Collaboration and Technology Vision for Norfolk Christian Schools

Collaborating with colleagues is a very important concept I learned over the years. In the “real” world, I was a member of W. D. Armstrong which was simply a group of companies all selling the same type of products. We all had a gentleman’s agreement not to compete with each other; therefore, we could share openly what was happening and share our opinions freely. Teaching is no different. Our customers are our students. Our goal is to make all students succeed.

Currently I am involved with several local learning communities with my school. As technology department head, I work with other department heads to lead the school in technology usage. Working with the media specialist, I also help share new technology with various departments in the school. Recently we have been asked to share at the HRACS Winter Conference in February 2011.

Being a global learning community member of SMART Board Revolution is new for me and will help further my knowledge of the SMART Board. As I learn more and more of the needs of our local school, I will be able to use this forum further and hopefully one day also be a contributor to the forum as well.

The vision Norfolk Christian has for its students regarding technology is simple; NCS want to prepare students for college. TCC and Liberty University require students to pass a technology course. TCC’s course is entitled ITE115 which we taught as a dual credit course last year. NCS’s vision versus UNESCO’s vision is similar in that we want our students to be challenged. UNESCO also found that people want to pursue careers that they are passionate about and that is one thing I teach clearly in Internet Marketing as students are deciding upon a business to create.

Another avenue NCS is pursuing is teaching online classes. Our principal is requiring NCS students to complete an online course in the very near future as a graduation requirement. Hopefully I will be able to teach ITE115 this summer as an online class.

Well, Capstone I is finally coming to a close and Thanksgiving break is upon us. Hope you have a wonderful break!

Works Cited

"UNESCO INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION NEWSLETTER VOL. XXXI, No. 1-2, 2006." UNESCO’s Role, Vision and Challenges for the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014). UNESCO. Web. 24 Nov. 2010. <http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0014/001469/146976e.pdf>.