ITRT

=What is an ITRT?=

"Teaching credibility, a clear vision and excellent communication skills, the ITRT can assist teachers in unlocking the power of technology in classroom instruction." - Office of Educational Technology - VDOE

=Ways the ITRT can benefit the classroom teacher:=


 * Provides direct support to the teacher by coaching or modeling technology tools and resources
 * Consults and collaborates with teachers, working with students when needed for the purpose of modeling or demonstrating a lesson in the classroom
 * Advises and assists teachers to determine what, when, where, and how to integrate technology tools in the curriculum
 * Has a strong foundation in pedagogy and teaching methodologies
 * Models technology usage for the staff
 * Assists the teacher with productivity
 * Develops a rich library of curriculum-driven technology-enhanced resources and materials for subject area teachers
 * Researches and develops methods of instruction for SOL standards and curriculum with effective technology-based teaching and learning strategies for student achievement

=Ways the ITRT can benefit the building:=


 * Collaborates technology use with school personnel, and administrators
 * Coordinates selection of software Facilitates a school-wide technology effort
 * Designs and implements high-quality professional development.
 * Helps schools develop and implement short-term and long-term learning goals into school improvement plans
 * Is a liaison between the school and the school division technology office
 * Helps with communication to parents and patrons via the internet by improving school web pages including homework hotlines and event calendars

=Apple Research on Technology/Teaching= http://www.apple.com/education/research/


 * Summary of Findings: The keys to raising student achievement are to provide students with a solid foundation of basic skills and to motivate them to learn. Technology can help accomplish this goal. It engages students and fires their imaginations. It helps teachers stimulate young minds in ways that make a profound and lasting difference. Numerous research studies on the impact of technology on student achievement have demonstrated this finding with remarkably similar results. A review of the literature resulting from these studies supports the following conclusions:


 * Students, especially those with few advantages in life, learn basic skills &emdash; reading, writing, and arithmetic &emdash; better and faster if they have a chance to practice those skills using technology.
 * Technology engages students, and as a result they spend more time on basic learning tasks than students who use a more traditional approach.
 * Technology offers educators a way to individualize curriculum and customize it to the needs of individual students so all children can achieve their potential.
 * Students who have the opportunity to use technology to acquire and organize information show a higher level of comprehension and a greater likelihood of using what they learn later in their lives.
 * By giving students access to a broader range of resources and technologies, students can use a variety of communication media to express their ideas more clearly and powerfully.
 * Technology can decrease absenteeism, lower dropout rates, and motivate more students to continue on to college.
 * Students who regularly use technology take more pride in their work, have greater confidence in their abilities, and develop higher levels of self-esteem.
 * All of the above is from this [|source]