These websites contain a wealth of inform ation on the effective use of
technology in the classroom and the importance of 21st-century skills:
Apple Learning Interchange | http://edcommunity.apple.com/ali
Examples of exemplary instructional use of a variety of technologies (free
registration required)
CARET | http://caret.iste.org
Links to multiple studies related to technology in education
CoSN | www.cosn.org
Resources and information on technology and learning
Education Statistics Quarterly | http://nces.ed.gov/programs/quarterly
Publication put out by the National Center for Education Statistics
George Lucas Educational Foundation | www.edutopia.org
Videos and sample lessons of technology-supported instructional activities
INaccess | www.doe.in.gov/olr/InACCESS/index.html
Indiana’s sustainable technology classroom model for secondary classrooms
Journal of Computing in Teacher Education | www.iste.org/jcte
Computer and technology research for teacher educators
Journal of Research on Technology and Education | www.iste.org/jrte
Ed tech research from around the globe
The Learning Return on Our Educational Technology Investment
| www.wested.org/online_pubs/learning_return.pdf
Report conducted by WestEd, a national education nonprofit research,
development, and service agency
NETS | www.iste.org/NETS
Information related to ISTE’s educational technology standards for students,
teachers, and administrators
Partnership for 21st Century Skills | www.21stcenturyskills.org
Includes the 21st-century skills framework and several relevant publications
PEW Internet | www.pewinternet.org
Research regarding the impact of the Internet and technology on life in the
United States
Standards for Staff Development | www.nsdc.org/standards
National Staff Development Council standards for staff development
Sustainable Classroom Model | www.esd112.org/edtech/sustainableclass.cfm
Washington state model for effective technology integration in the classroom
Workforce Readiness from 21st-Century Skills group | www.21stcenturyskills.
org/documents/FINAL_REPORT_PDF09-29-06.pdf
Report on importance of 21st-century skills
Include professional development.
Changing the classroom environment, the teaching climate,
and ultimately the teachers
themselves will have a great
impact on student motivation and
Preparing Your Case for Stimulus Dollars
performance. Teachers need not only
to learn how to use the technology but
also how to infuse these new tools into
teaching effectively within the curriculum. Professional development,
modeling, and coaching must be a
major part of your plan. Research indicates that sustained professional development on the infusion of technology into the classroom environment
greatly affects student achievement,
attendance, and discipline. Consider
adding pay for substitutes in your plan
to allow teachers to visit classrooms
where their peers are using technology
effectively. This modeling approach
allows teachers to develop concrete
ideas about how they, too, can engage
students using technology.
M akeitlookgood. Typeupyourplan,
d esignit,an dmakeiteasyto
u nderstan d. Making this
planl ook professional
i se
xtremelyimpor-ta ntbecauseitwill
b ecomeyourtool
for marketing to key stakeholders in
your district. Essentially you are advertising your ideas and plan with the
purpose of “selling” what you think is
important. The next step is “getting to
the table” to explain your plan.
Develop relationships.
Although developing a
plan is essential, remember that selling it is where
the rubber meets the road. Make an
appointment to talk to your superintendent and explain how using these
funds can transform teaching and
learning and will be a smart investment for the district. Also meet with
the chief financial officer, federal programs director, and special education
