1. Recognize the related legislatures and regulations to support the needs from your institution.
The needs of Anahuac ISD that were identified in Report I were: the need for an Instructional Technologist to assist the teachers in bridging the gap between classroom instruction and technology, installing wireless on all 3 campuses, and replacing all the fiber cables between the campuses.
Employing an Instructional Technologist would fall into the category of a “high quality professional development…on going” that would enable our teachers to have personnel on hand within our district to consult with at anytime for the betterment of our students’ education.
School decision makers are challenged to budget real costs of technology, including high quality professional development, both initial and ongoing, and to secure the funding to support that budget. Collaborative and ongoing planning, consistent with the Long-Range Plan for Technology and articulated with campus and district plans, is necessary if schools are to see improved student learning based on data-driven decisions. Fulfilling the vision of technology requires district, campus, and teacher leaders who articulate and advocate a vision of what technology can do for teaching and learning as well as school operations. (TEA, 2010)
In the Long Range Plan for Technology Plan Brochure the high points are summarized. It states that
All learners:
• have access to relevant technologies, tools, resources and services for individualized instruction 24/7. (TEA, 2010)
Having wireless installed on all 3 campuses would give our students freer access to the Internet in order to conduct individualized instruction. Having the fiber cables replaced could fall under this also.
2. Develop the objectives for the school technology plan based on the needs from your institution.
The Technology Plan for AISD serves as a vision regarding the implementation of technology use in the district. In order for the students of AISD to remain competitive with other students throughout the world and in the professional work place the district must remain up-to-date and begin to move to the forefront with technology instruction.
Objectives:
· AISD will employ a full time Instructional Technologist to aid teachers in the implementation of technology into their classroom instruction.
· AISD will stall wireless on all 3 campuses so that students will have access to have access to relevant technologies, tools, resources and services for individualized instruction 24/7. (TEA, 2010)
· AISD will replace the fiber cable between the campuses to improve the quality of the infrastructure of the district.
3. Identify the objective for each area of Technology, Funding, and Management. Provide the needed elements for each objective to make sure that it’s measurable.
Technology
· All teachers in the district will receive aligned, effective, research based professional development on integrating technology into all curriculum areas in classrooms, libraries, and curriculum labs and on using technologies as an administrative tool when needed. This can be measured by evidence that the strategies have been implemented into the classrooms, libraries, and curriculum labs.
Funding
· The district will collaborate with at least one other local entity to share resources. This can be measured by if it actually happens or not.
Management
· All campuses will have technology and telecommunications infrastructure that facilitates good communications, instruction, and other services. This can be measured by how smoothly daily operations run with the infrastructure of the system.
Texas Education Agency. (2010, August). Long range plan for technology,2006-2020. Retrieved January 25, 2012, from tea.state.tx.us: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index2.aspx?id=5082&menu_id=2147483665.
Texas Education Agency. (2010). Long Range Plan for Technology Plan Vision 2020 Brochure. Retrieved February 20, 2012, from http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index2.aspx?id=5082&menu_id=2147483665
I think having wireless access points in the school are a big need. We have several on my campus, but our infrastructure needs to be updated so we could handle more. One source I read states, "Following on the success of Wireless LANs (WLANs) in higher education, an increasing number of K-12 schools are also integrating wireless and mobile technologies to better meet instructional demands and provide more users with online resources." (Enabling the Wireless School) Technology is growing rapidly and many students have wireless enabled learning devices in their pockets daily. Having a school that can support that is a big plus.
ReplyDeleteReference:
Enabling the Wireless School. 2009. Retrieved from http://www.brocade.com/downloads/documents/white_papers/Enabling_Wireless_School_WP_00.pdf
I totally agree. Having our students being able to access information from their own devices is a plus in my book.
DeleteLaura, based on your report I needs and weaknesses sections, please elaborate more on the required standards needed to support your new updated technology plan. For example, what part of Long-Range Plan for Technology will be applied to AISD to improve the technology facility standards? What other standards TEA requires AISD to fulfill the minimum requirements?
ReplyDeleteFor question 3, you can include more objectives for each area. For example, "All teachers in the district will receive aligned, effective, research based professional development on integrating technology into all curriculum areas in classrooms, libraries, and curriculum labs and on using technologies as an administrative tool when needed. "
The statement above focused on professional development and administrative tools. Should they be divided into more specific objectives?
For the measuring methods, you stated "This can be measured by evidence that the strategies have been implemented into the classrooms, libraries, and curriculum labs."
What kind of strategies? How do we measure the success?
For the management, you stated "This can be measured by how smoothly daily operations run with the infrastructure of the system."
How do we measure smoothly daily operations?
Please refer to CSTE 5337 objective writing format to provide a minimum of 3 elements for each objective.
GOAL 1: Staff performance in technology will continuously improve through educator preparation and staff development.
DeleteOBJECTIVE 1.1:
100% of the educators in the district will receive aligned, effective, research based professional development on integrating technology (including but not limited to graphing calculators, digital and video cameras, document cameras, SMART Borads and video projectors) into all curriculum areas in classrooms, libraries, and curriculum labs and on using technology as an administrative tool when needed.
LRPT category: Educator Preparation and Development
E-Rate Correlates: ER01, ER02
NCLB Correlates: 01, 02, 03, 04a, 04b, 07, 08
Strategy
1.1.1: The District will provide professional development that familiarizes the staff with the Technology Applications TEKS and requirements and the District will insure that these standards are taught.
LEA LRPT Correlates: EP01, EP02, EP06, EP07, EP08, EP09, I09, LAS01, LAS02, LAS03, LAS04, LAS05, LAS06, LAS08, LAS10, LAS12, TL01, TL02, TL03, TL04, TL05, TL06, TL07, TL13
Evidence:
Sign up sheets and log of individual trainings.
Strategy
1.1.2: New teachers will be given an in-depth training in the use of the current grade book and attendance program, Microsoft Office, Outlook, Inspiration, and any other current software being used.
LEA LRPT Correlates: EP03, I09, LAS08, TL03, TL04
Evidence:
Sign up sheet and log of training
Strategy
1.1.3: The staff will be trained on how to access public databases and on the Follett library system where an inventory of available technology such as databases, Elmo's, E instruction, etc. will be located.
LEA LRPT Correlates: EP08, LAS01, LAS02, LAS03, TL08, TL10, TL11
Evidence:
Information entered onto Follett system, Sign in sheet and log of attendance for training.
Strategy
1.1.4: Educators will be provided training on the use of software needed to integrate technology into the learning environment.
Comments: Anahuac ISD does not have an Instructional Technologist on staff, they will contract with outside providers for this service.
LEA LRPT Correlates: EP01, EP02, EP03, EP04, EP08, EP09, LAS03, LAS06, LAS10, TL04, TL11, TL12, TL16
Evidence:
Training sessions documented.
Strategy
1.1.5: Technology tips that will be provided to all Anahuac ISD staff. Topics are to be associated with improving technology skills in order to facilitate the integration of technology into the curriculum and to add productivity to the educational environment.
LEA LRPT Correlates: EP01, EP03, EP04, EP08, LAS10, TL16
Evidence:
Archive of tips.
Strategy
1.1.6: The District will maintain a document that lists staff who can train others on available computer resources in the district such as hardware and software. This document will be accessible on the network.
LEA LRPT Correlates: EP01, EP03, EP09, TL04, TL08, TL12, TL16
Evidence:
Document will be on the network.
Strategy
1.1.7: Training will be provided to the library staff in order to increase the use of technology in each campus Library.
LEA LRPT Correlates: EP01, EP04, EP09, LAS01, LAS02, LAS03, TL05, TL06, TL10, TL11
Evidence:
At least one new instructional initiative other than the new Follett system will be accomplished as monitored by the principal of each campus.
GOAL 2: The administration will provide effective leadership to support the integrating of technology into the curriculum and improving effectiveness and efficiency of technology usage.
DeleteOBJECTIVE 2.1:
Planning will be an ongoing tool for improvement in educational technology.
LRPT category: Leadership, Administration and Support
E-Rate Correlates: ER01, ER02
NCLB Correlates: 01, 02, 03, 04a, 04b, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12
Strategy
2.1.1: Using Staff input, the District will effectively budget for the purchase of technology in order to advance the integration of technology into the curriculum.
LEA LRPT Correlates: EP04, I03, LAS01, LAS02, LAS03, LAS04, LAS05, LAS06, LAS07, LAS15, TL06, TL08, TL10, TL11, TL12, TL13, TL14, TL15
Evidence:
Technology equipment and software in place.
Strategy
2.1.2: The District will integrate technology planning into all campus and district improvement plans.
LEA LRPT Correlates: EP04, I02, LAS01, LAS02, LAS03, LAS04, LAS05, LAS06, LAS07, LAS08, TL06
Evidence:
Technology strategies included in all campus plans annually.
OBJECTIVE 2.2:
100% of the campuses and the District will use student management technology to improve efficiency.
LRPT category: Leadership, Administration and Support
E-Rate Correlates: ER01, ER02
NCLB Correlates: 04b, 12
Strategy
2.2.1: The District will continue to use and provide training in extended capabilities of the Skyward student management software in order to increase productivity.
LEA LRPT Correlates: EP03, LAS06
Evidence:
Sign in sheets from trainings. Skyward software used for Student Management
OBJECTIVE 2.3:
The District will collaborate with at least one other local entity to share resources.
LRPT category: Leadership, Administration and Support
E-Rate Correlates: ER01
NCLB Correlates: 02, 03, 06, 08, 12
Strategy
2.2.1: The District will continue to use and provide training in extended capabilities of the Skyward student management software in order to increase productivity.
LEA LRPT Correlates: EP03, LAS06
Evidence:
Sign in sheets from trainings. Skyward software used for Student Management
2.2.2: To increase technology usage in data disaggregation and using PEIMS data, the District will provide tutorials for Administrators.
LEA LRPT Correlates: EP03, LAS06, LAS08
OBJECTIVE 2.3:
The District will collaborate with at least one other local entity to share resources.
LRPT category: Leadership, Administration and Support
E-Rate Correlates: ER01
NCLB Correlates: 02, 03, 06, 08, 12
Strategy
2.3.1: The District will collaborate with the Chambers County Library System to provide web access on the District website to the county library and on the county website to access the district library.
LEA LRPT Correlates: I01, I02, LAS13
Evidence:
Website links in place
Does Anahuac ISD have a technology supervisor or liaison who assists with network or computer problems? If so, would the Instructional Technologist be an additional position? In BISD we have tech support positions on each campus to assist teachers with computer and network problems, but no one really to assist with implementing technology into the curriculum, like you mentioned. That's a great idea, and one I feel is a big need for us. It would be great to have someone year round to help with lessons involving technology, someone who could help set up classrooms with equipment for certain lessons, and someone who could assist in creating podcasts or video lessons.
ReplyDeleteYes we have a Director of Technology that takes care of the hardware but we do not have anyone full time to assist the teachers with bridging the gap between classroom instruction and implementation of technology. The district has contracted with Region 5 to have someone come out once a week but that is not really much help to everyone.
DeleteLaura,
ReplyDeleteHiring an Instructional Technologist would be a good idea. Do you foresee your district refusing to hire an Instructional Technologist because of funding? A possible back-up plan could be for your district to contract with your Regional Education Service Center for Professional Development Technology Training.
At one time the districted posted a position for an Instructional Technologist but they were not able to fill the position. So they contracted with Region 5 to have someone come one day a week. However, I do not think that is enough to bridge the gap between classroom instruction and technology implementation.
DeleteGreat job, Laura! Thank you for the updates!!!
ReplyDelete