CITI Commonwealth Information

Technology Initiativehttp://www.citi.mass.edu

http://www.donahue.mass.edu

http://www.cs.umass.edu

Alana Wiens & Charles Schiller

CITI is a public/private partnership to promote IT education, through strategic investments, that prepares graduates to participate, lead, and innovate in the knowledge-based economy of Massachusetts.

Launched in 2000, CITI brings together K-12, community colleges, public universities and industry to promote IT education across the curriculum and respond to technology workforce needs.

Instructional Technology

vs.

Information Technology

????

Technology for learning

vs.

Learning technology

What is Information Technology Fluency

and why is it important??

Promoting Information Technology Fluency

• Skills- a sufficient body of knowledge to permit people to use a computer effectively today

• Concepts- refers to the fundamental knowledge underpinning IT, such as how a computer works, digital representation of information, assessing information authenticity. Concepts provide the principles on which students will build new understanding as IT evolves

• Capabilities- forms of higher-level thinking applied to IT problems, including everything from sustained reasoning to thinking technologically

(National Research Council report: “Being Fluent with Information Technology” 1997 currently being revised and Sponsored by the National Science Foundation)

• Fluency Concepts– Fundamentals of computers– Organization of information systems– Fundamentals of networks– Digital representation of information– Structuring information– Modeling and abstraction– Algorithmic thinking and programming– Universality– Limitations of Information Technology– Social impact of computers and technology

• Fluency Skills– Set-up a personal computer– Use basic operating system facilities– Use a word processor to create a document– Use a graphics or artwork package to manipulate an

image– Connect a computer to the Internet– Use the Internet to locate information– Use a computer to communicate with others– Use a spreadsheet to model a simple process– Use a database to access information– Use on-line help and instructional materials

• Fluency Capabilities– Engage in sustained reasoning– Manage complexity– Test a solution– Find problems in a faulty use of IT– Navigate a collection and assess quality of the

information– Collaborate using IT– Communicate using IT about IT– Expect the unexpected– Anticipate technological change– Think abstractly about Information Technology

“The new standard of “fluency” assumes an ability to use abstract reasoning; to apply information technology in sophisticated, innovative ways to solve problems across disciplines and subject areas;

to interpret vast amounts of information with analytic skill; to understand basic principles of programming and other computer science fundamentals; and to continually adapt and learn new technologies as they emerge in the future.”

Tech-Savvy: Educating Girls in the New Computer Age: AAUW

Why fluency??

Three rationale:- Education

- Workforce

- Societal

(From “Being Fluent with Information Technology” Computer Science and Telecommunications Board)

Educational Rationale• Technology as an enabler for new

educational opportunities

• Computers as a conduit of powerful ideas and cultural change

• Providing the opportunity to develop critical thinking

Workforce Rationale• All jobs need to understand IT

• Business needs employees with a core understanding (i.e. Easily trainable)

• Improved job mobility

• Changing nature of work

• Massachusetts economy needs workers to work in technology infused sectors

• Changing job descriptions

• Employees no longer at one job for life – need broad skill sets

Societal Rationale• Better understanding of the world around

them (e.g. Databases to understand risks of datamining or credit card transactions)

• Better educated electorate

• Understand how to evaluate social impacts of information technology

How do we achieve this?

Soapbox #1

Multiple Points of Entry

Soapbox #2

Information Technology Across

the Curriculum

IT Minors & ITAC (H.E. and now K-12)(Information Technology Across the Curriculum)

Example: http://www.umass.edu/itprogram/

Example courses:

• Social Impacts of IT (Communications)

• Contemporary Internet Communication (English)

• Introduction to Visual Culture (Art)

• Genomics and Bioinformatics (Biology)

• Geographic Information Systems (Forestry)

• Taking IT out of pure computer science and integrating it with other subjects.

• IT in context.

• Provides multiple points of entry.

Obstaclesor

This makes a lot of sense, why aren’t we doing it??

• Teachers

• The system (including parents)

• Testing

• Gender, race & income divides

Teachers• Installing hardware before teachers

receive training• Training in basic skills rather than

integration• Disseminating best practices• Show tangible benefits• Need to reach pre-service teachers

The system• Administration, teachers and parents need

to value IT fluency

• Need to have time and budgets (infrastructure & training)

Testing

Gender, race & income divides• 4% of CS undergrads at UMass

Amherst are female

• Underrepresented in IT classes, workforce & academia

What’s CITI and how can you help

us??

• K-20 strategy• Awareness – conferences, articles,

networking• Policy• Networks/cooperation• Policy• Licensure• Grants

CITI & BHE - Board of Higher Education

• Our recent past and our current relationship

• Matching funds and the private sector

• Economic Stimulus Bill funding

FY2005 and FY2006

BHE - Seven Regional STEM NetworksScience, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics

http://www.mass.edu/pipeline

 

 Berkshire Network

 Central Network

 Greater Boston East Network

 Greater Boston West Network

 Northeast Network

 Pioneer Valley Network

 Southeast Network

Pre K-16 Networks

The STEM Collaborative

http://www.stempipeline.org

At STEM Summit II, CITI fundedThe “Wingspread” Strand

Goal: Thinking about “Strategic Planning for Information Technology Fluency in PK-20 Education”

IT Licensure Study funded by CITI• Information Tech. in all teacher licenses?• IT in Principal and Supervisor licenses?• Expand Instructional Technology licenses

– Keep Instructional Tech. Teacher?– Reinstate Instruction Tech. Specialist?– Clarify IT Coordinator, Director, etc.?

Supporting ETAC and MA DOE decision making

Summer 2005 Projects

• Teachers Implementing Imaging and Imagery for Classroom Learning (TI3CL) – PV STEMnet

• Berkshire Teachers Teaching with Technology (BT3 ) – Berkshire STEM Pipeline Network

• Project MAKE-IT and LIFT2 – Framingham SC• QCC Summer Technology Academy

(Quinsigamond CC, BATEC Replication Project)

• Teachers Implementing Imaging and Imagery for Classroom Learning (TI3CL) – PVSTEMnet

Workshops for teachers to expand their skills in using Imaging and Imagery in their teaching through the use of digital photography and Photoshop Elements.

http://umassk12.net/pvnet/imagery_files/TeacherProjects/index.htmC:\Documents and Settings\cschiller\Desktop\Zielenski Monocots-Dicots.ppt

• Berkshire Teachers Teaching with Technology (BT3 ) – Berkshire STEM Pipeline Network

Workshops and online components for teachers in Berkshire County to increase fluency skills in their teaching and use various technologies in their classes.

Multidisciplinary Achievement, Knowledge, and Experience through Information Technology - Project MAKE-IT

Framingham State College

Online course for teachers to upgrade their information technology skills in order to facilitate their integration of these skills into their teaching.

Leadership Initiative for Teaching and Technology - LIFT2

Framingham State CollegeDevelopment and implementation of

differentiated instructional support through two online graduate courses to meet the varied needs of Middle and High School teachers in improving IT integration in STEM curricula.

QCC Summer Technology Academy (Quinsigamond CC, BATEC Replication Project)

Two three-week workshops for HS Juniors1) Robotics

2) PC Maintenance, Game Programming, and Webpage design

A lot of business-industry involvement.

Eleven New Projects for 2005-2006Project Type Lead Organization

Getting Fluent in IT PD new Bristol Community College

PV ITAC: Robotics, Design, and Collaborative Learning with IT PD new

Holyoke Community College and Educational Technology Program UMass Amherst

IT Module Field Testing and Dissemination  PD new UMass Boston

Infusing Technology Across the Curriculum  PD new UMass Medical School

Leadership Initiative for Teaching and Technology PD continuation Framingham State College and LIFT2

Multidisciplinary Achievement, Knowledge, & Experience through Information Technology PD continuation Framingham State College and the Learning Curve

Berkshire Teachers Teaching with Technology PD continuationBerkshire STEM Pipeline Network; Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

Teachers Implementing Imaging and Imagery for Classroom Learning PD continuation PV STEMNET

Creative Classroom ComputingPre-Service Course Devel. Northern Essex Community College

Literacy in New TimesPre-Service Course Devel. UMass Amherst

Starting Out with Computer Savvy TeachersPre-Service Course Devel.  UMass Boston

Questions to consider:What are other obstacles IT faces in our

schools?

How do we overcome these obstacles?

What could ITAC look like at my school?