Planning and Staff Development
Our largest deficit for technology needs is the lack of leadership and a written plan that addresses where the campus is, where we want to go, how to get there and how long it will take. Our first priority would be to acknowledge the need for technology planning by viewing and discussing the Long Range Plan for Technology. Before discussing the LRPT the staff should listen to a panel of former students discuss how they now use technology on their college campuses and inform the staff of how well or unprepared they were for the technological advances of college life. The students should show and explain how they use their phones, laptops and personal devices for learning, communicating and staying informed. The students should also make suggestions for enhancing the use of technology on our campus by discussing what they are motivated to do when technology is involved. The tech team will visit students and record their interviews on campus when feasible or even meet over the web with video conferencing. Each grade level will be responsible for reporting on a section of the LRPT using a video, audio or PowerPoint production including how and where our campus fits into the LRPT.
Our school will also meet together to complete the StaR chart for our campus. The tech team will meet to find an app that grade levels will use with ipod touches to complete a survey which will be tallied school wide and presented at meeting. We will discuss the advantages of using a device to complete a survey rather than the traditional method. We will also discuss how it can be used in the classroom. We will then review the compiled information for our campus StaR chart and teams will discuss ways we can improve our use of technology and how it will effect the learning environment of our school. Teachers will be given the assignment to complete the teacher’s StaR chart and share what areas they will begin to address immediately and submit a request for training in that area.
All teachers will receive PowerPoint training, ipod touch training, and audio/visual component training in a series of classes offered by the tech team during their planning periods for teams, after school for larger groups and can schedule one-on-one training before school. All training done by tech team will be followed by a survey so that the trainers can improve their training abilities. They will be responsible for documenting areas of weakness as highlighted on surveys and explain how they are working to improve in these areas.ASSESSMENTS
In order to ensure the success of our technology integration plans it is necessary to establish a timeline with checkpoints for measuring the efficacy of the plan so that changes can be implemented if the need arises to redirect our efforts in order to reach our goal. As evidenced in the report on technology for our campus it is vital that our leadership acts to complete a plan which they can and will support by providing the tools needed for the plans implementation and the ongoing assistance with verification that the plan is being incorporated as outlined by all involved.The executive committee of the school will include time in their weekly meetings to discuss the progress or lack of progress and address these issues with the staff as needed. The school’s technician will have to document how time spent is related to the support of the plan and make certain to allocate his time on those items which are the highest priority for the most students to gain the greatest benefits through their use of technology. The tech team will be responsible for the majority of the in house training and for providing information concerning outside training as well. These individuals will also take the necessary steps to become Master Technology Teachers with the necessary assistance provided by administration. The tech team will be responsible for documenting all training by teams and individuals using data bases on mobile devices so that they can track the progress of all teachers on campus similar to an IEP for students. The tech team will highlight training dates, tips, resources and acknowledgments for teachers who have attended training sessions and teachers who are using technology in new ways in their classrooms in a monthly digital newsletter. Teachers will also be able to contribute to the newsletter by sharing their ideas, their progress and stories about their students’ use of technology. At the end of each nine week period administration will allow time for a general meeting in which the administration and tech team give a report of our progress and each team will have a representative present a way they are using technology in the classroom and/or examples of technology assisted student work.
At the end of the school year we will re-examine the campus and teacher StaR charts and acknowledge our progress. We will also begin to re-work our technology plan for next school year including a wish list of hardware and software and staff training.
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