Gaps in Knowledge As technology has invaded our culture it has also invaded education. While this is a great new way to educate, it brings with it new sets of problems for educators and decision makers. With limited time and financial resources, technology has created a difficult challenge. A January 2010 article in Learning and Leading with Technology titled “5 Considerations Digital Age Learners”, defines the challenge as was hot last year or even ’What last month may be of little interest today. How can educational leaders keep up with the daily onslaught of information when new literacies rapidly outpace traditional literacies, and access to technology and information expands exponentially?’ (Larson, 2009) The article goes to aid districts large and small in how to implement technology integration. Tip number four, Excellence in Professional Practice, focuses on professional development and gives an approach specific to technology. Another tip is to start users at one skill level and then allow them to move through subsequent levels in a tiered program to acquire more knowledge with technology while documenting their training outcomes and products. These programs may also provide a way for users with advanced skills to test out. (Larson 2009) This solves a nagging problem many schools face which is the varying levels of skill among staff. Some need to start at level one, some can test out which makes professional development very difficult to reach all. Another gap in knowledge is the level of teacher knowledge of ISTE standards. As teachers are overwhelmed with CCSS, new evaluations based on student growth, and ever changing curriculum, technology standards can be viewed as another thing on my plate” by many teachers. While this “just attitude is not unanimous, it is apparent on some level at many schools across the country. How
Gaps in Knowledge As technology has invaded our culture it has also invaded education. While this is a great new way to educate, it brings with it new sets of problems for educators and decision makers. With limited time and financial resources, technology has created a difficult challenge. A January 2010 article in Learning and Leading with Technology titled “5 Considerations Digital Age Learners”, defines the challenge as ’What was hot last year or even last month may be of little interest today. How can educational leaders keep up with the daily onslaught of information when new literacies rapidly outpace traditional literacies, and access to technology and information expands exponentially?’ (Larson, 2009) The article goes to aid districts large and small in how to implement technology integration. Tip number four, Excellence in Professional Practice, focuses on professional development and gives an approach specific to technology. Another tip is to start users at one skill level and then allow them to move through subsequent levels in a tiered program to acquire more knowledge with technology while documenting their training outcomes and products. These programs may also provide a way for users with advanced skills to test out. (Larson 2009) This solves a nagging problem many schools face which is the varying levels of skill among staff. Some need to start at level one, some can test out which makes professional development very difficult to reach all. Another gap in knowledge is the level of teacher knowledge of ISTE standards. As teachers are overwhelmed with CCSS, new evaluations based on student growth, and ever changing curriculum, technology standards can be viewed as “just another thing on my plate” by many teachers. While this attitude is not unanimous, it is apparent on some level at many schools across the country. How
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