Blog #3: National Educational Technology Plan

     There were two main reasons the National Educational Technology Plan was written, first to increase college graduates and secondly to close the achievement gap. What better way to try and accomplish this with 21st Century learners than to integrate technology. With technology becoming such a driving force in today's world, educators have to use technology in order to engage today's students. Also, by engaging them through technology they are preparing them for life after school.
      In the National Educational Technology Plan it takes one teacher's idea and connecting that idea to another classroom and that classroom to another one, etc thus creating a learning community. By being connected to technology, the teachers are providing effective instruction to their students in a manner that will benefit them in the "real world". However, in order for the teacher to be effective at this, the necessary professional development needs to be provided by either their campus or district. They also need to have the necessary resources that will allow them to provide these technology based lessons.
     Technology also aids educators by allowing them to access various types of data and various resources that can help them develop creative lessons that will benefit their students. Students in the 21st Century have a unique opportunity to control their own learning. By providing teachers with the necessary technology it will help educators to create lessons that are more engaging and gives the educator additional options in ways to deliver their lessons.
     With the integration of technology and with the increase in online learning it allows for differentiated instruction on a number of different levels. In the National Educational Technology Plan, they have improved a number of areas including assessment and the assessments are based on each student's strengths and weaknesses. Overall, this plan provides a way for our students to receive their instruction in a way that will benefit them long after they leave us and move to the "real world", and that way is the 21st Century way with technology.