Week 12 Step 9 - Critique the Existing Technology Plan
Critique the existing technology plan in your school/district and answer the following questions:
Discussion STEP 9:
After conducting a needs assessment, our district identified the following critical areas of need in technology, funding and management issues.
*Time to accommodate technology-related professional development
Due to increased demands on the time of all personnel, the scheduling of staff development opportunities continues to be a challenge. Various methods of training have been incorporated into staff development, however reaching all necessary staff with effective training is not always accomplished. The district has begun to evaluate on-line, on-demand, and real-time video-based training on a small scale to see if technology can assist with effectively reaching all users. The initial response has been very positive. Utilizing this technology is proving to be a great success since ALL users can be reached with the necessary information at a time when the individual is available to participate. This new type of professional development delivery will greatly reduce the amount of necessary trainers while effectively conveying topic specific staff development to ALL users. This new solution however, brings about new challenges. Not only will the district have to invest in hardware and software to deliver the content but will also be required to have necessary technical personnel to ensure that the infrastructure is available at all times.
*Need for technical personnel to support all existing and new technologies
Technology continues to change on a daily basis and the demands for utilizing new technologies in the classroom are sky rocketing. Many technologies which have traditionally been maintained by other departments are now being incorporated into the IT world. These technologies include security systems, voice communications, video, and building controls just to name a few. These new technologies can greatly enhance learning, provide for safer schools, and reduce overall costs but not without an impact on IT environments. The necessary skilled personnel will have to be put in place to support the new demands in all areas of computing
*Increased need for instructional technology personnel in the classrooms
Teachers are focused on delivering the best possible lessons in classrooms and have been well-trained in traditional teaching methods. In today’s technology world, teachers must be able to embrace and incorporate new teaching methods into their curriculum utilizing these innovative technologies. By implementing new positions in instructional technology, classroom teachers could begin to observe and develop new lessons geared towards technology-minded students.
*Demands for technology funding
Funding continues to be a challenge for all school systems and with current economic trends there is no change on the horizon. Districts must try to find creative solutions for funding projects while at the same time working smarter to reduce costs in all areas. The district will continue to focus on funding sources such as grants and E-Rate while at the same time evaluating technologies which can potentially save dollars through reduced energy consumption and consolidation of services.
Due to increased demands on the time of all personnel, the scheduling of staff development opportunities continues to be a challenge. Various methods of training have been incorporated into staff development, however reaching all necessary staff with effective training is not always accomplished. The district has begun to evaluate on-line, on-demand, and real-time video-based training on a small scale to see if technology can assist with effectively reaching all users. The initial response has been very positive. Utilizing this technology is proving to be a great success since ALL users can be reached with the necessary information at a time when the individual is available to participate. This new type of professional development delivery will greatly reduce the amount of necessary trainers while effectively conveying topic specific staff development to ALL users. This new solution however, brings about new challenges. Not only will the district have to invest in hardware and software to deliver the content but will also be required to have necessary technical personnel to ensure that the infrastructure is available at all times.
*Need for technical personnel to support all existing and new technologies
Technology continues to change on a daily basis and the demands for utilizing new technologies in the classroom are sky rocketing. Many technologies which have traditionally been maintained by other departments are now being incorporated into the IT world. These technologies include security systems, voice communications, video, and building controls just to name a few. These new technologies can greatly enhance learning, provide for safer schools, and reduce overall costs but not without an impact on IT environments. The necessary skilled personnel will have to be put in place to support the new demands in all areas of computing
*Increased need for instructional technology personnel in the classrooms
Teachers are focused on delivering the best possible lessons in classrooms and have been well-trained in traditional teaching methods. In today’s technology world, teachers must be able to embrace and incorporate new teaching methods into their curriculum utilizing these innovative technologies. By implementing new positions in instructional technology, classroom teachers could begin to observe and develop new lessons geared towards technology-minded students.
*Demands for technology funding
Funding continues to be a challenge for all school systems and with current economic trends there is no change on the horizon. Districts must try to find creative solutions for funding projects while at the same time working smarter to reduce costs in all areas. The district will continue to focus on funding sources such as grants and E-Rate while at the same time evaluating technologies which can potentially save dollars through reduced energy consumption and consolidation of services.
I still maintain that on paper our district has a fabulous technology plan. They conducted a thorough needs assessment across the district, and I think they identified four areas which need more attention. The question I am to answer, however, is how did the district meet the existing needs in technology, funding, and management. The plan includes a need for professional development on-line, on-demand, and real-time video training. This has not been met. The district offered some training online a couple of years ago, but nothing since.
Another need was technical support personnel for all the new technology equipment. That need still exists. operation.
A third need was that of an instructional technologist on each campus to assist teachers with lesson plans and incorporating technology into their daily classroom routine. That need has not been met either. As a matter of fact when I had the opportunity to attend a district planning meeting at the administration building last a SHSU classmate, the supervisor of instructional technology and myself each voiced the need for and the importance of this position. Our current superintendent said there was no funding for such a position, however, it is in the district plan! Our superintendent-elect seems to have technology as more of a priority though.
The fourth need is the only need that I feel has been satisfied. We continue to receive the e-rate funding each year. I am not sure what other avenues the district seeks funding from, but I have been invited to serve on a district technology team and we are to meet May 11, and that is one of my first questions: Where else are we seeking money?
The goals for professional development had measurable outcomes of the number of documented hours accumulated , an increase in attendance at technology training, and computer-based training staff development logs. No specific percentages or numbers were associated with the measurable outcomes, but all of these items can be analyzed to assist with future improvement of technology training.
The measurable outcomes for both of the mentioned personnel would obviously be the hiring of said personnel. When these positions are created and filled, then we will know that we have met these goals.
For the funding, one measurable outcome would be the e-rate grant awarded yet again. Other measurable outcomes include the number of grant proposals submitted to external resources, and the number of grants received.
One strategy is to continue to receive the e-rate grant or funding. For the district to continue to receive this grant each year the district must reapply, and submit a technology plan for the district and it must be approved by TEA.
Another strategy for funding is to seek out other grants. The district will need a grant writing team that will follow TEA’s guidelines. Some possible grants available are: American Reinvestment and Recovery Act,Carl D. Perkins, No Child Left Behind, School Improvement Program, Statewide Longitudinal Data System LEA Grant, Title VI, Part B, Subpart 2 – Rural Low Income School Program, Life Skills Parenting Program, Optional Extended Year Program, Prekindergarten Early Start (PKES) Tier 2, Year 2, Special Education, Student Clubs Grant, Cycle 2, and Student Success Initiative Program (SSI). (TEA, 2012)
To improve the number of attendees at technology professional development, some strategies are to provide ongoing sustained professional development, and also, provide on-line staff development registration and records portfolio.
The strategy for the personnel positions is to provide a technology-proficient, certified teacher to serve as full-time instructional technologists on each campus as a natural part of staffing.
References
BISD Technology Plan. (2010).
TEA Grant Resources. 2012. Retrieved on March 19, 2012 from http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index2.aspx?id=2147487920&menu_id=951.
I worked with more grants being written too. How did you figure out how many more were written this year compared to last year? Did you offer incentives for teachers to write them? How did you get them motivated to write more? Our school had a better turn out for grant writing, but still not as many as we hoped. We are hoping to get more written last year!
ReplyDeleteGreat question, Bridget. I honestly do not know how many grants are written each year. My school alone has over 160 teachers and we are only one of three high schools. I am not sure if anyone at the district level keeps track of this number. The grants I would specifically address are those written by the district technology committee. Our district does not offer any incentives for writing grants other than receiving the money or material for which the grant is directed.
DeleteI like the idea of offering video-based training. Everyone is so busy doing so many things. It is hard to meet for whole group training. I think it's similar to this program. I wanted to learn more about technology instruction, so I chose a program online that I could complete at times of the day that were convenient to me. One source I read states that this time of training makes learning flexible and accessible. (PBS TeacherLine, 2012)
ReplyDeleteReference
PBS TeacherLine. 2012. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/teacherline/why/
Monica, as a teacher, a student, a mom, a wife, a daughter, etc. I, too, would love the option of completing technology training or any type training actually via online modes. Not only would this make professional development flexible and more accessible, I believe this would be a morale booster as well!
DeleteJoy,
ReplyDeleteI think it is a common issue: a plan exists that looks good on paper, but is not fully implemented. A major problem is that these plans are written with a target funding level in mind, but it appears that districts will be forced to make hard choices based on the $4 billion cut from the state education budget. With personnel-related costs accounting for more than 80% of education budgets, it is almost certain a good portion of the shortfall will be felt in personnel (The Associated Press, 2011). Districts have been cutting professionals such as librarians, counselors, and technology facilitators. At a presentation by some Katy ISD technology facilitators at the TCEA convention last February, they told of their department going from 26 tech facilitators to 6. Without adequate funding, many technology plans are in the same position as Beaumont’s.
The Associated Press. (2011). Texas house passes school funding measure. Retrieved April 17, 2012, from http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2011/06/10/texas-house-passes-school-funding-measure/
Joy
DeleteI agree with you one hundred percent. that our technology plan looks good on papaer. The plan includes a need for professional development on-line, on-demand, and real-time video training which has not been achieved. Another need was technical support personnel for all the new technology equipment. That need still exists. operation.
A third need was that of an instructional technologist on each campus to assist teachers with lesson plans and incorporating technology into their daily classroom routine.QWe ar lacking in this area also. My question to you is, do you think we will every accomplish these goals?
Susan, so far our district has managed to maintain our faculty and staff as is. However, few years ago they did do away with elementary school librarians and have been staffing them with aides. And also at the elementary level I believe multiple elementary schools share counselors. But that all started in our district years ago as a way to save the district money. So far our technology liaisons have not lost their positions and we have one on each campus. I am glad that that seems to be a priority within our district. We are about to have a new superintendent and he has technology at the forefront of his plans even more so.
DeleteTanya, we can only hope that with our new superintendent that perhaps we will! I think the first three will be accomplished first because they will require the least amount of funding. I am hoping though that the third need, an instructional technologists on each campus, will be accomplished one day in the future. We may have to start slow. Dr. Thomas only mentioned hiring 2 initially - one for elementary and one for secondary - at least that would be a step in the right direction.
DeleteJoy,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your post. I know that there a lot of school districts (including mine) that depend upon E-Rate funding. If this funding was not available, do you have any ideas where school districts would look for additional funds besides corporate donors? Thanks. Carol
Carol if e-rate funding was not available, then corporate donors and grants are the only means I can think of. However, I really need to research that more. I didn't realize until I began working on this degree just how many different kinds of grants are available. I am anxious to sit down and work on some grants for my district and my school (of course that will have to wait until after May 7!). Do you have any ideas or suggestions?
Delete