A Framework for Professional Goal Development 1

A Framework for Professional Goal Development in Technology Use
Running head: A FRAMEWORK FOR PROFESSIONAL GOAL DEVELOPMENT

Submitted: May 19th 2005

Stephen B. Richards, Ed.D.

Associate Professor

University of Dayton

300 College Park

Dayton, OH45469-0525

937-229-4511 Work

937-862-5290 Home

Stephen Richards is Coordinator for Intervention Specialist Programs at the University of Dayton. He earned his doctorate in 1990 from FloridaAtlanticUniversity and has been at U.D. for five years. Previously, he has taught at the University of Oklahoma and WinthropUniversity. His interests include assessment, pre- and in-service teacher education, and technology use in higher education.

Gina Lynn Dysard

Clinical Faculty Member

University of Dayton

937-469-2925

Gina Dysard was an intervention specialist in the K-12 school system for two years prior to getting a Master's Degree in Technology-Enhanced Learning at the University of Dayton. Upon completion of the degree, she was hired on as a full time Clinical Faculty Member for the Institute for Technology-Enhanced Learning at the University of Dayton. As Clinical Faculty, she taught in the graduate program, assisted faculty in technology implementation, trained K-12 teachers in problem-based learning, and designed and supported online classes..

Abstract

Faculty members are frequently expected to acquire and improve technology skills. This paper will assist any faculty member interested in organizing a professional development plan that incorporates technology. Specifically, a framework for identifying goals for organizing a professional development planis discussed.

A Framework for Professional Goal Development in Technology Use

With the passage of No Child Left Behindand high accountability, teacher preparation programs have added pressures to prepare tomorrow’s teachers for the 21st century classroom (United States of Department of Education, 2005). Technology is viewed as an integral component ofPK-12 students’ learning experience (United States of Education, 2005). In former Secretary of Education Rod Paige’s words, “Teachers and students are transforming what can be done in schools by using technology to…expose our students to a variety of perspectives, and enhance the overall learning experience…” (¶4). Over the past several years, the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) (2005) developed the National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) to provide guidance to teacher education programs redefining technology initiatives. Universities face demands to incorporate technology standards in their programs to meet the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) standards.

As program leaders re-think how technology should be infused within teacher education programs, faculty’s professional development becomes an increasing concern (Caffarella & Zinn, 1999; Kelley, 2002).Teacher education faculty are expected to enhance the pre-service curriculum, modeling appropriate uses of technology, but often they are not up-to-date on needed technology skills(Lamboy & Bucker, 2003). With rapid changes in technology, some faculty report being stressed and overwhelmed with the pressures of maintaining and improving their technology skills (Caffarella & Zinn, 1999). Subsequently, technology continues to advance, but some faculty’s skill levels remain stagnant (Lundeberg, Daly, and Harmes, 1998). Lundeberg, et al. (1998) contend “Technology has been a societal tidal wave, yet in most schools and universities, technology integration has moved more like a glacier” (p. 1).

At amidwestern university, there are campus-wide initiatives as well as encouragement within the Department of Teacher Education for faculty to develop annual goals pertaining to technology use. Each year teacher education facultymay strive to develop sophisticated technology goals, but their lack of experiencewith technology and guidance in how to construct development goals can make the process challenging.However, state and national standards require faculty to demonstrate how technology can be used to increase knowledge and skill acquisition (ISTE, 2005). It is incumbent on faculty to develop their use of technology so that candidates are skilled in its use and in turn, candidates can demonstrate technology use to their public and private school students.

With already full workloads, faculty members look for straightforward and clear guidance as to how best to address the development of technology goals. The purpose of this article is to provide a framework for identifying goals for organizing a professional development plan for faculty that focuses on:

  • Use of computer software and hardware for personal productivity.
  • Use of technology to enhance communication and collaboration.
  • Use of online resources to enhance professional development.
  • Creation and integration of technology-enhancements into classroom learning experiences.

This framework also provides readers with several useful features:

  • Potential goal areas are ordered from least to most intrusive.
  • The ordering can be viewed developmentally in terms of what knowledge and skills one currently possesses and what would be a logical next step in professional development.
  • The ordering can also be viewed as indicative of learning goals that generally move from taking less time and effort to learn to those requiring considerable time and effort.

Developing the Framework

This framework was developed by the authors based on ISTE (2005) standards for teachers. These include: (1) technology operations and concepts; (2) planning and designing learning environments and experiences; (3) teaching, learning, and the curriculum; (4) assessment and evaluation; (5) productivity and professional practice; and (6) social ethical, legal, and human issues. While these standards are encompassing, they can also be overwhelming in deciding which areas are most relevant for a faculty member who is planning how to improve technology skills. Our framework provides a simpler method by which to organize faculty development goals.

We condensed the various skills embedded within the ISTE standards to four broader areas that relate to the individual faculty member. As noted, we also attempted to order them developmentally and from least to most intrusive. In short, we sought to develop a framework that was briefer and more personalized than the ISTE standards which are, by necessity, general and encompassing.

Clearly, this framework is not exhaustive. The number of potential professional development goal areas and suggested goals themselves could be lengthier and more detailed. Also, the least to most intrusive organization of our goals may be dependent on the particular knowledge and skills possessed by the individual. Still, it is our belief that this framework provides an excellent starting point to assist faculty and administrators in generating professional development plans in technology.

In the subsequent sections of this article, we discuss each of our four broad goal areas, the suggested goals included under each area, and provide examples of available software and other applications as appropriate. We include descriptions of terms that may increase your understanding of the language involved in technology usage. Finally, we conclude with some additional suggestions for the use of our framework.

Writing a Professional Development Plan

One difficulty in maintaining one’s knowledge and skills can be writing professional development goals that are outcome oriented and related to teaching and learning. For example, one problem might be that goals are written primarily concerned with infrastructure such as “will purchase a new digital camera.” These do not specify how the goals will lead to increased or more effective use of technology. Other goals may be too broad such as “will enhance technology skills” or “will enhance student learning through technology.” These are vague and make it difficult to measure progress. Still another problem can be goals that don’t differentiate between student achievement and what the teacher does to enhance that achievement. For example, a plan could include candidate-focused goals such as “candidates will use a WebQuest ( to research a specific topic” and teacher-focused goals such as “I will construct and use WebQuests.” The latter better indicates what the teacher will learn to make the candidate-focused goal become a reality. Without goals that are outcome-oriented, determining progress toward goal achievement is difficult at best (Sun Associates, 2004). Included in Table 1 is a sample development plan devised by one of the authors that spans a two-year period.

______

Insert Table 1 about here

______

Use of Computer Software and Hardware for Personal Productivity

In this first broad area within our proposed framework, we discuss goals that can be achieved through developing your abilities with the typical personal computer. Many individuals learn technology applications that are presently useful and adequately meet those present needs. However, many applications are available but not used. In this section, we discuss such applications. Table 2 includes a summary of this first broad goal area.
Software

In the section following, explanations will be provided for specific examples you might want to explore further.

  • Perform a search on the Internet –With faculty’s hectic schedule, searching on the Internet for information can save you valuable time. Popular search engines are Google ( Yahoo ( and Alta Vista ( Metasearch engines, ones that search more than one search engine, include Mozilla ( MetaCrawler ( Copernic ( and Dogpile ( Most of these search engines have tips and explanations on how to successfully find what you need on the Internet.
  • Create folders on computer to organize files – Organizing documents in paper file folders can be a daunting task. With your computer, you can create folders on your computer to make for an easier and cleaner organizational system.
  • Use and maintain an electronic gradebook – There are software and web-based gradebook programs that eliminate traditional paper versions. With these programs, you can quickly track and record your grades. Some programs also offer much more. One advantage to this approach is the instant grade reports that can be quickly generated. Some web-based examples are the GradeNetwork ( and MyGradeBook ( while GradeQuick ( and ThinkWave ( are example computer programs. Electronic gradebooks (and other files) can be saved on network server space to ensure they are not lost if one’s personal computer “crashes.”
  • Maintain a calendar of meetings/addresses in a time managing/collaborative software program – With the wide range of needs of faculty, computer companies are beginning to bundle software to address many needs. One example of this is IBM Lotus Notes ( where one program allows you to keep track of your meetings, e-mail addresses, group directories, and calendar in a central location, while also providing a place to communicate and collaborate with others. There are also programs on the Internet that have similar capabilities that are free, such as MyYahoo (
  • Use photo editing program to resize pictures –Because online communication and collaborative tools are proliferating, it is important to learn how to resize pictures so you have the capability to send them over e-mail or to upload to websites. Adobe Photoshop, Macromedia Fireworks, Microsoft Photo Editor, and Microsoft Paint are example programs you might consider.
  • Collect data in an online survey tool – Online tools are available that collect and analyze online surveys. Such tools are Surveymonkey ( SurveyShare.com ( and Surveykey (

Hardware

Another area to explore is hardware that might enhance your productivity.

  • Learn how to troubleshoot your computer hardware – It is useful to know which cables (e.g., printer, mouse, internet) go where, to be able to connect/disconnect these and to check them when something is not working.
  • Learn to use a computer with an LCD projector - With the availability of laptops, bringing electronic materials/presentations into the classroom is more common. As a result, learning to use a liquid crystal display (LCD) projector with your laptop becomes vital.
  • Learn how to burn a CD or DVD – From presentations to videos, you can save media to transport to conferences on a CD or DVD.
  • Learn to scan pictures into a file – Scanning pictures can be a complex task. You have to learn how to operate the scanner and also how to work within the Photo Editing Program on the computer. However, there are many resources on the internet to help you.
  • Use a digital camera or digital camcorder – With these tools, you can take pictures/videos of your students to learn their names, take pictures/videos to integrate into a lesson, or use them in the classroom for other learning purposes.
  • Use a personal digital assistant – A personal digital assistant (PDA) is a handheld device that has functions ranging from a fax/telephone to the internet and networking features. One example of a PDA is Palm Pilot (

______

Insert Table 2 about here

______

Use of Technology to Enhance Communication and Collaboration

In this second area, we focus on suggested goals involved in both personal/professional communication and communication that can be used to enhance collaboration and instruction (see Table 3).

  • Conduct phone conference – A phone conference is a simple way to bring experts in the field into the classroom or into your office.
  • Learn the various functions offered by your e-mail program – E-mail programs include functions such as sorting e-mail messages, saving messages into folders, forwarding e-mails, and saving drafts of your message. Archiving features allow you to store old emails without tying up network space.
  • Participate in an online chat or use Instant Messaging with students – With today’s technologies, you can communicate with people anytime online. For chats and Instant Messaging, the other person has to be at another computer at the same time you want to communicate. Some programs that support these communications are AOL Instant Messenger ( Yahoo Messenger ( and MSN Messenger (
  • Create threaded discussions for a class – Threaded discussions are archived discussions that you can access anytime. You can post a message in a forum and people can respond at their leisure. Classroom discussions can be continued over a period of time online. You can create a threaded discussion in programs such as WebCT ( Blackboard, ( Moodle ( and Lotus Notes QuickPlace ( There are also free sites such as Nicenet ( and Yahoo Groups (
  • Participate in a conference meeting from your computer – If you are working with others from different universities, there are technologies that will allow you to meet virtually. One such program is NetMeeting ( which is free on computers running Microsoft Windows. This program allows you to collaborate with others through video, chat functions, a whiteboard, audio, and file transfers. Other types of programs include Live Meeting ( Webex ( Centra ( and GrooveNetworks (
  • Conduct video conference for a class or colleague – If your university has the capabilities to host a video conference, it can be a powerful way to connect your students with people from all over the world.

Insert Table 3 about here

Use of Online Resources to Enhance Professional Development

In this third goal area, we discuss resources typically available through libraries and the internet that will link you to professional resources and to other professionals inthe field of education (see Table 4).

  • Use online library resources – Many library resources are available online. If you visit OhioLink ( you will find many journal articles and research references online. Another site called LibraryShare ( has links to university and college libraries in North America.
  • Access and use professional websites and journals – Online you can find many resources that can advance you professionally. For instance, Courseshare.com ( and North Central Regional Library ( are websites where professional resources can be shared and reviewed. In addition, many professional journals are online. Visit Digital Library and Archives ( to view some examples..
  • Use shared drives for scholarly purposes - On the network at your university, you probably have access to different drives to drag and drop your files. This is powerful because it allows you to backup data from your computer and it also allows you to share your files with other colleagues at your university.
  • Join or participate in an online learning community - Online learning communities are groups of individuals interested in common topics and exchanging of information online (Bonk, Wisher & Nigrelli, 2004). Some examples of learning communities are Tapped-IN ( and LearningTimes (
  • Keep a weblog (blog)– Downs (2003) describes a weblog as a place online to record personal reflections and communicate thoughts with others. In his words, “they herald a new era in online process and interaction” (¶ 14). Free blogs include Blogger ( Pitas ( and Free-Conversant ( To see an example of a professional weblog visit, Stephen Downs (2004) at .
  • Use a web portal to house articles for other professionals – A web portal is a place that houses resources such as documents and websites. Merlot ( has many professional materials to access for free. With Nicenet ( you can create your own portal of resources.

______

Insert Table 4 about here

______

Creation and Integration of Technology-Enhancements into Classroom Learning Experiences

In this fourth goal area, we distinguish between applications involved in creating products for use in the classroom and applications that assist faculty in integrating technology into classroom learning experiences. That is, the former includes goals where faculty are building resources for better instruction to building resources that actively involve the teacher and candidates in the simultaneous use of technology for learning (e.g., online courses) (see Table 5).

Creation of Resources

Technology can be used to create many different types of products. From

presentations to fully online courses, the possibilities are only limited by your willingness
to try something new.

  • Integrate pictures from the Internet into classroom presentation – Using pictures from the internet can enhance any presentation. Sites that provide free pictures for educational use include the NOAA Photo Library ( and the Animation Library ( If you want to use a picture on someone else’s site, it may be necessary to obtain permissions. To learn more about issues surrounding copyright laws visit the CopyrightManagementCenter ( and Educational Fair Use in a Digital Environment (
  • Create instant online poll – If you want to conduct an instant poll in your classroom, it can be easily accomplished through Alxnet ( or Pollmonkey (
  • Create course rubrics in online rubric builder – Paper-based rubrics are being replaced by online rubric creation tools. In a simple click, you can create a rubric for a variety of topics on RubiStar ( or on Rubric Builder (
  • Use programs, like Filamentality, to create an online enhancement for classroom – Filamentality ( is an online tool that guides you through creating a variety of web-based activities in a matter of minutes.
  • Use web design software packages to create and edit a website to support face-to-face instruction – Macromedia Dreamweaver ( and Microsoft Front Page ( are popular web authoring programs that will write HTML codes for you. Many tutorials for the programs are available online ( In addition, when designing a website it is also important to consider design ( and accessibility issues (see Cast - or Bobby -
  • Design and teach an online course – If you are getting ready to design or teach an online course, you should read the research regarding online learning at PublicationShare.com (

Integration