The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) has announced its “Top Ten in ‘10″ education technology priorities for the New Year. These priorities offer policy makers and educators a prospective framework for consideration as legislative and funding decisions are made.

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An excerpt:

1. Establish technology in education as the backbone of school improvement. Education technology can serve as a primary driver of excellence in school leadership, student achievement, professional practice, and the culture of learning.
2. Leverage education technology as a gateway for college and career readiness. Teachers who effectively integrate technology demonstrate the relevance of 21st century education, and keep more students engaged to graduate.
3. Ensure technology expertise is infused throughout our schools and classrooms. We must substantially increase our support for the federal Enhancing Education Through Technology (EETT) Program.
4. Continuously upgrade educators’ classroom technology skills. To be “highly effective,” PK-12 teachers must be able to use the modern information tools, digital content, and assessment strategies that support student learning.
5. Invest in preservice education technology. By fully funding programs such as Preparing Teachers for Digital Age Learners (PTDAL), we can ensure that the U.S. produces the most tech-savvy educator workforce in the world.
6. Leverage technology to scale improvement. Education technology offers one of the best ways to ramp up school improvement, providing immediate productivity and decision-making tools as well as access to the latest instructional innovations.
7. Provide high speed broadband for all. We must provide high-speed bandwidth to our nation’s classrooms through the E-Rate program. Home access to high-speed broadband is critical so that students and parents have access to school assignments, grades, announcements and resources.
8. Boost student learning through data and assessment efforts. Real-time data, assessment tools, and richer accountability measures help educators tailor teaching strategies to meet students’ individual needs and bolster their opportunities to succeed in school and beyond.
9. Invest in ongoing research and development. Solid investment in education R&D, particularly if focused on innovation in teaching and learning, ensures that we remain a global leader in this strategic domain.
10. Promote global digital citizenship. Growing competition in a flat world means technology is a great equalizer. It breaks down artificial barriers to effective teaching and learning, and provides incredible opportunities for collaboration across borders.

We’re Watching You…
I used to feel like when I was lucky enough to test out new hardware and software in my classroom, that my bosses were watching me to see what I was doing with it.  You know, that whole business concept of “getting a return on an investment.”  At first I would panic and try to figure out how to create lessons centered around the technology.  It was almost like I felt technology first, lesson second.  I realized quickly that this thinking was backwards!

Old School Becomes New School
We used to (or still do) teach content and then write the assessment afterward based on the things we talked about.  Often times we don’t articulate a clear goal for our students or ourselves and we just “go with the flow.”  Current pedagogy highlights the advantage of creating an assessment first based on state standards, essential learnings, learning objectives, etc. and then creating a unit around that which emphasizes what is to be assessed for understanding.  The reason being that if clear standards are set and fulfilled, this will lead to increased student achievement.  This is called backward planning in some circles.  OK, so what’s the point?  The point is, that instead of thinking about how to create lessons centered around the technology - which I feel is synonymous to “just going with the flow” and not having real clear standards to fulfill in terms of integrating the technology, think about what you already do best in your classroom.

1) What are some teaching strategies you frequently use?
2) What are some best practices you employ on a consistent basis?
3) How have you reached your students in the past before you were given the technology and expected to work wonders with it?

Once you have answered these question, you now have clear standards in which you can build around and begin to think about how to integrate your technology into your classroom.

Just Do It
You know what your good at and how you like to do things on a day-to-day basis in your classroom. Now think about the following questions to help you get started integrating the technology into some, most, or all facets of your instruction.

1) Are there possibilities of enhancing what you do with your technology?
2) Can you make certain processes, procedures more efficient using your technology?
3) Are there certain best practices you use that can be made more effective, efficient, and/or enhanced by having technology?

If you’re having trouble answering these questions, I put forth that you worry more about what and how you do great things in your classroom, and if you have identified these, share them with your colleagues and/or if you have one, an Instructional Technology Coach, to see how they may use technology in their classrooms to do the same things and possibly help you innovate NEW ways to employ teaching strategies and best practices!

Good luck, have fun, and remember that the “Instruction(al)” comes before the “Technology.”