About Technology Liaisons Network

The Technology Liaisons Network provided opportunities for local writing project sites and leaders to consider the impact technology has on the teaching and learning of writing and on the general work of sites.

As part of its core mission, the TLN provided specific programming for technology liaisons and associated technology teams at local sites to support their efforts to respond to local writing project priorities as they pertain to technology. The programs focused on:

• expanding the local knowledge base about the connections between new technologies and literacy
• supporting local institutes and inservice and continuity programs as they include content about digital literacy and/or use digital tools as part of the professional development
• strategically planning and implementing a Web presence
• facilitating national online projects such as the E-Anthology
• engaging in other site- and classroom-based work that involves technology.

The technology liaison also served as a link between local site and national technology-oriented programming.

Goals

The goal of the Technology Liaisons Network was to enhance overall site development. This occured primarily in two ways: by supporting sites' plans for and use of technology in the ongoing work of the site and by helping to develop an understanding of how technology impacts the teaching and learning of writing. The Technology Liaisons Network accomplished its goal by supporting a leadership role for the technology liaison, and by supporting the work of technology teams at local sites.

In addition, the TLN served as a point of entry for local sites into a larger exploration of the issues of emerging literacies and the impact of technology on the teaching of writing and learning in the nation's schools.

Background

The Technology Liaisons Network grew out of an initiative designed to bolster sites' capacities by taking advantage of technology. The opportunity to appoint a technology liaison was unveiled to sites in March 2001 and the technology liaison role debuted across the NWP network at the Annual Meeting in November 2001.

In the years that followed, virtually all writing project sites appointed technology liaisons, and with that growing cadre of local leaders, the TLN expanded programming to include work at the Annual Meeting, special-topic institutes, minigrants, and online support.