Kentucky Department of Education

 

Technology

Last Updated on Tuesday, October 21, 2008 at 5:01 AM

Knowing how to use technology is critical for students, teachers, administrators, and parents in the 21st Century. In these pages you will find valuable resources related to how technology is a part of standards, curriculum documents, teaching and learning strategies, and assessment instruments.

The Kentucky Education Network  lays a foundation to create opportunities and to retain graduates in Kentucky. Key features of KEN include (a)Equity in terms of cost, geographic availability, access, and support for all learning styles (b)Immediate availability (c)Support of audio and video-intense learning and research opportunities (d)Scalable and adaptable network design that easily supports future growth and (e)24 x 7 network availability and support http://ken.ky.gov/

 

The Kentucky Instructional Data System (KIDS) project is funded primarily through a $5.8 million federal grant awarded in late 2005 by the National Center for Education Statistics’ Institute for Education Sciences. Kentucky was one of 14 states to be awarded funding for a federal Statewide Longitudinal Data System (SLDS). The purpose of the grant is to: (a) enable states to manage, analyze, disaggregate and use individual student data (b) increase the number of states that maintain statewide longitudinal data systems (c) support decision-making at state, district, school and classroom levels and (d) help states meet reporting requirements of NCLB.

 

Internet 2 in Kentucky Internet2 applications, via high bandwidth and high performance, enable collaboration among researchers, instructors, students and interactive access to information and resources in a way not possible on today’s Internet.

 

Intelligent Classroom

This initiative will provide access to a full suite of classroom-based technology tools.  Tools such as two-way video desktop conferencing, electronic projection and whiteboard systems, interactive student voting systems, wireless connectivity, phone conversations over the internet, instant messaging (IM), speech recognition, electronic books (e-books), electronic “paper” and grid computing will become common-place and will dramatically change the way instruction occurs in the classroom. See the 2007-2012 KETS Master Plan.

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Kentucky Technology Program of Studies for Grades Primary - 12 (revised 2006) represents the minimum required content standards students shall be taught to meet the high school graduation requirements.

 

STLP The Student Technology Leadership Program (STLP™) is a project-based learning program that empowers students in all grade levels to use technology to learn and achieve.

 

Kentucky Virtual Schools (KYVS) includes the Kentucky Virtual High School (KVHS) offering online courses to P-12 students, e-Learning Kentucky offering professional development, training, and Communities of Practice.

 

The new web-enabled  Individual Learning Plan (ILP) helps secondary students (grades 6-12) better focus their coursework on individual goals as they prepare for postsecondary studies and careers.

 

Kentucky's Technology Integration Specialists (TIS) provide on-site and on-demand assistance for fellow teachers to create different forms of learning and teaching with the help of technologies.

 

The KySTE (Kentucky Society for Technology in Education) mission is to empower the educational community in the Commonwealth of Kentucky to infuse technology as an integral part of the educational process through advocacy and leadership, promoting educational excellence and supporting technology-based innovation.

 

The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) is the trusted source for professional development, knowledge generation, advocacy, and leadership for innovation. A nonprofit membership organization, ISTE provides leadership and service to improve teaching, learning, and school leadership by advancing the effective use of technology in PK–12 and teacher education. Home of the National Educational Technology Standards (NETS), the Center for Applied Research in Educational Technology (CARET), and the National Educational Computing Conference (NECC), ISTE represents more than 85,000 professionals worldwide. We support our members with information, networking opportunities, and guidance as they face the challenge of transforming education.

 

KET EncycloMedia is a Internet-based comprehensive learning service offered free to Kentucky public schools. It is result of a partnership between Kentucky Education Television and the Kentucky Department of Education.  It offers teachers and students more than 4,000 videos, 40,000 video clips, and thousands of digital images, all searchable by key word, content area, grade level, and Kentucky academic standards.For a direct link, click on the following url: http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?location=ket

 

Thinkfinity Kentucky is a partnership with Verizon Foundation and the Kentucky Department of Education. The goal is to develop a statewide network of professional development providers through the implementation of Thinkfinity.org which provides standards-based online educational resources. The purpose is to help meet the instructional needs of teachers through top notch content and effective professional development.

 

The Partnership for 21st Century Skills has emerged as the leading advocacy organization focused on infusing 21st century skills into education. The organization brings together the business community, education leaders, and policymakers to define a powerful vision for 21st century education to ensure every child's success as citizens and workers in the 21st century.

 

Technology in Classrooms of Kentucky, or TICK, is currently a repository of over 1800 learning objects (including units, lessons, files, web sites, etc.). These resources have been aligned by professional KATE staff and a strong partnership of Kentucky teachers as well as Technology Integration Specialists to Kentucky curriculum documents including core content and the Technology Big Ideas from the Program of Studies.

  Instructional Device Upgrade
In 2006, $50 million in bond funds were appropriated by the General Assembly for an education technology pool with the intent to provide modern instructional devices, stationary or mobile for public K-12 schools. Strategically, this project will achieve objectives identified in KETS Master Plan, as it will address issues such as ... More


  Instructional Leader Resources


  Parental Involvement


  Student Initiatives
Kentucky students have many opportunities to use technology for learning both inside and outside of the regular classroom. This portion of the web site presents several of these opportunities and explains how students  can take advantage of them. Career and Technical Student OrganizationsCareer and Technical Student Organizations (CTSO's) are recognized as ... More


  Teacher Resources
Creative Kentucky teachers are constantly in search of best practices for teaching and learning. Links to online lessons, teacher "strategies that work," suggestions for inquiry-based learning, technology standards, and more are provided in the links below. Professional development (PD) is defined in 704 KAR 3:035 Section (2) as "those experiences which systematically ... More


For more information contact:

Donna Eustace
500 Mero Street, 19th Floor CPT
Frankfort, KY 40601
Phone: (502) 564-2106
Donna.Eustace@education.ky.gov
Computer labs are common throughout schools in Kentucky