Reimagining the Role of Technology in Education

Reimagining the Role of Technology in Education:

2017 National Education Technology Plan Update

JANUARY 2017 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

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Contents

Letter from the Director1 Introduction3 About this Plan3 Recent Progress and the Road Ahead7

Section I: Learning--Engaging and Empowering Learning through Technology

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What People Need to Learn10

Technology-Enabled Learning in Action12

The Future of Learning Technologies18

Bringing Equity to Learning Through Technology

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Providing Technology Accessibility for All Learners

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Physical Spaces and Technology-Enabled Learning

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Recommendations25

Section 2: Teaching--Teaching With Technology28

Roles and Practices of Educators in Technology-Supported Learning

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Connected Educators: Exemplars33

Rethinking Teacher Preparation35

Fostering Ongoing Professional Learning37

Recommendations40

Section 3: Leadership--Creating a Culture and Conditions for Innovation and Change

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Characteristics of Effective Leadership

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Future Ready Leaders43

Implementation is Key46

Budgeting and Funding for the Transition to Digital Learning

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Recommendations53

Section 4: Assessment--Measuring for Learning55

Approaches to Assessment57

Using Assessment Data to Support Learning

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How Technology Transforms Assessment58

The Future of Technology-Based Assessment63

Recommendations67

Section 5: Infrastructure--Enabling Access and Effective Use

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Ubiquitous Connectivity72

Powerful Learning Devices76

High-Quality Digital Learning Content76

Responsible Use Policies (RUP) 78

Protections for Student Data and Privacy

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Device and Network Management81

Recommendations83

Conclusion85 Challenges Remain85 We Already Have Begun86 Recommendations87

Appendix A. Future Ready Resources92

Appendix B. Acknowledgments100 Project Team100 Technical Working Group100 Interviews101 Outreach Events103 Target Virtual Outreach103 External Reviewers104

Appendix C. The Development of the 2016 NETP

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NETP Development

Support for the creation of this document was provided by the American Institutes for Research under the contract ED-04-CO-0040/0010.

U.S. Department of Education John King Secretary

Office of Educational Technology Joseph South Director Katrina Stevens Deputy Director

January 2017 Version 2.0

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Cover photo credit Hive NYC/Brooklyn Public Library

Letter from the Director

About the 2017 Update

In just one year since the release of the 2016 NETP, we have seen rapid change across the country in fundamental aspects of the educational technology landscape. These changes include the number of schools that that have access to broadband in their classrooms; the types and cost of technology available to schools; an evolution in the approach of leaders to the procurement of ed tech solutions as well as a greater emphasis on data security and digital citizenship; the advent of new research on the use of technology by early learners; and an increased emphasis on preparing teachers to lead with technology before they arrive in the classroom.

In order to keep pace with the changes we are seeing in schools, districts, and states on an almost daily basis, we also need to change how often the National Education Technology Plan is updated. Feedback from our stakeholders indicates that the previous five year update cycle was not frequent enough. In response, with this 2017 update, we commence a pattern of yearly, smaller scale updates to the NETP to better account for the pace of innovation in the field.

As part of the 2017 update, the reader will learn that:

? We are encouraged by the fact that most classrooms in our country now have access to broadband, yet we know that many that do not are in communities where the potential impact is the greatest.

? We welcome lower price points for devices designed for school use, but also lament that most ed tech purchases are still based on word of mouth rather than evidence of effectiveness.

? We look forward to a greater emphasis on the use of evidence as outlined within the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as amended by Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), yet recognize that educators will need assistance in expanding their efforts to infuse an evidence-based culture when it comes to ed tech in their schools and classrooms.

? We are pleased to find that, in some districts, librarians and teacher leaders are stepping into more prominent leadership roles that leverage their existing skillsets to lead their peers in pedagogically driven classroom technology use. Yet we also see library positions cut back in other districts as a cost saving measure and the under utilization of classroom teachers as leaders of digital change.

? We are proud of the growing number of students who work with teachers and peers to become responsible digital citizens in their schools, yet recognize that many low-income students, especially in urban and rural areas, lack internet access at home to complete their digital homework assignments and to use powerful digital tools at home to create, to solve, and to communicate that their better-off peers across town take for granted.

? We are eager to take a step forward in understanding and recognizing how the active use of technology by early learners with adults can positively impact them, yet are concerned by the number of children left alone for long periods of time with a passive digital babysitter.

OFFICE OF Educational Technology

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