receive training and education in models of
effective technology use with students. ITSE Essential Conditions state that teachers need,
ongoing professional development that has a deeper focus on student-centered learning. As
Creighton (2003) points out many teachers are trained at using new technologies but few are
educated in how to use them for student learning. Educating teachers in project based learning
in which students explore real-world problems and challenges, simultaneously developing
cross-curriculum skills (Edutopia, 2008) is an effective way to incorporate technology into the
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curriculum. The ITSE Policy Brief further states that, Technology use must be incorporated in a
collaborative environment to be most effective. Project based learning enhanced with
technology allows students to dive deep into subjects, construct meaning of real-world problems
and see the connection between education and those problems. This constructivist approach to
learning creates classrooms that promote activities that are meaningful and interesting for
children (Mayer & Alexander, 2011). Teachers can use VoiceThread to allow students to recap
a project they have been working on and incorporate into their class website for parents to view.
As students are learning these skills and making these connections they are building dispositions
they will use through their entire school career.
Administrative Roles
Digitally literate educators who are grounded in child development theory and
developmentally appropriate practices have the knowledge, skills, and experience to select and
use technology tools and interactive media that suit the ages and developmental levels of the
children in their care, and they know when and how to integrate technology into the program
effectively (NAEYC, 2012). Teachers described by NAEYC are created through educating
them on the effective uses of technology for achieving student-learning. Thomas Countys
vision for technology integration includes training teachers and this training will include
education in research based practices in the use of digital tools with young children. This could
include screencasting the digital photographs of student projects and giving them the opportunity
to narrate what they have done. Again, this screencast can be uploaded to YouTube and placed
on the classroom webpage. These projects give students a chance to express what they have
learned, as well as, reflect on their learning. Administration will continue to provide ongoing
support and maintenance of existing digital tools; SMARTBoard, iPads, computer lab and
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student work stations. The Center for American Progress warns that students from
disadvantaged backgrounds are less likely to have rigorous STEM learning opportunities.
Therefore administration will support and promote a constructivist method of teaching that
ensures all students have the same access to technology.
Additionally, administration will provide technology coaches who provide ongoing
training, consultation and trouble shooting. Technology coaches are more instrumental in
providing teachers with training and support through dialogic approach than traditional
professional learning (Knight, 2007). These coaches bridge the gap between administrations
policies for including technology and how that looks in the classroom. Coaches provide the
teacher with a safe partner in which, through collaboration they engage in reflective dialogue
about teaching (Knight, 2007). Technology coaches are in a position to help teachers
understand both the ITSE standards and the Levels of teaching innovation (LoTi) Framework.
Many teachers are unaware of the existence of the standards and are therefore unable to
implement instruction at the higher LoTi levels of integration that involve students in real-world
issues that solve authentic problems using digital tools. As our technology coach is currently
completing her degree in Instructional Technology our school has a bright future as she is eager
to collaborate with teachers in implementing lessons that are meaning and engaging.
Teachers
Teachers plan instruction that includes creating classroom environments that promote
investigation and interaction where students think, explore, and construct meaning, while
including opportunities for students to have social interaction (Creighton, 2003). Teachers
approach instruction with two or three main ideas (Creighton, 2003) and give students the
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opportunity to work using long term project based ideas that reflect the students interests and
abilities. These projects use digital tools such as; Audacity, VoiceThread, Glogster and Movie
Maker to show case students work. Project based learning requires teachers to ensure that all
students have equal access to the digital tools. From survey results most teachers are aware of the
ITSE standards and thereby familiar with equitable access to technology for all students.
Students projects will provide evidence for assessing the Common Core standards through
checklist, anecdotal records, photographs and student work and housed in their personal learning
portfolio and reported on GKIDS. Additionally, teachers use these projects to inform parents of
their childs progress during conferences.
Students
Students will use technology to investigate topics they are interested in and work in
groups that model the constructivist view of collaboration and dialogue to seek understanding of
their world. Students will learn to appropriately use hardware and software that help them work
on problems and situations simulating and representing authentic tasks (Creighton, 2003). These
tasks will include using technology to flatten the walls of the classroom and interact and
communicate with others beyond their view and culture. A recent example students shows
kindergarten students communicating with their librarian in her hospital room in Atlanta using
audio/video software. Another example includes students skyping with classrooms across town
and across the world. Students will become explorers and producers of knowledge through
activities that ask them to observe and apply knowledge much the same as those in real-world.
Parents
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Parents will participate and support the use of technology in their students classroom.
Through the use of email parents will communicate with their students teacher and the
classroom webpage to stay abreast of the students learning. Parents will offer their expertise in
all areas, not confined to technology, to help students with the different components of project
based learning and to connect it to the real world. Recently parents and grandparents have
offered their filming and photography talents to the classroom, helping students synthesize their
learning into a finished visual product that was shared on the classroom webpage. Parental
involvement in education is one of the pillars of student success in school (Edutopia, 2010).
Conclusion
Technology has the potential to improve student-learning, however, as the Center for
American Progress cautions us to remember it is a tool. They further ask us to, consider new
models of educational delivery and think about ways in which to create a performance-based
culture. Creating classrooms that have the low hum of productivity from project based learning
along with the integration of technology into instruction can have profound effects on student
achievement. ISTE urges all stakeholders to consider the long-term value of education
technology and to enact policies and implement instructional strategies that use technology
appropriately and prepare American students for the world they will face beyond the school.




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References
Bevis, C. Technology Questionnaire. Survey. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1U12-
1jp7aUGZaFOF3Va_xJiqewOygRxLf709k6fWxIo/viewform

Creighton, T. (2003). The principal as technology leader. Thousand Oaks, CA:
Corwin Press, Inc.

Center for American Progress. (n.d). Retrieved July 9, 2014, from
http://cdn.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/UlrichEducationTech-brief-
3.pdf

Edutopia. (n.d.).Retrieved July 9, 2014, from http://www.edutopia.org/project-learning-
introduction

Edutopia. (n.d.).Retrieved July 9, 2014, from http://www.edutopia.org/stw-maine-project-based-
learning-parents-resources

ITSE Policy Brief. (n.d.).Retrieved July 9, 2014, from
http://www.k12hsn.org/files/research/Technology/ISTE_policy_brief_student_achieveme
nt.pdf

Knight, J. (2007). Instructional coaching, a partnership approach to improving instruction.
Corwin Press, Inc.

LoTi Frameworks. (n.d.). Retrieved July 9, 2014, from
http://loticonnection.cachefly.net/global_documents/LoTi_Framework_Sniff_Test.pdf>.

Mayer, R. E. (2011). Handbook of research on learning and instruction. New York: Routledge.

NAEYC Policy Brief. Technology and Interactive Media as Tools in Early Childhood Programs
Serving Children from Birth through Age 8. (2012). Retrieved July 9, 2014, from
http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/PS_technology_WEB.pdf