Professional Development
For technology integration to be effective, educators need to learn how to use and integrate it successfully. Professional development is crucial to an effective technology initiative. It includes preparing teachers to use technology to support standards-based teaching, student-centered learning, and using more effective strategies to reach today’s “wired” students. The goal of technology integration is to use technology seamlessly so that the technology itself becomes a transparent and integral tool tfor teaching and learning.
Planning a professional development program is the first task. These eleven steps will get you started.

1. Develop a professional development subcommittee.
2. Demonstrate examples of classroom technology use.
3. Use multiple needs assessment instruments.
4. Design individual learning plans.
5. Identify leaders who can provide expertise.
6. Create a list of on-site learning opportunities
7. Share a list of off-site and online learning opportunities.
8. Build in time for staff planning meetings.
9. Share successes as well as expectations not yet met.
10. Continue to plan and re-evaluate often.
11. Create programs that provide on-going support.
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Articles
Sronger partnerships between districts and teacher education programs can reconnect professors to 21st century classroom needs.
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A call for increased attention to biosciences at the middle and high school levels includes a state-by-state review.
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Leadership in catapulting schools from slates, to green boards, to innovative digital environments falls squarely on technology directors. The Technology Director’s Guide to Leadership is a blueprint for navigating dead-ends, flat tires, U-turns, detours, speed traps, construction zones, toll booths, potholes, and other obstacles and hazards.
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As districts balance safety with the instructional opportunities of Web 2.0, Lightspeed Systems Inc. and Thinkronize survey technology directors on how the collaborative and creative 2.0 tools are being used.
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How should districts plan for successful and sustained technology-infused professional development? Here are eight crucial ingredients to a high-quality program.
Technology & Curriculum Integration
The goal of technology integration is to use technology seamlessly so that the technology itself becomes a transparent and integral tool to teach core curriculum.
Learn more about integrating technology into various curriculum areas.
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DLE Blogs
10,000 Educators Prove Education Innovation is NOT Dead @ NECCJim Vanides
There is a lot of talk about needing more innovation in education. Personally, I’m an optimist – especially today as 10,000 educators stream into the largest education technology conference in North America...
Case Studies
What makes a difference in deciding on what technologies to use and how and when to use them is evidence that they work. Case studies that demonstrate effective use of technology and show results provide information about what could work for us.
Visit the Case Studies section.
