Technology Plan- Module 1 Assignment

Puglia- Technology Module 1 Assignment1

Technology Plan- Module 1 Assignment

James Puglia

New Jersey City University

Dr. Rabinovich

EDTC 631

September 25, 2014

Component Descriptions

Mission and Vision

As technology advances continue in our world, today’s children and teachers had the opportunity to harness the integration of technology to help achieve deep meaningful learning opportunities. The Bedminster School District prides itself in providing effective and a high-quality learning environment for all students. Technology by itself will not help enhance curriculum and learning objectives. The effective integration of technology to highlight and strengthen learning goals will help continue to lead the district forward in the 21st Century.

In order to continue to envision a growing school districtwhere learning needs for all students are met, the District will continue incorporating existing and emerging tools and resources that fit the goals of the district. These include the following:

• Students will effectively utilize technology resources when applicable to meet learning goals and not just for the sake of using technology.
• Student learning growth will be supported through emerging technologies.
• Differentiated instruction will be met with student-centered and project-based learning environments.
• Teachers’ needs and professional support for integrating learning will be supported with the development of skills and advanced proficiency using technology resources for learning purposes.
• Teachers will foster an environment that leads to the ability for students to evaluate, analyze, collaborate and demonstrate deep understanding, in part by the effective incorporation of technology tools that foster learning.
• Educators will harness the strengths of students and one another to collectively integrate technology by employing systems thinking practices (Senge, 2006).
• Students will meet the objectives from the New Jersey Core Curriculum Technology Standards 8.1 and 8.2, which includes a focus on STEM and collaborative learning goals.

General Introduction/Background

The role of technology in 21st century teaching and learning goes beyond technical instruction and workforce readiness. To support this claim, the current National Educational Technology Plan (NETP) and the K-12 New Media Horizon report (2012) promote a 21st Century Model of Learning supported with appropriate technology integration.

This reinforces the importance of developing effective learning communities consisting of technology tools that support leaning. Per core content areas, the model encourages real-world application of learning that supports project and collaborative learning settings. The NETP emphasizes the shift that students need to become “expert learners” rather than solely “content learners” without the ability to transfer knowledge to new learning situations. Major components of learners in this model include harnessing technology to communicate and collaborate more effectively. November (2009) argues that these skills are critical in developing an environment conducive to using technology appropriately.

Demographics, Strong Points, Challenges

The school’s demography consists of a suburban school setting in Central New Jersey. Currently, the district has one K-8 school that serves the population with an average annual school size of 586 students. The school’s largest population segment is Caucasian followed by individuals from Hispanic and African-American heritages. 101 students have a documented disability or about 17% of the entire school population. Around seven percent of students fall in the category of economically disadvantaged students. Four percent of students are limited English proficient students.

The majority of parents are involved and concerned with their child’s academic growth and play a key role in working with educators to help students achieve success. In addition, many initiatives are supported through generous donations made through the school’s PTO annual fundraising goals. The ability to provide emerging technologies, in part, is made possible through this method. Another advantage in the district is that is provides a platform for two technology teachers to teacher classes in technology and also to help facilitate the integration of technology by helping other teachers.

Currently, a critical challenge is providing ongoing professional development of staff to help learn and utilize emerging technologies to their greatest potential. The biggest obstacle in this school is what Cuban (2003)referred to in his seminal writing of how schools often purchased technology and then it went unused. The school is challenged to allocate timely and ongoing professional development to support the vast array of resources available. In the present school, over 80 percent of classrooms have interactive whiteboards and the ability for students to use laptops and/or desktops. In addition to the laptops, there are computer labs where teachers can use with students if technology classes are not taking place. Other challenges include some teachers not realizing the potential positive impact that technology integration can have to support student-centered learning goals, including UDL and differentiated instruction priorities.

Needs Assessment

A major challenge in the district is the growing size due to the town’s approval of new housing in the area. This will lead to a dramatic growth in the district, where three new schools will be built. Two new elementary schools and one middle school will serve this population in one region of the town.

With the burgeoning growth, the District aims to equip the new schools with similar technologies to the existing school. The increased population will necessitate triple the growth of the current school district, which now consists of only one school. With the addition of three schools, additional challenges will need to be me to ensure learning with technology occurs productively. Careful planning prior to the completion of the school district must be in place for. As these are two entirely new districts, the potential lack of veteran teachers skilled with successful technology integration practices will be a major challenge. It cannot be assumed if the teaching population’s average age is younger that they will integrate technology effectively. The younger potential staff enrollment of these new schools may offer the opportunity to train teachers that are less reticent to use technology, but it cannot be assumed that the digital native teachers will be able to use technology effectively without being taught effective technology integration practices.

Systematic Approach to Technology Management – Access and Acquisition

The technology department will help lead a staff filled with personnel from the school district and community members to help ensure that the proper equipment is purchased that will meet the needs of teachers and students. Teachers will play a critical role in evaluating and recommending potential software for purchase. Administrators will ensure that there is teacher support for software products that they plan to recommend and will ensure appropriate professional development to help implement items from the curriculum. This will apply to the K-2, 3-5 and 6-8 schools that are planning to open.

Access to software and web-based materials will be made available to teachers within the confines of the school’s acceptable use policy. The district encourages innovative approaches to integrating the use of technology. A district that does not trust their provide academic freedom and creativity will fail to utilize the many great potential benefits from prudent integration of new and emerging technologies (LeAnne K. Robinson, Brown, & Green, 2010).

Purchase and Management (All Schools)

According to Frazier (2012), a well-thought budget will allocate funds for a variety of needs. Different budgets and times demand different needs. For a budget to accommodate the outfitting of three new schools, it is paramount that prudent decisions be made at the onset of funding. Funding will be provided by the influx of residents to the community and property taxes. The future growth of a community-led foundation that supports the growth of innovative technologies will be used in the district.

The district will have a technology coordinator at each school to be responsible for daily operations within that building and driving professional development goals. In addition to this cost, the district will allocate the following percentages of funding for this school:

Hardware 40%. Software 20%, Professional Development 20%, Support and Maintenance 10%, Upgrades and other needs 10%

User Support Plan

The support plan in all schools is for teachers to be able to reach out to the contact person or technology coordinator in that specific building. A technology teacher will also help facilitate learning and teach classes with students. This individual will be able to provide support to teachers in a variety of ways, including helping develop and co-teach lessons with teachers. In addition, the technology coordinator and facilitator will develop professional development to support the use of software applications and appropriate use of hardware within the daily curriculum. A separate computer/technology technician will be on call for support and to answer assists and support tickets.

New Elementary School 1 (Grades K-2) 520 Students

Required Technology Resources

As this is a new school, there is great potential to organize tools to maximize the benefit for teachers. With a class size average of twenty students per grade and seven classrooms to be outfitted, there are no existing resources However, the district does have the advantage of reviewing successful implementation of technology for this age group from teachers who have classes in the existing school and from surrounding schools who teach this age group

• All classrooms will be equipped with interactive touchboards, where up to six students and a teacher can work simultaneously on the board. One purchase may include the ActivBoard Touch which will give greater opportunity for students to
• All classrooms will have digital projectors and sound amplification.
• Teachers will have laptops that they can use in and out of school
• Kindergarten and first grade classes will have tablets, where programs will be installed to help them through the use of touch-enabled applications for learning
• Classes will be outfitted with a color printer
• Second grade students will have tabled PCs, where touch or the use of the keyboard can occur
• The school will be equipped with a dedicated high-speed wireless Internet network, where servers will be used to backup data and store programs
• There will be a computer lab equipped with desktop computers where students will take classes to help improve technology-related skills that are tied with the curriculum
• Student-centered web-based, apps and applications will be used to support student-centered learning goals.
• Wiring of the school and providing high-speed access points throughout the building is essential
• Voice-over IP will help the district save money

Curriculum Connection

Below is a summary of some of the main goals, objectives and implementation methods that will help enhance student learning, in part, through the planned integration of technology.

Goals / Objectives / Implementation
Retention and Transfer of Learning / To increase students’ transfer of learning to new situations / Students will be able to use a variety of technology tools and learning situations to work on these skills
Develop collaborative learning skills / To integrate technology through the use of collaborative learning situations / Students will use the interactive touchboards and iPads collaboratively to solve math and reading problems
Meet all learners’ individual needs / To provide Differentiated Instruction opportunities to meet all students’ needs / Teachers will be able to employ a variety of strategies and different workstations and learning centers to help students achieve different goals The integration of technology will help enhance the ability to harness the strengths of each individual’s learning style.

Staff Training Plan

Educators’ Proficiency/ Identified Need / Ongoing, sustained, high-quality professional development planned / Support
Common Core State Language Arts Skills / Teachers will work with other teachers during allocated professional development days to implement effective strategies that address language arts skills / Teachers are given the opportunity to go into other teachers’ classes to learn how to effectively integrate this component.
Develop STEM Skills / Teachers will work on outside training workshops and to turnkey what they have learned for basic building projects / Teachers are given freedom to investigate and attend training sessions to support this initiative.
Develop Teacher Technology Skills / Training based upon teacher request. / The technology coordinator and technology facilitator offer before, after school and online training to interested members

Program Evaluation

The evaluation of technology is a critical component in justifying the expenditure and validity of integrating technology into learning practices. Teacher and parent surveys of technology will be in place for this age-level to help gauge the effectiveness of the plan. Also, observations and focus groups of core teachers with curriculum leaders and technology personnel will be critical in evaluating the efficacy of the technology plan and integration methods used. Assessment must be a constant process and not just take place one time during the course of years in practice It needs to be able to be adjusted and revised accordingly The technology committee will develop important questionnaires to be answered by teachers and make observations as the efficacy of programs and learning that is taking place with the integration of technology.

New Elementary School 2 (Grades 3-5) 520 Students

Required Technology Resources

• All classrooms will be equipped with interactive touchboards, where up to six students and a teacher can work simultaneously on the board. One purchase may include the ActivBoard Touch which will give greater opportunity for students to
• All classrooms will have digital projectors and sound amplification.
• Teachers will have laptops that they can use in and out of school
• 3rd-5th grade students will have Chromebooks available to use in their classroom
• Students will also have access to several computer labs in the building.
• Technology teachers will help facilitate the use of technology.
• The school will be equipped with a dedicated high-speed wireless Internet network, where servers will be used to backup data and store programs
• There will be a computer lab equipped with desktop computers where students will take classes to help improve technology-related skills that are tied with the curriculum
• Student-centered web-based, apps and applications will be used to support student-centered learning goals.
• Wiring of the school and providing high-speed access points throughout the building is essential

Curriculum Connection

Below is a summary of some of the main goals, objectives and implementation methods that will help enhance student learning, in part, through the planned integration of technology.

Goals / Objectives / Implementation
Develop global learning skills / Students will be able to collaborate with one another and with students in different regions of the state, country and possibly the world. / Students will use various methods, such as Skype in the Classroom and iEarn to connect with others from around the world to foster global learning and deeper understanding of the interdependent world we live in.
Meet all learners’ individual needs / To provide Differentiated Instruction opportunities to meet all students’ needs / Teachers will be able to employ a variety of strategies and to change the pace of lessons through the use of student-centered work through Chromebooks and software such as Google Apps. Students will get the opportunity to use a variety of multisensory skills, such as visual, auditory and kinesthetic through the use of a variety of tools. .

Staff Training Plan (Partial)

Educators’ Proficiency/ Identified Need / Ongoing, sustained, high-quality professional development planned / Support
Develop STEM Skills / Teachers will take part in developing advanced STEM skills as part of a districtwide initiative. / Teachers are given freedom to investigate and attend training sessions to support this initiative.
Develop Teacher Technology Skills / Training based upon teacher request. / The technology coordinator and technology facilitator offer before, after school and online training to interested members

Program Evaluation

The evaluation of technology is a critical component in justifying the expenditure and validity of integrating technology into learning practices. The program evaluation will include all components described in the K-2 school section, and in addition will include student surveys and discussion. Since students are older and able to communicate with deeper language skills, the ability to have them discuss items and the use of technology will help the school continue the ongoing and consistent reflection of the program.