Technology for Personalizing Learning The 2012-2015 Vermont Educational Technology Plan Release March 1, 2012 Integrated Support for Learning (ISL) (802) 828-5149 Vermont Department of Education Learning with 21st Century Tools: The 2012-2015 Vermont Educational Technology Planii Contents Introduction1 Vermonts Vision for Learning Technology.3 I. The 2012-2015 Vermont Educational Technology Plan5 Goal 1: Student-centered learning 5 Goal 2: Leadership in a student-centered environment7 Goal 3: Flexible Learning Environments8 Goal 4: Engaged Community Partners .9 Goal 5: Effective Local Technology Plan Evaluation 10 II. A Framework for Local Planning .11 Key Points for Local Plan Creation.12 USAC Requirements/Reference Table .13 Sample Action Plan Template15 Guidance and Templates for Creating Local Goals and Action Plans.15 Student-centered learning16 Organizing Question for This Goal 16 Essential Questions for Creating Local Action Steps.16 VT DOEs Background and Rationale for This Goal.17 Action Plan Template .18 Leadership in a Student-centered learning Environment19 FLEXIBLE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS.21 Engaged Community Partners.23 Signature Page25 Appendix A: Successes from Past Tech Plans.29 Appendix B: Sources: NCLB and the Partnership for 21st Century Skills .32 Appendix C: Effective Local Technology Plan Evaluation34 Background.34 Creating Indicators34 Collecting Data.36 Pulling It All Together: Compiling an Evaluation Report.37 Evaluation Report Template 38 Appendix D: Resources: To Assist in Local Planning40 Acknowledgments and Thanks43 Vermont Department of Education Learning with 21st Century Tools: The 2012-2015 Vermont Educational Technology Plan 11 Introduction As Vermont schools enter the second decade of the 21st century, it is clear that the role of technology in supporting learning for all students is imperative. Since our last state level technology plan released in early 2009, schools have witnessed a rapidly growing and evolving landscape in terms of types and sizes of devices available to access the Internet, innovative applications growing exponentially, and social media taking a prominent role in many aspects of everyday life from politics to marketing. Couple these changes with the increasing personalization that todays technology offers and we have a situation where the concept of schools and classrooms continues to be challenged. While our former plan crafted a vision that was based on the 2008 Transformation of Education in Vermont work, and our new plan continues to move forward in that vein, we still see schools and communities struggling to implement technology programs that can truly support the learning for all students. Technology can play a vital role in the improvement of the systems we have in place to support that learning and extend opportunities both in and out of the classroom. In 2010-11 The Transformation of Education in Vermont was studied and focused by the Transformation Policy Commission. The direction of their report called for strategizing the ways in which systems could be optimized for the central focus of our transformation work: to become more student-centered in our approach, and directly impact curriculum decisions that are critical for developing college and career-ready students. Technology must play a supporting role by enabling students to engage actively with their learning environment, to access resources beyond school walls, and to communicate globally. This approach has long been embraced by the education-technology community and The Transformation of Education in Vermont continues to provide all Vermonters with a timely and welcome platform for continuing the discussion about the role technology can play in our schools and communities as we move further into the 21st Century. With the visionary work of the Transformation of Education having set the stage in 2008, a small group of Vermonters took on the challenge of generating ideas for further integrating technology into Vermont K-12 education. The resulting document, Learning with 21st Century Tools: The Vermont Educational Technology Plan 2009-2012, is what the plan you hold in your hands is based on. This new plan for 2012 continues to build on the important concepts that were put forth in the last plan, but it moves us in some new directions. As this update is written, in early 2012, the landscape around education technology has evolved in multiple ways: 1:1 computing has grown both statewide, regionally and nationally (1:1 computing signifiying one computer for each (1) student). The continued development of new personal devices for the consumer market as well as for learning, coupled with ever increasing mobility drive new considerations around our concepts of schools, school buildings and the spaces therein. The continually developing network of online (“cloud-based”) systems exponentially strengthens