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This research uses a conceptual framework that utilizes the Australasian Council on Open, Distance and e-learning (ACODE) Benchmarks for Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) Framework as a lens for comparing school districts' virtual learning strategies and the AI4K12 framework to compare school districts' AI strategies.
The Australasian Council on Open, Distance and e-learning (ACODE) Benchmarks for Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) is a theoretical framework that uses eight benchmarks: 1) strategy, 2) quality, 3) systems, 4) services, 5) staff development, 6) staff support, 7) student training, and 8) student support, allow institutions to assess their own implementation of technology-enhanced learning.
AI4K12 framework is a conceptual framework that has five Big Ideas: Perception, Representation and Reasoning, Learning, Natural Interaction, and Societal Impact.to aid policy and curriculum writers in developing AI concepts, knowledge, and skills.
We used a qualitative methodology using three different data collection strategies: internet data mining, comparative content analysis, then thematic analysis. We first utilized internet data mining to retrieve education technology plans by first searching Districts’ websites by four primary means: 1) exact phrasing, “education technology plan,” using the district website search tool, 2) looking for education technology plans under “Education Services” or another instructional-related department, or 3) looking for education technology plans under the business department, and 4) discovery of districts with a standalone technology department.
Once the education technology document was identified we used a comparative content analysis to reveal the extent topics were covered in the guidance document using a data entry log. We then compared these district documents to one another which led to thematic analysis.
We also included data on districts' web pages that included information about AI and VL and compared them against the AI4K12's Big Five IDeas and against ACODE's 8 benchmarks.
Our expectations were to identify the education technology plans of all the school districts because they have been required by school districts to receive additional funding since 2005. Of 80 school districts, there were a total of 22 districts with a plan that could be used to analyze. The districts without education technology plans were also of interest and we found that 10 of the school districts had comparable information about their virtual learning program and 11 of the districts had information comparable artificial intelligence information through their Career Technical Education (CTE) programs. The creation of these education technology plans varied in creation between 2006 through 2021, which was interesting because education technology plans typically cover 3 years.
In preparation for the 2024 release of the National Education Technology guidance, we looked for the post-pandemic treatment of virtual learning, and general preparation for AI. As these treatments were not within the posted education technology plans, we had to search the district website for any organization-wide preparation. We found 9 districts who had support for virtual learning, and 7 districts who had support for AI. Two districts overlapped, with no edtech plan, but both included information for virtual instruction and AI. Using a tool utilized AI4K12’ 5 Big Ideas and ACODE’s 8 benchmarks. We found that districts webpages included some indicators of AI4K12 and ACODE.
Findings from this study reveal how our schools have planned to help our students prepare for their future, and engage digitally. These findings provide needed data to help school districts and local education authorities (LEAs) make decisions; affect policy awareness and support for technology-based initiatives in public schools; provide technology supporters (i.e., vendors and researchers) with information to further support schools with innovations to help close equity gaps; and alert parents and community members of the need and spaces of support. By exploring “What does a school district’s education technology plan and website reveal about their preparation of technologically-savvy students post-pandemic?” We hope this research is valuable to ISTE attendees by bringing up the lack of educational technology plans at a time when technology integration is on the rise. The results present a lack of attention to education technology and ask education technology leaders to assess their own school districts' education technology plans to evaluate if they create equitable access to the positive impacts of AI, teachers need to have access to high-quality training and time to best implement AI techniques into their classrooms. This research offers frameworks such as AI4K12 and ACODE as frameworks to evaluate their own districts these can be utilized with the upcoming 2024 National Education Technology Plan to guide districts to prepare students to engage digitally.
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