What does it mean to be part of the New Tech Network?

In 1996, New Tech Network (NTN) was founded by a group of forward-thinking individuals trying to solve a problem that had yet to be addressed. How could educators adequately prepare students for the increasingly complex demands of civic life, college, and the workplace? That group of founders laid the blueprint for what would become the cornerstone of the New Tech Network Model, the five Learning Outcomes. The assessment of students using the Five Learning Outcomes is what brings New Tech's diverse network of nearly 200 schools together. 

Being part of NTN, and implementing the NTN Model means that the teachers, school leaders, and school staff have anchored their whole school transformation from a common reason or "why". Like Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, the bottom of the pyramid has to be addressed before the top. A clear vision and purpose is the start of the NTN Model, followed by the development of a healthy culture built from trust, respect, and responsibility. Above that is where campus structures support the vision for the school. It's not until the top of the pyramid that instructional practices align with project-based learning.

The power of the NTN community doesn’t stem from being geographically close, or from having similar backgrounds. It isn’t related to an individual's position in their organization. The power in New Tech's network comes from the connections between educators. It comes from a shared vision of changing teaching so students can be prepared for an ever-changing world.

New Tech Network looks at a network of educators with the same approach used in the classroom. When an active network of people work together, they produce more ideas and resources.

As the world of education continues to mirror real-world workplace settings, many schools and district will try and transform their school alone. But implementing comprehensive change brings both predictable and unexpected challenges. Not only is facing these challenges in isolation ineffective and unsustainable, but it’s also the opposite of how NTN teaches students and staff – to build better schools, everyone must work together.