Technology assessments, what are the pros and cons, what should we be looking for to assess? Once might say we must assess the value of the educators technology leadership knowledge and skill, also don't forget the assessment of the students knowledge, skill level and their perceived needs? Depending on which side of the fence you're sitting on, it could go either way. Before the assessments there will be the professional development training, to several including me we're already seeing the word con blinking in red. But, it might not be that bad, if we follow the same or close to professional development of the SEDL, and use the ATRL (Applying Technology to Restructuring and learning), we have a better chance. The ATRL aim is straightforward as Mary Burns writes "to help the learner-centered learning environments supported by technology." in her article "From compliance to commitment: Technology as a catalyst for communities of learning."Through this teachers are given hands on learning on how to operate the technology with the same disadvantages the students and school faces. The pro to this, it means the professional development wont just be listening to someone talk and show us the same power point with a new name and jazzed up wording over and over and over again.The con, as shown towards the end of Mary Burns article the higher the tech skills of the teacher the lower use of learner-centered approaches are used. Meaning the lower the tech skills of the teacher the higher the learner-centered approaches are used. As an example if we are using Photoshop in class, if I am proficient the less likely I am to have the students gather around in learning groups and "play" with the program to learn. Since I know the program and showed them a tutorial "step-by-step" of everything they are to be doing. At least that is what my opinion is, technology assessments to me will always linger in the gray area between pro and con, I need to see more evidence than studies of a controlled group.
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