10.01 Professional Organizations.
Investigate and describe professional organizations that would benefit Technology Coordinators and detail their purpose and value.

When an individual makes a commitment to embark on a professional career in the field of education, there are certain responsibilities to stay current with educational practices and gaining membership in professional organizations is a good way to do find opportunities for leadership roles, professional development, and personal growth.  Networking within these organizations promotes collaboration among colleagues with similar educational needs and opportunities for consultation about utilization of instructional technology resources. It is imperative for technology coordinators to stay informed and to utilize the resources offered by other professionals in the ever-changing and growing field of instructional technology. There are international, national, state, and local organizations that support every content area imaginable.  Each one stands behind its own mission statement and organization goals.  This is a review of the most commonly known organizations within this field.

Reflection on Pennsylvania's Department of Education's Instructional Technology Specialist Standards ITS Standards

The Instructional Technology Specialist certificate area includes the science involved in the application of knowledge and competency required for the use of instructional technology as it pertains to aiding staff/administration in educational school settings.  The ITS standards are categorized in three domains: content knowledge, performance, and professionalism.  

CONTENT STANDARDS
Instructional Technology Specialists are educated to identify, select, install, and maintain hardware and software and are proficient with the technology infrastructure.  Troubleshooting and product performance assessment are necessary skills for an Instructional Technology Specialist.  They need to be fluent with the resources that allow for the production of digital media as well as other learning technologies.  In addition, they work to help teachers to integrate technology into the curriculum and serve as a resource for information and training.  They are also responsible for managing and administering technology programs and the budgetary implications of those programs.

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS
In preparation for an Instructional Technology Specialist certificate, a candidate must demonstrate specific skills at diverse educational levels.   The showcase of experiences must include a spotlight on management of technology services and training sessions; an understanding of assistive technologies that will aide in the education of all children (such as supplemental hardware or software as well as reporting procedures that assist in evaluating effectiveness of technologies on student performance); and the placement of the technology resources throughout the learning environment.  An instructional technologist maintains the responsibility for planning, preparing and delivering technology related in-service programs differentiated for the adult learners.  There are curricular resonsibilities in selecting, implementing and adapting technology to teaching methodologies, curriculum resources  as well as selecting, developing and administering assessments that utilize technological applications and involve multiple indicators of student progress and using technology to maintain records on student achievement .  

PROFESSIONALISM STANDARDS
The Instructional Technology Specialist demonstrates professionalism by maintaining membership in professional organizations that foster continued growth and development an offer support within the field.  Professional journals, websites, and resources serve as invaluable sources of information for this individual.  The Instructional Technology Specialist models the professional conduct outlined within the Pennsylvania Code of Professional Practice and Conduct for Educators and is lawful in his or her behavior on all levels: local, state and federal.  The professionalism exhibited by the Instructional Technology Specialist aides to foster positive working relationships with other individuals including students, teachers, administrators, as well as parents and community members.

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE)

Purpose
The purpose of the International Society of Technology in Education is to provide leadership, service and support to those interested in effective use of technology in education. Their advocacy efforts center around technology-related legislation and standards development across the states.  ISTE is a significant leader in technology professional development and awareness.  ISTE has also promoted project NETS (National Educational Technology Standards) and most recently hosted discussion surrounding the revision of the NETS for students.   ISTE is also a sponsor of the Center for Applied Research in Educational Technology (CARET).  CARET is a research-based tool for making informed decisions and can be utilized to develop technology plans, recommend technology expenditures, and evaluate approaches to curriculum integration.  ISTE meets its mission through knowledge generation, professional development, and advocacy.

Benefits of ISTE to Technology Coordinators.
Members of ISTE receive information, networking opportunities, and guidance as they face the challenge of incorporating computers, the Internet, and other new technologies into their schools. ISTE membership is a great source of information for best practices and new ideas in the field of instructional Technology, and as a being “in touch” with  colleagues in technology leadership in education.  ISTE’s Web site, www.iste.org, covers many relevant topics in educational technology.  Membership includes a subscription to  a variety of publications of which I chose Learning and Leading with Technology, a monthly publication that contains articles, hardware and software reviews, resource links, and numerous other ideas on how to increase technology use in education. 

Value of ISTE related to PDE's  ITS Standards
ISTE serves as an advocate among educators and serves as voice to policy makers at all levels to earn the recognition and support for technology’s impact on educational initiatives.  ISTE provides a list resources including web sites, books, and periodicals related to assessment, policy, curriculum, funding, professional development, and technology integration.  The news section of the ISTE website help keep technology coordinators informed of conferences, partnerships, and events of an ever evolving and growing field.  Professional development opportunities are published to meet a wealth of training needs as well as the latest reports and grant opportunities.  The Center for Applied Research in Educational Technology section offers a searchable database and research-based answers to critical questions to guide and inform technology decision makers.

National Educational Technology Standards (NETS)

ne of ISTE's ongoing program initiatives is the NETS (National Educational Technology Standards) Project. The NETS project's main goal is developing standards to guide educational leaders in the development of national standards for the educational uses of technology and address the essential conditions for effective use of technology to support Pre K-12 education. The following sets of standards have been developed students, teachers, and administrators and are reviewed below.  In regard to using these standards in tandem with PDE Standards, the ISTE outline can serve as the basis for all evaluations of district needs.  Although the PA Department of Education has not adopted the NETS standards in all areas, PDE's content, performance, and professionalism standards are all reflected within the ISTE framework 

NETS for Students

ISTE issued its first set of NETS for students in 1998, and this framework found its way into the standards of at least 45 U.S. states.  In the original standards, the skills necessary to define technology proficiency were outlined across six categories: basic operations and concepts; social, ethical, and human issues of technology use; productivity tools; communication tools; research tools; and problem-solving and decision-making tools.  After almost 10 years, ISTE released the Refreshed NETS for Students 2007 in June 2007 at NECC in Atlanta, Georgia. This next generation of Standards for Students were the result of input and feedback from educators across the U.S. and 22 other countries.  This pioneering set of guidelines for what students should know about, and be able to do with, technology was developed in order to keep pace with the changing demands of a new global economy and includes the following:

1. CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION.
Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology.

2. COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION.
Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others.

3. RESEARCH AND INFORMATION FLUENCY.
Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information.

4. CRITICAL THINKING, PROBLEM SOLVING, AND DECISION MAKING.
Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources.

5. DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP.
Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior.

6. TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS AND CONCEPTS.
Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems and operations.

The Profiles for Technology Literate Students  provide performance indicators describing the technology competence students should exhibit upon completion of different grades.  Although PA does not require schools to implement the standards at this time, there are many initiatives which require teaching and learning in the classroom to achieve some of the same objective.  I am glad to see the shift of  I found the most interesting was communication and collaboration.  My district does not distribute student email accounts and blocks many sites that students can use to connect.  It will be interesting to see how that changes in the coming years.  Another standard that I think really needs to be a focus is research and information fluency.  Traditionally these are skills that are thought to be the responsibility of the librarian and it will be important as we move into a rapidly changing information landscape for these skills to be emphasized in all areas. 

NETS for Teachers

The release of the NETS•S was in June 2007 started to give students a foot forward in meeting the demands of Digital Age learning.  ISTE is now seeking to develop refreshed teacher standards, performance profiles, and essential conditions. Over the next yearISTE will work collaboratively with education stakeholders  to identify what teachers should know and be able to do to help students learn more effectively and live more productively in an increasingly digital world.

The NETS•T for Teachers 2000 contained the following standards:

I. TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS AND CONCEPTS.
Teachers demonstrate a sound understanding of technology operations and concepts.

II. PLANNING AND DESIGNING LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS AND EXPERIENCES.
Teachers plan and design effective learning environments and experiences supported by technology.

III. TEACHING, LEARNING, AND CURRICULUM.
Teachers implement curriculum plans that include methods and strategies for applying technology to maximize student learning.

IV. ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION.
Teachers apply technology to facilitate a variety of effective assessment and evaluation strategies.

V. PRODUCTIVITY AND PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE.
Teachers use technology to enhance their productivity and professional practice.

VI. SOCIAL, ETHICAL, LEGAL, AND HUMAN ISSUES.
Teachers understand the social, ethical, legal, and human issues surrounding the use of technology in PK-12 schools and apply those principles in practice.

Although these standards have been in existence for several years, the state of PA also does not require their teachers to mater these standards and there are many areas in which teachers are still struggling. Most teachers can use technology for productivity and professional practice, but  struggle with creating appropriate teaching and learning opportunities for their students.  The NETS for teachers standard that I think will be the most challenging is in teaching students social and ethical use of these tools as they are constantly emerging and changing.  

NETS for Admistrators

There are 2 areas which I think would be challenging both for  Principals and Superintendents.  The first is Learning and Teaching because many of these technologies were not available when they wer in the classroom.  They need to support teachers with things they have not practiced themselves and this could prove to be quite challenging.  With the growth of the interactive web and and CIPA challenges, establishing policies for social, legal and ethical uses that allow the teachers to create rich learning opportunities is often a challenge as well.   

For , which profile do you believe is the most challenging? Why?

Pennsylvania and the NETS standards

PA has only adopted the NETS standards for administrators.  However 90% of the states have adopted some version of the NETS.  It will be interesting as PA continues with the state intitiatives:  Keystones, Getting to One, and Classrooms for the Future whether they will adopt some of the other standards as well. 

Association for Educational Communications and Technology's (AECT)

Purpose
Association for Educational Communications and Technology, AECT provides international leadership to professionals in the field of educational communications and technology by promoting scholarship and best practices in the creation, use, and management of technologies for effective teaching and learning in a wide range of settings.  The goals of AECT are to eefine the disciplines and professional activities that comprise the field of educational communications and technology, serve and represent professionals in the field and support professional growth, advance scholarship and practice that contribute to and enlarge the knowledge base of the field, and to promote policies that ensure the humane and ethical use of educational communications and technology at all levels, from the personal through the international.

Benefits of AECT to Technology Coordinators
AECT is a professional organization that serves the ever-changing and ever-demanding responsibilities of Instructional Technology Specialists.  The organization provides  many opportunities for cooperation, collaboration through conferences and workshops, and access to professional publications that showcase research.  The website also documents daily dealings with technology as it pertains to school usage.  

AECT and PDE's ITSC standards.

One Additional Professional Organization: The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) 

With the emersion of so many new technology tools and the read/write web, CoSN serves as the country’s premier voice for K-12 education leaders who use technology strategically to improve teaching and learning. CoSN provides products and services to support leadership development, advocacy, coalition building, and awareness of emerging technologies.  CoSN has recently formed a partnership with PAECT and therefore I will be more involved with this organization in the coming year .