If your staff is to integrate technology across the curriculum, and facilitate students in the use of technology to improve student achievement, you will have to develop a set of goals and actions that will enable them to accomplish these lofty expectations.

One word of caution when developing goals and actions in this element of your plan . . . don't go overboard. There is a tendency to create so many goals and actions that, practically speaking, you set yourself up for failure before you even begin. It is quite possible that 4 to 8 goals is plenty in this area. This is only a suggestion, it is not a hard and fast rule. Many districts and schools will vary from this.

One of the best, and highly recommended methods to develop staff goals and actions is to take a look at the National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) as developed by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). To order "NETS for Teachers" or "NETS for Students: Connecting Curriculum and Technology" books, call (800 336-5191).

An overview of the NETS elements can be found on the World Wide Web at http://cnets.iste.org/index3.html

  • Promote the integration of technology into the curriculum.

  • Enable staff to share information and ideas with other teachers around the state, nation, and world.

  • Create a safe computing environment for students and staff by undertaking action to implement internet filtering.

  • Use electronic communications to better enable staff members to communicate with colleagues at the building and district levels.

Sample Actions

  • Purchase a copy of the ISTE National Educational Technology Standards manual for each member of the teaching staff.

  • Implement Internet filtering on district computers by using the N2H2 filter provided at the AEA level.

  • Train staff in the safe and effective use of Internet chat rooms and Internet-based videoconferencing, and provide them with examples of effective curricular use of both.

  • Provide one digital camera per grade level at the middle school, and provide two afternoon training sessions for these teachers to learn the operations of the cameras and familiarize themselves with classroom applications of a digital camera.