ESSENTIAL CONDITION ONE: ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY



Name: Felisa Ford Semester: Summer-2017ESSENTIAL CONDITION ONE: Effective Instructional Uses of Technology Embedded in Standards-Based,Student-Centered Learning ISTE Definition: Use of information and communication technology (ICT) to facilitate engaging approaches to learning.Guiding Questions: How is technology being used in our school? How frequently is it being used? By whom? For what purposes? To what extent is student technology use targeted toward student achievement of the Georgia Learning Standards (GPSs, CCSs)?To what extent is student technology use aligned to research-based, best practices that are most likely to support student engagement, deep understanding of content, and transfer of knowledge? Is day-to-day instruction aligned to research-based best practices? StrengthsWeaknessesOpportunitiesThreatsPrincipal that supports student-centered and personalized learning, including PBL (Project-based learning)Small student population (7th & 8th grade only)Principal supports teachers who want to use technology for student-centered learningLack of PL for technology and student-centered learningLack of commitment from staff due to school closingConsistently low grade of F on school report-card (GOSA)Technology is seen as something else to doSmall student population gives more flexibility for student-centered learningPrincipal support for teachers who want to use technology for student-centered learningSchool phasing out in two yearsLack of broad community supportLow partnership supportLow parental involvementSummary of Results/Conclusions: Based on feedback obtained from surveys, informal conversations, observations, and the state-School Report Card, it was determined that Harper-Archer has consistently received a grade of F every year since 2012 with the exception of 2014 when the school received a score of D. To further tell the story of the challenges faced at Harper-Archer Middle school, the performance snapshot helps to shed light on the dire academic situation. Harper-Archer Middle School’s overall performance is higher than only 2% of schools in the state and is lower than its districtHarper-Archer’s students’ academic growth is higher than only 2% of schools in the state and lower than its district44.2% of Harper-Archer’s 8th grade students are reading at or above the grade level target The school has consistently underperformed the district and the state in all academic areas as measured by the Georgia Milestones. Additionally, according to feedback from the principal, the school does not currently have a technology plan which could potentially support the implementation of student-centered learning. According to the Douglass High School Cluster Plan, which Harper Archer is currently the only middle school, the entire Douglass Cluster with a graduation rate of 58.7% is a STEM cluster. Therefore, all schools in the Douglass Cluster have an academic focus on STEM education with a specific focus on PBL. As a cluster, the schools have identified the following academic priorities:Implement integrated, project and problem-based learning projects for grade-level and school-wide implementationEmbed career exposure and real-life connections into the curriculumProvide professional development & support in performance-based assessmentsRecommendations from Gap Analysis: Based on results of the Diagnostic tool and survey, Harper Archer Middle School is in the beginning phase of implementation of student-centered learning with a score of 25/100. In order to prepare students to be 21st Century Learners, the ISTE Student Standards should be used to empower students to be the owners of their learning while operating in an environment that supports inquiry based learning grounded in exploration, creativity, and discovery. According to ISTE, the student standards should be used to create: Empowered Learners, Digital Citizens, Knowledgeable Constructors, Innovative Designer, Computational Thinker, Creative Communicators, and Global Collaborators. I recommend that the student standards be used as a guide to promote student learning and instruction.Data Sources: ISTE Diagnostic Tool, Survey Results, Informal Conversations with Principal, District Technology Plan, School Observations; School Report Card, Douglass High School Cluster PlanESSENTIAL CONDITION TWO: Shared VisionISTE Definition: Proactive leadership in developing a shared vision for educational technology among school personnel, students, parents, and the community. Guiding Questions: Is there an official vision for technology use in the district/school? Is it aligned to research-best practices? Is it aligned to state and national visions? Are teachers, administrators, parents, students, and other community members aware of the vision? To what extent do teachers, administrators, parents, students, and other community members have a vision for how technology can be used to enhance student learning? What do they believe about technology and what types of technology uses we should encourage in the future? Are their visions similar or different? To what extent are their beliefs about these ideal, preferred technology uses in the future aligned to research and best practice? To what extent do educators view technology as critical for improving student achievement of the GPS/CCSs? To preparing tomorrow’s workforce? For motivating digital-age learners? What strategies have been deployed to date to create a research-based shared vision? What needs to be done to achieve broad-scale adoption of a research-based vision for technology use that is likely to lead to improved student achievement? StrengthsWeaknessesOpportunitiesThreatsCommitted support from instructional technologyCommitment from leadership team and instructional coachesPrincipal willing to increase focus on technologyStaff morale low due to school closingLack of commitment from staff due to school closingConsistently low grade of F on school report-card (GOSA)Technology not a school-wide focusIncrease partnerships with local technology focused groupsOpportunity to increase the level of technology integration for student engagement/achievementOpportunity to create a 21st century learning environment School phasing out in two yearsLack of broad community supportLow partnership supportLow parental involvementSummary of Results/Conclusions: Based on feedback from the principal, Harper-Archer currently does not have a technology plan therefore, there is not a shared vision either. This information was also captured in the Diagnostic Tool. Additional information obtained from the survey also indicates that there was a disparity in response to the vision for technology use at Harper-Archer. The principal indicated that they haven’t quite developed a vision but this was something that needed to be done for students and teachers. Because there isn’t currently a shared vision for technology use, technology is being used haphazardly with no school-wide focus which means technology could potentially positively impact student engagement and student achievement. Recommendations from Gap Analysis: Based on results from the Diagnostic tool and survey results, Harper-Archer Middle School is in the beginning stages of implementing a Shared Vision with a score of 32/100. One recommendation for the leadership team of Harper-Archer Middle School is to use the ISTE Student Standards to guide their technology vision and goals for student learning and teaching. These standards (students/teachers) can be used to create a technology plan as well as support technology integration within the school improvement plan.Data Sources: ISTE Diagnostic Tool, Survey Results, Informal Conversations with Principal, District Technology Plan, School Observations, School Report Card, Douglass High School Cluster PlanESSENTIAL CONDITION THREE: Planning for Technology ISTE Definition: A systematic plan aligned with a shared vision for school effectiveness and student learning through the infusion of ICT and digital learning resources. Guiding Questions: Is there an adequate plan to guide technology use in your school? (either at the district or school level? Integrated into SIP?) What should be done to strengthen planning? In what ways does your school address the needs of diverse populations in the school or district to include how race, gender, socio-economic, and geographic diversity giving consideration to how these factors commonly affect K-12 students’ access to school and beyond-school access to high-speed Internet, modern computing devices, software, knowledgeable technology mentors, culturally-relevant digital content, and other affordances critical to technology literacy acquisition.StrengthsWeaknessesOpportunitiesThreatsPrincipal willing to support teachers who wish to integrate technologyDedicated Educational Technology Specialist (ETS) for technology training, modeling, coaching, and supportSTEM teachers and leadership becoming MIE CertifiedPrincipal has aspiration for the school to become a Microsoft SchoolStaff morale low due to school closingLack of commitment from staff due to school closingConsistently low grade of F on school report-card (GOSA)Lack of focus on technology by PrincipalTeachers not strong/comfortable in technology integrationOpportunity to increase student engagement and achievement with technologyOpportunity to provide more PL for teachers on technology integrationOpportunity to introduce the ISTE technology standardsOpportunity to create 21st century learning environmentSchool phasing out in two yearsLack of broad community supportLow partnership supportLow parental involvementSummary of Results/Conclusions: Harper-Archer currently doesn’t have a technology plan. The principal indicated that a vision of technology use needs to be developed for students and teachers. Based on the current status of Harper-Archer Middle School, the school also received a rating of beginning on the Diagnostic Tool. Although there currently isn’t a technology plan, results from the survey indicates that 83.3% respondents believed that the use of technology at the school is very important and 50% of the respondents indicated that they are somewhat comfortable with using technology. Additionally, feedback from the survey indicates that respondents believe technology can assist with preparing students to be college and career ready-21st Century Learners.Recommendations from Gap Analysis: Based on results from the Diagnostic Tool and survey results, Harper-Archer is in the beginning phase of planning for Technology with a score of 24/100. My recommendation is to provide PL opportunities that focus on learner-driven activities with a shift in pedagogy from teacher-directed to student centered and how that impacts instruction. PL training needed to support inquiry based learning and technology use. Professional learning is also needed which trains teachers on creating a learning environment that addresses the ISTE Standards for students.Data Sources: ISTE Diagnostic Tool, Survey Results, Informal Conversations with Principal, District Technology Plan, School Observations, School Report Card, Douglass High School Cluster PlanESSENTIAL CONDITION FOUR: Equitable Access (Specifically Low SES and gender groups)ISTE Definition: Robust and reliable access to current and emerging technologies and digital resources.Guiding Questions: To what extent do students, teachers, administrators, and parents have access to computers and digital resources necessary to support engaging, standards-based, student-centered learning? To what extent is technology arrange/distributed to maximize access for engaging, standards-based, student-centered learning? What tools are needed and why? To what extent are strategies needed to address equity issues among Low SES and gender groups? What are examples of strategies that would benefit your school/district? (required)Do students/parents/community need/have beyond school access to support the shared vision for learning? StrengthsWeaknessesOpportunitiesThreatsCommitted support from Instructional Technology Dept.Dedicated ETSPrincipal committed to purchasing more technologyCommitment from leadership team and instructional CoachesStaff morale low due to school closing which could impact equitable accessLack of commitment from staff due to school closingConsistently low grade of F on school report-card (GOSA)Very large low SES population (100%)Majority of students lack access at homeOpportunity to focus on technology access via partnershipsOpportunity to provide more access to technology devices with the low student populationOpportunity to create gender specific technology club and mentorship program for technology Expose students to district technology fair School phasing out in two yearsLack of broad community supportLow partnership supportLow parental involvementDue to school closing – potential lack of new technology provided to school/studentsSummary of Results/Conclusions: According to data obtained from the 2016 School Report Card, Harper-Archer is categorized as 100% FRL (Free & Reduced Lunch) which is an identifier for low SES. The school had an enrollment of 643 students with 94% Black, 6% Hispanic, 17% SWD, 4% ELL, and a mobility rate of 53.4%. Harper-Archer’s 2016 CCRPI score was 42.8%. Based on the data, all students at Harper-Archer Middle School are at risk of not having equitable access to technology. These numbers indicate the importance of the school to address equitable access to technology for all groups in the school: low SES, Gender (girls), ELL, and SWD. The development of external partnerships is key in addressing access at home and in the community. According to research, equitable access is now a social justice issue with many organizations attempting to solve the issue of the homework gap which disproportionately impacts low SES students. Recommendations from Gap Analysis: Based on results from the Diagnostic Tool and survey results, Equitable Access is the only area where the school is meeting the ISTE Essential Conditions with a score of 45/100. I recommend that the school continue to focus on providing access to all of the students which is 100% Low SES. Additionally, I recommend that the school try to partner with an organization that is committed to closing the homework gap by providing student access at home. To address the gender access I recommend that the school provide a specific tech support team for the girls which includes creating a technology club- (mentorship/partnership) Tech Divas.Data Sources: ISTE Diagnostic Tool, Survey Results, Informal Conversations with Principal, District Technology Plan, School Observations, School Report Card, Douglass High School Cluster PlanESSENTIAL CONDITION FIVE: Skilled Personnel ISTE Definition: Educators and support staff skilled in the use of ICT appropriate for their job responsibilities. Guiding Questions: To what extent are educators and support staff skilled in the use of technology appropriate for their job responsibilities? What do they currently know and are able to do? What are knowledge and skills do they need to acquire? (Note: No need to discuss professional learning here. Discuss knowledge and skills. This is your needs assessment for professional learning. The essential conditions focus on “personnel,” which includes administrators, staff, technology specialists, and teachers. However, in this limited project, you may be wise to focus primarily or even solely on teachers; although you may choose to address the proficiency of other educators/staff IF the need is critical. You must include an assessment of teacher proficiencies.)StrengthsWeaknessesOpportunitiesThreatsPrincipal committed to hiring skilled staffPrincipal committed to providing the necessary PL needed to support staff with technology integrationPrincipal committed to MIE (Microsoft Innovative Educator) CohortDistrict focus on Google Classroom and GAFEDedicated Instructional Technology supportDedicated ETSPrincipal supports staff who wish to integrate technologyStaff morale low due to school closingLack of commitment from staff due to school closingConsistently low grade of F on school report-card (GOSA)Lots of good teachers leaving due to school closingJob stability concernsLack of teacher comfort level with technology integrationOpportunity to increase PL for tech integration with small staffOpportunity for STEM lead teachers & leadership team to become MIE CertifiedOpportunity for the school to become a Microsoft SchoolProvide PL for project-based learningOpportunity to provide PL that addresses the ISTE student standardsSchool phasing out in two yearsLack of broad community supportLow partnership supportLow parental involvementJob stabilitySummary of Results/Conclusions: According to the School Report Card, Harper-Archer has consistently underperformed with a score significantly lower than the district and state average in all academic areas of the Georgia Milestones. The school has received a grade of F every year since 2012 with the exception of 2014 when the school received a score of D. As a result of the consistently low performance, the school is slated to close in two years with a gradual phase out plan. Currently only the 7th and 8th grade students remain at the school. Harper-Archer has had three different principals in the past four years and a consistently high staff turn-over rate. Harper-Archer faces many of the same perils faced by other low-performing schools in high poverty areas. Due to the school’s impending closure many of the more highly qualified staff members have opted to leave for job security. The principal is trying to fill vacant positions with qualified staff members. To further tell the story of the challenges faced at Harper-Archer Middle school, the performance snapshot helps to shed light on the dire academic situation. Harper-Archer Middle School’s overall performance is higher than only 2% of schools in the state and is lower than its districtHarper-Archer’s students’ academic growth is higher than only 2% of schools in the state and lower than its district44.2% of Harper-Archer’s 8th grade students are reading at or above the grade level targetHarper-Archer is in desperate need of skilled personnel in all categories of the school staff.Recommendations from Gap Analysis: Based on results from the Diagnostic Tool and survey results, Harper-Archer’s score is a 4/100 which is too low to be identified as beginning therefore it has to be categorized as non-existent. Harper-Archer has consistently had a score of F on the school report card. This consistently low score serves as another data point for the need for professional learning to provide teachers/staff with the skills they need to become skilled in the area of technology and knowledgeable in the ISTE standards to promote student engagement and achievement. My recommendation for Harper-Archer is to provide ongoing PL sessions that address the ISTE student standards, technology integration, standards alignment with content standards and as well as provide training, support, and modeling of the use of technology to promote student engagement, rigorous instruction, and personalized learning through PBL.Data Sources: ISTE Diagnostic Tool, Survey Results, Informal Conversations with Principal, District Technology Plan, School Observations, School Report Card, Douglass High School Cluster PlanESSENTIAL CONDITION SIX: Ongoing Professional Learning ISTE Definition: Technology-related professional learning plans and opportunities with dedicated time to practice and share ideas. Guiding Questions: What professional learning opportunities are available to educators? Are they well-attended? Why or why not? Are the current professional learning opportunities matched to the knowledge and skills educators need to acquire? (see Skilled Personnel) Do professional learning opportunities reflect the national standards for professional learning (NSDC/Learning Forward)? Do educators have both formal and informal opportunities to learn? Is technology-related professional learning integrated into all professional learning opportunities or isolated as a separate topic? How must professional learning improve/change in order to achieve the shared vision? StrengthsWeaknessesOpportunitiesThreatsDedicated ETS support Weekly technology session during PLCDedicated support from Instructional Technology Dept.Principal committed to STEM Leads and Admin team becoming MIE certifiedStaff morale low due to school closingLack of commitment from staff due to school closingConsistently low grade of F on school report-card (GOSA)Lack of Technology PlanTechnology used haphazardly Lack of school-wide technology integrationOpportunity to increase technology usage by providing ongoing PL sessions for technology integrationOpportunity to provide focused PL through MIE cohortContinued Google Classroom PLContinued GAFE PLOpportunity to incorporate ISTE student standards in PL training and supportProject-based learning trainingPL for STEMSchool phasing out in two yearsLack of broad community supportLow partnership supportLow parental involvementSummary of Results/Conclusions: Based on feedback obtained from the survey as well as feedback from the principal and the school report card, Harper-Archer is in need of ongoing job embedded professional learning to address the academic priorities of the Douglass Cluster. As a cluster, the schools have identified the following academic priorities:Implement integrated, project and problem-based learning projects for grade-level and school-wide implementationEmbed career exposure and real-life connections into the curriculumProvide professional development & support in performance-based assessmentsAdditionally, the Douglass Cluster has created a Douglass Graduate profile which identifies the expected characteristics of students who graduate from the Douglass Cluster. Graduates will be:Academically preparedEngaged learners and critical thinkersCommunity focused and globally awareSkilled problem solversEffective CommunicatorsConfident, resourceful, and responsibleTechnologically savvyBased on the school’s past academic performance as well as the goals and stated academic priorities of the Douglass Cluster, there is a strong need for ongoing professional learning. To help address the technology components of PL, the school has a dedicated Educational Technology Specialist assigned to provide training, modeling, and support for technology integration. Recommendations from Gap Analysis: Based on results from the Diagnostic tool and survey results, Harper-Archer is in the beginning state of addressing ongoing Professional Learning with a score of 39/100. My recommendation for this school is to create a technology plan that has a dedicated focus on the professional learning that is needed to promote student engagement and increase student achievement. Specific PL sessions will be provided on STEM lessons using Microsoft tools, Project-based learning, Google Classroom, as well as Microsoft Innovative Educator Cohort.Data Sources: ISTE Diagnostic Tool, Survey Results, Informal Conversations with Principal, District Technology Plan, School Observations, School Report Card, Douglass High School Cluster PlanESSENTIAL CONDITION SEVEN: Technical Support ISTE Definition: Consistent and reliable assistance for maintaining, renewing, and using ICT and digital resources. Guiding Questions: To what extent is available equipment operable and reliable for instruction? Is there tech assistance available for technical issues when they arise? How responsive is tech support? Are current “down time” averages acceptable? Is tech support knowledgeable? What training might they need? In addition to break/fix issues, are support staff available to help with instructional issues when teachers try to use technology in the classroom? StrengthsWeaknessesOpportunitiesThreatsSchool received standard district tech supportLow student/staff population results in tech support demands loweredSchool has a dedicated field tech for ongoing technical supportDedicated ETSDedicated Instructional Technology supportClient support (help-desk) available for all APS employees for technical supportSelf-help videos available for technical supportStaff morale low due to school closingLack of commitment from staff due to school closingConsistently low grade of F on school report-card (GOSA)Willingness of staff to use/try technologyLow student/staff population- opportunity for more tech support, training, and modelingSchool phasing out in two yearsLack of broad community supportLow partnership supportLow parental involvementSummary of Results/Conclusions: Technical support is the highest EC area scored for Harper-Archer- on the Diagnostic Tool. This is due in large part to the external technical support that is provided to Harper-Archer from both the Department of Instructional Technology as well as Information Technology. Additionally, the onsite support of the field tech and ETS also increases the level of tech support that is provided for Harper-Archer.Recommendations from Gap Analysis: Based on the results from the Diagnostic Tool and Survey results, Harper-Archer is approaching the implementation of Technical Support with a score of 63/100. My recommendation for the school is to continue to follow the district process for requesting technical support via the client support portal, requesting onsite assistance from their local field tech, or requesting specific instructional technology support from the Educational Technology Specialist assigned to the school.Data Sources: ISTE Diagnostic Tool, Survey Results, Informal Conversations with Principal, District Technology Plan, School Observations, School Report Card, Douglass High School Cluster PlanESSENTIAL CONDITION EIGHT: Curriculum Framework ISTE Definition: Content standards and related digital curriculum resources.Guiding Questions: To what extent are educators, students, and parents aware of student technology standards? (ISTE Standards for Students) Are technology standards aligned to content standards to help teachers integrate technology skills into day-to-day instruction and not teach technology as a separate subject? To what extent are there digital curriculum resources available to teachers so that they can integrate technology into the GPS/CCS as appropriate? How is student technology literacy assessed? StrengthsWeaknessesOpportunitiesThreatsPrincipal is willing to support teachers who wish to integrate technologyInstructional Technology Department provides access to digital resources that are aligned to content standardsInstructional Technology Dept. provides PL on the alignment of tech standards to the content standardsInstruct tech focuses on the 4Cs for technology guide for skills supportClasslink – repository of digital content provided for students/teachersStaff morale low due to school closingLack of commitment from staff due to school closingConsistently low grade of F on school report-card (GOSA)Lack of awareness of ISTE Technology StandardsLack of consistent tech integrationLack of Technology PlanLack of school-wide technology focusLack of Digital Citizenship focusOpportunity for teachers and leaders to become MIE or Google Level 1 or 2 certifiedOpportunity for teachers to receive PL for planning using technology standards and content standardsSchool phasing out in two yearsLack of broad community supportLow partnership supportLow parental involvementSummary of Results/Conclusions: Based on Harper-Archer’s consistently low academic performance as identified on the School Report Card as well as their rating on the Diagnostic Tool, Harper-Archer is in need of PL that supports the integration of the ISTE Standards with content standards. Additionally, students and teachers need a shift in instructional practice and delivery. Harper-Archer needs to transition from a teacher-centered delivery model to a student-centered delivery model. The implementation of the ISTE Standards for Students will help the school adopt a curriculum framework that supports the interaction of content standards, technology standards, and pedagogy.Recommendations from Gap Analysis: Based on results from the Diagnostic Tool and survey results, Harper-Archer is in the beginning phase of implementation with the Curriculum Framework for Technology. My recommendation is that Harper-Archer continue to utilize their Educational Technology Specialist for targeted technology lesson planning support. The ETS will be able to assist teachers with the alignment of the ISTE Standards for Students with content standards, as they develop lessons that are student-centered.Data Sources: ISTE Diagnostic Tool, Survey Results, Informal Conversations with Principal, District Technology Plan, School Observations, School Report Card, Douglass High School Cluster PlanReferencesDouglass High School Cluster Plan, 2017. Retrieved 6/28/17 – Diagnostic Tool, retrieved 7/2/17 - , 2017. ISTE Standards for Students: A Practical Guide for Learning with Technology. School Report Card, 2016. Retrieved 7/3/17 - A: ISTE Diagnostic Toolcenter19162100Appendix B: Harper-Archer Survey Results (full survey results)Sample Survey Responses: ................
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