Page 119 - Lakeland Catholic Technology Plan

7. Electronic Communications With Stakeholders
Appendix B: Implementation Strategies for the
Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
Program of Studies, March 2000
School Technology Task Group, Alberta Learning, March, 2000
1. Introduction
Many school jurisdictions and schools have an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) implementation plan or have integrated ICT implementation into their existing school and jurisdic- tion technology plans. This document will assist schools and school jurisdictions that have not yet completed an ICT implementation plan or who are considering revising existing plans. It provides information about the ICT program of studies, issues related to implementation, strategies for inte- gration of outcomes, a list of suggested resources and a list of additional sources of information.
Considerable development has already been done by Alberta Learning and school jurisdictions across the province to provide assistance to jurisdictions in the integration of the ICT outcomes with other existing curricula and with their technology plans. This includes professional develop- ment opportunities, illustrative examples of how the outcomes fit into other curricula, and sample assessment tasks.
2. Background
Students in Alberta need to be prepared to live, learn, and work successfully in an increasingly complex and information-rich society. Technology is enabling us to live, work, and think in ways that most of us never dreamed were possible. Technology is most importantly about thinking: communicating, inquiring, decision making and problem solving.
In response to the recommendations in the Framework for Technology Integration in Education MLA Report (1996), Alberta Learning established the Technology Outcomes Project to develop a set of technology outcomes for students at the end of grades 3, 6, 9, and 12. An interim Informa- tion and Communication Technology (ICT), Kindergarten to Grade 12, Program of Studies was ap- proved in June 1998 and optional implementation began in September 1998. The program of stud- ies was developed in consultation with Alberta's employers, employees, parents, teachers, and community members. Many of the outcomes in the ICT program of studies are already included in existing program of studies documents.
Alberta Learning distributed Best Practice studies to school jurisdictions in the spring of 1999, which included Preparing to Implement Learner Outcomes in Technology and Professional Develop- ment for Teaching Technology Across the Curriculum.
The Minister of Learning has announced that the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Program of Studies will be provincially implemented over a three-year period starting in the 2000/2001 school year.
• Internet:
The Alberta Learning web site provides a "publish-once-for-many-people" service, reducing printing costs and providing fast and easy access to departmental information.
Key Contact: Jim Ward: phone (780) 415–2261;
email jward@edc.gov.ab.ca
• Intranet: The Alberta Learning intranet site provides an efficient and effective means of information sharing within the department.
Key Contact: Ismail Esmail: phone (780) 427-9518; email iesmail@edc.gov.ab.ca
• Extranet:
The extranet was created to provide rapid and secure communications and information lookup for K–12 stakeholders. There are currently over 4000 stakeholder clients accessing fourteen applications that either distribute information to or retrieve information from the stakeholders. Key Contact: Erwin Loewen: phone (780) 427–0253;
email eloewen@edc.gov.ab.ca
• Technology Planning List Server: The department's technology list server is an electronic sharing mechanism for the K-12 education community. Participants are encouraged to inform others of developments in their area
and to ask questions of other members to expand their knowledge base. Key Contact: Jim Ward: phone (780) 415–2261;
email jward@edc.gov.ab.ca
• Technology Listboards: The department's technology listboard is a worldwide web messaging application developed to host virtual forums for key
educational areas. STTG develops listboards as required for communications with stakeholders.
Key Contact: Jim Ward: phone (780) 415–2261;
email jward@edc.gov.ab.ca
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