Goals and Objectives
Dr. David Thornburg. "We must transform all formal
institutions of learning, from pre-K through college, to insure that we are
preparing students for their future, not for our past."
Educational Technology and Instructional Design:
Overview:
The following is a job posting that I have refined to
reflect the capacities I've worked to achieve in my professional duties.
The foundation of this job description is based on recent research looking at
factors leading to the effective integration of technology in schools. It
helps schools consider how to bridge the gap between the massive infusion of
hardware and software in schools over the past decade and how to inspire
effective use of these learning tools and resources. It clearly represents
my objectives as a professional and reflects the experiences and growth that I
have pursued in recent years. I am uniquely qualified to fulfill such a role and am
passionately committed to the far-reaching value that would be generated by such
a position.
Wanted: Technology Integration Specialist
School seeks Technology Integration Specialists (TIS) to develop and manage
instructional design, consulting, training, and support programs which
facilitate the effective use of technology and enhance instructional
productivity. The primary focus of the Technology Integration
Specialist will be to enrich and support teaching and learning while
strengthening the technology skills of students, teachers, and staff. Ideal
candidate should work well with others, be skilled in team management, have
background in instructional design, and have clear goals and strategies for
integrating technology into instructional pedagogy.
Position has some administrative responsibilities in coordinating teams,
consulting on technology budgets and supervising training activities,
establishing technology policies, and proposing learning objectives for staff as
they relate to technology. Successful candidates will not be responsible for
monitoring and troubleshooting computer labs, maintaining computer networks or
providing technical support to school. The person filling this position
should have the ability to work with diverse student populations and employ
strategies to engage different learning styles (Multiple Intelligences).
Responsibilities include:
Collaborate with teachers to support their use of
technology in delivery of curricula through a variety of instructional design methods.
In partnership, the TIS and teacher will work towards integrating the use of
hardware, software, and Internet resources in support of student learning and
assisting teachers in meeting set standards for subject area
and technology learning objectives.
Create learning resources for teachers, staff, and
students. These may include web sites, tutorials, interactive programs,
and databases that support teachers in integrating technology. Ideally,
teachers will be guided and encouraged in developing their own resources and
the TIS will support these efforts, providing additional support as needed.
Structure technology education
for teachers.
Though the Technology Integration Specialist may not directly conduct all
training, lab work or classes regarding computer use, he or she will
coordinate instruction to meet technology proficiency goals. The TIS
should actively seek solutions to encourage both, the most reluctant instructors
and the early adapters, to expand their current understanding and implementation
of technologies that can improve instruction and learning.
Additional Responsibilities:
-
Consult on budget issues
for technology
resources including hardware, software, learning resources and training needs.
-
Recommend and, in some cases, purchase
hardware, software and related resources.
-
Identify trends in software, curriculum, teaching
strategies and other educational areas.
-
Assess technology skill levels of students,
teachers, and staff.
-
Create, maintain, and oversee integration of
technology plan for school with a technology committee team.
-
Evaluate effectiveness of
implemented technologies and technology integration initiatives. Conduct
‘action research’ in the course of implementations to quantify the value of
practices
- Engage community experts or
organizations that can contribute to instructional opportunities to ground
learning in 'real-world' contexts.
Required Skills
In
addition to experience in related responsibilities, the applicant should have:
-
Understanding of key learning theories and methods of
instruction and their relation to technology integration.
-
Familiarity with methods for integrating technology into
the curriculum such as web Portals, virtual learning environments, collaborative
courseware, online resources, digital portfolios and other forms of
assessment.
-
Experience with effective technology teaching strategies
in teaching software and hardware skills.
-
Technology skills in up-to-date computer software including word processing,
databases, spreadsheets, web-page development, presentation, digital video and
audio editing, image processing, graphics abilities.