Summation



=Summation=

"The use of technology in schools is a subject that will keep growing and changing, just as technology keeps growing and changing. But we can be confident about one thing. Demand for high-level skills will only grow in the years ahead. In work, academia and their personal lives, young people will depend upon their technological literacy and knowledge. And this doesn’t just affect our country. Every nation in the world will be changed by the growth of technology and we in Britain must ensure that we can make the most of our incredible assets to become world-leaders in educational technology," (Gove, 2012). What better way to learn than from each other? By understanding how another country such as Great Britain approaches ICT professional development, we can not only continue on the path of becoming an interconnected community of learners, but we can also gain knowledge of "what works" and "what doesn't work" in another country. By comparing this information with ICT professional development practices that are already in place within Fictitious School District, our school community can learn from and grow "Organically" and "Ecologically" (Davis, Preston, & Sahin, 2009) to create an interdependent ICT professional development community that allows teachers to grow successfully in this area in addition to transforming curriculum to integrate technology in meaningful ways so that our students can become proficient digital and 21st Century learners. "Most progress has been observed where leaders demonstrated commitment and supported staff in achieving the strategic aims of the school. This involves both understanding of the potential of the technologies available and of how they can become integrated into the day-to-day life of the school," (Condie & Munro, 2007, p. 20 as cited in Davis, Preston, & Sahin, 2009, p. 147).

Take a moment and view the video below. It is Michael Gove's speech at the BETT. Although the presentation is a bit over thirty-eight minutes, the speech addresses the same concerns, desires, and objectives that we as a district would like to achieve with regards to ICT professional development. "It is vital that teachers can feel confident using technological tools and resources for their own and their pupils’ benefit, both within and beyond the classroom, and can adapt to new technologies as they emerge. That means ensuring that teachers receive the best possible ITT and CPD in the use of educational technology," (Gove, 2012).


 * If the video is not loading properly, you can access it here by clicking this link.

media type="youtube" key="Lwyawf91ITo" height="315" width="560" align="center"