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= Making the Shift =

In five years, what do you want to be different about your school?
Technology will not be an event, it will an integral part of every day. Used effectively to direct every student's learning pathway. Provide connectivity instead of hardware. Every kid will have access. Individualized, inquiry based learning. Teacher being a facilitator or a coach. More important to inspire kids to be positive, global citizens, using technology in more constructive ways. (Character ed.) Release time for curriculum leaders to do face to face and online discussion groups. No more photo copiers...no more paper(?) Eco friendly schools. More flexible groupings and time tables. Classroom is not limited to the classroom. Every school should have the same resources. Students will make choices about their learning. No tests. Demonstrating learning in multiple ways. Parents having some input in their kids' learning. Students see themselves as independent learners and teachers validate their tools. Every student in our school would have an online portfolio. Libraries without books.

Martin would like a pencil department in his school.

What specific issues/barriers/shifts/ideas will you need to address to reach your vision?
The belief that we have to be the gatekeepers of learning. Resistance to change on the part of teachers, staff, parents. Fear. Delineated curriculum expectations. Standardization Government regulations Inequity of access Finances (Discussion about tradeoffs) Staff skills and comfort level Balance (Professional, personal, students) Keeping up with the technology changes Lack of broadband access, wireless Lack of school choice around technology Academic dishonesty Assessment (lack of understanding of how to assess) Changing role and time commitment of teachers.