in Action
Not a day passes without tech- nology touching our lives and work. Although relationships
remain the core of who we are and
how we connect, many are unable to
make those connections without the
assistance of technology. How many
of us drive back to the house if we’ve
forgotten our phones? The thought of
missing texts and calls or being unable
to find key resources on our smartphones is unthinkable!
Students feel that affinity as well.
When teachers do not effectively
integrate technology into the educational process, students are not
fully engaged and miss out on authentic learning experiences emphasizing collaboration, creativity, and
innovation. This may leave them
unprepared to be productive digital-age citizens and participants in the
highly competitive, global, digital
workplace.
Many schools are working hard
to provide digital age learning environments to students to meet this
challenge, and we know that the
NETS for students, teachers, and
administrators are helping to guide
their implementation efforts. Professional development is pivotal to
this success, yet what type of PD are
we providing? Do we take a digital
Technology, Coaching, and Community
Jayne James, co-author of ISTE’s Technology, Coaching, and
Community white paper and former senior director of Education
Leadership, talks about the NETS for technology coaches and
introduces ISTE’s new online coaching center.
age approach, or do we continue to
provide stand-and-deliver workshops
without supported opportunities for
follow-through?
ISTE recently convened a small
group of distinguished leaders to
share the success they were having
with PD models that integrate context, collaboration, and technology.
When analyzing their success, three
essential concepts emerged. The
most effective PD was:
• Technology rich
• Delivered via a coaching model
• Enhanced by the power of
community and social learning
ISTE believes the convergence of
technology, coaching, and community
(social learning) is essential to model
learning and teaching effectively in a
connected, global society.
Where do you begin to develop a
transformational learning ecosystem?
ISTE offers 10 tips for building a PD
model inclusive of technology, coaching, and community in a recent white
paper focused on the synergistic and
powerful partnership between these
elements. These concepts can help
you meet with stakeholders within
your building or school district and
see how your current offerings or PD
models compare.
Just as leveraging technology can
help improve learning and assessment, it also can help shift to a model
of connected teaching. All types of
coaches benefit when weaving technology into content and practice. In
an effort to support coaching-related
efforts worldwide, ISTE has introduced a new member to the NETS
family: the NETS for Technology
Coaches (NETS•C). These standards
can enrich professional practice and
offer clear support when working
with teachers in the areas of visionary leadership; teaching, learning,
and assessment; digital-age learning
environments; professional learning
and program evaluation; and digital
citizenship.
ISTE is also launching an online
coaching center—a free professional
learning community—within ISTE
Learning ( istelearning.org). Although
the center lives virtually, it promotes
a people-centric (versus platform-centric) approach. There is no cost
to participate. Just fill out a quick
registration form to create a free
ISTE Learner account. ISTE supports
coaching professionals by providing
relevant content, expertise, and measures for success. ISTE invites you to
join them to get your transformation
under way!
