1. Recognize the related legislatures and regulations to
support the needs from your institution.
Being a private school, Rawson-Saunders School is not required to satisfy requirements set by the federal or state government. We are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), which has joined with other accrediting organizations under the AdvancED umbrella. We are also a member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS). The relevant SACS/AdvancED standards include:
Teaching
and Learning:
3.11 Coordinates and ensures ready access to
instructional technology, information and media services, and materials needed
for effective instruction.
3.11 (a) Integration
of technology into the instructional program in all classrooms to meet the
needs of all learners
3.11 (b) Level of
expectations held for technological sophistication and comfort of adults at
school
Professional
development and commitment to continuous improvement:
5.3 Establishes and implements a process to
design, evaluate, and improve professional development and ensures
participation by all faculty and staff
7.5 Provides research-based professional
development for system and school personnel to help them achieve improvement
goals
Financial:
5.5 Engages in long-range
budgetary planning and annually budgets sufficient resources to support its
educational programs and to implement its plans for improvement
Physical
resources:
5.10 Provides technology infrastructure and
equipment that is up-to-date and sufficient to accomplish the system’s goals
(AdvancED,
2007)
NAIS enumerates principles for planning and
managing the use of technology in private schools, which are to be used by administrators,
teachers, and technology personnel. They are organized into:
Leadership: The school administration will provide
support in planning, implementation, and evaluation of technology integration,
and will provide adequate resources for teachers and students
Teaching and Learning: teachers research, evaluate,
and employ technology to support the curriculum to meet learning needs of the
students, and use technology to transform learning through creation of new
learning opportunities
Professional Development: Technology integration is recognized
as a critical piece in teachers’ professional development, and provides both
sufficient time and resources for implementation
Infrastructure and Administrative Operations: The
school has adequate technology resources and technology staff to support efficient
and effective administrative operations. (National Association of Independent
Schools, 2010)
2.
Develop the objectives for the school technology plan
based on the needs from your institution.
A technology plan is to ensure that technology is effectively integrated into instruction. It should be more than a road map for providing computers and software, but must promote professional development and support, meaningful learning in the classroom, and provide the mechanism for evaluation and change. It should be a part of an overall school improvement plan (November, 1998). Although November wrote about the development of the technology plan more than ten years ago, his description is still relevant today.
Following the AdvancED and NAIS guidelines, objectives are:
·
The technology plan will define and support the
role of the administration in the provision of sufficient resources in
professional development, technological equipment, implementation support, and
program evaluation.
·
The technology plan will define and support the
role of teachers and Academic Language Therapists in the integration of
technology in all classrooms to meet the needs of the learner with dyslexia.
·
The technology plan will define a schedule for
evaluating and updating technology that is sufficient to support school
operations, as well as defining the role of the technology support personnel.
NAIS and SACS/AdvancED provide standards for technology in member schools (National Association of Independent Schools, 2010 & AdvancED, 2007). Below are objectives for Rawson-Saunders School in technology and the management and funding of technology.
Management:
- The school administration, department representatives, and technology coordinator will meet at least once per semester to evaluate the use of technology to support instruction, and update a plan to provide ongoing professional development to support implementation of technology integration in the classroom.
- The school administration will provide sufficient and equitable access to technology for faculty and staff: each faculty and staff will have use of a computer, reliable software, network and internet access necessary for teaching and administrative support.
- The school administration will provide sufficient and equitable access to technology for students: each student will have access to hardware, software, network and internet, so that each student will, at minimum, use technology at least once per day.
Funding
- School administration includes technology into financial planning and creates a sustainable financial model for school technology commitments.
Technology
- Classrooms will be provisioned with adequate technology to support integrated instruction including technology for teacher and student use. At minimum this will include a computer with network and internet access, and technology for student use at least once daily
- Administrative and support staff will each have a computer with school management software and productivity software for efficient and effective support of school operations.
- Students, teachers, and staff will have 24/7 access to school-related documents and information.
- A plan for updating and maintaining technology will be written, and then evaluated and revised as needed each year.
- Technology support issues will be addressed within 48 hours by the technology support staff.
- Technology will be integrated into instruction will be as evidenced by lesson plans, teacher and student portfolios, and observation.
Resources:
AdvancED. (2007). AdvancED
Accreditation Standards for Quality School Systems. http://www.broward.k12.fl.us/k12programs/District_Accreditation/pdf/advanced_district_standards.pdf
National Association of Independent Schools. (2010). Technology use in private schools.
Retrieved February 22, 2012, from http://www.nais.org/about/seriesdoc.cfm?ItemNumber=149157&sn.ItemNumber=146810
November, A. (1998). Critical Issue: Developing a school or
district technology plan. Retrieved February 25, 2012, from http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/technlgy/te300.htm
Susan,
ReplyDeleteI am interested in just how your school has created this stable financial model. The school I am collaborating with has relied soley on donations from private individuals and fundraising campaigns. I would like to help the school create a more sustainable plan. Each time they raise money and then use it for purchases. If they could, now while they have viable technology, raise money and invest it, then they could avoid the situation of needed upgrades and having no funding.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
In the nine years I have been with the school, there have been some very difficult years financially. I'm not privy to all the financial details, but I do know that the Board specified that starting this academic year, tuition must cover all operating expenses. Previously, it covered about 80 - 85% of expenses with fundraising making up the difference. Our tuition is high - it always has been - especially with our low teacher/student ratio. Scholarship money is still scant, and it does affect our demographics. The past couple of years, fundraising money has gone to the scholarship fund, technology, and the playground. I have written some grants for technology that have been funded, but they have not been large. As you perhaps know, small private schools often do not fit grant organization's demographic or impact (numbers of children benefiting) profile. I doubt we are fully stable financially, but at least have a handle on it.
DeleteRecommending a tuition increase is tough, but that is the foundation of our financial structure at present.
Your technology objectives are very interesting. What would your definition of "adequate technology to support integrated instruction including technology for teacher and student use"? Do you know the ration of students to computers for your institution? Based on the answers to you two questions, do you believe your institution is working hard to effectively meet the Vision of 2020 by the Texas Education Agency? "The teaching and learning process must be receptive to a wide variety of options,including expansion of learning extended into the home and into the broader community, development of virtual relationships among learners, and learning
ReplyDeletethrough online and other distributed learning environments" (Texas Education Agency, 2010).
References:
Texas Education Agency. (2010). Progress Report on the Long-Range Plan for Technology 2006-2020. Texas Education Agency. Retrieved February 8, 2012, from www.tea.state.tx.us/technology/etac
Robyn,
ReplyDeleteI did struggle somewhat with the definition of "adequate...", but decided to specify what it means minimally, "At minimum this will include a computer with network and internet access, and technology for student use at least once daily" I feel teachers may have differing definitions of "adequate" but needed to have a measurable specification.
Our middle school students bring their own laptops, so they have a 1:1 ratio. The ratio in the elementary grades is about 3:1. I believe this has a high impact on technology use; teachers use technology much less in the elementary classrooms since technology must be shared.
We are working toward the targets in TEA's Vision 2020. Since we are a school for children with dyslexia, we are very receptive to a wide variety of options in teaching and learning, but we have not implemented much using virtual relationships and online learning.
Susan, I support your minimal specification of "adaquate". That definition is likely to change overtime from 3:1 being adaquate today for elementary grades but growing to 1:1 some years from now. I think the definition of adaquate ultimately depends upon the Teaching and Learning strategy, as you point out. For example, if the teachers have an instructional plan that requires full-time immersion in technology for some students, but not others (differentiation based on needs)then the definition of "student use once daily" won't be sufficient. But as you say, the teachers need to start with some measurable specification. Good Job.
DeleteDo you feel the major problem is the availability of technology, or the Teaching and Learning strategy to incorporate a sufficient level of technology?
Mike,
DeleteAvailability of technology is a problem, but not an insurmountable one. Technology encompasses more than just computers; teaching and learning can employ mobile devices, MP3 players, digital cameras, flip cameras, voice recorders, and more. Many of us have made do with what we have, and still have successfully and meaningfully brought technology into the classroom.
Thanks for your support for setting minimal specs. You’re right, this will change over time and vary with our needs.
In objective 3.11 - integrating technology - how do you as a teacher alter lessons when using technology to meet the needs of all learners. Using flexiable technology allows for alternative lesson to meet the needs of the diverse learner while challenging others. I recently read a very interesting article. Here is a segment from it's content.
ReplyDelete"Simple graphics software and word processors, as well as resources and tools found on the Internet, offer students a variety of ways to access content, work with information to develop understanding, and demonstrate what they know. Yet the power of this readily accessible technology may not be obvious to all teachers or to those at the site or district level who make decisions about allocating technology, professional development, and other resources " (Wahl & Duffield, nd)
This article also list additional technology resources that will help teachers meet the needs of all diverse learners as well as how text talk can benefit students with reading disabilities or ESL students.
Reference:
Wahl, L & Duffield, J. (nd. Using flexable technology to meet the needs of diverse learners: What teachers can do. West Ed. Retrieved (2012, February 26) from http://www.wested.org/online_pubs/kn-05-01.pdf
Lori -
ReplyDeleteMy school is specifically for learners with dyslexia, and all instruction is multisensory - providing multiple modes of presenting information, engaging students, and expressing ideas - and uses direct instruction, which has been effective for students with dyslexia who often have language processing and memory difficulties. The article you reference ends with a discussion of universal design for learning (UDL), which is essentially our multisensory classroom. We have not fully integrated technology; it's a work in progress, but technology does provide additional options for creating the multisensory environment.
Thanks for referencing the article. The general categories of technology tools discussed are ones we use, although the exact tools differ from the ones the authors list. I will explore the tools discussed in the article. One can always benefit from having additional resources.
Susan, great objectives for question 2! Your 2nd objective will greatly assit the learner with dyslexia.
ReplyDeleteBased on your objectives designed for Technology and Management, should we include additional funding objectives to support those needs?
Susan,
ReplyDeleteI like your goal about technology integration. The amount of technology available today, I think this goal is a must for every school. Research shows it has proven results and it keep the students engaged. "Effective technology integration is achieved when its use supports curricular goals. It must support four key components of learning: active engagement, participation in groups, frequent interaction and feedback, and connection to real-world experts." (Edutopia)
Reference
Edutopia. 2012. Core Strategy. Technology Integration. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/technology-integration
I agree. At my school, we recently got a grant for iPads for all faculty. Last Friday, my teaching partner and I borrowed iPads from other teachers, and used them in the classroom - a first for our school. Maybe it was the novelty, but I know many of my students have an iPad/iPhone/tablet at home. It was one of my best lessons this year! As you all know, classroom management issues virtually disappear when students are totally engaged. So while we integrate technology to support curricular goals, other benefits abound!
Delete