ESSENTIAL CONDITION ONE: ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY



Name: Corinne Biamby Semester: Spring 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? StrengthsWeaknessesOpportunitiesThreatsTechnology is used almost daily in my school in the media center, computer labs and in many classrooms in the school. Technology is used to teach students skills to create multimedia projects, to communicate with students, parents and administrators. Technology is also used to present content in the form of PowerPoint presentations, YouTube movies and movie clips. Technology use targets student achievement through the creation of authentic assessments that require students to think critically and analyze real-life scenarios through project based learning. Teachers are required to provide research based best practices using technology.Not every teacher uses technology to its fullest potential. Some teachers use technology only to take attendance, check email and show power points.Student achievement targets using technology is therefore lacking at my school.Day to day instruction using technology is limited to those teachers who are comfortable using technology. The school district can train and support teachers who need technology support. They also must provide teachers with ongoing support in face to face sessions and easily accessible online access. Department heads and technology coaches can provide specialized training based on the results obtained from teacher surveys indicating their technology needs. Furthermore, teachers within content departments can support each other through peer training sessions during their PLCs. Teachers with more experience can provide research based best practices that align with the technology standards, which then can support student engagement, deep understanding of content and transfer of content knowledge.Teachers will use technology to say that they use it and not to promote technology skills and higher order and critical thinking skills for students.In an effort to comply with technology standard requirements, teachers may not align their instructional practices to research based best practices on a daily basis.Summary of Results/Conclusions:Technology is widely used in our school in a variety of ways to promote student engagement and to ensure that student acquire skills that will benefit student in their academic and personal lives. There is real need for ongoing professional development that addresses teacher needs and interests regarding technology.Recommendations from Gap Analysis: The biggest gap exists between the teachers who are trained and experienced to use technology and those who are not. Student centered learning can only be fully achieved when all teachers are equipped with the technology skills necessary to provide rich and authentic, content that engages every student and stimulate them to become independent learners who think critically. Teachers need to be supported on a long-term basis by technology coach, or teachers who are experts using technology.Data Sources:Sneninger, E. (2014) Digital Leadership: Changing Paradigms for Changing Times. Corwin Press. Ontario Principals Councils.Knight, J. (2007). Instructional Coaching: A partnership Approach to Improving Instruction. Corwin Press.Responses from Technology surveyLead and transform Diagnostic Tool, ISTE ResourcesFulton County Strategic PlanFulton County Technology 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? StrengthsWeaknessesOpportunitiesThreatsThere is a technology vision in the district and school. The vision is aligned to the state and national vision.Teachers, parents, administrators, students and other community members are aware of the vision which is available both on the school and district websites. Our stakeholders believe that students should have access to personal devices and be trained to use the effectively. Students should be equipped with 21st century technology skills to allow them to successfully compete in the future workforce. The vision is similar and align to to research based best practices.Educators in my school believe that we must teach our students to use technology not only in their academic lives, but as a tool to improve their personal and social lives as well. We believe that students’ engagement increase when technology is utilized in the classroom.Strategies that have been utilized include flipped classrooms, digital review games, online and virtual classrooms.Some of the components of the technology vision has been implemented.Our students will only be receiving their personal devices next Fall. Some parts of the implementation require that students have their own devices.Some parents do not have access to Internet, which hinders their ability to support their student at home.Some teachers believe that they can teach their students critical thinking skills and other learning strategies without technology.Greater oversight should be given to ensure that every teacher is implementing all parts of the vision by providing incentives. Individual teachers can invite parents to their websites to demonstrate the skills their students are learning. Parents should be asked for contributing ideas to the school vision.The school can engage parents through surveys and questionnaires. The school can also offer courses to parents.Teachers can become overwhelmed by other student related issues, such as absenteeism and discipline, that implementing the vision becomes secondary. Some schools face increasing drug problems, disciplinary issues and transient families, which can hamper the vision for not only the school, but the community in general.Teachers may also lack the resources necessary to carry out the vision.Summary of Results/Conclusions:Our school has a technology plan that is part of a strategic plan to ensure that our teachers and students have technology tools which will equip them with technology skills needed for the 21st century. The gap exists between those who carry out the vision and those who need to. Parental involvement in the vision is also limited. Parental involvement is crucial since parents have the greatest influence on their students. Recommendations from Gap Analysis: The vision is not fully pursued by all teachers and parents. Teachers need to buy into the vision, they need to be supported in the areas where they struggle to begin to “see” the vision for the school. Teachers should receive incentives to implement the school vision. Parental involvement is critical to the success of the vision. Parents can play a greater role by participating in curriculum design alongside other community partners. I believe that community/business leaders need to forge partnerships with schools to offer internships, employment an invaluable work skills to our students (and perhaps even parents)Data Sources:Responses from Technology surveyLead and transform Diagnostic Tool, ISTE ResourcesFulton County Strategic PlanFulton County Technology 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.StrengthsWeaknessesOpportunitiesThreatsOur school has an adequate plan to guide technology use. This plan is part of the strategic plan for the district. The plan is an important part of the strategic plan. The school is meeting the needs of our special education students and English language learners by purchasing iPads for these population and teaching the students technology skills to afford them with the advantage of having these skills. Not all parts of the plan are currently being implemented. Some teachers are still in need of technology training and ongoing support. We do not have a technology plan that addresses the needs of our low SES and genre groups. We also lack culturally relevant digital content and knowledgeable technology mentors for these groups.To strengthen training, each department should have members who will serve as the in-house content coaches who will serve teachers with minor technology issues.Our school need to provide incentives to student groups such as females, to promote student interest in STEM majors. Teachers may resist the vision if they are opposed to using technology. Some teachers may be unwilling to teach relevant digital content which is culturally relevant, we must find ways to make them compliant.Summary of Results/Conclusions:We need to expand our technology plan and have specific provisions for our low SES groups and gender groups. We need to target these groups specifically. Our special education and ESOL students have been provided with I-pads to increase their academic skills, but I believe that more is needed. Recommendations from Gap Analysis: The technology plan needs to be rewritten to include provisions for our low SES and gender groups. The special education department, ESOL teachers, advocates for genre groups along with parents should be part of the group writing the vison plan for the school and district. Special attention should be given to their specific needs.Data Sources:Sneninger, E. (2014) Digital Leadership: Changing Paradigms for Changing Times. Corwin Press. Ontario Principals Councils.Responses from Technology surveyLead and transform Diagnostic Tool, ISTE ResourcesFulton County Strategic PlanFulton County Technology PlanInterview with the principalESSENTIAL 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? StrengthsWeaknessesOpportunitiesThreatsTeachers, students, administrators have access to computers and digital content. Every student in the district in middle no high school will be receiving their own personal device in the fall. Parents of these children will now also have access to these devices. Students can download materials that they can use later if they do not have access to the internet at home.Currently teachers have access to their own personal laptops and surface pro 3. Teachers also have access to interactive whiteboards. Students with disabilities are afforded with assistive technology.Parents of students who have no access to Internet at home are limited in what they can do. There may not be funds necessary to obtain all of the tools needed or requested by teachers.Parents who do not have technology skills themselves cannot support their students in their effort to acquire technology skills.The district need to set up extended bandwidth from the county libraries and other community munity partners, such as Xfinity can set up hotspots in the community to extend Internet access.Additional Internet access can be provided by extending before and after school media center hours.School band width should be extended so that every class room and every hall way has Internet connection.The district has the opportunity to provide every student in middle school and high school with a personal device.Tools are not available to every student in some schools in the district.Summary of Results/Conclusions:Teachers in our school have their personal devices and have digital tools that enable us to engage our students and teach them a variety of technology skills to help them learn at their own pace and be prepared for the 21st century. There is reliable Internet connection in the school and sufficient bandwidth to accommodate the use of devices throughout the school.Recommendations from Gap Analysis: The school district needs to provide hotspots in the community and increase school hours before and after school to provideInternet connection to students who lack Internet connection at home. Parents should also be offered technology skills classes to improve their own personal lives and to equip them to help their students at home.Data Sources:Responses from Technology surveyLead and transform Diagnostic Tool, ISTE ResourcesFulton County Strategic PlanFulton County Technology PlanInterview with my principalESSENTIAL 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.)StrengthsWeaknessesOpportunitiesThreatsSome teachers and support staff are highly skilled in the use of technology.Currently teachers at my school are required to use technology to meet basic school needs such as taking attendance but also and to promote critical thinking and strategies. Some teachers are using technology to engage students in authentic learning by extending their classroom to include professionals in the community and in other countries.The administration is working on providing training to teachers involving personalized learning. Teachers received their surface pro 3 and the roll out for the students will happen next fall.Some teachers in our school can only use technology for basic use such as taking attendance and showing power points.There isn't any online support system to assist teachers or ongoing follow up after technology professional development sessions.Professional development training is not based on teacher interest and needs.Some teachers lack the necessary skills to technology based strategies to engage students in critical and higher order thinking.Technology coaches can assist the teachers who need additional training and support.Teachers need to be provided with ongoing support which can be online and or face to face. School systems need to hire additional technology coaches or train members of each content department.When teachers are not monitored regularly, some may continue to underperform and not acquire the necessary technology skills to incorporate technology in daily instruction according to national standards.Technology coaches if not properly supported can burn out from serving the entire community of teachers.Summary of Results/Conclusions:Our teachers are skilled, but there are some who need additional support. They also need to be convinced that they can do more with the help of technology. Teachers complain that there isn’t any ongoing support for technology training.Recommendations from Gap Analysis: The gap an be bridged by offering additional technology support through tutorial onlione classes or face to face meeting during department PLCs. Teachers should be offered incentives to acquire such skills instead of settling for negative TKES evaluation when it comes the lack of use of technology.Data Sources:Responses from Technology surveyLead and transform Diagnostic Tool, ISTE ResourcesFulton County Strategic PlanFulton County Technology 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? StrengthsWeaknessesOpportunitiesThreatsThere are a variety of learning opportunities available to our educators. They are well attended because they are required training. The current training is matched to therequired knowledge for the. professional learning opportunities reflect that is dictated by the national standards. Our educators have both formal and informal opportunities to learn.Professional learning aligns with the technology component of the shared vision.Some of the learning opportunities do not reflect the needs of the instructors in the school. Teachers feel obligated to attend knot from a desire to learn, but out of fear of the consequences.The current training does not address the needs of the teachers. The formal and informal opportunities to learn do not address the immediate needs of the teachers in the school.The school can survey teachers to find out what their current concerns and needs for technology are.Attendance to these training sessions will be large because teachers will attend because they are truly interested. These learning opportunities can be achieved through small groups like the PLCs, or large group professional development sessions.Teachers can become despondent and resistant to change if their technology needs are not met.Teachers will attend mandatory training, but will not implement the learned strategy.Professional development will be determined by the district and not by the results obtained from local teacher surveys.Summary of Results/Conclusions:Professional development sessions need to address the current deficiencies and interests of teachers. They should continue to be aligned to the national standards, but they should be specific enough to address the current needs of teachers in the school.Recommendations from Gap Analysis: There needs to be greater teacher involvement when it comes to the topics for professional development. Teachers should be able to express not only their needs when it comes to technology, but also some of their desires for technology implementation (new toys). When their needs are truly addressed teachers will be willing to not only attend, but follow up with technology training. Data Sources:Responses from Technology surveyLead and transform Diagnostic Tool, ISTE ResourcesFulton County Strategic PlanFulton County Technology 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? StrengthsWeaknessesOpportunitiesThreatsEquipment in our school is operable and reliable for instruction.When technical issues arise, support is available through the school IT and the technology help desk. The technology help desk responds quickly, usually within the hour. The current downtime averages are acceptable. Our IT is very knowledgeable and usually responds within one half hour.Our technology coach is available for instructional issues.We do not have everything we need. Some of the monitoring of equipment need to be improved to make teachers more accountable.There are some issues that the IT cannot resolve and the wait time increases before the issue is resolved.We have many teachers and our technology coach cannot possibly help every teacher in a timely fashion.We can buy additional equipment with funds obtained through our community partners.Some teachers be rise to the occasion and resolve the problem for their peers without the assistance of the IT or the technology help desk. The technology coach can train teachers in content areas to address minimal tech issues, so that they can help the members in their own department with minor issues.Due to inefficiency in monitoring, equipment may continue to go missing and the school will be responsible to replace lost or stolen.As teachers take matters into their own hands when the support is not there, they may actually make things worse, by trying to fix the issues themselvesSummary of Results/Conclusions:Resources are widely available in our school. We have assistance when issues arise, but not all of them are not always quickly resolved.Recommendations from Gap Analysis: Our wonderful IT and technology could need additional support in the building. They serve over 2000 students, and more than a hundred teachers. We need to hire or train additional teachers, with compensations to become assistant to the professionals. I call them small group support, they can be assigned to content departments, and serve those teachers only with minor issues. Currently we have self-help tutorials online, but what some of us need is simply another human being.Data Sources:Lead and transform Diagnostic Tool, ISTE ResourcesFulton County Strategic PlanFulton County Technology 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? StrengthsWeaknessesOpportunitiesThreatsEducators, students and parents are keenly aware of our technology standards which are posted on the school website for easy access.Technology standards are aligned to content standards as part of the TKES assessment for teachers.Digital resources are available to teachers who can demonstrate need and effective use of the resources based on research based bets practices.Student technology literacy is assessed by the content teacher who provides technology based content standards to their students.Some parents due to their socio- economic status and on occasion lack or inability to survey the school website, are not aware of the requirements and cannot therefore encourage their students to take advantage of the varied opportunities available through technology.Some teachers are intimidated by technology and lack the support to master the skills necessary to use it efficiently.Teachers need to show the effectiveness and need for digital resources. They are also required to write a proposal to validate their need. Not every teacher use technology in their class room to promote critical thinking skills and therefore some students are missing out on the opportunity to learn the necessary skills to acquire much needed skills to be successful in the twenty first century workforce.The school system/school has the opportunity to train parents and guardians to use technology.The school can employ more technology coaches to support individual teachers in their areas of weakness. Teachers can decide in their PLC on the-digital resources that will most beneficial to the students. The written proposal can therefore become a collaborative effort.As teachers are supported by their technology coaches, they can become more proficient in their technology use and lead and teach their students the skills needed to be more competent.The number of teachers in the school can hamper the effectiveness of the time in terms of how much time she can reasonably devote to the teachers who need the support.Students may need additional and extended support mastering certain technology skills. Summary of Results/Conclusions:Teachers are aware of the technology standards and are trying to provide instruction that align with these standards. However, teachers do not have the training and support that is needed to fully implement standard- based instruction supported by adequate, efficient, and effective technology. Recommendations from Gap Analysis: Teachers need additional skills to increase their level of comfort with the use of technology. We can achieve this comfort level by providing small group within the department help and support. There should also be an evaluation system in place to ensure that teachers have mastered specific skills and are implementing the technology skills and strategies. Parents should also be included in this group and teachers/students providing these services should be remunerated.Data Sources:Responses from Technology surveyLead and transform Diagnostic Tool, ISTE ResourcesFulton County Strategic PlanFulton County Technology PlanReferences:Knight, J. (2007). Instructional Coaching: A Partnership Approach to Improving Instruction, Corwin PressSheninger, E. (2014). Digital Leadership: Changing Paradigms for Changing Times. Corwin Press. Ontario Principal’s Council.Fulton County Public Schools Strategic plan. (2017) Retrieved from ISTE, Technology Standards, Retrieved from standardsAppendix A:Appendix B:Technology Needs Survey Questions:Teachers are comfortable with technology in my schoolTeachers do not mind assigning students reading materials ahead of the class discussion planned for the next day.Students have ample amount of time to ask questions during classTeachers need time during class to work with students individually or in small groupsStudents will be more engaged with digital contentAdministrators should analyze mass student data to find patterns within groups and plan to serve these groupsTeachers should have data on the specific student groups in their classes.Every student in my school has access to the internetEvery student in my school has access to homework help onlineStudents have greater opportunity to learn and observe from laboratory experiments which are virtual. ................
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