Tahoma School District’s Technology Model Review is nearing completion, as a committee of community members, district staff, parents and students create a report that will go to the School Board and help determine classroom technology usage for years to come. The committee has scheduled a final meeting at 4 p.m. on January 10 at Tahoma High School.
At its most recent full committee meeting on Nov. 29, the committee focused on finalizing a list of its beliefs regarding classroom technology, discussed how to measure successful use of classroom technology, and began reviewing model structures for classroom technology.
The committee’s model beliefs include:
Empowered Learning: “Technology is used in authentic ways to design experiences that challenge, engage and empower students to deeper levels of learning and demonstrating that learning.”
Future Ready Skills: “Students skillfully use digital tools to support and reflect upon their acquisition and demonstration of the Future Ready Skills, both inside and outside of school.”
Future Ready Plan: “Throughout elementary, middle, and high school, students build a vision for their valued, viable, and successful future – actively exploring, refining and planning their next steps.”
Access and Equity: “Students and staff have the tools, skills, and opportunities to leverage technology to improve learning and productivity. Efforts ensure that initiatives support the diverse/particular needs of different students, staff members, classrooms, and buildings in an equitable way.”
Sustainability: “Technology decisions are made considering identified aspects of sustainability and align to district goals and priorities.”
In addition to the three full-committee meetings, the Technology Model Review has included subcommittee meetings that are focused on specific elements of classroom technology. All of the work so far will be reviewed and refined in the final meeting as part of the group’s final report. After that, the district’s Technology Advisory Committee will get to work on drafting a new plan for technology use in the district.
The committee has studied standards for educational technology use that are published by the International Society for Technology in Education. That information has provided a solid foundation for the committee as it crafted proposed expectations for Tahoma.
Once the proposed district technology plan is completed, the School Board can evaluate technology needs as part of its deliberations over how to fund it, including consideration of a technology levy in 2020.
