Running head: Technology Center Analysis Activity

Technology Center Analysis Activity Dafaney White Georgia Southern University: FRIT 7738

Technology Center Analysis Activity

Part A: Technology Center Analysis Executive Summary This technology center analysis and evaluation was conducted at Telfair County Elementary School in McRae, Georgia. Telfair County Elementary School is located approximately 85 miles south of Macon in the small rural city of McRae, Georgia. Telfair County Elementary School serves approximately 785 students in kindergarten through fifth grades. The organizational structure of the Telfair County School District Technology Department is as follows: The centers technology specialist reports to the school districts technology coordinator, and the technology coordinator reports to the districts superintendent. The methods used to collect data to construct this evaluation report included examination of previous documents, interviews, and observation of the center during operation. The districts three-year technology plan was examined; three teachers and one parent were interviewed; and the centers computer labs and student classrooms were observed. The center is equipped with stationary and mobile computer labs, a limited number of Ipads and SMART Tables, and a video conferencing system. Center classrooms have at least five instructional computers, a video projector, an interactive whiteboard, a document camera, and a set of student response devices. The abbreviated version of the Telfair County School System mission is for students to succeed in a twenty-first century global economy, to believe in the worth and dignity of themselves and others, and to pursue lifelong learning.

Technology Center Analysis Activity The centers technology goals are to: update and expand 21st Century Learning

Environment and Technology access, increase student academic achievement and technology performance, provide professional learning to support full integration and understanding of technology, utilize technology to enhance administrative responsibilities, provide expanded access to school information and resources, inform and involve all system personnel and stakeholders of the technology vision on appropriate use of technology. To achieve these goals, the center uses the following activities and programs: the school website, SEMSTracker, Destiny, PD360, Accelerated Reader, Study Island, Reflex Math, and Academy of Reading and Math. Based on the examination of previous documents, interviews, and observations, the Telfair County Elementary School Technology Center is achieving its mission and meeting the established technology goals. To improve the centers operations I would recommend that they make the following changes: Employee an Instructional Technology person Employee a second Technology Specialist Install SMART Boards in computer labs Implement a program to track and report technical problems Organizational Chart Telfair County School District is a rural district and only has two full time and one part time technology employees. One full time employee, the districts technology director, is stationed at the Board of Education/Pre-K. The other full time employee works at Telfair County Elementary School as the centers technology specialist.

Technology Center Analysis Activity

Technology Center Analysis Activity

Methods The methods used to collect data to construct this evaluation report were the examination of previous documents, interviews, and observation of the center during operation. The districts three-year technology plan (Appendix A) was examined to determine the mission and goals for the center. Teachers and parents were interviewed, and the center was observed to help determine if the center was meeting its current goals. A fifth grade teacher, a kindergarten teacher, and a special education teacher were interviewed for this repot. A copy of the interview questions can be found in Appendix B. During the observations, teacher classrooms and center computer labs were visited. A copy of the observation checklist can be found in Appendix C. Center Context and Goals Telfair County Elementary School is located approximately 85 miles south of Macon in the small, rural city of McRae, Georgia. The school serves approximately 785 students in kindergarten through fifth grades. Telfair County Elementary School is a Title I school, due to the high percentage of economically disadvantaged students. The center is equipped with five computer labs, each containing at least 24 computers. The district has purchased the equipment for a sixth lab, which should be implemented soon. The center also has four mobile labs equipped with 24 netbooks in each lab. Administrators, speech therapists, and special education teachers are provided with Ipads. The self-contained special education classroom is equipped with two SMART Tables. The center has a video conferencing system. Each classroom has at least five instructional computers, a video projector, an interactive whiteboard, a document camera, and a set of student response devices. The school system has a

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total of 768 instructional computers, 53 video projectors, 50 interactive whiteboards, 50 document cameras, five interactive slates, and 1,200 student response devices. The mission of the Telfair County School System is to develop students who can succeed in a 21st Century global economy, who believe in the worth and dignity of themselves and others, and who pursue lifelong learning in an ever-changing, richly diverse society (Telfair County School System, Three Year Plan, 2011). The Telfair County School System Three Year Plan (2011) states the goals and objectives for Telfair County Elementary schools are: Instructional Goals Goal 1: Update and expand 21st Century Learning Environment and Technology access.

Goal 2: Increase student academic achievement and technology performance. Goal 3: Provide professional learning to support full integration and understanding of technology.

Administrative Goals

Goal 4: Utilize technology to enhance administrative responsibilities.

Parent/Community Uses of Technology Goals

Goal 5: Provide expanded access to school information and resources.

System Readiness Goals Goal 6: Inform and involve all system personnel and stakeholders of the technology vision on appropriate use of technology. The key stakeholders of the center are students, administrators, faculty, staff, parents, and the community of Telfair County. The key personnel for the center are the district technology coordinator and the centers technology specialist. The center is an active technology center. Center Activities

Technology Center Analysis Activity

School Website: Telfair County Elementary School Webpage is maintained by the centers technology specialist. The website has information about the school, links to other activities and programs the school uses, an email portal, and articles and pictures which showcase the school and its students. The online school website is provided to assist faculty, staff, students, parents, and the local community. PowerSchool: PowerSchool is a web-based student information system used by administrators, faculty, and staff for scheduling, recording grades, and maintain attendance and student records. Parents can access real time student grades using PowerSchool. SEMSTracker: This system is used by special education administrators, faculty, and staff. SEMSTracker is an online based program used to manage special education students information and develop individualized education plans (IEPs). OnCourse: OnCourse is an online lesson plan builder program that the faculty at the center uses to develop and submit instructional lessons plans. Destiny: Destiny is on online library manager program. The centers media specialist uses it to check out and check in library books. The system has an online card catalog that can be used by faculty, and Destiny Quest is a kindergarten through twelfth grade student-friendly searching interface. The system is not only used to inventory media center items but to inventory the centers technology equipment and software as well. PD360: PD360 is an online professional development tool for educators. PD360 provides educators with an on demand online library of differentiated training videos. Accelerated Reader (AR): AR is an online assessment tool used to assess a student's reading level. The program assesses if a student has read a book by administering a quiz based

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on the book. The program can also provide teachers with information such as reading rates and reading times. The program is aimed at students and teachers. Study Island: Study Island is an online program that provides engaging, interactive lessons and activities based on the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) and Common Core Standards to help prepare students for the CRCT. Teachers in grades first through fifth at the center use Study Island for student benchmarking. Reflex Math: Reflex Math is an online program that uses fast paced math fact games to help build student math fact fluency. Teachers in grade second through fifth use the program for student intervention while teachers in Kindergarten and first grade use it for student enrichment. Academy of Reading and Math: The Academy of Reading and Math is a web-based program used for intervention. The program is designed for students who are struggling in reading or math. Evaluation Based on the examination of previous documents, interviews, and observations, the Telfair County Elementary School Technology Center is achieving its mission and meeting its established technology goals. Instructional Goals

Goal 1: Update and expanded 21st Century Learning Environment and Technology access.

Goal 2: Increase student academic achievement and technology performance.

Based on classroom and computer lab observations, it was apparent that the center is exceeding in Goals 1 and 2. The center provides students with a 21st Century Learning Environment and access to technology. It is remarkable the amount of technology the school has

Technology Center Analysis Activity

especially when considering its small size, rural location, and its economic disadvantages. With five computer labs, LAN and wireless internet, plus the fact that each classroom has at least five instructional computers, a video projector, an interactive whiteboard, a document camera, and a set of student response devices, students have many opportunities to access technology. During my observations, I witnessed teachers using interactive whiteboards to conduct math, science, and reading lessons. During these lessons, students had the opportunity to interact in the lesson with technology by either using the response clickers or coming to the interactive white board. During my observations, I saw students using programs such Academy of Math and Reading, Study Island, Accelerated Reader, and Reflex Math to increase student academic achievement as well as technology skills. I observed kindergarten through fifth grade students using the Accelerated Reader program to increase reading fluency and comprehension. In grades first through fifth, Academy of Reading and Math is used as a Tier 2 intervention method, and the school has employed four paraprofessionals to assist struggling students complete intervention rotations in the computer lab. Reflex Math was observed being used in a first grade classroom as an enrichment activity and in a third grade computer lab as an intervention activity. The use of Study Island was observed multiple times in the classroom and in the computer labs. Students were using the program for CRCT preparation. Study Island is also used in the school to complete benchmark testing. The centers technology specialist informed me that last years Study Island benchmark results before the CRCT were almost the same as last years CRCT scores. Instructional Goals:

Goal 3: Provide professional learning to support full integration and understanding of technology.

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All three teachers that were interviewed from the center stated that the district technology coordinator and the centers technologist specialist do an excellent job providing staff development for new hardware and software. The centers technology specialist states that the majority all professional training is now completed online using PD360. The center is meeting goal three by providing professional learning to support full integration and understanding of technology. Administrative Goals

Goal 4: Utilize technology to enhance administrative responsibilities.

The center is meeting goal four by providing administrators and faculty with programs such as PowerSchool, OnCourse, and SEMStracker. During interviews teachers stated that PowerSchool and OnCourse have made the paper work side of teaching much easier. PowerSchool provides teachers with student information at the touch of a button and an online grade book and attendance log that is available anywhere. All of which make it easier for administrators and faculty to access information. One teacher said that she especially likes the fact that lesson plans on OnCourse are saved and can be accessed the next year. The special education teacher stated that SEMStracker simplifies IEP writing. With SEMStracker IEP and forms are available to instantly print plus the program can accessed from home. Parent/Community Uses of Technology Goals

Goal 5: Provide expanded access to school information and resources.

The center is meeting goal five due to its resourceful school website. One parent interviewed stated that she often uses the schools website. She stated that she uses the website to access programs used by her child in school such as Study Island, to check her childs grades via PowerSchool, to check schedules of upcoming events, and to print out the school menu.

Technology Center Analysis Activity System Readiness Goals

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Goal 6: Inform and involve all system personnel and stakeholders of the technology vision on appropriate use of technology. Goal six is being meet by the center. The centers technology specialist states that at the beginning of each school year administrators, faculty, staff, and students/parents are required to read and sign an Acceptable Use Policy. The center operates efficiently. When observed, the technology in the centers computer labs and classrooms were properly operating. Interviewed teachers state that when they do have a technical problem the centers technology specialist responds to the problem in timely manner to solve it. The centers technology specialist appears competent and dedicated. To improve the centers operations I would recommend that they make the following changes: Employee an Instructional Technology person Employee a second Technology Specialist Install SMART Boards in computer labs Implement a program to track and report technical problems

The center would greatly benefit from employing an instructional technology person to teach technology lessons to students in the classrooms and computer labs, assist teachers in implementing technology into their lessons and help with staff developments. There is a need for a technology person with an education background, not just a technology background. The massive amount of technology the center has invested in could be more efficiently managed if the center employed a second technology specialist. The current technology specialist is fast and efficient, but she is overwhelmed with technology request and troubles. The

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elementary school is vast, technology is abundant, and the technology specialist is stretched awfully thin. Two of the centers computers labs contain a SMART Board, but the other three do not. The computer labs would be more beneficial if they all contained SMART Boards. With SMART Boards in the computer lab, a teacher could demonstrate what they expect of their students. The center desperately needs a program to track and manage technical issues. Currently, the reporting of technical problems consists of the technology specialist being flagged down in the hall, called on the phone, or sent an email. Having an online program such as My Big Web Apps would make maintenance of the hardware and software more efficient.

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Part B: Monthly Report Telfair County Elementary School Technology Department Newsletter March 2013 Technology News: Exciting news! The school is getting a new computer lab! The lab should be operational by the end of April 2013. Training News: Technology Specialist Jennifer White offered a staff development to introduce and train teachers on a new math program call Reflex Math. Reflex Math is an online program that uses fast paced math fact games to help build student math fact fluency. Teachers in grade second through fifth can use the program for student intervention while teachers in kindergarten and first grade can use it as an enrichment activity. Computer Labs: The computer labs are as active as ever! 785 students made at least ten visits to one of the schools five computers labs during the month of March. In the labs, students are using programs

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such as Study Island, Reflex Math, and Academy of Reading and Math to increase academic achievement and technology skills. In the Classroom: During the month of March five classrooms were randomly observed. In four classrooms, the teachers were using their SMART Board and/or response clickers to engage students in learning. In the one of the classrooms, the students were using the classroom computers to take Accelerator Reader (AR) tests over their AR books.

Appendix Appendix A Telfair County School System Three-Year Technology Plan Appendix B Teacher Interview Questions 1. What type of technology do your students have access to? What technology do you have access to? 2. What technology programs do you use that help increase academic achievement? Are they effective? 3. Do you receive staff development on new hardware and software? Is it helpful? 4. What programs do you use to assist you with administrative responsibilities? How are they helpful? Parent Interview Questions 1. Did you know the school has a website? 2. Have you ever accessed the school website?

Technology Center Analysis Activity 3. Did you find it helpful and resourceful? 4. What have you used the school website for? Appendix C Classroom and Computer Lab Observation Checklist 1. What types of technology are being used? 2. What programs are being used? 3. Are the students engaged? 4. Is the technology properly working? References Barlow, I. (April 8, 2013) Special Education Teacher, Personal Communication Boatright, C. (March 27, 2013) Kindergarten Teacher, Personal Communication

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King, S. (March 29, 2013) Telfair County Elementary School Parent, Personal Communication Telfair County School System, (July, 2011). Three-Year Technology Plan. Retrieved April 1, 2012, from http://www.telfairschools.org/domain/32. Varnadoe, D. (April 8, 2013) Fifth Grade Teacher, Personal Communication