A New State Technology Plan...

At the AESA National Conference today, I had the opportunity to attend the National Educational Technology Plan session presented by Susan Patrick. While the plan is done, it is not available and is still being approved, Susan shared the seven elements:

1. Leadership
2. Innovative Budgeting
3. Teacher Training
4. E-Learning and Virtual Schools
5. Broadband Access
6. Digital Content
7. Integrated Data Systems

Personally I like these topics. However, I have one suggestion for a modification to consider for Colorado's EdTech planning activities which are forth-coming.

I believe Assessement should item number one on this list. I asked Susan about this and she indicated that online assessment was a portion of the E-learning topic. While I also support the concept of online assessment because of the possibilities of adaptive technology and immediate results, I don't think online assessment meets what I'm after.

In a recent blog comment I pointed out how the CSAP had forced my son's teacher to use industrial age models of instruction rather than information age strategies. http://calet.blogspot.com/2004/10/notes-from-nsba-tl2-panel.html

I think our state plan should call for an evaluation of the CSAP tests for their relevance in an information age society. And I think it should be job #1 to do that evaluation of the assessments becuase assessment drives instruction. Assesssment defines acheivement. And student acheivement goals should drive our technology planning.

So like good instructional practice, let us begin with the end in mind. Let us conduct an evaluation of how well the CSAP evaluates a student's readiness to function, nay, compete in an Information Age Global Economy.

-Dan Maas