Vision
The effective use of technology to prepare students for an unclear future is of the utmost importance. According to Forbes.com (2015), a number of important and worthwhile jobs today were not even in existence ten years ago. This, I believe, has everything to do with a rapidly evolving technological world and our pervasive need to solve problems more quickly. Compounding on this, higher order thinking skills and problem solving strategies are essential in order to best prepare future generations for a world that is rapidly changing and growing. Furthermore, problems, which we will face in the future, demand creative and collaborative efforts by the leaders of tomorrow. Therefore, technology usage in schools by all invested parties must be effective; research-based; supportive of high-performing, active, authentic, and student driven learning. Effective technology integration enables students and staff to reach curriculum goals and benchmarks, which, in turn, enables students to become responsible leaders in their communities and the world.
In the ideal classroom, technology use promotes critical thinking and constructivism and is integrated throughout all grade levels and essential to the learning process. The incorporation of technology in various disciplines mirrors real-world use and requires necessary skills for post-graduate endeavors. Students use technology to collaborate, communicate, and connect with others on a local and global scale, so that they may learn from one another and share important cultural experiences. Students use technology to create, synthesize, and analyze, and reflect critically to develop a deeper understanding of essential concepts within the given curriculum.
In a larger setting, teachers use technology to individualize and differentiate for all students on a regular basis. Technology is an essential resource for teachers, students, and community members to share resources, student achievements & work, and course related information. Technology use fosters growth and development of educators so that they may use the newest and/or best practices. Finally, teachers use technology to create a classroom environment where students think, explore, and construct meaning, while allowing for students to have social interaction (Creighton, 2003).
References
Creighton, T. (2003). The principal as technology leader. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Press, Inc.
Forbes.com,. (2015). Welcome to Forbes. Retrieved 1 March 2015, from http://www.forbes.com/fdc/welcome_mjx.shtml