From Technology Vision to Technology Integration: EDUC 5373 Blog 4

            

                                            Image created by Gemini AI

            Last week in EDUC 5373, we worked on creating a Technology Vision for our school districts. I worked with our deputy superintendent of technology and one of our managing directors of instruction to create a vision that matches our school's aspirations. This is the technology vision we devised with actionable goals:

Epic Charter Schools is committed to providing an engaging and innovative digital learning environment that empowers all students to become future-ready and in-demand graduates. Integrating the ISTE Student Standards into EpicEd, we ensure students actively use technology to transform their learning experiences, solve complex problems, and contribute responsibly to our digital society. Addressing the second-level digital divide, we focus on developing students' higher-order thinking skills, enabling them to move beyond passive technology consumption to creative and meaningful digital innovation (Hanover Research, 2017). We also provide digital literacy opportunities to the families we serve through the Family Engagement Department. They provide training in multiple ways, including online and in-person. Through this vision, Epic will meet all 5 of the aspirations. Listed below are the aspirations that are the foundation of Epic Charter Schools and can be found on the website (Epic Charter Schools, n.d):     

1) Epic Graduates are Empowered, Future-Ready, and in demand.

2) Epic is a nationally recognized leader in Caregiver Empowerment and Engagement.

3) Building and supporting the community is evident in all aspects of Epic.

4) Workplace Culture and Satisfaction are the Heart of Epic.

5) Epic sets the example for Innovation and Performance Excellence.

Actionable Goals

1. Enhance Digital Literacy and Citizenship: Infuse digital citizenship education across the curriculum to ensure students understand how to safely, ethically, and responsibly navigate the digital world (Gonzales, 2020). Include family trainings to promote caregiver empowerment.
   
   

2. Promote Innovative Learning Design: Support educators in designing authentic, learner-driven activities that leverage technology to meet the diverse needs of all students, fostering a shift from traditional teaching methods to innovative, technology-enhanced learning experiences (Crompton, 2023).
   
   

3. Build Educator Capacity: Provide ongoing professional development and support for educators to effectively integrate technology into their teaching practices, ensuring they are equipped to facilitate student achievement of the ISTE Standards for Students (Hanover Research, 2018).

    This week, we are discussing a professional development plan. With this vision in mind, we can start building the plan, ensuring it is backed by research. First, let's look at structure, focusing on the third actionable goal: Capacity.

Structuring Professional Development to Build Educator Capacity

            Epic's actionable goal to Build Educator Capacity requires PD that equips teachers to "effectively integrate technology" and "facilitate student achievement of the ISTE Standards for Students." Drawing on educational research and Epic's vision, this PD should be:

• Collaborative. At Epic, we have a professional development platform called Epic Learning Community (ELC) where teachers can learn at their own pace. We also have Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) where they meet in person. The teachers could have online learning within the ELC of the ISTE standards, and then at the PLCs, they can collaborate to discuss integration aligned with those standards. They can share successes and challenges, which fosters mutual support and is crucial for navigating change (O'Hair et al., 2008). Epic's existing ELC is a strong foundation (Work at Epic, n.d.). This also supports Aspiration #3 (Building Community).

• Ongoing, Relevant, and Personalized: PD must be sustainable and differentiated (which can be done in the ELC), addressing individual teacher needs and facilitating growth (Shannon & Cate, 2015). This supports Aspiration #4 (Workplace Culture and Satisfaction) by investing in educators' continuous development.

• Vision-Driven and Supported: Leadership (Principals, TDS) must actively champion the tech vision, provide resources, set clear expectations for integrating ISTE standards, and monitor progress, ensuring PD translates into practice (Shannon & Cate, 2015).

• Standards-Aligned: PD must explicitly connect technology use to the ISTE Standards for Educators (Learner, Leader, Collaborator, etc.), ensuring teachers develop the competencies needed to model and facilitate 21st-century learning (Crompton, 2023).

Now, let’s move on to the 2nd actionable goal: Innovative Learning Design. 

Connecting Teacher Learning to Empowered Students

This targeted professional development directly connects to Epic's goal to Promote Innovative Learning Design. When educators are confident and competent users of technology (ISTE Learner, Leader), they can design the "authentic, learner-driven activities" called for in Epic's goals (Crompton, 2023).

• The Connection: Empowered teachers move beyond using technology for basic tasks. They leverage tools like Schoology and PowerSchool insights (PowerSchool, 2023) to personalize learning, facilitate collaboration, and push students towards critical thinking and creative problem-solving – directly addressing the "second-level digital divide" highlighted in the Vision (Hanover Research, 2017).

• Teacher's Role: Teachers become facilitators, guiding students to use technology actively as creators, communicators, computational thinkers, and global collaborators, aligning directly with the ISTE Student Standards that are key to Epic's vision (Shannon & Marculitis, 2019).

• Vision Alignment: This directly supports Aspiration #1: ensuring Epic Graduates are Empowered, Future-Ready, and in demand.

Leveraging Existing Structures for the Vision

To implement Professional Development, schools must look at what they already have in place and determine if it is adequate. As mentioned previously, Epic already has a professional development platform, and we also have some admin who are ISTE certified. In collaboration, the ELC team can work with those administrators and items already put out by ISTE to create a PD to train educators on ISTE standards. Educators can also be directed to the ISTE website if they want to pursue the certification themselves. We can discuss the possibility of reimbursement with our HR Department, as we have an Employee Education Reimbursement program, which includes certifications. In addition, Epic also has these other structures in place:

• Support Personnel: Teacher Development Specialists and Principals provide coaching and leadership.

• Training Programs: The Talent Step Program offers a potential avenue for embedding advanced technology integration training.

• Technology Access: Providing devices and connectivity ensures baseline access, a prerequisite for higher-level integration.

Finally, let’s take a look at actionable goal 1: Digital Literacy and Citizenship.

Transforming Learning, Assessment, and Community Engagement

            A Technology Integration Plan (TIP) focused on Epic's vision and supported by PD can transform the educational landscape:

• Learning Transformation: Students go from using technology to be empowered by and through technology.

• Assessment Transformation: Teachers use technology for ongoing formative feedback, while students create digital portfolios demonstrating comprehension aligned with ISTE standards and the higher-order skills needed for international benchmarks like PISA (Shannon & Marculitis, 2019; O'Hair et al., 2008). Epic's MTSS teams further support data-informed assessment.

• Digital Literacy and Citizenship: The TIP should incorporate Epic's goal to Enhance Digital Literacy and Citizenship. This includes curriculum integration and family training opportunities (Gonzales, 2020), directly supporting Aspiration #2 (Caregiver Empowerment and Engagement) and encouraging the community to participate responsibly in the digital environment.

Epic Charter Schools' technology vision provides an ideal for technology integration. If we strategically invest in professional development that builds educator capacity, fosters innovative learning design, and promotes digital citizenship, Epic can effectively leverage technology. This commitment, supported by existing structures and driven by clear goals, will not only transform teaching and learning but also solidify Epic's position as a leader in innovation, community engagement, and ultimately, in preparing empowered, future-ready graduates (Aspiration #5: Innovation and Performance Excellence).

References:

Crompton, H. (2023). Evidence of the ISTE standards for educators leading to learning gains. Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education, 39(4), 201-219.

Epic Charter Schools. (n.d.). Aspirations. Epic Charter Schools: About. https://www.epiccharterschools.org/about

Gonzales, A. L. (2020). The contemporary US digital divide: From initial access to inequality in emergent technology use. Information, Communication & Society, 23(14), 2042-2057.

Hanover Research. (2017). Best Practices in K-12 Personalized Learning.

Hanover Research. (2018). Professional Development for Technology Integration.

O'Hair, M. J., Williams, L. A., Atkinson, L. C., & Cate, J. M. (2008). Mutual Support Between Learning Community Development and Technology Integration: Impact on School Practices and Student Achievement. Theory Into Practice, 47, 294-302.

PowerSchool. (n.d.). School Innovations with Epic Charter Schools. PowerSchool. Retrieved April 7, 2025, from https://www.powerschool.com/video/school-innovations-with-epic-charter-schools/

Shannon, K. E.  & Cate, J. L. (2015). Democratic professional practice for technology integration. In Tenuto, P. L. (Ed). Renewed Accountability for Access and Excellence: Applying a Model for Democratic Professional Practice in Education. Lexington: Lanham.

Shannon, K. E. & Marculitis, T. J. (2019). Professional learning to support ISTE aligned technology integration practices in ELA and math. Poster presentation for the International Society for Technology in Education Conference.