Blogg # 3 : National Educational Technology Plan: Transforming American Education

The National Educational Technology Plan states that, "Teaching today is practiced mostly in isolation." ( U. S. Dept. of Education 2010)  Teachers are given specific objectives to cover and left to teach the content.  The plan calls for more professional development; specifically covering Connected Teaching.  This model would allow educators to be connected 24\7 to resources, colleagues, and even students.  The model also stresses the need for online classroom environments giving students and teachers more ways to interact with each other, administrators, as well as parents.  The plan goes on to state that, "The best way to prepare teachers for connected teaching is to have them experience it." ( U. S. Dept. of Education 2010)  The plan calls for more professional development not only in formal workshops but also in the act of teaching using these new models.  Using these models teachers can connect with exemplary practices, other professionals, and career-long professionals.  By connecting with exemplary practices and other professionals, teachers can model techniques and strategies that work in other schools and transform them to fit their personalized situation.  The report goes on to make several recommendations.  Number one is to use technology that will inspire new teachers and encourage our best educators to continue teaching.  Number two is to provide professional development to close the gap between teachers and students in terms of fluency.  Number three is creating career-long professional learning networks that would allow for increased professional development as well as hold educator accountable for the success of their students.  Number four is to increase technology in areas where it is least such as rural schools. Number five stresses the importance of creating a teaching force skilled in online instruction.  My concern is that this plan is so focused on the model of Connected Teaching that it does not make a feasible plan for most school districts.