The National Education Technology Plan 2010 (NETP) provides goals and recommendations to meet the expectations and demands of our global and technologically driven society. The plan focuses on the following key areas: learning, assessment, teaching, infrastructure, and productivity. Technology needs to be integrated in the area of learning to personalize and empowering our students to be successful. Technology, not only provides the tools for their learning, it will also provide experiences to be able to be productive in the workforce. Technology is imperative in assessment because it provides appropriate data for immediate feedback and intervention. Consequently, this will again improve student learning by continually making adjustments to personalize their learning. With regards to teaching, technology can provide tools to help facilitate teacher learning through data provided to online learning communities. The infrastructure is to provide the integral system of hardware, software, and services in a safe and productive format for all. Finally the plan notes the importance of ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of our educational productivity with utilizing technology. The federal governments’ role is to promote the collaboration between the private and public sectors, the state, the federal, and any other entities that can impact the success of our students learning.
The NETP provided recommendations for their goals. In regards to learning, they encourage states to design technology standards, develop resources, and broaden opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. In regards to teaching, NETP encourages more opportunities for teachers to experience learning through online professional development, social network platforms, and other job-embedded opportunities when and where they need them.
Again, the federal government has provided goals and expectations .but how will this trickle down to the states? How much support will the government provide? How much guidance? Will this be another grandiose plan that states will struggle with funding, providing, implementing, etc? Will this be another plan intended for the good of our children yet gets off-track with bureaucracy and misinterpretation? It looks good on paper, feels right, but will it facilitate expectations successfully?
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology. (2010). Transforming american education learning powered by technology national education technology plan 2010 executive summary Washington, DC: Retrieved from http://www.ed.gov/sites/default/files/netp2010-execsumm.pdf