Standard 5.1 Needs Assessment
Candidates conduct needs assessments to determine school-wide, faculty, grade-level, and subject area strengths and weaknesses to inform the content and delivery of technology-based professional learning programs. (PSC 5.1/ISTE 4a)
Artifact: TRMS Technology Integration Progress Report (Using TIM Matrix)
Reflection:
As the Instructional Technology Specialist assigned to support Taylor Road Middle School (TRMS), it was important to begin the school year with a needs assessment. The purpose of the needs assessment was to identify school-wide technology integration needs for faculty. Using the Technology Integration Matrix Observation (TIM-O) tool for teachers, I visited every classroom in the building to identify how technology is being integrated. The needs assessment also identified the percentage of teacher who are integrating technology. Information from the needs assessment was used to set school-wide technology integration goals and support teachers with professional learning towards pursuing those goals in various content areas.
Standard 5.1 needs assessment establishes a process of conducting a non-evaluative needs assessment to determine specific areas of improvement with technology integration on a school-wide level. This was accomplished by paying 5-10 minute unannounced classroom visits to classrooms that were using technology. The number of classrooms not using technology was also summarized at the end of the needs assessment process. The data was analyzed and used to set goals for technology integration across all content areas. Two goals were identified for implementation by teachers: (i) 15% increase in the number of teachers using technology (ii) 15% increase in 2 or more technology integration descriptors (there are 5 descriptors in total). Quarterly progress on the goals were monitored for use of ongoing needs assessment to inform teachers and administrators of the school’s technology integration growth. In total, 4 needs assessment data were collected and used to identify areas of strength and weaknesses to continuously inform professional development for teachers.
What I learned during this process is that the painstaking effort of using data to inform ongoing professional learning is crucial. It is more crucial to take a non-evaluative approach. When teachers recognized that the class visits did not impact their professional evaluation; rather it informed professional learning, they were more receptive to the idea of collaboration for professional learning. I also learned that transparency and communication is crucial when setting professional learning goals. The more I communicated and emphasized key words and goals for the needs assessment, the more my teachers became interested in becoming a part of the process. If I were to do something differently, I would have begun the process with the leaders of professional learning communities (PLCs); their initial buy in would have accelerated the teacher buy-in.
This artifact contributed to school improvement by taking an informed approach to develop professional learning for teacher. It also contributed to student learning by helping teachers promote personalized learning principles such as student voice and choice, authentic learning opportunities, co-planning learning with students, etc. using technology enhanced opportunities. This artifact ay be assessed by evaluating the quarterly progress on the technology integration goals: By the end of the school year; there was an increase in the number of teachers using technology (54%, 44%, 49% and 55%). The teachers also exceeded the 2nd goal - 15% increase at the Infusion level (the level where students have choice of technology) across all 5 descriptors instead of 2 recommended descriptors.
Artifact: TRMS Technology Integration Progress Report (Using TIM Matrix)
Reflection:
As the Instructional Technology Specialist assigned to support Taylor Road Middle School (TRMS), it was important to begin the school year with a needs assessment. The purpose of the needs assessment was to identify school-wide technology integration needs for faculty. Using the Technology Integration Matrix Observation (TIM-O) tool for teachers, I visited every classroom in the building to identify how technology is being integrated. The needs assessment also identified the percentage of teacher who are integrating technology. Information from the needs assessment was used to set school-wide technology integration goals and support teachers with professional learning towards pursuing those goals in various content areas.
Standard 5.1 needs assessment establishes a process of conducting a non-evaluative needs assessment to determine specific areas of improvement with technology integration on a school-wide level. This was accomplished by paying 5-10 minute unannounced classroom visits to classrooms that were using technology. The number of classrooms not using technology was also summarized at the end of the needs assessment process. The data was analyzed and used to set goals for technology integration across all content areas. Two goals were identified for implementation by teachers: (i) 15% increase in the number of teachers using technology (ii) 15% increase in 2 or more technology integration descriptors (there are 5 descriptors in total). Quarterly progress on the goals were monitored for use of ongoing needs assessment to inform teachers and administrators of the school’s technology integration growth. In total, 4 needs assessment data were collected and used to identify areas of strength and weaknesses to continuously inform professional development for teachers.
What I learned during this process is that the painstaking effort of using data to inform ongoing professional learning is crucial. It is more crucial to take a non-evaluative approach. When teachers recognized that the class visits did not impact their professional evaluation; rather it informed professional learning, they were more receptive to the idea of collaboration for professional learning. I also learned that transparency and communication is crucial when setting professional learning goals. The more I communicated and emphasized key words and goals for the needs assessment, the more my teachers became interested in becoming a part of the process. If I were to do something differently, I would have begun the process with the leaders of professional learning communities (PLCs); their initial buy in would have accelerated the teacher buy-in.
This artifact contributed to school improvement by taking an informed approach to develop professional learning for teacher. It also contributed to student learning by helping teachers promote personalized learning principles such as student voice and choice, authentic learning opportunities, co-planning learning with students, etc. using technology enhanced opportunities. This artifact ay be assessed by evaluating the quarterly progress on the technology integration goals: By the end of the school year; there was an increase in the number of teachers using technology (54%, 44%, 49% and 55%). The teachers also exceeded the 2nd goal - 15% increase at the Infusion level (the level where students have choice of technology) across all 5 descriptors instead of 2 recommended descriptors.