Georgia Society of Technology in Education (G-STE)

The Georgia Society of Technology in Education (G-STE) is officially affiliated with ISTE. Jill Hobson, our President, held our annual meeting to share with members the status of our group. The mission of the society is to function as a "voice" in the state. The importance of technology in education is only as effective as the organization and support for it.

Already the ETC's reviewed the school keys for the Georgia GAPS review. Now coming in June, we should see technology integrated with the schools keys so the instructional technologist will be supported with this update. Jill emphasized our group functioning as a voice with the DOE and Ann Ware, the Instructional Technology Director at the DOE is a member.

The goal is to establish a common language with board members and principals so the formative assessment includes instructional technology. This will help all instructional technology specialist to have some advocacy as will move forward as a support group for the differentiation in teaching styles and formative assessment.

We went around the room to see how districts were impacted from the budget cuts. Many said their professional learning was being cut. It seems this is going to be costly cut for district who will have to meet those Georgia GAPS review.

Wendy from Douglas County told me about dimdim.com which is a free video conferencing software online. This will be great for professional learning problems as well.

G-STE needs volunteers. All members are encouraged to contribute with areas of interest. Another goal is to collaborate with each other and share information or knowledge.

Join the "TIE" Network

Even if you are not too comfortable with some of the current technology tools, you should join GPB's "TIE" Technology in Education Network. Just as the acronym suggests TIE is a way to bring all teachers who use technology, together. Apply and submit a lesson and you are in...Teachers can blog, share lessons, share photos, etc. Check it out.

"Educational Technology is like a workshop"

My new favorite coined term--taken from Jim Vanides with Hewlett Packard. Jim says he is tired of that term "technology is just a tool". Well, it's not. Forever, I've tried to spread the word that we need to integrate technology with our curriculum for the kids' sake. So students will know how to function in a world without us. Students of today's generation increasingly rely on technology and computers specifically to get their work done. To manage their work, to create and publish their work---this would be using technology as a tool.

We are well beyond that now. Our students need to know that technology today is the space to be in while using all those tools. It is a large enough space where we can assemble a wide range of people and tools in order to bring an idea to life. And if we are taught how to be safe in the environment, how to organize that environment, how to fully stock that environment with the "tools" we may need, much life a workshop...then we are truly teaching our students "How to fish" and not just giving them the fish.

Online Professional Learning

Any online learning requires the following:

1. Set time of day to work or "report" to class
2. Designated folder on your computer labeled with the course name to keep files
3. Word Processing application to type or copy/paste notes while learning

Online learning may be self-paced or may require projects and assignments turned in on at a certain time. Some require posting topics on a discussion board with fellow classmates and some require that you reflect in an online journal. Here are a couple of online opportunities worth the investment.

• Knowledge Delivery Systems-Georgia (KDS) offers a variety of online courses for instruction. They are GaDOE approved and one can finish a course in two months. Teachers work at their own pace and turn in final "essay" directly to KDS for review upon completion.

• PBS Teacherline offers a variety of online courses specific to content area or for general instruction. The courses have a built in discussion board and most instructors require the students to interact with others taking the course. Teachers will need to have a weekly committment to this course or otherwise risk getting behind. Even with that being said, the courses are still worthwhile for the content and resources.