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An award-winning English teacher and tech. coach/trainer, Alice shows how the CCSS recognizes the importance of technology in the classroom and gives specific ideas for meeting a number of standards. Definitely worth checking out!

Although the first paragraph can be a little grating for ITs/Tech. Coordinators to read, I think it is a perception we must address. Here is my response to one IT whose view of teachers was low. Joe, I can hear the frustration in your reply. I can appreciate some of it. However, I think that the first paragraph,  I think, reflects a perception that we as IT's/Tech. Directors/Coordinators need to address honestly, but respectfully. So when I read the first paragraphs, I asked myself, "How is this true for me?" I think we need to honestly assess that in our practice.  Next, the points that follow were written to be more general in scope to give each reader a chance to explore how they might fit for them in their unique situations. Patronizing? I think they are points of practice we can all reflect on. That's the purpose I see in the blog post. In regards to filtering, we all live with it. It's coming to terms with how much filtering is necessary and how to manage the filter. I get frustrated not having the ability to filter content the way I would like. I didn't hear the author say things like "Get over it," but instead "Consider....". I think a helpful approach for IT's, teachers, and admin. is to form a partnership/relationship that allows each to better understand the needs/challenges each faces to provide the best for students. That's the goal. As a tech. coordinator, I proactively work at that. I taught for eight years, but also was instrumental in helping press into tech. integration and perhaps that has helped me to be more balanced than some in my approach to IT and embrace change. I think also we have to expect failures along the way as we feel our way through new approaches, methods, and devices. Right now, I think most IT's are a bit intimated by the level of change and diversity of needs we have to address. I know I am! Let's become more a part of the dialogue and abstain from labeling and finger-pointing. We're in this together. 

Technology Coordinator/Integration Specialist vs. Technician - blended skills - is it enough just to put technology in the hands of students? What about intentional pedagogy?

"To SAMR or not to SAMR" - a response to Krista Moroder's take on SAMR & TPACK.

Catlin Tucker, Honors English teacher, shares: "The SAMR model (substitution, augmentation, modification and redefinition) explores the impact of integrating technology on both teaching and learning. It attempts to outline a progression that educators follow in their journey towards redefining teaching and learning with technology. I've used this model as a guide to identify where a particular lesson or activity falls on the spectrum of technology integration, but it does not  reflect the teacher's evolution." Read the rest of her post.

Krista Moroder, Director of Learning & Instructional Tech. (former teacher) provides some insight into these two tech. integration frameworks and their strengths & difficulties. "I'm going to preface this post by saying that I think both TPACK and SAMR are incredibly useful frameworks- and I use them a lot in my work with education technology. While I don't want to completely discount either framework in this post, I do want to start a discussion- and explain why I am currently not finding them completely effective in my work with teachers. Worth the read....

"This is a quick introduction to the SAMR Model, developed by Dr. Ruben Puentedura. It is not meant to be an in-depth view of the model, but is an introduction to a model for tech. integration in the classroom. For more information, visit http://hippasus.com/"

Several more resources on the SAMR model of tech. integration.

The Technology Integration Matrix (TIM) illustrates how teachers can use technology to enhance learning for K-12 students

Using Edmodo (specifically setup with schools in mind) - Ideas for using in Middle School/High School. Excellent  list generated by teachers.

Nick Provenzano aka The Nerdy Teacher, shares his ideas on how to embrace and implement Ed. Tech. in 2015

On the Teaching Professor blog, the author starts with: "In May I finished a second edition of my Learner-Centered Teaching book. Revising it gave me the chance to revisit my thinking about the topic and look at work done since publication of the first edition ten years ago. It is a subject about which there is still considerable interest." And that it is. Check out the five characteristics of Learner-Centered Teaching helped me to think about my own thoughts of Learner-Centered engagement as a Tech. Coordinator who loves teachers and teaching.

I would add, that these tips work for 1:1 coaching, as well.