This document outlines a framework for introducing technology into Arizona K-12 education on a sustaining basis, so that within the next two decades Arizona graduates will be recognized as the most advanced and competent students in the United States.

It is important to emphasize that this is NOT a tactical or operational plan -- those are the provinces of existing organizations. This plan focuses on strategic issues related to the effective introduction of technology into the Arizona school system. It is our hope that this plan will provide useful guidelines and a direction that can be incorporated into the various tactical and operational plans by the stakeholder organizations (e.g., Arizona Department of Education (ADE), school districts, legislature, etc.).

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Vision

There are three levels to the vision: one, five and twenty years into the future.

1. The one-year vision focuses on buy-in and setting the stage.
2. The five-year vision focuses on demonstrating the effectiveness of technology in education by transforming teacher training practices and the classroom curriculum.
3. The twenty-year vision focuses on Arizona being recognized as a national leader in producing capable and knowledgeable graduates.

Mission

To realize the above vision, the following mission statements, relating to advocacy, framework and support, need to be carried out by the stakeholder groups:

Stakeholders

To realize the above vision and carry out the associated missions, the stakeholder groups need to become actively involved in the learning technology process. The stakeholder groups represent education, government and business. They are listed below. For more details on how each stakeholder group can contribute to the learning technology process and the roles they can play, see the companion paper on Stakeholder Groups.

Education

Long-Term Objectives, Short-Term Goals and Immediate Actions

In order to realize the three levels of the vision described earlier, we need first to capture the 20-year vision in terms of a few long-term objectives. Then, we must identify a set of short-term goals that are necessary to fulfill those objectives. Finally, a critical set of immediate actions must be taken, if these requisite goals are to be achieved. (For more detail, see the "Synthesis of Needs" document.)

Note that these actions and goals are necessary, but not sufficient by themselves, to achieve the long-term objectives. This ALTP developed strategic effort provides many levels of support -- but, the tactical and operational plans, and implementations of individual districts and schools deliver the payoff.

Objectives (for next 20 years)

1. Technology planning begins and continues with WHAT is being taught as the decision-making driver (e.g., How will the equipment enhance learning outcomes? What will be the measurable performance objectives for years 1 through 5?). Technology investment is established at 3% of operational budget.
   
   This objective is demonstrated by the fact that organizational development is defined with technology skill requirements in job descriptions and business unit planning. Facilities, human resources, and business planning all refer to the technology planning documents. All district/state technology planning is done by rolling up the school level plans to the district and state level. Research and development and other instructional technology "support" activities are part of a formal technology departmental budget process.
   

• This means that the following 5-year goal must be achieved: Technology planning is led by a managerial level Technology Director from each school district organization. The Director participates on an institution-wide committee with broad representation in a planning process to ensure curriculum integration and new/renovated facilities planning. This process follows an accepted statewide technology planning process with draft architecture, guidelines, and planning templates. Regional training centers now assure that emergent technology-using districts get planning assistance and can establish: (1) Observations of experienced teachers using technology as a tool; (2) Pilot technology center programs and infrastructure using the grant funds; (3) Teacher mentoring programs; (4) Teacher user groups to assist one another through the changes; and (5) On-going staff development programs in the use of information management systems, both hardware and software.
  
• This, in turn, means that the following immediate actions need to be taken within the next year: Technology training centers (these could possibly be the regional centers being set up by the ADE) are established statewide to provide assistance in managing and planning for instructional technology.
  

1. Arizona schools serve as a model to the nation in the effective use of technology. The two critical "elements for success" of this objective are (1) infrastructure and (2) teachers and teaching.

(1) This objective is demonstrated by the measurable "infrastructure" characteristics that show 100% of classrooms have 1 or more multimedia networked computers (i.e., LAN and Internet accessible), with the statewide average computer:student ratio being 1:1, and computers are used "regularly" in 100% of the schools.

• This means that the following 5-year goal must be achieved: 100% of classrooms need 1 or more multimedia networked computers, with the statewide average computer:student ratio being 1:4, and computers are used "regularly" in 90% of the schools. (This is probably one of the more important and critical goals for which to strive, because it can free up teacher resources for more individual assistance, and it can lead to a measurable improvement in grades.) Modem speed exceeds 100 KBPS in 60% of schools, and 60% of all classrooms (100% of all districts) have Internet access.

• This, in turn, means that the following immediate actions need to be taken within the next year: Standards for technology infrastructure need to be adopted for facility construction. For example, 80% of classrooms need 1 or more multimedia networked computer, with the statewide average computer:student ratio being 1:12, and computers are used "regularly" in 33% of the schools. Modem speed exceeds 28.8 KBPS in 75% of schools, and 10% of all classrooms (50% of all districts) have Internet access.

(2) Regarding "teachers and teaching," the above objective is demonstrated to have been achieved by the fact that 100% of the classrooms have integrated educational software into the curriculum, professional development and technical support is pervasive on a continuing basis and administrators as well as teachers and students use learning technology regularly.

• This means that the following 5-year goals must be achieved: 50% of the schools need to use educational software as an integral part of the curriculum, teachers need to be receiving at least 30 hours per year in professional development related to technology skills training, technology support staffs needs to be available in at least 25% of the schools with 97% up-time and technology needs to be used to lessen the administrative workload in 50% of the schools.

• This, in turn, means that the following immediate actions need to be taken within the next year: Educational software needs to be integrated into the curriculum in at least 20% of all schools, teachers need to be receiving at least 15 hours per year in professional development related to technology skills training (the ADE Regional Training Centers can play a significant role here), technology support staffs needs to be available in at least 5% of the schools and technology needs to be used to lessen the administrative workload in 20% of the schools.


2. Life-long learning skills are pervasive throughout society as a result of systemic changes in education.

This objective is demonstrated by the fact that curriculum design, pedagogy, learning process architecture and software evaluations are interdependent processes.

• This means that the following 5-year goal must be achieved: A technology infrastructure of hardware, software, networks and people needs to be present in 25% of all schools.

• This, in turn, means that the following immediate actions need to be taken within the next year: A clearinghouse for educational technology needs to be established and an infrastructure of hardware, software, networks and people, needs to be present in at least 5% of all schools.

3. Educators and graduates assume leadership positions in Arizona and elsewhere, make relevant social contributions in all walks of life and contribute to the technology-based economic viability of the state.

This objective is demonstrated and evaluated through the definition and application of measurable assessment procedures.

• This means that the following 5-year goals must be achieved: Technology standards are revised and kept up to date annually, students are regularly assessed for "use of technology" skills, student performance is regularly in the second quartile nationally and 25 % more high school graduates are employed by local companies without the need for "remedial" instruction.

• This, in turn, means that the following immediate actions need to be taken within the next year: A graduating student profile needs to be defined and used as a guideline, statewide assessment standards need to continue to be applied and standards for learning technology awareness need to be made part of the statewide standards.

4. Individualized learning is introduced and accepted throughout the state.

This objective is demonstrated and evaluated through the definition and application of measurable assessment procedures related to the use of technology.

• This means that the following 5-year goals must be achieved: Standards are revised and kept up to date annually, students are regularly assessed for learning skills and for "use of technology" skills, and regular use of technology, including the Internet, is done in 90% of the schools.

• This, in turn, means that the following immediate actions need to be taken within the next year: A statewide assessment standard for technology needs to be made part of the statewide standards, and regular use of technology, including the Internet, needs to be done in at least 25% of the schools statewide.

The above objectives and goals are somewhat abstract. They all deal with these concrete elements that need to be monitored and measured on a continuing basis:

• student ranking in general performance assessment,
• student technology literacy skills,
• student graduation rates,
• student workplace skills development,
• modern computers (and other emerging technology) in the classroom,
• classroom LAN and Internet connectivity,
• website availability,
• integration of learning technology into the curriculum,
• teacher training in technology skills and classroom use,
• technical support staff and services,
• administrative applications and
• technical support clearinghouse functions.

These are the visible and measurable results of introducing learning technology into the K-12 system. We can evaluate our success in improving education with learning technology by watching and measuring these results.

Action Plan

The following actions need to be taken:

Regarding the planning process --

Action #1: ALTP needs to secure buy-in and active support for this strategic plan from all stakeholder groups, beginning as early in 1999 as possible. This will be done by independent consultations to define the anticipated stakeholder involvement in one or two paragraphs.

Regarding the planning process --

Action #2: ALTP will work with ASSET, ADE and the Technology Directors to assist in developing a plan (rough draft due March 31, 1999) on how the Technology Directors can interact with the Regional Training Centers to build technology plans for each district.

Regarding infrastructure building –

Action #3: ALTP needs to work with ADE, the legislature, the School Facilities Board and the Technology Directors, to put procedures in place to ensure that by May 31, 1999, at least 80% of classrooms will have 1 or more multimedia networked computers, with the statewide average computer:student ratio being 1:12 (with the goal being 1:4 after 4 years); modem speed exceeds 28.8 KBPS in 75% of schools; and at least 10% of all classrooms (50% of all districts) have Internet access.

Regarding teaching and teachers –

Action #4: ALTP needs to work with the ADE, the legislature and the Training Centers to put into place procedures for the 1999-2000 school year so that educational software is integrated into the curriculum in at least 20% of all schools; teachers are receiving at least 15 hours per year in professional development related to technology skills training (programs like Prof. David Hestenes' use of high school physics teachers as mentors has the potential to play a significant role here); technology support staffs need to be available in at least 5% of the schools; and technology needs to be used to lessen the administrative workload in at least 20% of the schools. This will be part of the 1999 legislative package.

Regarding teaching and teachers --

Action #5: ALTP needs to work with ASSET and the Technology Directors to see that procedures are established by March 31, 1999, to ensure that a clearinghouse for educational technology is established; and a comprehensive infrastructure linking hardware, software, networks and people (educators and staff) is present in at least 5% of all schools. This will be part of the 1999 legislative package.

Regarding assessment –

Action #6: ALTP needs to work with the School Facilities Board to ensure that technology standards are included as part of the capital infrastructure for schools.

Regarding assessment –

Action #7: ALTP needs to work with ASSET and the ADE to help implement a technology-assisted diagnostics, assessment and progress monitoring program and to ensure that a statewide assessment standard for technology be made part of the statewide standards. This will be part of the 1999 legislative package.

Regarding research –