Technology

Technology

With technology becoming more important in education, the Catholic Schools have made a significant commitment to the continuous upgrading of computer hardware and software. Each of our elementary schools has a local area network that serves the computer lab, a pod of library computers, the office, and computers in the classroom.

With technology becoming more important in education, the Catholic Schools have made a significant commitment to the continuous upgrading of computer hardware and software. Each of our elementary schools has a local area network that serves the computer lab, a pod of library computers, the office, and computers in the classroom.

Vision
The Christ the Teacher Catholic Schools, as a community of learners, will be proficient life-long users of technology.

Through the learning of requisite skills and knowledge, our community will be prepared to embrace the opportunities – and face the challenges – presented by today’s rapidly in our students a strong moral and ethical decision-making framework, thus preparing them to become contributing members of technology-rich society.

Our vision of technology will develop within our students a strong moral and ethical decision-making framework, thus preparing them to become members of a technology rich society.

Beliefs

  • Enhanced student learning is the primary focus of technology in our schools.
  • Technology is a tool and a means to achieve specific learning goals – technology itself is not the goal nor the end to be achieved.
  • Every student will be assured equity of access to necessary educational technologies.
  • Students must become technologically literate if they are to face the challenges and enjoy the opportunities of living and working in a global economy and society.
  • For students to truly become lifelong learners they must learn to use technology effectively, critically, morally and ethically.
  • Professional Development for ALL staff in the appropriate use and application of technology is essential to maximize student learning and overall operational effectiveness.
  • The division will budget annually a block of monies sufficient to implement its “Strategic Technology Plan” and to keep the technology in its schools and offices relevant.

The Four Cornerstones of the Strategic Technology Implementation Plan

  • UTILIZATION:
  • Integration – refers to the appropriate use of specific technologies as highly effective tools in facilitating learning across all levels of cognitive inquiry and all areas of the curriculum.
  • Application – relates to the application of relevant technologies to various components of the education system including the support of greater efficacy in administration and instruction and those areas referenced in the connectivity cornerstone.
  • PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT – provides inservice training to support all personnel with the utilization of appropriate technologies within their specific roles in the division.
  • CONNECTIVITY – includes the development of division-wide and school-based infrastructures and the supporting software and hardware to allow all users equitable access to local, provincial, and world-wide electronic educational resources.
  • ACCOUNTABILITY – addresses the broad assessment of information technology and its specific value to teaching and learning, data management, administration, and decision-making related to the operation of a K-12 school system.

Implementation Plan
This Strategic Technology Implementation Plan has been developed to provide guidance to the Christ the Teacher Catholic School Division in meeting its Vision for the effective use of educational technologies in its schools.
Within each of the four cornerstones of this technology plan, goals and specific targets have been articulated based on a gap-analysis of our educational system with respect to technology. This plan should not be viewed as an updated planning document for a specific period, rather it should be seen as a reflection of a dynamic, collaborative planning process that is conducted by all stakeholders and guided by data and results. Each section of the implementation plan suggests strategies and progress measures to be used to achieve our vision for educational technology in our schools.

Cornerstone # 1 – Utilization
Integration into Instruction:
Goal 1: Improve teaching and learning through the appropriate use of technology.

Target 1: Develop, implement, and revise annually a Scope-and-Sequence – SAS – which articulates the specific technological skills and knowledge to be taught at each grade level.
Target 2: Teachers will effectively and appropriately integrate technology into their instruction
Target 3: Teachers will use technology-based intervention strategies to improve student achievement.
Target 4: Teachers will understand and model moral and ethical use of technology in teaching and learning.
Target 5: Central Office personnel and the Technology Committee will develop processes to actively seek out, research, and evaluate new resources to assist instructional staff with the implementation of the SAS (and technology in general) into instruction.

Goal 2: Ensure division-wide equity for all students with respect to technology and technology-enhanced teaching and learning.
Target 1: All schools will have equitable access to the relevant technology required for the effective implementation of the division’s SAS.
Target 2: Appropriate technology-based instructional strategies will be used to meet the special and unique learning needs of students.

Application of Technology to the Educational System
Goal 1: Improve teaching and learning through the appropriate use of network/web-accessible electronic resources.
Target 1: Develop a bank of electronic networked and web-based teaching resources that effectively support the implementation of the division’s SAS.
Goal 2: Promote, develop and utilize appropriate electronic and web-based applications, services and resources to enhance overall efficacy of the system.
Target 1: Ensure that every school has an efficient, automated library and access to appropriate network (LAN) and web-based media resources.
Target 2: Develop web-based and networked communication systems which make effective use of technology – such as web based business administration applications and school/student data management systems, remote access for staff, students and parents, hosted email, and website development.
Goal 3: Offer and/or access appropriate web-based/distance learning opportunities for students
Target 1: Web-based virtual learning opportunities will be utilized as appropriate by students and staff.

Cornerstone # 2 – Professional Development
Goal 1: Establish a mechanism for identifying and delivering technology training to assist educators with the effective and relevant integration of technology into their daily instruction.
Target 1: The division will provide a variety training opportunities, and resources relating to the integration of technology into instruction and specifically focused on supporting the implementation of the division SAS.
Goal 2: Provide adequate monies to support the training of staff in the integration of technology into instruction
Target 1: The division will provide professional development monies and opportunities through its Professional Development Committee to support the integration of technology into instruction
Goal 3: Establish and maintain a part-time consultant position to assist school staff with the integration of technology into instruction.
Target 1: The division will hire a part-time Technology Integration Consultant to help teachers learn to integrate technology into their instruction as outlined in the division’s SAS.
Target 2: The division Technology Integration Consultant will develop relevant inservice and training opportunities to assist staff in gaining the skills and knowledge needed to effectively integrate technology into instruction.
Target 3: Teachers and other instructional staff will develop the requisite knowledge and skills to effectively implement in their teaching the division scope and sequence as outlined in this technology plan.

Cornerstone # 3 – Connectivity
Goal 1: Ensure all schools have access to integrated instructional and administrative services and resources across high speed networks.
Target 1: Every instructional and administrative area in our schools and offices will have a sufficient number of network connections to support the requirements of current and future instructional and administrative applications.
Target 2: Each school in the division will be connected to the internet through a high-speed internet connection through Community Net capable of supporting instructional and administrative applications and initiatives
Target 3: Each school will have requisite hardware and software to effectively implement the division’s SAS and fulfill the administrative and management functions of the schools and division.

Goal 2: Ensure adequate support for ongoing, reliable network operations.
Target 1: A Technology Support Team will be hired to keep the division computer system operating efficiently and effectively
Target 2: The Technological Support Team will have the skills and knowledge necessary to keep the computer system functioning effectively.
Target 3: The Technology Support Team will address technical problems in a timely and efficient manner.
Target 4 The cost of the Technology Support Team will be considered an essential component in the overall technology budget of the division.
Goal 3: Provide leadership and resources for the procurement of required infrastructure (hardware/software) and relevant emerging technologies.
Target 1: The division’s technology procurement process will be efficient, cost-effective, and transparent.
Target 2: The division’s Technology Support Team and Technology Committee will play an integral role in identifying emerging technologies to enhance instruction and administration.
Target 3: In January/February each year, the Technology Support Team and the Technology Committee will develop and recommend budgetary targets regarding maintenance, replacement, acquisition, and general implementation of hardware and software. These budgetary targets will be reviewed within the context of the division budget in April and adopted or returned to the Technology Committee for revision. Purchases will then proceed in accordance with the adopted budget and implementation plan
Goal 4: Ensure that the schools and division have in place network security, filtering, and data recovery systems.
Target 1: The division – through the Technology Support Team and the Technology Committee – will ensure policies, procedures and technologies are in place to ensure that the division computer system and data are secure and recoverable.
Target 2: The division will develop, adopt, and maintain an up-to-date Acceptable Use Policy
Target 3: The Technology Support Team will develop an effective system of network filtering solutions.

Cornerstone # 4 – Accountability
Goal 1: Qualitatively and, where possible, quantitatively assess the impact that the integration of technology has had on both teaching and learning.
Goal 2: At the beginning of each school year assess the level of technological literacy among staff and students to provide baseline data for overall systemic improvement.
Target 1: Assess the level of technological literacy for both teaching and support staff.
Target 2: Assess the students of the Christ the Teacher Catholic School Division to determine if they meet the expectations for technology competency as outlined in the division’s SAS.
Goal 3: Ensure that the division technology plan is consistent with the expectations of Saskatchewan Learning at each grade level and across the curriculum.
Target 1: The division will review annually the SAS to ensure it continues to reflect relevant learnings in technology and is consistent with the expectations as outlined by Saskatchewan Learning.
Target 2: The school division will review its Technology Plan annually to ensure relevance and to accommodate the rapid evolution of technology as changes occur which would benefit the students of the division.

Instructional Goals
The Christ the Teacher Catholic Schools believe that technology should be integrated into the classroom curriculum at each grade level and in each academic subject. It is recognized that some skills, such as home row finger placement, must be taught in isolation, but research shows that technology should be used in authentic ways in all subject areas. This interdisciplinary approach helps to facilitate learning that is effective, challenging, and engaging.

This document was created to guide teachers in the integration and application of technology in the Christ the Teacher Catholic Schools. This guide identifies the skills and understandings that our students should experience at each grade level. It is important for teachers to consider the skill level of students when introducing new skills and to develop basic skills before the introduction of advanced skills. It is understood that in the initial implementation of this guide prior experiences of students in a school may necessitate the movement of objectives to another grade level. It should also be emphasized that once skills have been taught at a grade, they should be maintained in the following grades with increasing complexity and creativity as the student progresses through the curriculum.
This guide is not meant to limit the use of technology to a particular grade or subject. When pedagogically sound, skills and concepts may be introduced at an earlier level.

Scope and Sequence Implementation

Timelines
The division will support integration by providing professional development workshops for teachers. This support may include assistance from: technology teachers, technology coordinators, or technology mentors. In addition, teachers are encouraged to collaborate with other educators to strengthen their classroom technology implementation. The division expects that the designated standards will be fully implemented by all schools and in all grade levels commencing with the 2006-07 school year.

Grades K-5
Implementation of the Technology Curriculum and the teaching of the assigned standards at each grade level is the responsibility of the regular classroom teacher.

Grades 6-8
Implementation of the Technology Curriculum and the teaching of the assigned standards at each grade level is the responsibility of the academic (English Language Arts, Math, Science, Social, Religion) teachers. Other teachers are encouraged to integrate the standards into their teaching. Responsibility for teaching the assigned standards will be decided at each school, each year, based on teaching assignments.

Grade 9
Implementation of the Technology Curriculum and the teaching of the assigned standards in grade 9 is the responsibility of the Information Processing teachers. Other teachers are encouraged to integrate the standards into their teaching.

Grade 10-12 Technology Courses

  • Animation 10 & 20
  • Communication Production Technology 10, 20 & 30
  • Computer Science 20 & 30
  • Design Studies 10 & 20
  • Digitial Publishing 20 & 30
  • Drafting and Compter Aided Design 10, 20 & 30
  • Information Processing 10