New Developements at NETC
Focus on Effectiveness is an online resource that promotes student achievement by targeting research-based, proven instructional practices enhanced by effective technology use. It combines proven practices with research on how technology enhances achievement for all students, across grade levels and subject areas.
Resources provide teachers, technology coordinators, and curriculum directors with practices and strategies to make teaching and learning more effective, including:
- Examples of research-based, technology-enhanced classroom strategies such as note taking, mind mapping, nonlinguistic representation, homework, and more
- Classroom scenarios K-12 that highlight these integrated strategies, each within the context of a subject area and age range
- Overviews of relevant research stressing elements that are key to the greatest benefits
Users can study one type of strategy in depth, explore practices beneficial at particular stages in the instructional process, consider applications of available technology, or find out about practices that may be useful in particularly challenging situations. This resource provides access to research highlights of effective elements and guides users toward uses of technology that augment and expand those strategies and practices. Visit www.netc.org to focus on effective ways to use technology. Accessible February 2005.
Technology Solutions That Work is an online database that informs purchase decisions about software products for early literacy by providing impartial analyses of research and advice on the validity of product claims.
NETC purchased a year’s license for all schools in the Northwest to access this rich library of research-based solutions that the Metiri Group developed to:
- Identify technology solutions that increase learning, especially with students who are underachieving
- Guide school investments in software, online resources, and other technology resources related to learning
- Provide sound, unbiased advice on the validity of the research quoted by vendors.
The results of the research review of each learning solution are summarized and categorized according to "what works," is "new and promising," is "inconclusive,"can’t be recommended," or proffers "no research." Technology Solutions That Work supports educators in their efforts to effectively meet identified student learning needs.
To find out how to access this database in your state contact the following:
- Alaska EED
- Idaho IDE, Dawn Wilson, dwilson@sde.state.id.us
- Montana OPI, Michael Hall, mhall@state.mt.us
- Oregon ODE, Carla Wade, carla.wade@state.or.us
- Washington OSPI, Dennis Small, dsmall@ospi.wednet.edu
NETC Classroom Observation Rubric for Assessing Technology Integration is an online tool to assess the degree to which technology is effectively integrated into the curriculum within the classroom. Principals and other school leaders in the Northwest are currently field testing the tool to:
- Assess the level or status of curricular integration of technology in their schools and districts
- Provide a basis for consistent interpretation of the term “technology integration' for staff development and assessment
- Improve their own technology leadership skills
- Assist staff in developing appropriate technology integration abilities.
Although it is designed specifically to support only the observation of student activity, it offers a point of departure for measuring the impact of technology in classrooms. For more information, see article beginning on page 12. The Assessing Technology Integration in the School document online at www.netc.org/tech_plans/integration.html addresses other indicators of technology integration. To participate in the field testing of this observation tool, contact Don Holznagel at holznagd@nwrel.org.
K-12 Online Teaching: Best Practices is a suite of online and print resources that will be developed as an outcome of the highly successful Online Teachers@Work Symposium. In December 2004, experienced K-12 online teachers gathered for two days to discuss their effective instructional delivery practices and curriculum development strategies. During this working meeting, 63 online teachers and school administrators connected with their peers and shared the 'stories' of their teaching practices in a variety of online settings.
Small-group discussions on the first day focused on the process of online teaching including content delivery, learning environments, student outcomes, and teachers and teaching. Discussion group composition changed on the second day when focus shifted to strategies for teaching curriculum content. Teachers of math, science, language arts, social studies and history, and electives spoke with their peers about the challenges and strategies specific to their content areas. Online K-6 teachers and online program administrators met separately with their peers to focus on elements unique to their work.
Resources based on the discussions by these experienced teachers and administrators about best K-12 online teaching practices are now under development and will become available on the Digital Bridges web site.
Strategic Technology Planning, Review, and Evaluation is a suite of Web-based resources and contract services that incorporate good planning principles and tools with sound models and frameworks for program implementation review and evaluation.
Since the advent of E-rate and No Child Left Behind, technology plans no longer stand alone. Administrators and technology leaders must now consolidate their strategic planning processes to address overall school improvement goals and incorporate research-based practices and evaluation designs to demonstrate effectiveness of their technology in use.
In spring 2005, the NETC Web site will expand to include extensive resources and links related to consolidated program planning, policy, program evaluation, research, and federal mandates including NCLB and E2T2. Drawn from years of experience helping state and local education agencies plan, review, and evaluate their technology programs, NETC provides resources that will facilitate strategic planning efforts. The suite of resources will include:
- Conceptual framework to meet recognized planning standards
- Tools and tactics to guide needs assessment
- Standards-based approach to align technology use with school improvement goals
- Models and rubrics to aid in developing programs and evaluating project impact
- Criteria to apply scientific, research-based evidence to implementations
- Modular approach to permit entry at any point in the planning or implementation process
Look for the launch of the new Strategic Technology Planning Web site at NETC and benefit from the hard-won successes of other educators.
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