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ISTE's Technology Facilitation and Leadership Standards

Chapter 1 Technology Operations and Concepts

Chapter 1 discusses how competency, proficiency, literacy, and fluency are terms that all educators need to know and be able to do. Although these terms differ from source to source educators need to be able to acquire a basic set of technology-related skills so that they may implement them into a classroom or position. According to Williamson & Redish, (2009), leaders need to be able to ensure that all colleagues possess the understanding and skills to operate and understand technology concepts. These items are the basics of technology hardware, computer components, computer operations, care and maintenance, computer software usage, troubleshooting techniques, common features of internet browser, and basic networking structure. With these basics the educators need to be able to identify, use, practice, master, apply and understand each one individually. I find it frustrating when there are people on my campus that do not know how to do basic computer operations. I feel that our district needs to provide workshops or some type of training for those who need the help. As a facilitator and leader our responsibility is to increase our faculty's knowledge of these operations and concepts. We need to revisit what methods we have used, what has worked, what has not worked and build our ongoing training based on the needs of the faculty and not just what we as leaders think. If we expect our colleagues to use this valuable tool within their instruction then we need to be there to support them and do whatever we can to get them where they need to be. This standard ensures that schools have skilled personnel. On my campus we use technology in a variety of ways but I feel that there is so much more out there to explore but we are limited by time and money. Each classroom teacher has one computer and one notebook in there classroom. I do not see us using what technology we have to it's fullest potential. I believe in part that this is because of lack of training and the willingness to learn. Being able to utilize many of the web 2.0 tools and help teachers understand how to use them in their specific classroom setting as it pertains to their subject, is paramount. We now use technology for administrative tasks, students use it for tutoring, AR testing, and short presentations. I believe that there is so much more that students and even teachers can be learning while using this technology. Only by learning this way and using these tools, will students be competitive for 21st-century jobs (Solomon & Schrum, 2009).

References: Crane, B. E. (2009). Using Web 2.0 Tools in the K-12 Classroom. New York, NY

Solomon, G., & Schrum, L. (2007). Web 2.O New Tools, New Schools. Eugene, Oregon: International Society for Technology in Education.

Williamson, J. & Redish, T. (2009). Technology Facilitation and Leadership Standards: What every K-12 leader should know and be able to do. Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education.