Angleton ISD District Technology Plan Presentation

The executive summary of my presentation is posted on my blog as Angleton ISD District Technology Plan.

Angleton ISD District Technology Plan Presentation

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Web Conference

The first web conference I have ever participated in was last Tuesday night. I don’t mind telling you I was nervous. Putting all this technology together including camera, microphone, getting to the website on time and logging in properly had me anxious. However, I have to say that it was nice putting faces and talking in real time to my classmates and instructor. I really loved the informal and immediate interaction. We all come from different backgrounds and experiences and after teaching for 15 years, it is stimulating to converse with peers who all have the same goal – a master’s degree in Educational Technology Leadership. What was also surprising to me as well as comforting in some ways was that we had many of the same concerns, apprehensions and questions for Dr. Abshire. Not being in a classroom talking face-to-face two to three times a week makes you feel like you are on an island by yourself sometimes, but the very thing we are studying about makes this easier to navigate, which is the technology. Using email, blogs, discussion board, web conferences and now a Facebook page makes this journey a little easier to traverse.  After Tuesday’s web conference, I can say that my anxiety is lessened and I know whatever happens, I will have a new set of friends and colleagues that will help me make this an exciting learning experience.

National Educational Technology Plan

The overall goals and objectives of the National Educational Technology Plan is to be clear about the outcomes we seek, collaborate to redesign structures and processes for effectiveness, efficiency, and flexibility, continually monitor and measure our performance and hold ourselves accountable for progress and results every step of the way. What a massive undertaking this is but what wonderful outcomes could be obtained if it works! The plan outlines technology as the basis of most every aspect of our personal and business lives and we must provide engaging and meaningful learning experiences for our students and to help improve collaborative efforts for teachers. The plan model outlines goals, objectives and recommendations in five key areas: learning, assessment, teaching, infrastructure and productivity.

The first essential area in the plan is learning. Students should be afforded engaging and empowering learning experiences. We should strive to create technology instruction that mirrors their everyday lives.  We should empower them to take control of their own learning by providing them with flexibility in instruction and opportunities, to prepare them for a future that will expect them to be able to research, collaborate and collect information using various forms of technology daily.

The second area is assessment. Assessment requires gathering technology-based information in order to drive decisions on what is best for each and every student. The statement that caught my eye was doing this while still having time to improve student performance. So many times assessment takes so much time that the students who are affected are long gone and graduated. Although the information gathered can still be used for current student learning, it is so much better to be able to assess and apply the improvements in a timely manner.

The next area outlined in the plan is teaching. The plan calls for collective teaching, in which educators can learn and collaborate with other teachers in preparing engaging and relevant learning experiences for our students. Technology tools should be used by teachers to create, manage and assess learning objectives for our students on an ongoing basis. One point mentioned was that “connection replaces isolation.” ("Transforming american education:," 2010)

This brought to mind the Facebook page that our class has developed to help us connect and collaborate as we become more effective professional educators.

The fourth area of the plan model is infrastructure. This embraces all resources, including equipment, people, policies and management and systems tools. What struck me most in this section was the frequent use of the word, comprehensive. This requires all stakeholders to be clear and collaborative in all areas to processing and facilitating this component. Another element is online learning communities. We are beginning to utilize some of these capabilities in our school to facilitate students in making up failed classes, working ahead toward graduation or just taking classes that they cannot fit into their schedules. It has them working independently, using their critical thinking skills in an online setting to tailor their educational requirements to their individual needs.

The final area is productivity. I believe this area will be one of the most difficult to attain, as it will require a completely new way of viewing educational processes and procedures. In order for students, especially some who are at risk, to be successful we must measure, assess and facilitate learning to fit the needs of our students rather than what is most convenient or comfortable for educational institutions. Furthering online structures and other innovative solutions where students can learn on their own time frames as well as pace is the model for future educational practices.

Although many of my concerns and observations were stated above within the context of the essential components, one element that stands out is inclusion of the immediate need to act on these issues now, to have any hope of affecting change to improve outcomes in our educational system. This is mentioned several times throughout the draft plan and it is so true if we are to have “revolutionary transformation rather than evolutionary tinkering.” ("Transforming american education:," 2010)

U. S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology. (2010). Transforming american education: learning powered by technology. draft national educational technology plan 2010

Angleton ISD District Technology Plan

The goals and objectives of the Angleton Independent School District (AISD) Long-Range Technology Plan (LRTP) outlines and supports improved student achievement through use of technology in schools by promoting high-quality professional development, increased access to technology and the Internet, the integration of technology into curriculum, and the use of technology for promoting parental involvement. ("Long-range technology plan," 2010)It is the belief that technology should be integrated into the everyday lives of administrators, teachers and students. There are four goals of the AISD LRTP which are as follows: teaching and learning, educator preparation and development, leadership, administration and instructional support and infrastructure for technology. These goals mirror the national plan and E-Rate, but specifically identify the needs and procedures of the district itself. Specifically for AISD, in Goal #1, the district will improve student achievement and teacher effectiveness through integration of technology at every grade level. Goal #2 will provide district wide staff development to improve technology effectiveness and increase teacher productivity. Goal #3 provides administrative leadership and tools, appropriate staffing and adequate funding to support improved student learning, to increase productivity and to ensure efficient operations through technology. Finally, Goal #4 seeks to enhance the quality of instruction through district wide implementation of state-of-the-art technology connectivity, hardware and software as an integral part of the learning environment. ("Long-range technology plan," 2010)

Goals are supported by objectives with specific strategies to accomplish these goals. Strategies include timelines, staff responsible for implementation; budget allocated and target evidence that these objectives have been accomplished. Also included is how these goals and objectives correlate with the National Long Range Technology Plan, No Child Left Behind and E-Rate criteria.

In AISD, technology professional development opportunities are available several times a week during the school year and also during the summer months. AISD has a Coordinator of Technology Staff Development, who was instrumental in sending me the information, including the District Long Range Technology Plan during the Thanksgiving holidays. This person coordinates all professional technology development for the entire district. Staff is apprised of all professional development activities via email and a periodic newsletter. Local and state funds provide for these classes, and hardware and infrastructure is provided through the local technology budget and private donations. AISD does utilize and files for E-Rate funds yearly for telecommunications. At this time, there is sufficient budget allocated, but each year more programs are added and budgets are becoming leaner. The Academic Excellence Indicator System, Texas STaR Chart and National Speak Up 2010 help to assess and evaluate the technology plan as well as the district technology committee and Computer Applied Technology Specialist, or CATS, members.

Two specified technology groups meet several times throughout the year to evaluate and develop technology strategies. First, is the District Technology Committee, which is comprised of representatives from all campuses and programs, community, parents and administration. This committee meets four times a year. They help to write goals, objectives, activities, and strategies of the AISD LRTP. Secondly, the CATS team meets five times a year. The team is comprised of teachers and librarians with a strong knowledge of technology and a desire to teach co-workers, integrate technology into the curriculum, and raise the level of technology awareness on the campuses. In addition, there are campus technology technicians that provide support and maintenance utilizing an in-house helpdesk system for ongoing evaluation and instructional technology support for administration and faculty.

The AISD Technology Department is working with AISD Curriculum Departments to ensure that the Technology Application TEKS align and a scope and sequence is developed. It was noted that AISD students are lagging behind on technology skills; however, state adopted on-line software programs, specifically TechKnowledge and TechConnect are being utilized for the second year which should improve students’ technology skills as teachers implement it.

Angleton Independent School District, Technology Department. (2010). Long-range technology plan. Angleton, TX.

Technology Assessments

The value of accessing educator’s technology leadership knowledge and skills lies in what district’s do with the information they access. Many times we spend much time and effort in developing tools, procedures and time in gathering information but then either don’t know what to do with that information or just keep it somewhere to say we “checked the box.” Districts can plan and model professional development and in-service activities around the information they have gathered as well as plan for future training and allocating of expenditures. In addition, the historical value of the information can be evaluated to determine whether districts are moving forward at an appropriate pace, remain stagnant, or sadly, moving backward in establishing technology goals. “There’s a whole new world out there with a whole new set of skills our kids need to manage.” (Richardson, 2007) We must know where are students are in order to better meet their technological needs. What a disservice to them if we are not taking the knowledge we have and putting it to good use. It takes everyone, including administrators, teachers, students, and parents, along with “solid longitudinal data that provide not just accountability, but also a compass by which to keep teaching and learning on a true course for each unique student.” (Stansbury, 2007) So what are the cons of technology assessment? It is possible that there could be flaws in the assessment tool or the way in which the data is gathered. Even in the STaR chart data, if teachers and administrators do not take the time to fully understand and complete the survey in an honest and thoughtful way, the information may not be as accurate as it needs to be. However, I believe that the pros far outweigh the cons if our focus is success for all stakeholders, specifically the students.

Richardson, W. (2007). The seven Cs of learning: A new c-change in education. District Administration, 43(3), 97.

Stansbury, M. (2007). Savvy educators reveal secrets of reform. eSchool News, 10(9), 17.

Week 1

Wow! The first week of graduate school is now a blur but I can't dwell on it too much because here it is Week 2. I have learned so much even in this short time. The discussions have been enlightening, the readings interesting and the assignments challenging - just what I would expect from graduate school. I can tell already that one of my biggest struggles will be time management. I have always been a procrastinator, but I am going to have to budget my time so school, work, and family all get the attention they deserve.