Page 136 - Lakeland Catholic Technology Plan

3.2 Our District Technology Vision
Our District Technology Vision links education change and information technology for high impact on student learning and achievement. We see a future where our students are empowered in an increasingly technological world. Our Vision of the future includes the following components:
• Access to Information and Communication Technology;
• Enhanced and Improved Student Learning;
• Information and Communication Technology Skills;
• Schools Linked electronically with the World;
• Advanced Staff Technology Development;
• Partnerships Support; and
• Management, Technical Support and Funding.
Each of these components can be described by the following statements.
3.2.1 Access to Information and Communication Technology
• All students and staff will have fair and efficient access, at a minimum District standard, to Information and Communication Technology tools and skills that lead to future career and learning success.
• To ensure appropriate teaching and learning opportunities there will be one computer for every five students (5:1 ratio) in District schools or better.
• All schools will be connected to on-line services through the District Wide Area Network.
• All schools will be connected to the community, e.g., schools, home, libraries, and business.
3.2.2 Enhanced and Improved Student Learning
• All students will have basic technological literacy including Information and Communication Technology skills, knowledge and attitudes.
• Rather than just a specialized lab-type experience, the computer and other information technologies will become general tools that students use to acquire knowledge and solve problems in all subject areas.
• Learning, teaching and administrative functions will be enhanced, improved and even transformed because of the advanced integration of information and communication technologies.
• All students will benefit from the latest research on the best way to use Information and Communication Technology in areas such as:
• individualization of teaching and learning,
• increasing quality and quantity of student thinking
and writing;
• improving students ability to solve complex problems;
• increasing proficiency at accessing, evaluating, and
communicating information; and
• increasing the productivity and efficiency of schools.
• Information and Communication Technology will be used not only to teach computer, media and communication literacy, but as an instructional support
3.2.3 Information and Communication Technology Skills
• All students, at the appropriate grade level, will acquire Information and Communication Technology literacy.
• While traditional, new and emerging information technologies promise to deliver more information in less time, the challenge of developing insight and knowledge from all of this information may be compounded by an overabundance of data (see Libraries of the Future, 1997). To respond to this challenge, new models for the role of school libraries will be explored.
3.2.4 Schools Linked Electronically with the World
• All schools will be connected to the Wide Area Network.
• Information and Communication Technologies will be used to link the school to the home and to link students and teachers to their peers around the world, e.g., libraries, art galleries, and virtual field trips.
• New and upgraded facilities will facilitate flexible information use, on-line network access, distance and/or virtual education services and flexible new teaching and learning delivery methods.
3.2.5 Advanced Staff Technology Development
• All staff, teachers and non-teachers, will be supported with appropriate training to help them integrate Information and Communication Technology into daily learning and administrative activities.
3.2.6 Partnerships Support
• Partnerships will be encouraged with education partners in areas such as:
information technology vendors, businesses, educational institutions and associations to provide appropriate expertise, funds, hardware, software, training and services.
• Partnerships will increase student and staff access to technology.
3.2.7 Management, Technical Support and Funding
• Basic maintenance support for Information and Communication Technology will be provided, in a timely manner, to meet the educational and administrative needs and requirements of the District.
• All schools will be able to keep pace with appropriate information technology changes.
• Adequate sources of Information Technology funding will be available to support the District vision.
• Where appropriate, hardware and software standards will be used to improve communications, infrastructure compatibility, ease of use, and reduce costs.
• Acquisition of computer technology by all District schools will be well-planned and cost effective.
in all areas of the curriculum.
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