Proposal+Plan+of+Action

High quality professional development consists of on-going, sustained opportunities that reflect a paradigm shift toward developing deepened knowledge and skill to teach all today's children effectively. This cannot be a one-shot deal. The proposed plan entails beginning at the most basic of building blocks, moving forward, and reflecting on practices. toc

=Understanding 21st Century Literacy= Understanding 21st century literacy and how it effects our teaching and learning environment means moving beyond obsessing about the terminology and the technology, and to accept that technology is a crucial and critical aspect of our lives and the lives our students. This as such, educators need to recognize technology as a tool to support students in better understanding our world, in searching for solutions to the problems facing our global society, and to develop a better and brighter future. 21st century literate students and teachers are those who understand that their learning and creativity can, and should, directly and positively impact our world. In developing 21st century professional development opportunities for teachers to enhance student learning, it is proposed that teachers gain a deeper understanding of three concepts that both teachers and students will need to encompass to begin their journey in becoming 21st century literate, and moving this way of the thinking across the curriculum.

=Defining and Understanding Effective Learners= Students and teachers will need to understand that learning is a lifelong process and that the pace of technological change requires us to focus on learning how to learn, rather than learning specific tools. It is expected that neither students nor teachers will know how to use every available tool, rather that they will be comfortable learning how to use new tools independently. Independent learning requires that student and teachers are able to evaluate information for authenticity, relevance and bias as well as evaluate tools for applicability and effectiveness. As independent learners, teachers and students will be able to filter out unimportant stimuli and information so that they can focus on the important and useful, to be able to navigate graphical interfaces as well as different types of text and media formats. Lifelong learners are reflective, they routinely practice metacognition to think about how and why they understand what they do, and they constantly strive to look deeper at their own thinking, processes and practices. Lifelong learners are intrinsically motivated to better understand the world around them and to use that knowledge for self-improvement.
 * Create Learning Opportunities that Support the Staff in: **

=Understanding How to be Effective Collaborators= Students and teachers will develop the behaviors, attitudes and dispositions required for working in partnership with others, whether in person or over distances. Global collaboration requires effective communication, social and cultural awareness, and flexibility. Effective collaborators actively take responsibility for their role, and are able to delegate or share responsibility when necessary. Effective collaborators are equally comfortable as either leaders or participants. Effective collaborators appreciate and internalize the essential interdependence of all human endeavors.

=Learning How to be Effective Creators= Students and teachers will understand that an essential component of lifelong learning is analyzing, synthesizing and applying what they’ve learned to make an original contribution to society. Effective creators are critical thinkers who are able to “think outside the box” and analyze systems to identify and solve problems. Effective creators are constantly innovating and routinely use metacognition skills to evaluate and improve their own work. Effective creators are goal oriented, using time management and multitasking skills in order to work at their highest level of productivity. Effective creators understand that, as members of an interdependent society, their work must adhere to standards of ethics and social responsibility.

=Making the Shift Happen:=
 * Staff Development that Supports Integrating 21st Century Literacy & Understanding with Today's Curriculum

1. Have Teachers Create A Vision & Philosophy for Implementing 21st Century Technology into the Curriculum** Collaboration is a buzzword in supporting change, and it is evident that we all do need to work together to bring forth necessary change to enhance today’s curriculum in a way that reflects our students’ needs, enabling them to actively participate in the evolving world. If educators generate a vision and philosophy collaboratively, a shared understanding of the goal they are trying to reach to benefit student learning can be created. Although it would be absolutely wonderful if change could spontaneously happen because teachers have a shared vision for their future, the reality is that, at some point, school leadership needs to clarify and confirm that this is the direction the school is heading. There needs to be an official acknowledgment of the vision and philosophy and clear expectations that change will happen. The leaders are the captains who ultimately define the course and steer the ship. Along with a clear vision and philosophy for why this shift is so important and what the ultimate desired outcomes are, a clear framework that details exactly what the roles are for each individual involved will need to be developed. For example, what role will the mainstream teacher hold in integrating 21st century technology into the curriculum? What role with the technology support team hold in this process? What will the expectations of the students be? Each person affected will be responsible for some aspect of this transition and they need to know how they fit into the bigger picture. From roles and responsibilities to the process of putting this vision into practice, this framework needs to be completely transparent to all stakeholders. We all share a common need to understand where we fit in the big picture, and by clearly defining this to all affected participants, we can be assured of the same picture in front of us. Embedding a new model for teaching and learning into the curriculum is a natural way to institutionalize change. If teachers are provided with on-going professional development to embed the changes as part of the curriculum then it more easily becomes part of the teaching and learning practice. Make the vision a reality with proper resources. This might entail new software and hardware purchases. It may also entail further human support, mot just in providing technology ideas to plug into the curriculum, but someone who has the professional ability to troubleshoot the inevitable glitches that occur with technology. Clear infrastructure and communication strategies will need to be put in place to determine who will carefully look at the curriculum, who will look at the technology that can enhance it, and who will be contacted if there are system dilemmas. By having specific resources and knowing how to access them, or who to seek out for support are essential in moving forward with the vision. To help teachers cope with the rapid pace of technological change, developing easy to use resources can make the shift of using technology in the curriculum far less intimidating. Keeping these kind of resources in a central location, where they can be accessed at any time is essential in supporting both educators and students No matter how things are planned, there will inevitably be various individual situations and challenges. It’s an important skill to be able to quickly identify problems or concerns and face them head on. An additional important aspect of reflection is sharing successes. Both teachers and students should consistently be provided with ways to publicize their successes. This will help educators gain confidence, further explore new technologies, and promote positive attitudes toward change.
 * 2. Involve Leadership **
 * 3. Paradigm Shift and Transparency**
 * 4. Ongoing Curriculum & Professional Development**
 * 5. Staffing & Equipment**
 * 6. Infrastructure and Communication**
 * 7. Resources**
 * 8. Reflection and Adaptation**