NETP

The National Educational Technology Plan, written in 2010, focuses on five areas in which educators and administrators must take responsibility.  I will describe each of these areas.  First of all, the plan addresses learning.  It urges us to engage and empower students and teachers with technology.  The activities we provide in education should provide opportunities for creativity, collaboration and ethical participation in the world of technology.  Secondly the plan addresses assessment.  The need for appropriate, timely assessment can be met by using technology.  We can also utilize technology to help us meet the needs that are identified through assessment.  Next, the plan speaks to teaching and it describes activities that should occur in order for teachers to feel connected to data, support, and communities of educators that will increase student achievement.  This area sets high expectations for teacher training and professional development.  The next topic to be addressed is infrastructure.  The plan stipulates that schools have a system in place which allows students to access and process digital information whenever and wherever they need it.  This will empower students to use technology in all areas of education.  The last category of focus for the NETP is productivity.  We should revamp our expectations for productivity to incorporate the use of technology.  An area of concern comes from this section of the plan because currently we only evaluate the quantity of technology in a district.  We have to change our perception of productivity and start evaluating the quality of technological activities in the district. 

U.S. Department of Education (2010).  National Educational Technology Plan.  Retrieved from:  http://www.ed.gov/technology/netp-2010c