Technology Standard

In Technology Standard VII, Professional Growth, teacher candidates will develop professional practices that support continual learning and professional growth in technology.

Technology Indicators

Instructors will examine the task product(s) in terms of four proficiency indicators:

1.   Create a professional development plan that includes resources to support the use of technology in lifelong learning.

2.   Use resources of professional organizations and groups that support the integration of technology into instruction.

3.   Continually evaluate and reflect on professional practices and emerging technologies to support student learning.

4.   Identify local, state and national standards and use them to improve teaching and learning.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Needed to Complete the Task

The task for Technology Standard VII will require the following knowledge, skills and abilities:

·     Knowledge of the Maryland Teacher Technology Standards.

·     Knowledge of the National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS) by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). See http://www.iste.org.

·     Knowledge of appropriate professional organizations that support educational technology.

·     Knowledge of local, state and national technology standards to improve teaching and learning in the content area.

·     Knowledge of the value of maintaining the habit of lifelong learning.

·     Ability to participate in online communication tools such as listservs and discussion boards.

·     Ability to locate and evaluate sources for professional growth in educational technology.

Promise and Practice of Technology

Watch the Promise of Technology video for Maryland Teacher Technology Standard VII, as a preparation for this task.

Watch the Practice of Technology video for Maryland Teacher Technology Standard VII to see the Standard implemented in classroom practice.

Assessment Task

As a teacher, it is likely that you will be expected periodically to identify your professional goals and establish plans for systematically addressing one or more of these goals. Sometimes doing this is mandated, but regardless, effective professionals in all fields engage in lifelong learning—such as medical doctors keeping up with new procedures and tax accountants staying up-to-date on IRS rules and regulations. In this task you will have an opportunity to develop a plan to support an area for your own continued learning and professional growth in technology.

Complete the following steps to create various products, including a self-assessment chart, an individual professional development plan and supporting documents, to demonstrate proficiency in this technology standard. The final product is a written plan that describes to a general audience of education professionals how you would improve an identified need or improve on a strength in using technology in your professional practice. For example, you may develop a strength in an area so that you could present a technology workshop for your colleagues or peers.

1)      Familiarize yourself with the Scoring Tool for Evaluating Technology Standard VII: Professional Growth. Use this tool to guide you when completing this assessment task.

2)      Next, examine the Self-Assessment Chart of the Maryland Teacher Technology Standards and do the following:

·      Place an S or an N in the box next to those Indicators that apply,  to designate your strengths and needs in relation to the Technology Standards. (Note the directions at the top of the chart.)

·      Attach the completed Self-Assessment Chart to your final individual Technology Professional Development Plan for continued growth in the use of technology to promote learning.

3)      Select one or more Indicators for one of the Technology Standards on which you would like to focus as a professional development goal. You may either choose an area of need that you would like to improve or you may choose an area of strength that you would like to develop further. Write a justification for your selected goal that contains the following:

·      A restatement of your goal that specifies the Technology Standard and the Indicator(s) you have identified and indicates whether you are addressing a need or strength as your goal.

·      A description of your level of competence and confidence in relation to your identified goal.

·      An explanation of who you anticipate serving by meeting your goal and the ways in which you anticipate doing so. For example, this goal could serve one or more of the following:

·       you personally

·       needs of peers or colleagues by contributing to the shared body of knowledge

·       a particular student

·       a group of students with a given need or interest

·       a school improvement team goal

·       a district mandate

·       a federal mandate

4)      Create a well-developed individual Technology Professional Development Plan that describes the actions you anticipate taking to reach your goal. This written document should address the following questions:

A.     Conducting research on resources—

·      What activities, contacts and resources are necessary to reach your goal?

·      What professional organizations and/or groups support your goal?

·      What professional practices support your goal?

·      What emerging technology(ies) support your goal?

·      What local, state and/or national standards support your goal?

B.     Creating a plan of action—

·      Through what product or performance might you demonstrate that you are approaching or meeting your identified goal?

·      How do you anticipate that the resources identified in Part A will contribute to your product or performance?

·      What is a reasonable timeframe to reach your goal?

C.     Developing criteria for evaluation—

·      How will you know if you have approached or met your goal?

Evaluation

The Scoring Tool for Evaluating Technology Standard VII, Professional Growth will be used to assess the product(s) associated with this task.

Sample Products

www.mttsonline.org/sampleproducts/.

Instructor Note

Provide students a copy of the scoring tool associated with this task to facilitate their understanding and assist in the development of a quality product(s).

The chart of the Maryland Teacher Technology Standards (ver. April 29, 2002) guides the student to review each Maryland Teacher Technology Standard and determine strengths and needs in each area.

When completing their individual Technology Professional Development Plan, teacher candidates should be encouraged to use the Scoring Elements on the scoring tool elements for thorough development.

Recommended Placement in Teacher Education Program

It is recommended that teacher candidates complete this assessment task during his/her internship experience (e.g., second semester of student teaching).

Reference

This task and its supporting materials were developed from Maryland’s Preparing Tomorrow’s Teachers to Use Technology (PT³), USDOE Catalyst Grant, May 2002. Performance assessment materials are available for each standard on the PT³ website: www.mttsonline.org. Any use of these materials should credit Maryland’s PT³ Catalyst Grant P342A990201. For additional information, please contact Dr. Louise A. Tanney, PT³ Director, 410-767-0416.