ISAAC Digital Literacies Initiative
for Robust Learning & Collaboration
ISAAC's Technology Implementation Plan: Vision
The Interdistrict School for Arts And Communication, ISAAC, is dedicated to being an experiential learning community where digital literacies are a driving force in creating new environments for teaching and learning 21st Century Skills. Digital literacies will be used to strengthen our core philosophies ~ the collaboration of teachers, experiential learning, and learning through the arts and communication.
Our classrooms of the 21st century will embrace the national technology standards, the Common Core Standards, and will ensure that technology resources are integrated across the curriculum. Our vision includes the use of integrated technologies to create stimulating learning environments, curation for shared, authentic learning and to celebrate our students' accomplishments.
We will use technology improve administrative efficiency, increase school-to-home communication, and collect and manage data.
The WHAT & WHY?
BUT, are we preparing our students to be literate in the many new digital literacies they need to work in a 21st Century global society? Do we even know what those literacies are and how to incorporate them? It's time to take our technology program to the next level!
How?
- Build a new understanding around digital literacies
- Align them to, and embed them in our new Common Core curricula
- Create a tech skills/ digital literacies Scope and Sequence
- Develop rich, rigorous, authentic projects incorporating digital literacies, and incorporate checklists and rubrics that generate accountability
- Support our teachers with: Common planning time within and across disciplines to co-plan interdisciplinary projects; constructing a model of the project as an exemplar to show students and to give them the skills to support students in class; tech specialist begins in the lead teaching role and gradually backs away to foster teacher independence; provide "Just-in time" technical and teaching support
- Provide systems and tools for publishing & curation ... e-folio
WHO?
Leadership:
- Provide the vision
- Provide the resources
- Encourage & support professional growth in digital literacies
- Establish clear expectations
Teachers:
- Align rigorous, authentic digital literacy projects to your curriculum
- Allow class time for tech skills to be taught to encourage a high level of craftsmanship
- Create an exemplar of the project as a model for students and ensure you have the skills to support them in class
- Build the e-folio reflection process into your assignment routines so students can track and reflect upon their learning as it happens, and generate their own strategies for growth
- Don't live with tech issues ... seek help!
WHO cont.
Technology Integration Teacher/Coordinator:
- Provide equitable, reliable access to technology tools
- Ensure that the equipment & infrastructure are set up to support rigorous use
- Provide "Just-in-time" technical and teaching support
- Collaborate in aligning curriculum to technology integration possibilities
- Support the vision: Seek out new, engaging, on-target technology tools and ideas to share with leadership and colleagues
- Build leadership opportunities for teachers and students - train the trainer, and develop tech experts in our school
Support Staff:
- Know that you are part of the vision
- Establish personal technology growth plans and ask for help
- Share your ideas to improve communication & create new efficiencies using technology