ITEC 7410/EDL 7105 SWOT Analysis Template for Technology...

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ITEC 7410/EDL 7105 SWOT Analysis Template for Technology Planning Needs Assessment What is the current reality in our school? Name: Tracy Dufford Semester: Summer 2017 ESSENTIAL 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? Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats Most teachers feel they have the skills needed to effectively implement technology for student learning Every teacher has access to a SMART Board, computer, and printer in their classroom Technology tools, such as USA Test Prep and Universal Screener, are being used to assess and guide student learning of the standards We are implementing Canvas, a LMS, to help facilitate student learning. Technology is being used for practice and remediation of skills and not to provide student-centered, engaging, relevant, higher order thinking learning experiences Not all teachers are embracing and utilizing Canvas to support student learning Students are not provided opportunities to use technology daily Technology is not addressed in the School Improvement Plan There are more classrooms than available technology Since most teachers feel they have the skills needed to effectively implement technology, provide opportunities for peer observations to allow teachers a chance to learn from each other Use professional learning communities to discuss effective ways to utilize assessment data and Canvas to create higher LoTi level learning experiences for students Provide professional development in the areas of student data, Due to pressure to perform well on the GA Milestones, many teachers are afraid to devote time to technology integration Many teachers feel that they do not have the time to learn new technology and create engaging technology- rich learning experiences Many teachers are most comfortable with direct instruction due to teacher training and are resistant to student- centered learning

Transcript of ITEC 7410/EDL 7105 SWOT Analysis Template for Technology...

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ITEC 7410/EDL 7105 SWOT Analysis Template for Technology Planning Needs Assessment

What is the current reality in our school?

Name: Tracy Dufford Semester: Summer 2017

ESSENTIAL 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?

Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats

• Most teachers feel they

have the skills needed

to effectively

implement technology

for student learning

• Every teacher has

access to a SMART

Board, computer, and

printer in their

classroom

• Technology tools, such

as USA Test Prep and

Universal Screener, are

being used to assess

and guide student

learning of the

standards

• We are implementing

Canvas, a LMS, to help

facilitate student

learning.

• Technology is being

used for practice and

remediation of skills

and not to provide

student-centered,

engaging, relevant,

higher order thinking

learning experiences

• Not all teachers are

embracing and utilizing

Canvas to support

student learning

• Students are not

provided opportunities

to use technology daily

• Technology is not

addressed in the School

Improvement Plan

• There are more

classrooms than

available technology

• Since most teachers

feel they have the skills

needed to effectively

implement technology,

provide opportunities

for peer observations to

allow teachers a chance

to learn from each

other

• Use professional

learning communities

to discuss effective

ways to utilize

assessment data and

Canvas to create higher

LoTi level learning

experiences for

students

• Provide professional

development in the

areas of student data,

• Due to pressure to

perform well on the

GA Milestones, many

teachers are afraid to

devote time to

technology integration

• Many teachers feel that

they do not have the

time to learn new

technology and create

engaging technology-

rich learning

experiences

• Many teachers are most

comfortable with direct

instruction due to

teacher training and are

resistant to student-

centered learning

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ITEC 7410/EDL 7105 SWOT Analysis Template for Technology Planning Needs Assessment

What is the current reality in our school?

which can make

technology planning

and integration difficult

• Many teachers are not

using the SMART

Board to promote

interactive, engaging

learning experiences

(many use it just for the

projector)

Canvas, and SMART

Boards, and other tools

to support using

technology to provide

students with more

student-centered

learning experiences

Summary of Results/Conclusions: Scoggins Middle School (SMS) uses student data to drive instruction to meet the needs of their

students. Teachers utilize technology tools to gather data on student learning and to drive instruction. Through programs, such as

the Universal Screener and USA Test Prep, teachers gather valuable data to inform their teaching to help students succeed.

However, once this data is gathered, it is used to create lower level skills practice for remediation purposes. According to the ISTE

Lead & Transform Diagnostic Tool, student -centered learning is one of SMS’s lowest Essential Condition. Teachers are not

creating student-centered, engaging, relevant, and higher order thinking experiences for students. Additionally, instruction is not

being tied to real world applications and students are not able to make connections to their learning. Even though, on the survey,

teachers feel they have the skills to implement technology for student learning, they are less comfortable with using technology to

promote student productivity and enhance learning. Opportunities should be provided to teachers to aid in creating learning

experiences at a higher LoTi level. These opportunities should include peer observation and feedback, professional development,

and professional learning communities for collaboration.

Recommendations from Gap Analysis: Student-centered learning is one area of much needed improvement according to the ISTE

Lead & Transform Diagnostic Tool. According to ISTE (2017), student-centered learning moves students from passive learners to

“active participants in their own discovery process.” Currently at my school, technology is being used for skills practice. Students

are passively engaged in their learning. Teachers must strive to create authentic, relevant learning experiences that allow students

the chance to become active participants in their learning. Therefore, teachers must take on a constructivist view of learning.

Constructivists believe that education is an active process of construction by the student (Creighton, 2003). According to Creighton

(2003), constructivism is a trend that needs to be addressed in professional development sessions. For this reason, Scoggins Middle

needs to focus on providing the staff with professional development opportunities about providing student-centered learning

experiences. Additionally, discussions about technology integration must take place during Professional Learning Communities.

Teachers must collaboratively plan together and discuss methods to integrate technology to support the learning standards and

support student-centered learning experiences. However, this process must be collaborative to support buy-in. One teacher cannot

dictate, instead it must be a conversation where everyone’s thoughts and opinions are valued. Finally, teachers must be provided

with the opportunity to observe each other integrating technology. This will allow for feedback to improve instruction and provide

teachers with ideas to utilize in their own classrooms.

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ITEC 7410/EDL 7105 SWOT Analysis Template for Technology Planning Needs Assessment

What is the current reality in our school?

Data Sources:

Creighton, T. (2003). The principal as technology leader. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

ISTE Lead & Transform Diagnostic Tool (Appendix A)

ISTE. (2017). Student-centered learning. Retrieved from https://www.iste.org/standards/tools-resources/essential-

conditions/student-centered-learning

Observations

Scoggins Middle School. (2016) School improvement plan. Retrieved from

https://www.paulding.k12.ga.us/cms/lib/GA01903603/Centricity/Domain/866/2016-2017%20Scoggins%20SIP.pdf

Shared Vision Survey (Appendix B)

ESSENTIAL CONDITION TWO: Shared Vision

ISTE 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?

Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats

• The Paulding County

School District has a

three-year technology

implementation plan

• There is no official

shared vision at SMS

• Technology is not

included in the SIP

• Create a shared vision

with input from all

stakeholders

• Lack of parent and

community involvement

can affect survey return

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ITEC 7410/EDL 7105 SWOT Analysis Template for Technology Planning Needs Assessment

What is the current reality in our school?

• Most teachers view

technology integration

positively and view

technology as a means

for improving student

achievement

• Teachers feel

empowered by the

administrators to take

risks using technology

• All stakeholders are

not aware of the

district level plan

• Not all stakeholders

have been included in

discussions about a

shared technology

vision

• Lack of community

involvement in

technology plan

• Include technology in

school improvement

plan

• Communicate district

technology plan with

stakeholders and use it

to create a school wide

technology plan

• Create an instructional

technology committee

(including various

stakeholders) to help

develop technology

vision and integration

plan

and communication

about shared vision

• Not all stakeholders

view technology as a

means to increase

student achievement

Summary of Results/Conclusions: At SMS, we do not have an official shared vision and technology is not mentioned in our School

Improvement Plan. The ISTE Lead & Transform Tool indicates that we are approaching this essential condition, but that is due to

the district’s technology plan. Just evaluating the school, we would be at the beginning level. There has been some communication

regarding technology vision and implementation, but no official steps have been taken to make it a reality at this point. However,

many teachers see the benefit of using technology for student achievement. As indicated by the survey, many teachers feel

empowered and supported by our administrators to take risks implementing technology in the classroom. These are positive first

steps toward effective technology integration. Additionally, our lowest results on the ISTE Lead & Transform tool is in engaged

communities. According to ISTE (2017), to have effective technology integration, educators must be supported by families and the

communities. SMS is not communicating the importance of technology to the community to gain support and buy-in for the crucial

need for technology integration. Also, due to a lack of engagement from the community it is often hard to receive feedback for

technology vision and integration.

Recommendations from Gap Analysis: It is recommended that an official shared vision be created at the school level. This vision

must incorporate the voices, goals, and values of all involved stakeholders, including administrators, teachers, students, parents,

community, support staff, and district level employees (ISTE, 2017). Technology integration will not be effective without the

creation of this vision. The vision will be the driving force behind technology integration at SMS. Currently, technology is not even

addressed in the SIP. Therefore, a school level technology plan needs to be created and implemented to help guide and support

teachers to integrate technology effectively. Additionally, the school must determine a way to increase family and community

involvement in this process. The school can create parent nights to share information regarding technology. These nights can be

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ITEC 7410/EDL 7105 SWOT Analysis Template for Technology Planning Needs Assessment

What is the current reality in our school?

communicated to the community through social media, newsletters, call outs, and the school website. Accommodations need to be

made for parents who cannot attend a face-to-face meeting. People who could not attend the meeting could sign on to a live video

feed to attend the meeting virtually (Sheninger, 2014). We must strive to create a shared vision to ensure effective technology

implementation and increased student achievement.

Data Sources:

ISTE Lead & Transform Diagnostic Tool (Appendix A)

ISTE. (2017). Shared vision. Retrieved from https://www.iste.org/standards/tools-resources/essential-conditions/shared-vision

Observations

Paulding County School District. (2014). Three-year technology plan. Retrieved from

http://www.paulding.k12.ga.us/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=514&dataid=140&FileName=PCSD%20Three

%20Year%20Technology%20Plan%202014-2017_approved.pdf

Scoggins Middle School. (2016) School improvement plan. Retrieved from

https://www.paulding.k12.ga.us/cms/lib/GA01903603/Centricity/Domain/866/2016-2017%20Scoggins%20SIP.pdf

Shared Vision Survey (Appendix B)

Sheninger, E. (2014). Digital Leadership. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

ESSENTIAL 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.

Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats

• The district has a three-

year implementation

plan

• There is no technology

plan and technology is

• Develop a school level

technology plan,

aligned with the

• Lack of an

understanding of

technology standards

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ITEC 7410/EDL 7105 SWOT Analysis Template for Technology Planning Needs Assessment

What is the current reality in our school?

• The administrators are

supportive and want to

improve technology

planning and integration

• Overall, teachers feel

technology is being used

to support our special

education and gifted

students

not addressed in the

SIP

• There are no specific

plans in place to meet

the needs of our

diverse populations,

including socio-

economic and gender

• There are no school

level instructional

technology coaches

and only three coaches

available for the

county to assist in

technology planning

• There are no explicit

short-term or long-

term goals for

technology integration

district plan, to guide

and support

technology use at SMS

• Create an Instructional

Technology Team

including various

stakeholders (ensuring

that females are

represented) to help

develop and

implement a

technology plan

• Create a program that

allows students to

check out devices for

use at home

• Provide professional

development regarding

meeting the needs of a

diverse population

• Time needed to

effective run an

Instructional

Technology Committee

• Large low SES

population

• Funding for technology

is a lower priority

Summary of Results/Conclusions: The ISTE Lead & Transform Tool shows that implementation planning is another one of our

areas of weakness. While the district has a detailed technology plan, there is no plan for technology integration at the school level.

Additionally, technology is not addressed in the SIP. Without a plan, there are no clear directions for teachers to effectively

integrate technology and use technology to support student-centered learning. We do not have an instructional technology coach,

instructional specialist, or instructional technology committee to help develop this plan. Therefore, the plan is never addressed and

short-term and long-term technology goals are not created. Currently, technology training and planning is guided by a small group

of teacher leaders who want to see technology being used to enhance student learning. They help teachers during our Professional

Learning Community collaboration time.

According to the survey, many teachers feel that technology is being used to address the needs of our gifted and special education

students. However, it is not being used to effectively meet the needs of our low SES students or female populations. We do not have

a plan in place to meet the needs of these students. However, the computer lab is open before and after school to provide students

with additional access to computers.

Recommendations from Gap Analysis: A technology implementation plan is needed to provide a roadmap for technology

integration at SMS. With a push from the district to enhance technology integration, a technology implementation plan is needed

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ITEC 7410/EDL 7105 SWOT Analysis Template for Technology Planning Needs Assessment

What is the current reality in our school?

now more than ever. Without a clear plan, technology will never be effectively integrated at SMS. First, SMS needs to focus on

creating a shared vision. A shared vision is the driving force for an implementation plan (ISTE, 2017). Therefore, it is essential that

the shared vision be our first step towards an implementation plan. Once an official shared vision has been created, stakeholders

must work together to devise a plan that will help the school reach the technology vision. ISTE (2017) states that an implementation

plan must include short-term and long-term goals, a detailed roadmap for accomplishing the goals, milestones and timelines, and a

division of responsibilities and resources. Therefore, after the creation of our shared vision, the stakeholders must focus on creating

short-term and long-term goals for technology implementation at SMS. Through the creation of an Instructional Technology

Committee stakeholders can work together to create these goals and outline the role each stakeholder will have to ensure the

success of the technology plan. Additionally, stakeholders must discuss and determine a plan to meet the needs of our diverse

populations. Many of our students do not have access to technology outside of the school and this must be addressed in the

technology plan.

Data Sources:

ISTE Lead & Transform Diagnostic Tool (Appendix A)

ISTE. (2017). Shared vision. Retrieved from https://www.iste.org/standards/tools-resources/essential-conditions/shared-vision

ISTE. (2017). Implementation planning. Retrieved from https://www.iste.org/standards/tools-resources/essential-

conditions/implementation-planning

Observations

Paulding County School District. (2014). Three-year technology plan. Retrieved from

http://www.paulding.k12.ga.us/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=514&dataid=140&FileName=PCSD%20Three

%20Year%20Technology%20Plan%202014-2017_approved.pdf

Scoggins Middle School. (2016) School improvement plan. Retrieved from

https://www.paulding.k12.ga.us/cms/lib/GA01903603/Centricity/Domain/866/2016-2017%20Scoggins%20SIP.pdf

Shared Vision Survey (Appendix B)

ESSENTIAL 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?

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ITEC 7410/EDL 7105 SWOT Analysis Template for Technology Planning Needs Assessment

What is the current reality in our school?

• 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?

Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats

• All classrooms have

access to wi-fi

• Bring Your Own

Device policy is

implemented

• Every classroom has a

SMART Board, teacher

computer, and printer

• Four computer labs and

multiple carts

• Canvas is used to

provide students with

access to learning

wherever they are

• Many tools and

programs are available

to support student

learning, such as

Universal Screener,

USA Test Prep,

MyON, and

LearnZillion

• Students are provided

with free Microsoft

Office to use on

personal computers

• Computer lab open for

student use before and

after school

• Students do not have

access to devices to

take home

• There are no programs

in place to support

female technology

usage

• Many families are not

aware of the programs

available to them via

access to the internet

• Many teachers are not

trained to use

technology to support

the needs of our

diverse learners

• Provide professional

development and

training to our teachers,

parents, and students on

how to use tools and

resources to support

learning

• Create a network with

area businesses who

provide support for use

of technology to our

students

• Use multiple means of

communication to

present parents and

students ways to access

technology outside of

school

• Create a mentoring

program at school to

support girls and

students of lower SES.

This program will

enhance their role in

technology and help

guide them to become

technology leaders

• Include female students

and students of lower

SES in the Instructional

Technology Committee

• Teachers use the digital

divide as an excuse to

avoid technology

integration

• Many students do not

have technology at

home

• Many students do not

have transportation to

access technology

outside of the school

setting

• Staff not willing to

devote the time to

mentor students or stay

after school to allow

students a chance to

use the computer

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ITEC 7410/EDL 7105 SWOT Analysis Template for Technology Planning Needs Assessment

What is the current reality in our school?

Summary of Results/Conclusions: Although we have a long way to go, SMS is making strides to help our low SES students have

access to technology. This is one of our strongest areas on the ISTE Lead & Transform Diagnostic Tool. The tool shows that we

meet in this area. The school has recently increased the bandwidth and speed connection which has helped increase access within

the classrooms. Within the classroom, teachers have a SMART Board, projector, computer, printer, and most teachers have a

document camera. Additionally, there are four computer labs, two Chromebook carts, two laptop carts, and an iPad cart. While

there is still a need for more devices, we have much better access now than we did a couple of years ago. Also, the school is using

technology to help meet the needs of our special education students. According to the survey, teachers are using MyON, assistive

technology, and read-to programs. Teachers are also using LearnZillion to help meet the needs of our struggling learners. However,

more needs to be done to meet the needs of our low SES and female students. Currently, the only plan in place to provide access to

our low SES students is to provide access to a computer lab before and after school. However, this is not enough and more must be

done. Additionally, there has been no data collected on technology use in our female population and no programs in place to

support females in technology.

Recommendations from Gap Analysis: One major area of concern is how SMS addressing the gender divide in technology.

Currently the school does not have a plan in place to support our female students. Since we do not currently have an Instructional

Technology Committee in place, the creation of an Instructional Technology Committee is necessary to help support technology

integration. It is important to include all stakeholders in the Instructional Technology Committee including student and parents. The

committee should include a select group of students to help make technology decisions and provide support for students and

teachers in integrating technology. To encourage gender equality, there should be an equal number of males and females. This

would promote females as technology leaders and provide role models for other females in the school. Hopefully, promoting and

encouraging female involvement in the technology field. A mentor group, consisting of not only teachers, but also female leaders in

the technology field, could also be created to help support females and inspire them to become technology leaders. Additionally, we

need to address the needs of our low SES students. A survey needs to be conducted to determine the scope of the problem and we

need to engage our community to help create digital equity strategies (CoSN, 2016). Methods for access technology need to be

more effectively communicated with parents. The school and businesses need to work together to increase access to students

outside of school. The school could create a directory of businesses that provide students with places to do their homework (CoSN,

2016). Families also have access to low cost internet access through programs such as Comcast Internet Essential and Access from

AT&T, but many people are unaware of these programs. The key to all of this is communication. These options must be

communicated with the families and we cannot just rely on putting the information on a website. A table can be set up at Open

House and parent nights to provide parents with this valuable information.

Data Sources:

CoSn. (2016). Digital equity action toolkit. Retrieved from http://www.cosn.org/digital-equity-action-toolkit-february-2016

ISTE Lead & Transform Diagnostic Tool (Appendix A)

Observations

Shared Vision Survey (Appendix B)

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ITEC 7410/EDL 7105 SWOT Analysis Template for Technology Planning Needs Assessment

What is the current reality in our school?

ESSENTIAL 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.)

Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats

• 73% of teachers feel

they have the skills

needed to successfully

implement technology

to support student

learning

• Teachers are proficient

at communicating to

stakeholders through

email, Remind, the

school website, and

Canvas

• Teachers can create a

basic Canvas course

• Teachers can use the

internet to find

resources to use in the

classroom (videos,

games, lesson plans)

• Not all teachers are

confident in their

ability to use new

technology in the

classroom

• Teachers do not know

how to effectively

incorporate Canvas to

enhance student

learning

• Teachers are not using

technology daily in

their classrooms

• Teachers wait to see

the value of the

technology before

using it. They are

hesitant to try

something new

• Provide opportunities

for hesitant teachers to

observe more confident

teachers integrating

technology in the

classroom

• Creation of an

Instructional

Technology Committee

to provide technology

experts within the

building to aid and

support in technology

integration

• Implement Technology

“spot light” during

grade level meetings to

share technology tools,

• Limited time and

funding available for

training

• Stakeholders resistant

to change

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ITEC 7410/EDL 7105 SWOT Analysis Template for Technology Planning Needs Assessment

What is the current reality in our school?

• Teachers do not feel

like they have enough

support to implement

new technology

• Teachers do not feel

comfortable using

technology to create

student-centered

learning experiences

how to use them, and

successes

• Share ways to use

Canvas to enhance

student learning

Summary of Results/Conclusions: Most teachers at SMS are eager to implement technology in their classrooms but are hesitant to

try out new tools. They do not feel that they have enough support or training in technology. In the survey, teachers, overall, feel

they have the skills needed to implement technology, but they need additional help to use technology to promote productivity and

enhance student learning. Teachers stated that they need more technology training and more time to focus on how to use the

technology and tools. Additionally, teachers feel that more training needs to be provided in Canvas, including modeling uses for it

to support student learning. Teachers are eager to increase their technology skills but need more time to practice with the

technology to become comfortable with implementation. They also have a desire to see examples of effective technology use.

Recommendations from Gap Analysis: According to ISTE (2017), “to create a technology-rich culture, all educators and staff

should model what it means to be a digital age professional.” The Lead & Transform Diagnostic Tool shows that we are meeting

(barely) in this area. While we are meeting there is also room to grow and improve. Currently if a technology issue occurs, teachers

must submit a ticket in Help Desk. The ticket is assigned to the appropriate Technology Specialist. Our specialist is wonderful and

resolves problems quickly. However, she is split between our school and a nearby elementary school so she is not always at the

school. If the issue is critical, she can usually get to our school in a timely manner to address the needs. In order to quickly address

smaller needs, the creation of an Instructional Technology Committee will help create teacher and student experts who can help

teachers troubleshoot and fix minor issues. The committee can also help teachers effectively incorporate technology to authentic

learning experiences for students. ISTE (2017) also states that school leaders need to model technology use. Our administrators are

beginning to do this at SMS. This year they wanted us to use Remind to send important information out to our families. In order to

promote the use of Remind, the administrators created a Remind account for the school and sent out important information for the

staff. To further model technology, administrators should incorporate technology into our faculty meetings and professional

development. For example, a professional development course could be created in Canvas. This will allow teachers to see that

administrators are embracing Canvas and it will also help them see how Canvas can be used to support instruction. Additionally,

administrators need to provide teachers with opportunities to practice what they learn. All too often, teachers are trained in a tool,

and it is never visited again. Teachers need a chance to become comfortable using new technology. Additionally, they need time to

collaborate with and receive feedback from their colleagues. In order to support this, a peer observation plan needs to be

implemented. This plan will allow teachers to observe peers, receive feedback, and learn from each other in a non-threatening

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What is the current reality in our school?

environment. I also recommend providing a skills assessment to the teachers to determine the strengths, weaknesses, and needs of

the teachers at SMS.

Data Sources:

Adopter Lever Survey (Appendix C)

ISTE Lead & Transform Diagnostic Tool (Appendix A)

ISTE. (2017). Skilled personal. Retrieved from https://www.iste.org/standards/tools-resources/essential-conditions/skilled-personal

Observations

Personal communication

Shared Vision Survey (Appendix B)

ESSENTIAL 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?

Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats

• Professional learning is

consistently provided

at SMS

• Teachers can request

whole school, grade

level, content area, or

individual professional

development from the

• Current professional

development is not

needs-based for

individual teachers

• A majority of

professional

development offered at

SMS is not technology

based

• Technology should be

embedded into current

professional

development offered at

SMS

• Teachers should be

provided the

opportunity to choose

professional

• Time. Teachers may

not be able to attend

trainings before or after

school and during

school leads to missed

instructional time

• Funding. Funding for

professional

development must be

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district Instructional

Technology Director

• Most teachers feel they

have access to

professional

development that

supports technology

integration

• The district offers

many technology based

professional

development sessions

for teachers

• Optional technology

trainings are not well

attended

• Often times technology

based professional

development is isolated

as a separate topic

• There is no follow-up

after professional

development to provide

feedback and

suggestions on

implementation

development that meets

their individual needs

• Workshops on

technology can be

created and conducted

by teachers who attend

district trainings

used in certain ways

and there may not be

funding available for

additional trainings

• Teachers that are

resistant to change

Summary of Results/Conclusions: This is one of the strongest areas according to the ISTE Lead & Transform Diagnostic Tool. I

feel this is truer at the district level than at the school level. The district provides many opportunities for professional development

in technology. At any point, a teacher can enter a ticket into Help Desk asking for instructional technology training. The training

can be whole school, grade level, content area, a small group of interested teachers, or individual. The type of training is dependent

upon the needs of the requesting teachers. There are also many technology professional development sessions offered through

PDExpress. Teachers sign up for sessions that meet their needs. For example, teachers were able to sign up for Canvas help this

summer. The district offered several free, half-day sessions to help teachers with implementing Canvas. Another method for

professional development used by the district is training the trainer. The Instructional Technology Director selects teachers from

each school. She trains these teachers and the teachers go back to train the teachers at the school. However, administrators do not

always provide the trainers with opportunities to meet with the staff. At the school level, technology-related professional

development is not provided on a consistent basis. The professional development is geared towards the school’s SIP and technology

is not included in the plan. However, the administration has seen the value of technology and how it can aid in student achievement.

Hopefully, this will lead to greater emphasis on technology based professional development. Teachers also need time to practice the

skills and strategies learned through professional development. There is often the feeling that they cannot master one concept before

moving to the next. However, overall, the survey results indicate that teachers feel they have access to professional development to

support technology implementation.

Recommendations from Gap Analysis: SMS needs to make technology-related professional development a priority. Most of our

technology trainings are presented as separate trainings instead of being embedded into our current professional development

sessions. For example, during a session on differentiation, technology can be used within the session to demonstrate how it can be

incorporated to meet the needs of the students. This way the session is not focused just on how to use the technology, but also on

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how to effectively incorporate the technology into student learning. This will help support best practices and technology

implementation. Currently, subject areas Professional Learning Communities meet weekly with administrators for curriculum

planning. 46% of survey teachers indicated that they discuss technology during this time. I suggest that technology integration

become a regular conversation during this time. This is an excellent opportunity for teachers to share knowledge and ideas

regarding technology. This way teachers can learn from each other and have an equal voice in the learning process. Administrators

should also take advantage of their knowledgeable teachers. Many teachers have strategies and tools that they use successfully in

their classrooms. These teachers could be used to create and deliver technology based workshops to their peers. These workshops

can incorporate time to create a lesson and brainstorm with peers. Teachers indicated that they felt collaboration is an important

aspect of professional development. I also suggest that the professional development plan include an opportunity to reflect on their

learning and implementation of technology. According to ISTE (2017), teachers need an opportunity to plan, create, and reflect on

their learning.

Data Sources:

Adopter Level Survey (Appendix C)

ISTE Lead & Transform Diagnostic Tool (Appendix A)

ISTE. (2017). Ongoing professional learning. Retrieved from https://www.iste.org/standards/tools-resources/essential-

conditions/ongoing-professional-learning

Observations

Personal communication with principal and professional development coordinator

Shared Vision Survey (Appendix B)

ESSENTIAL 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?

Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats

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What is the current reality in our school?

• Teachers can seek

technology assistance

through Help Desk

• The technology

specialist is very

responsive and

knowledgeable

• Teacher computers,

projectors, computer

labs are updated

frequently to provide

reliable technology

• The building has been

updated with a greater

bandwidth and faster

internet access

• The district

instructional

technologists are

available to assist with

instructional issues

• Down time is addressed

quickly

• Our technology

specialist is divided

between two schools so

she is not always

available

• There are only three

instructional

technologists for the

district

• There is no school

level technology

specialist

• Not all student devices

are up to date

• Create a group of

student leaders to help

teachers troubleshoot as

issues arise

• Instructional

Technology Committee

and technology

specialist could be used

to create how-to videos

and handouts to support

teacher needs

• Technology specialist

could train some

teachers in basic

troubleshooting to help

teachers as needed

• Technology specialist

has limited time at each

school

• Limited ability to

repair or replace

damaged devices

Summary of Results/Conclusions: At SMS, we have a very dedicated technology specialist. Even though she is split between two

schools, she does everything she can to ensure that teachers get the help they need. We have to submit a ticket into a program called

Help Desk. From there it is assigned to our technology specialist. She responds very quickly and will provide suggestions and how-

to sheets to help us troubleshoot the problem. If that is not successful, she will come assist as soon as possible. If she is at the other

school and it is an emergency, she is close enough that she can get to SMS quickly. This summer the technology specialist has been

working on updating the teacher and computer lab computers to ensure that our devices are up to date and working properly.

Although the desktop computers are well maintained, the technology carts can get neglected. There are at least a few broken

devices in each cart. Broken technology can make technology implementation difficult and some teachers will use it as an excuse to

utilize technology. Also, a significant amount of money has been spent this year increasing our bandwidth and internet speed.

Previously, it was difficult to incorporate technology because students were always getting kicked off the wi-fi. However, now it is

much easier to use technology because students are not experiencing the connectivity issues. Additionally, we do not have an

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instructional technology coach or instructional coach in our building. There are three instructional specialists for the whole county.

Teachers can place a ticket into Help Desk to receive training, but scheduling the training can be difficult. Currently, teachers rely

on the media specialist and other teachers in the building to receive instructional help. Teachers have indicated that they do not feel

that they have sufficient instructional support for technology integration.

Recommendations from Gap Analysis: This is SMS’s highest area on the ISTE Lead & Transform Diagnostic Tool. Even though

this is our highest area, there is always room for improvements. According to ISTE (2017), “in a standards-ready system, teachers

are supported in their technology use -both in learning how to use it and in applying it to their classrooms.” At SMS, we need to

ensure that teachers are receiving the support needed to successfully implement technology in the classroom. Even though, the

district just upgraded our bandwidth and internet speed, plans need to be in place to provide necessary updates to ensure we can

handle technology in the future. At the school level, since our technology specialist is not always immediately available, I propose

that the specialist trains some teachers in basic troubleshooting to help teachers as needed. Therefore, teachers can seek assistance

from their teammates for small issues that arise, and the technology specialist will be better able to focus on the bigger issues.

Another suggestion would be to train students to be technology leaders. These students can be trained in troubleshooting the

technology being used and help teachers and students as issues arise. This will not only help provide assistance to teachers and

students, but it will also promote a new generation of technology leaders. Additionally, an Instructional Technology Committee

could create how-to videos and handouts to provide teachers and students. This committee could also assist teachers with

instructional support as needed. While having a school level instructional specialist would be ideal, the committee could fill this

role short term.

Data Sources:

Adopter Level Survey (Appendix C)

ISTE Lead & Transform Diagnostic Tool (Appendix A)

ISTE. (2017). Technical support. Retrieved from https://www.iste.org/standards/tools-resources/essential-conditions/technical-

support

Observations

Personal communication

Shared Vision Survey (Appendix B)

ESSENTIAL CONDITION EIGHT: Curriculum Framework

ISTE Definition: Content standards and related digital curriculum resources.

Guiding Questions:

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• 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?

Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats

• Teachers are aware of

the student ISTE

standards

• A variety of digital

tools are available to

support curriculum and

student learning

• Teachers have access

to Canvas to create a

standards based

blended learning

experiences

• Students and parents

are not aware of the

student ISTE standards

• Student technology

literacy is not assessed

• Technology standards

are not aligned to

content standards

• Many teachers are not

using Canvas

• Teachers will

appropriately use a

lesson plan format to

align content standards

and technology

standards by

incorporating digital

tools and Canvas to

support standards based

learning

• A plan to assess digital

literacy will be

discussed and created

by appropriate

stakeholders

• Resistance from

teachers regarding

implementing standards

in addition to their

content standards

• Leaders do not view

technology standards to

be as important as

content standards

Summary of Results/Conclusions: Curriculum framework is one of SMS’s weakest areas according to Lead & Transform

Diagnostic Tool. This result is very accurate. Until recently, the administrative team has not put an emphasis on technology at SMS.

This is evidenced by the failure of the SIP to address technology. Since the administrators have not valued technology, teachers

have not used technology to create rich learning experiences for students that align content and technology standards. While

technology is addressed during Professional Learning Communities, it is used to support content standards. Technology standards

are not addressed. With the implementation of Canvas, the administrative team is seeing the value of technology and has begun to

place a greater emphasis on it. Even though technology has not been a focus, all teachers surveyed indicated that they knew of the

technology standards. However, only one teacher indicated that they knew them well. The students and parents are not familiar with

the standards. With the implementation of Canvas, teachers have mainly been using the program to post important information and

copies of assignments. Teachers are not using Canvas to create standards based learning experiences. Additionally, digital literacy

is not assessed at SMS.

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Recommendations from Gap Analysis: With this condition being one of our weakest, there are issues that need to be addressed.

Teachers must also be able to pair content standards with digital curriculum resources that support student learning (ISTE, 2017).

However, in order to do this, teachers must receive training on the technology standards and how to align them with content

standards. We must get past a basic understanding of the standards to meet the technology needs of our students. Once teachers

obtain a deeper understanding of the standards, they must become part of the lesson planning process. The standards need to be

incorporated into daily lessons to ensure that technology is being used to address real world situations, being used for the right

reasons, and being used to meet learning objectives (ISTE, 2017). Parents and students also need to be aware of the technology

standards and how they are used to create authentic, relevant, and higher-order learning experiences for students. Technology

integration will be much more effective with buy-in from all stakeholders, not just the teachers. Another recommendation is to

create a means to assess digital literacy. The Instructional Technology Committee could work together to create a digital literacy

assessment that teachers could use to gather pre- and post-test data to determine growth throughout a specified time frame.

Data Sources:

ISTE Lead & Transform Diagnostic Tool (Appendix A)

ISTE. (2017). Curriculum framework. Retrieved from https://www.iste.org/standards/tools-resources/essential-

conditions/curriculum-framework

Observations

Personal communication

Scoggins Middle School. (2016) School improvement plan. Retrieved from

https://www.paulding.k12.ga.us/cms/lib/GA01903603/Centricity/Domain/866/2016-2017%20Scoggins%20SIP.pdf

Shared Vision Survey (Appendix B)

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References

CoSn. (2016). Digital equity action toolkit. Retrieved from http://www.cosn.org/digital-equity-action-toolkit-february-2016

Creighton, T. (2003). The principal as technology leader. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

ISTE. (2017). Curriculum framework. Retrieved from https://www.iste.org/standards/tools-resources/essential-conditions/curriculum-

framework

ISTE. (2017). Implementation planning. Retrieved from https://www.iste.org/standards/tools-resources/essential-

conditions/implementation-planning

ISTE. (2017). Lead & transform diagnostic tool. Retrieved from https://www.iste.org/standards/tools-resources/lead-

transform/diagnostic-tool

ISTE. (2017). Ongoing professional learning. Retrieved from https://www.iste.org/standards/tools-resources/essential-

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ITEC 7410/EDL 7105 SWOT Analysis Template for Technology Planning Needs Assessment

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conditions/ongoing-professional-learning

ISTE. (2017). Shared vision. Retrieved from https://www.iste.org/standards/tools-resources/essential-conditions/shared-vision

ISTE. (2017). Skilled personal. Retrieved from https://www.iste.org/standards/tools-resources/essential-conditions/skilled-personal

ISTE. (2017). Student-centered learning. Retrieved from https://www.iste.org/standards/tools-resources/essential-conditions/student-

centered-learning

ISTE. (2017). Technical support. Retrieved from https://www.iste.org/standards/tools-resources/essential-conditions/technical-support

Paulding County School District. (2014). Three-year technology plan. Retrieved from

http://www.paulding.k12.ga.us/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=514&dataid=140&FileName=PCSD%20Th

ree%20Year%20Technology%20Plan%202014-2017_approved.pdf

Scoggins Middle School. (2016) School improvement plan. Retrieved from

https://www.paulding.k12.ga.us/cms/lib/GA01903603/Centricity/Domain/866/2016-2017%20Scoggins%20SIP.pdf

Sheninger, E. (2014). Digital Leadership. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

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Appendices

Appendix A: Results from ISTE Lead & Transform Diagnostic Tool

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Appendix B: Shared Vision Survey

Survey

Results

Appendix C: Adopter Level Survey

Survey

Results