Sample Needs Assessment 1
Rio Grande ISD Technology Needs Assessment
Rationale:
The Rio GrandeIndependentSchool District, in an effort to produce students who areready for the future, acknowledges the need to more fully integrate technology into the learning climate. The goal of the plan is to graduate students who know how to use technology efficiently and for a variety of purposes. It is our objective to provide the tools togain the knowledge and skillsrequired for teaching, learning, and working in the 21st century.
A Technology Integration Steering committee was created to analyze the current uses of technology in the district and to make recommendations for improvement. The committee was made up of central office administrators, campus administrators, teachers and students from all levels, parents and members of the community. The first act of the committee was to develop a Vision statement. The statement was used as a guideline for decision making.
Vision: The Rio Grande Independent School District will develop citizens who can use current technologies to access and interpret information from multiple sources, and work independently and collaboratively to solve problems and share solutions with their communities.
The next step was to analyze how technology was being used to enhance student learning. Surveys were sent to administrators, teachers, students, and parents. The surveys focused on ways technology was used and frequency of use. Classroom observations were also conducted. Observers visited every campus and recorded both the types of technology use and the frequency of use. All data was compiled and analyzed.
The disseminated data was then separatedinto two categories: Instructional Needs and Technology Needs. Instructional needs were areas of weakness in the delivery of academic instruction. A key need was assisting administrators and teachers in the acquisition and implementation of new instructional strategies and methods along with the incorporation of technology into daily instruction.
While all classrooms had the technology infrastructure necessary, they were not utilizing the equipment effectively. The committee recognized that the need to provide Professional Development in pedagogy and in the integration of technologyas the primary needs. A plan was developed that would meet both needs at one time; The Rio Grande ISD Techno-Van. The Techno-Van is a full size van that will be fully equipped to deliver high quality instruction in best practice teaching methodologies and technology integration.
The professional development will focus on implementation of best practice strategies. The target strategies will include student-centered and individualized instruction, with a focus on critical thinking. Teachers will also be assisted in the creation and implementation of interdisciplinary units of study. Another focus will be the use of the internet to conduct meaningful research. Embedded into all professional development will be the use of technology to enhance student performance and learning.
Technological Needs:
The creation of theRio Grande ISD Techno-Van will require the purchase of new hardware and software. The van will have twenty permanent working stations along with a front-end projection machine and screen, laser printers, scanners, digital cameras and other technology. The van will also have two notebook carts, each with a wireless access point, and 15 wireless laptop computers. Each cart will also contain two printers and two scanners. Schools will have a choice as to the location of delivery;sessions can be held either in the van using the laptops, or inside the building using the laptops and mobile carts.
Along with assistance in best practice methodologies, teachers and administrators will be given intense training in the use of district purchased software. In the past, the district had purchased site licenses for software to be used across the district. The software purchased was: Microsoft Office, which included Word, Publisher, PowerPoint, Excel, and Access; Inspiration, and Inte-Grade Pro. It was decided that these programs would be the focus of technology training.
Cost Analysis:
Item Description / Qty / AmountHP/Compaq NX 9010, 256 MB, 30 GB, 24XCD-ROM, Integrated Wireless Windows XP Laptop Computers / 30 / $ 45,440.00
Bretford Mobile Notebook Carts, with CISCO Aironet 1100 Series Access Point ($Sure:S2371415 / 2 / $ 2,998.00
Dell Front-end Projector / 2 / $ 3,000.00
SmartBoard / 1 / $ 3,000.00
Digital Camera / 10 / $ 2,500.00
Printers / 5 / $ 5,000.00
Scanners / 5 / $ 800.00
Thumbdrive / 30 / $ 3,000.00
Miscellaneous CDs, Floppy disks / $ 3,000.00
Winnebago Custom Van – 20 workstations / 1 / $100,000.00
User Manuals (District developed) / 500 / $ 5,000.00
Teacher Training Stipends / $500,000.00
Staff Development Specialist / 1 / $ 75,000.00
Computer Technician / 2 / $ 75,000.00
$823,738.00
Funding Sources:
The Rio Grande ISD will use a variety of funding sources to create and maintain the Techno-Van. Listed below are several sources. The Rio Grande ISD will continue to look for other funding sources in hopes of extending the Techno-Van program.
Sample Needs Assessment 1
Title II Part D
Title VI Innovative Education Grant
TIF Grant
Technology Integration in Education Grant
Preparing Tomorrow’s Teachers to use Technology (PT3)
Orion Project