ERIC ED461355: Oregon Educational Technology Plan.

43 Pages·0.61 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
IR 018 413
ED 461 355
Oregon Educational Technology Plan.
TITLE
Oregon State Dept. of Education, Salem.
INSTITUTION
1997-01-00
PUB DATE
46p.; Appendices not available from ERIC.
NOTE
Descriptive (141)
Reports
PUB TYPE
MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage.
EDRS PRICE
Access to Computers; Access to Information; Computer
DESCRIPTORS
Assisted Instruction; *Computer Uses in Education;
Curriculum Development; Educational Objectives; *Educational
Technology; *Elementary 'Secondary Education; Government
Role; Internet; Professional Development; Program
Development; *Strategic Planning; Teacher Education;
Technology Integration; *Technology Planning
Action Plans; Connectivity; *Oregon
IDENTIFIERS
ABSTRACT
The 1997 Oregon Technology Plan sets a course for Oregon and
its Department of Education in using technology to improve student learning,
manage resources, and increase accountability. It supports the integration of
instructional and administrative technology to help achieve the goals of
Oregon's school improvement plan. The Goals of the Technology Plan correspond
directly to the four national technology goals intended to improve education
by addressing issues of equipment, connectivity, instruction and professional
development. After an overview of the Plan, each of the following goals is
(1) All Oregon students and
outlined in terms of progress and action plans:
teachers will have access to appropriate technology including modern
(2) Every school and classroom in Oregon will be connected to the
computers;
(3) Effective software and online learning resources will be an
Internet;
integral tool to support the school curriculum in Oregon; and (4) All Oregon
K-12 teachers, administrators and staff will have the immediate and specific
education and support they need to help students learn through technology
including computers and the Internet. The remaining sections focus on:
monitoring, evaluation, and reporting; oversight, staffing, and future
directions; the budget; and guidance for Oregon local districts in preparing
a technology plan. Three tables outline the phases of a model plan, and
present a sample worksheet and sample table of contents for a district
(1) Oregon Senate Bill
educational technology plan. Appendices include:
(3) ORS Chapter
(2) Oregon Benchmarks;
994-Information Technology Policy;
(4) Oregon Common Curriculum Goals, Content Standards, and Performance
329;
1994 Goals Technology Plan;
(7) Open
(5) 1992 Technology Plan;
Standards;
(6)
(8) OITC Description;
System Description and Technology Sub-Committee Report;
(10) Fast Packet Contract;
(9) Action Plan in Technology/Distance Education;
(12) Innovative
(11) Implementation of Telecommunications Act in Oregon;
Engine Competition; and (13) TigerNet Model.
(AEF)
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION
CENTER (ERIC)
El This documeni has been reproduced as
received from the person or organization
originating it.
O Minor changes have been made to
improve reproduction quality.
Points of view or opinions stated in this
document do not necessarily represent
official OERI position or policy.
Oregon
Educational Technology Plan
January 1997
Oregon Department of Education
Public Service Building
255 Capitol Street, NE
Salem, Oregon 97310-0203
[phone]
Fax [phone]
Th
PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND
DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS
BEEN GRANTED BY
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
2
TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)
1
Overview of the 1997 Oregon Technology Plan
I.
Introduction
The 1997 Oregon Technology Plan (the Technology Plan or the Plan) ' sets a course for
Oregon and the Department of Education (the Department) in using technology' to
improve student learning, manage resources, and increase accountability; it should be
viewed as a working document that will undergo further development and revision over
the next few months. The Technology Plan is also intended to provide a framework for
Oregon school districts as they develop and implement their own technology plans.
Districts, individually or in consortia through education service districts, should find the
Technology Plan useful in their work. Additional help is available directly from the
Department, education service districts, and the OPEN Instructional Technology
Clearinghouse. Further information can be found at the Department's web site
(http://www.ode.state.or.us).
The Plan is based on Oregon's wider vision for use of technology, expressed in Senate
Bill 994 enacted by the 1995 Legislative Assembly, which established state policy for
using information technology to improve economic opportunities and the quality of life
for all Oregonians (Appendix A). The Plan incorporates current state policies which are
also reflected in the Oregon Benchmarks (Appendix B) for the use of information
technology in education, as well as in health care, economic development and
government services. The Technology Plan extends the state's vision with strategies
for collaborative applications of technology to enhance learning opportunities inside and
outside the classroom. The document's design is dynamic in response to the catalytic
impact of continually developing technologies.
Implementing the Technology Plan requires a process for developing, coordinating, and
supporting the use of technological resources which are integrated with telecommunica-
tions infrastructure. Further steps in developing the process are underway as part of
NetYear97 and are addressed later in the Plan.
'This is a revision of the Oregon Statewide Technology Plan developed in Fall 1994 as part of the Oregon
Department of Education Goals 2000 Proposal to the U.S. Department of Education.
2The word "technology" can vary in use and understanding. Basic toolspencils, chalk and
blackboardsrepresent technology as does scientific equipment like scanning electron microscopes or
geographic positioning satellite equipment. In the Technology Plan, technology (sometimes called high
technology) broadly refers to systems as well as tools such as calculators, CD ROMs, computers, digital
cameras, faxes, graphing calculators, Internet and other on-line services, laser disk players, laser printers,
modems, multimedia, music synthesizers, optical character readers, robotics, quicktime movies, scanners,
simulation software, telephones, and word processors. In the 21st century, technology will undoubtedly
acquire even more interpretations, hence the intention of the Technology Plan is to include and respond to
the breadth of the topic.
Oregon Educational Technology Plan
Page 1
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3
Technology and the School Improvement Plan
The Technology Plan supports the integration of instructional and administrative
technology to help achieve the goals of Oregon's school improvement plan. School
improvement in Oregon is guided by the Oregon Educational Act for the 21' Century,
state legislation enacted in 1991 and later strengthened by the 1995 Legislative
Assembly (Appendix C). See Figure 1. The goals of the legislation are to provide:
A kindergarten through grade 12 education that demands excellence through a
rigorous academic program;
An education program that equips all students with the information and skills
necessary to pursue the future of their choice;
An educational environment that motivates students to pursue serious
schOlarship;
Experiences in applying knowledge and skills and demonstrating achievement;
and
Schools that provide all students with lifelong academic and other skills that will
prepare them for the future.
The Technology Plan is intended to promote these goals by:
Providing all students with opportunities to use technologies to improve their
learning by demonstrating content knowledge and performance related to
statewide academic benchmarks;
Providing high quality distance learning opportunities for all schools and
communities to support rigorous curricula in core content areas;
Providing opportunities for students to work with the business community and
use state-of-the-art technology;
Developing systems to profile individual student performance to report school,
district, and state achievement; and
Supporting timely and specific staff development and training opportunities for
educational professionals.
The Common Curriculum Goals and the content and performance standards for the
Oregon Certificates of Initial and Advanced Mastery are the foundation for the school
improvement envisioned in the Oregon Educational Act for the 21st Century (Appendix
D). Maintaining a focus on the student content and performance standards that support
the two certificates is an essential precondition to realizing the instructional aspects of
the Technology Plan. With that focus, application of technology can provide a vehicle
that will allow all students to learn and demonstrate their knowledge and skills to high
levels.
Oregon Educational Technology Plan
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4
Figure 1
atlx Oregonian
CIUMAMDMW
13M6.NtOPIMPLAAMYRWMAMIOIRSIONOn04,40
New academic peaks
Certificate of advanced mastery at grade 12
In the spring of 2001. schools must offer seniors a chance to earn a certificate
for Oregon students
of advanced mastery, based on even higher standards and a demand that
students specialize for two years in one of six broad career areas.
Oregon today is scheduled to adopt
higher academic standards for public
Certificate of initial mastery at about grade 10
school students. The state will begin
testing students on standards this spring
To earn their certificate of initial mastery in 1999, high school
sophomores must score 239 on state reading and math tests and 4
It will hold students and schools
on state writing tests. They also must pass classroom English and
accountable for meeting standards starting
math assessments. Students must score 4 on all of them. Classroom
in the spring 011999, when high schools
must offer the certificate of initial
math work samples must cover statistics,.probability, geometry and
algebra. By 2003, the certificate wit require students to:
mastery, a new credential for
10th-graders. The benchmark
Demonstrate
standards at grades three,
Achieve standards
five and eight serve as proficiency through local
through state and
assessments in a
progress checkpoints
classroom assessments
second language and
in English, math,
to a certificate of
the arts.
science, history, civics,
initial mastery.
Demonstrate the
geography and
abilities to learn, think,
economics.
retrieve information, use
technology and work
effectively as individuals
and in grouns.
High (
, school
diploma,
I
Extra support
Students who fail to meet standards
are entitled to extra time and help or
alternative schooling. They also may
move to another public school.
Traditional
high school
diploma
Students can still
graduate by earning
credits for a high
Eighth-grade
school diploma. But
progress check
because certificates
Students must score 231
are based on high
Fifth-grade
on state reading and math
standards, educators
Third-grade
progress check
tests:4 on the slate writing
expect them to confer
Trailhead at kindergarten
progress check
Students must
test and on classroom
status that will appeal
Teachers will immediately begin
Students must
score 215 on state
English and math
to ambitious students.
achieve a score of
teaching students with third-grade
reading and math
assessments.
benchmarks in mind. The first
201 on state
tests; 4 or better on
benchmarks, which take effect in
reading and math
the state writing
The scoring scale
1999, are for math and English.
tests: 3 on a state
test and on
State math and reading tests are graded on a
The state will add standards for
writing test; and 4
classroom English
scale of 0-300. Classroom work samples and
science in 2000, social sciences
on assessments in
and math
some state tests are graded on a 6-point scale,
in 2001, arts in 2002 and a second
English and math.
assessments.
with 3 defined as developing and 4, as proficient.
language in 2003.
DAN AGUAYO/ The (hegenia n
Reprinted with permission of The Oregonian.
Page 3
Oregon Educational Technology Plan
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The Technology Plan supports developing opportunities for extensive use of technology
in schools so that students can learn about and use these new tools to perform diverse
tasks involving communication, problem solving, accountability, and other functions
essential in the curriculum as well as in future careers.
The Plan recognizes that educators who are unable to use available technology
themselves are unlikely to help students effectively; therefore, the Plan emphasizes the
importance of ongoing professional development. Full implementation of the
Technology Plan depends on helping teachers choose the technology that is
appropriate for the curriculum and the circumstances of their classrooms. Timely
professional development thus becomes essential if the goals and objectives of the
technology plan are to be achieved.
In its support of the ongoing efforts toward school improvement in Oregon, the
Technology Plan assumes that instructional technology will continue to be delivered
through the same framework used for administrative technology. Such integration not
only fosters multi-purpose use of existing and future telecommunications
infrastructures, it demonstrates fiscal soundness.
The Technology Plan recognizes that as the teaching-learning process moves beyond
the physical limits of the classroom, the full range of administrative practices and
procedures must also evolve to support all aspects of student learning from preschool
through secondary education. See Figure 2.
Figure 2
Technology Planning
Finished?
Begin again
Page 4
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Systemic and systematic statewide efforts to integrate instructional and administrative
technology will increase the capacity of each district to give all students and teachers
access to state-of-the-art technology including the telecommunications infrastructure.
The Technology Plan is designed to further the ongoing participation of all partners in a
process that will effectively apply technology to support student learning. Program
improvement, and ultimately effective management and accountability, depends on the
development of prudent uses of student data to ascertain if students are learning what
is being taught. Data collection, recordkeeping and related information management
must support and inform, rather than impede, effective instruction.
Background to the 1997 Technology Plan
For nearly 30 years, the Department has been working in partnership with local school
districts and education service districts to build capacity to benefit from the rapid
changes in computerized information and other technology through systemic and
systematic approaches. Other partners, including businesses, have joined in this effort.
In 1969, for example, a Business Task Force on Education developed a plan for the
business and management functions of elementary and secondary education in
Oregon. The task force, however, could not anticipate the rapid pace at which
technology would change over the next 20 years.
In 1992, the challenge of implementing Oregon's statewide school improvement plan
led State Superintendent Norma Paulus to commission a new plan to address current
and future needs. The plan rested on a fundamental belief that administrative and
instructional technology systems must be developed as a single cost-effective and
integrated statewide network. The Role of Technology: A Plan to Support ODE and
21st Century Schools proposed a series of recommendations including: data collection
and reporting standards, technology standards, the upgrading and replacement of
hardware and software, a statewide electronic communication system, a Department
management information system, leadership training and staff development, and
funding (Appendix C).
These earlier efforts helped position the state to respond to an emerging federal focus
on technology. In 1994, Oregon revised the 1992 Technology Plan, added a process
for including instructional technology and submitted it as an integral part of the state's
Goals 2000 Plan (Appendix F). Implementation of the 1992 and 1994 Technology
Plans, carried out statewide by various cross-functional teams and task forces led by
Department staff, has added to the state's progress in developing a statewide system.
As an example, the Oregon Public Education Network (OPEN), which grew from a
grassroots effort to formalized status in 1996, is a project of the Oregon Associated
Education Service Districts. OPEN, whose mission is to enable all of Oregon's K-12
schools to participate in a coordinated information network, has built on successful
regional networks to offer a wide range of educational services targeted for Oregon
students and educators. These services include brokering telecommunications circuits
to local districts to enable each school to be connected to the internet. OPEN provides
_Oregon Educational Technology Plan
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7
free Internet subscription. OPEN capitalizes on the existing technology capacities of 21
ESDs to provide the needed network for user access to telecommunications. Through
OPEN, Oregon has initiated a process to enable all schools to make a connection in the
most effective and low-cost manner possible. A steering committee with statewide
representation guides operation of OPEN. (Appendix G)
OPEN's Instructional Networking Group (OPEN_ING) is a consortium of teachers,
library/media specialists, technology coordinators and professional development
specialists working together to help other educators use technology in the most
effective and efficient ways. OPEN_ING members work with the OPEN steering
committee to improve professional services. OPEN_ING members initiated the OPEN
web site providing access to instructional materials, lesson plans, professional
development opportunities, programs and services, and links to Internet resources.
The OPEN Instructional Technology Clearinghouse (01TC) was founded in 1996
through the support of the ODE. OITC is helping develop a support system for staff
development and instructional technology in Oregon. OPEN_ING and Department staff
provide technical oversight and support for OITC (Appendix H).
Development of the 1997 Technology Plan
Recent state and federal legislation including the 1995 revisions of the Oregon
Educational Act for the 21st Century, the Improving America's Schools Act and Oregon
Senate Bill 994 provided impetus for significant revisions to the 1994 Technology Plan.
The Technology Plan was drafted and revised by representatives from each section of
this Department to maintain a comprehensive vision and approach to the use of
technology. Over the past year, the Department identified specific issues that needed
to be addressed in the Technology Plan including the use of technology for instruction,
to provide access and equity, to insure accountability and program improvement, to
improve communication and to support effective and efficient management.
In drafting the plan, ODE recognized that partnership with local school districts, ESDs,
higher education, businesses and others must continue as the Oregon school system
addresses the multiple needs related to achieving technology-related goals. The draft
Technology Plan was reviewed by the Oregon 21st Century Schools Advisory
Committee, a statewide representative body appointed by the State Board of Education
and charged by the legislature with advising the Board on implementation of the school
improvement program. Comments were solicited from the NetYear97 Education Task
Force, OPEN_ING, Oregon Educational Technology Consortium (OETC), and all
members of the statewide telecommunications forum listserve. In addition, the draft
Plan 'was posted on the Department's web page for two weeks in December 1996 and
was again circulated for further comment and posted on the web page in January 1997
before adoption by the Oregon Board of Education January 22, 1997.
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Needs, Goals and Objectives
The primary goal of the state school improvement plan is markedly improved student
achievement. To achieve that goal, the Department recognizes the importance of
effective implementation of the technology plan which, in turn, depends on addressing
the following technology-related needs in a timely manner:
Technology for education and instruction: technology standards and policies are
needed for school buildings and facilities, for student performance, for
professional development, for use of technology for instruction including tutoring
and professional development (e.g., educational television, Internet, distance
learning), and to promote direct and immediate communication about new
technology;
Technology for meaningful education, equity and access: technology is needed
to provide the bridge to information, communication, image media, problem-
solving, and accountability to help all students reach high standards;
Technology for accountability and program improvement: technology is needed
to collect, use and report student financial and performance data from all
education programs managed by the state or by local districts to assess
progress, measure achievement, evaluate programs and plan. This information
in turn generates other documents such as the assessment report, dropout
report, and reports to the legislature and public that enable the state or local
districts to comply with grant reporting and monitoring requests;
Technology for communication: technology is needed to provide interagency
communication within and out of state, for document preparation and delivery,
communication with schools and districts, communication with other agencies
and with the public (e.g., telephones, faxes, e-mail, Internet), and efficient and
effective work at all levels of the school organization; and
Technology for consolidated, effective, and efficient internal management
purposes: technology is needed for effective school management, tracking
dollars, providing internal communication, disseminating information in a timely
manner, and for warehousing data.
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Oregon School Improvement Plan
The Goals of the Technology Plan are general statements of the purpose or end result
of the Plan. The Goals correspond directly to the four national technology goals
intended to improve education across America by addressing issues of equipment,
connectivity, instruction and professional development. The Objectives are more
specific targets, selected as steps on the way to achieving each of the four Goals. The
Objectives are grouped by Technology Plan Goals in Section II, Meeting the Goals and
Objectives. The Plan sets out progress the state has made toward achieving each
objective and identifies some of the specific steps that must be taken if the objective is
to be reached.
The Goals of the Plan are:
All Oregon students and teachers will have access to appropriate technology
including modern computers;
Every school and classroom in Oregon will be connected to the Internet;
Effective software and on-line learning resources will be an integral tool to
support the school curriculum in Oregon; and
All Oregon K-12 teachers, administrators and staff will have the immediate and
specific education and support they need to help students learn through
technology including computers and the Internet.
Oregon Educational Technology Plan
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0