New #NETP16 on “Future Ready Learning”

“Today we set a new vision for technology to support learning and have assembled an unprecedented coalition of partners dedicated to making sure that vision becomes practice to transform the learning of all students.” Richard Culatta, Director, Office of Educational Technology

The 2016 National Education Technology Plan (#NETP16) – “Future Ready Learning: Reimagining the Role of Technology in Education” is here!

New #NETP – Future Ready Learning: Reimagining the Role of Technology in Education! https://t.co/o5TS6TxBpW #edtech pic.twitter.com/OVzIOxIy2r

— Carri Schneider, Ed.D. (@CarriSchneider) December 10, 2015

Available as a pdf or through the new interactive website, the NETP is broken down into these sections.

Two important take-aways from a preliminary review of the Plan are its refreshing focus on how all of these pieces fit together and its much-welcomed emphasis on technology as a vehicle “to transform learning experiences with the goal of providing greater equity and accessibility.”

Each section contains begins with a framing goal, drill-down on implications, examples of current best practices and a set of recommendations for states, districts and institutions.

Recommendations include:

• States, districts, colleges, and other post-secondary education institutions should develop and implement learning resources that exploit the flexibility and power of technology to create equitable and accessible learning ecosystems that make all-the-time, everywhere learning possible.
• Develop a common set of technology competency expectations for university professors and candidates exiting teacher preparation programs and create assessments of all teacher preparation programs’ abilities to prepare teachers and professors for teaching in technologically enabled colleges and schools.
• Develop clear communities of practice for education leaders at all levels that act as a hub for setting vision, understanding research, and sharing practices.
• States, districts, and others should design, develop, and implement learning dashboards, response systems, and communication pathways that give students, educators, families, and other stakeholders timely and actionable feedback about student learning to improve achievement and instructional practices.
• Ensure students and educators have broadband access to the Internet and adequate wireless connectivity, with a special focus on equity of access outside of school.

Our team is eager to dive into the plan and learn more about making “everywhere, all-the-time learning possible, and we encourage you to do the same.

Share your thoughts on the Plan and what it means for you in the comments, or using #NETP16 and @Getting_Smart on social media.

For more on the potential of technology to boost equity and access, see:

• Getting Smart Podcast | Santa Ana Unified School District
• Improving Access and Equity in Blended and Online Learning
• Smart Planet: 20 Inventions Boosting Global IQ

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