Technological Vision Statement For The East Penn School District

As I thought of creating a technological vision statement for the East Penn School District I wanted to not merely focus on the devices and utilitarian aspects thereof. When I think of our instructional future as a whole I try to consider how we can engrain digital skills into the fabric of a student’s life in perpetuity. Our path needs to include a mission, vision and the creation of a digital ecosystem that fosters student communication, collaboration and problem-solving. My five tenets of focus of educational technology are student-centered learning, flexible learning environments, devices, access and professional development. Producing students that develop skills from fixed tasks, specific devices and pre-selected applications will no longer suffice. I do not mean to devalue the existing system in which I work and lead. I argue we need to

The challenge is not to dissuade student curiosity but rather create meaningful learning experiences in which students can solve real-world problems. Engaging in partnerships with classmates, other school districts and the community can help develop projects that offer students deeper intrinsic satisfaction rather than merely satisfying an assessment. Developing digital literacy, and citizenship, are key competencies needed for a self-directed learning to navigate a connected world. Digital citizenship is the very definition of one’s understanding, conduct and behavior in regard to their online presence as part of a global community.

Evolving our classrooms into a highly flexible learning environment is another key to student-centered learning. We must have a growth mindset to let go of the past and place the student at the center of learning while concurrently altering the teacher’s focus to facilitator. Before evolving mindsets, we must first enhance our environment to include ubiquitous wireless, open classrooms, mobile seating, learning centers and