Instruction & Technology

Technology in the Schools

2010-16 Technology Plan

Goochland's technology plan (link opposite) is our roadmap for the future. Goochland has consulted with students, parents, teachers, administrators, and vendors to help us provide for the needs of teaching and learning in the 21st century. You can download our complete plan in PDF format.

Technology for Educators

All of Goochland’s teachers have had extensive technology staff development. Teachers use electronic lesson plan software developed by the county to assist them with daily planning that focuses on student achievement. The emphasis on improving the division’s SOL scores has recently brought additional web-based assessment software and training to all instructional staff.

Each teacher in Goochland County is provided with a laptop computer, an indispensible teaching tool in the information age. In order to maximize the potential that technology can play in each student’s learning experience, an on-going training program prepares teachers for the latest trends in computers and technology.

Published 5-6 times a year, the Technology Times newsletter is distributed to teachers and instructional assistants within Goochland County. Combined with after-school training opportunities, teachers are learning about the best way to use technology in the classroom for both instructional, and administrative purposes.

We maintain a list of links focused on educational websites that both teachers and parents can use to enhance classroom instruction. Beginning in the 2005-06 school year, we asked each Goochland teacher to maintain a weblog. The weblog initiative provides teachers a web space to integrate the use of technology in instruction, and to keep parents informed with classroom news.

Goochland has produced a 10-minute video entitled Moodle: 21st Century Skills in Action, which was presented to school administrators from around the central Virginia region at EdTech2008. We invite you to stream this video (@school) or download the video (@home) to learn more about why our teachers use Moodle.

Internet Safety

Internet safety has been an important part of our role as educators for a number of years. In the fall of 2007, our school board approved a new acceptable use policy (AUP) which specifically details our internet safety program (cited as "online safety") including specific, new policies regarding measures to be used to maintain a safe, online environment within our school division.

Our AUP document is signed by each staff member, guest, and student (or their parent/guardian) before they are permitted to use our computer system.

The teaching of Internet Safety is important, too. Since the 2006-07 school year, teachers have received specific training covering all aspects of Internet Safety instruction, including cyberbullying, passwords and security, and online communications. New, emerging details in these areas are regularly communicated through blog posts by Goochland's supervisor of instructional technology and library media specialists. Lead teachers in each school have chosen Goochland-created lessons relating to all aspects of internet safety and have included these resources in curriculum pacing guides in all grade levels, K-12.

Each year, our classroom teachers, including non-core area teachers, are required to teach at least one unit or lesson on Internet Safety. This is one way our division remains compliant with the Virginia Department of Education's mandate for a quality internet safety instruction program for each school division within the commonwealth.

Technology Personnel

Visit our Contacts Page for a complete listing of district personnel, e-mail addresses, and phone numbers.