FIVE-YEAR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN 1

Five-Year Professional Development Plan

By Martha Rice

Texas A&M-Texarkana
FIVE-YEAR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2

My Personal Development Plan

Abstract

Instructional technologists will be increasingly important in education. As a technology

teacher at Pewitt Junior High School and possibly as a future instructional technologist in

a school district, I plan on using and trying to help my fellow teachers use technology to

more effectively teach students. I plan on keeping up with technological advances and

research in the field of instructional technology through reading professional journals and

through continuing education locally and via professional organizations.

Present and Future Career

I have been a teacher since 1997, teaching various subjects including junior high math,

high school English, journalism, and technology applications classes, and currently

technology applications in junior high. When I thought I might enter the Instructional

Technology graduate program last spring, I had no idea what Instructional Technology

really was, but I had one goal which I still have. I wanted to improve my skills in

teaching, especially where technology is concerned, so that I would be able to better help

my students succeed now and in the future. I plan to remain teaching technology

applications at Pewitt Junior High, but I will be able use my newfound technology

knowledge to help not only my students, but also my school; therefore, I will be writing

this plan to investigate the position of Instruction Technologist in a public school setting.

Competencies for Instructional Technologist in an ISD

In a public school setting, instructional technologists should act as mentors or coaches to

guide teachers in their use of technology in classrooms. They should act as collaborators

with classroom teachers to help them plan and implement technologies to accent and
FIVE-YEAR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN 3

enhance their classroom styles. Instructional technologists should replace the traditional,

objective (and largely ineffective) day workshops with a classroom presence to help

teachers feel confident in using technology (Sweet, 2005). Instructional technologists in

school districts should be master teachers with technology skills and an aptitude in

learning how to use technology. Instructional technologists should be flexible and be

able to work well with others, even when those others might be teachers who are not

interested in using technology. Instructional technologists should also be creative and

optimistic, always working to help teachers use technology more effectively.

Professional Organizations

I have been a member of the Texas Computer Education Association (TCEA) since 2002.

I plan to continue my membership in TCEA, going to the annual conference each spring.

Membership in TCEA is important to public school technology personnel because TCEA

promotes student technology achievement, sponsoring robotics, computer science, and

technology applications contests, and because TCEA offers continuing education for all

kinds of technologists throughout the year. I would also like to join the International

Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) because like TCEA, ISTE offers continuing

support and education for technology personnel of all kinds in the field of education also

publishes recommendations and guidelines for using technology in education. I want to

join the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) as well

since AECT is the guiding organization for instructional technology. As a teacher, I

currently receive several helpful professional online journals and blog feeds. My two

favorites are Edutopia and Free Technology for Teachers.

FIVE-YEAR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN 4

Personal Development Plan

• Finish MSIT

• Test and earn Master Technology Teacher certification

• If I remain in my current position as technology applications teacher at Pewitt

Junior High School, I will continue to help my fellow teachers as much as

possible to integrate technology in their teaching

• If I decide to seek a job as instructional technologist, it would most probably be

here at my school district if they ever decide to create that position. Currently, the

curriculum director is also instructional technologist.

Conclusion

The reason I seek the MS in Instructional Technology and the certification as Master

Technology Teacher is so that I can better help my students learn to use technology

effectively and appropriately, and so that I can help my fellow teachers learn to use

technology to teach using 21st century methodology. With the lessons I’ve learned about

instructional design, instructional technology methodology, and those I will learn, I feel

that I will be successful as an instructional technologist in a school district or simply a

more effective technology instructor in my present position as technology applications

instructor.
FIVE-YEAR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN 5

Resources

Association for Educational Communications and Technology (2010). Retrieved from

http://aect.org

Byrne, R. (2010). Free technology for teachers [Web log]. Retrieved from

http://www.freetech4teachers.com

Edutopia. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/

International Society for Technology in Education (2010). Retrieved from http://iste.org

Reiser, R.A & Dempsey, J.V. (Eds.), Trends and issues in instructional design and

technology. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson.

Sweet, W. (2005). Instructional technologist as a coach: impact of a situated professional

development program on teachers' technology use. Journal of Technology and

Teacher Education, Retrieved from http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-

138483292/instructional-technologist-coach-impact.html

Texas Computer Education Association. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.tcea.org