MEGAN HOOPES-MYERS BOISE STATE UNIVERSITY EDTECH 501-4172 TECHNOLOGY USE PLAN MEGAN HOOPES-MYERS BOISE STATE UNIVERSITY EDTECH 501-4172

RATIONALE Why develop a technology use plan? Technology is constantly evolving. With new technology trends, tools, and applications appearing in the education world, it is vital to have a technology use plan prepared for a variety of reasons.

RATIONALE Why develop a technology use plan? Technology priorities Technology integration into curriculum Student expectations Shared vision among all stake holders Districts and schools need to research the technological needs, specify how the technology will be paid for, and how its use will be supported. Educators need a clear plan to ensure that technology strengthens existing curriculum and supports meaningful, engaged learning for all students. Technology must be an integral part of the school’s plan to move all children toward high academic standards. An effective technology plan is based on the shared vision of educators, parents, community members, and business leaders who have technological expertise.  

Professional Development TIMELINE Needs Team Budget Research Vision Statement Construct Assessment Professional Development Revision A technology use plan is a “device that helps explain the various points of interest and destinations to travelers involved in the process of realizing their dreams.” * *Guidebook for Developing an Effective Instructional Technology Plan

PLANNING TEAM Who should be a part of the planning team? Primary stake holders Team leader Secondary stake holders Smaller Educational Community groups It is important to include the following individuals in the planning process: Primary stake holders – administrators, educators, parents, & students Team leader – an individual who is able to delegate responsibility to individuals and keep them on task Secondary stake holders – support staff, local business partners, community leaders, and volunteers. All stake holders should have expertise in technology and telecommunications. There is a need to move to smaller educational community grouping where decisions and the cost of decisions are more manageable.

PROCESS DESCRIPTION What are the steps in developing a technology use plan? Recruit and organize planning team Research Construct technology plan Formalize the planning Continually implement, evaluate, & revise As directly stated in the Guidebook for Developing an Effective Instructional Technology Plan: Team members should be representative of all stakeholders and should be leaders who excel in planning, relationship, and communication skills. Identify the technology needs of individuals and organizations in your educational institutions, identify the technologies that can be applied to those needs, and identify how they can be applied. Use what you have learned from your research to define your vision and to define the goals and tasks that will lead to fulfilling your vision. Articulate in a document what is believed, what exists, what is to be, and how goals are to be achieved. Team members should revisit and revise the plan accordingly to make sure the plan has been accomplished, how it can be improved, and what the next step in the process should be.

PROCESS DESCRIPTION Consider the following: Technology assessment Ongoing evaluation Meeting schedule Technology enriched schools to visit Professional development Planning resources Planning responsibilities As directly stated in the Guidebook for Developing an Effective Instructional Technology Plan: Questions to consider during the planning process: How best can we assess the present state of technology and future needs? How can we provide for ongoing evaluation and assessment? How often should the planning council/committee meet? What educational institutions that have already installed and implemented technology such as electronic classrooms can we visit? What conferences, expositions, etc. can we attend to discover more about our greatest potential in technology? Where can we find planning resources (people and documents)? How should we divide the planning responsibilities?

VISION STATEMENT Utilizing communication and information technologies to enhance and expand the traditional role of education, in order to prepare students for future learning. The vision statement of a technology use plan expresses thoughts about what will happen in the future.

PLAN GOALS/OBJECTIVES Create long term goals Create short term goals Evaluate all goals annually Revise accordingly Objectives for technology integration: Create a 5-year goal for the broad direction in implementing technology. Review the long term goal annually and revise it if needed. Create yearly goals for the school to accomplish the following areas: Technology hardware, software, and resource purchases Set curriculum goals for technology integration Review current alignment with district, state, and national curriculum standards Set goals and training opportunities for professional development Address needs for maintenance and technological support issues Review the short term goals each school year and revise the goal for the next school year as needed.

NEEDS ASSESSMENT What needs should be addressed in the assessment instrument? Effective vision Administrative support Efficient school technology plan, updated accordingly Faculty and staff support Budget available for outdated technology Professional development Needs assessment for technology use planning is a continued part of the planning and goal setting phases. Technology needs assessment statements to consider during the planning process as outlined in a survey taken from ncsu.edu: A vision for technology has been developed through an effective collaboration among stakeholders (administrators, specialists, teachers, students, and community members) Administrators support changes in school-level systems, policies, and practices related to technology. When administrators are evaluating teachers, they consider technology literacy and leadership for technology. An effective long-range school technology plan is in place. The school plan is monitored and updated at least once a year. Teachers and other staff members support the school technology plan. The amount of money budgeted for technology resources is sufficient for continuously updating and replacing technology systems as they become outdated. Technology is used to communicate and collaborate with the community about school programs designed to enhance student learning. Use of technology to participate in professional development activities, such as online workshops, hands-on training in a computer lab. Educators in charge of professional development use data from teachers’ needs assessments to determine technology professional development topics and activities.

FACULTY & STAFF DEVELOPMENT Teacher’s needs assessment determine technology professional development Professional development: Timely Relevant Ongoing Impact of technology professional development is tracked using data from classroom practice & student learning. Faculty and staff development suggestions: Research-based practices to be taught. Identification, location, and evaluation of technology resources, such as websites that can be used with students. Performance-based student assessment for students. The use of technology to collect and analyze student assessment data. Learner-centered teaching strategies that incorporate technology, such as project-based or cooperative learning. The use of technology for differentiating instruction for students with special learning needs. Ways to use technology to communicate and collaborate with other educators. Alignment of lesson plans to content standards and student technology standards. Use of research or action research projects to improve technology-enhanced classroom practices. Use of technology to participate in professional development activities, such as online workshops or hands-on training in a computer lab. These suggestions were presented in a survey taken from ncsu.edu.

EVALUATION/RESEARCH Evaluating the technology use plan is a vital process and should be continuous throughout the planning cycle. As directly stated in the Guidebook for Developing an Effective Instructional Technology Plan: Every step in a plan should be evaluated. Evaluations will be performed at varying points in the planning cycle. The type of evaluation, its detail, and duration will depend on the step being evaluated and the decisions that have to be made that surround or interact with that step. As in reporting data, the purpose of the evaluation and the intended audience are prime considerations. It is prudent to seek the advice of an evaluation expert. Evaluation may be covered in multiple parts of a technology plan, such as implementation plans, critical issues, needs analysis, reporting, and other sections. In addition to other sections, evaluation usually warrants a dedicated section to clarify evaluation purposes and procedures.

RESOURCES Al-Weshail, A. S., Baxter A. L., Cherry, W., Hill, E. W., Jones, C. R., Love, L. T., . . . Woods, J. C. (1996). Guidebook for developing an effective instructional technology plan. Retrieved April 16, 2011 from http://www.nctp.com/guidebook.cfm North Carolina Regional Educational Laboratory. Critical issue: Developing a school or district technology plan. Retrieved on April 28, 2011 from http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/technlgy/te300.htm School technology needs assessment (STNA) 4.0. Retrieved on April 28, 2011 from http://www.fi.ncsu.edu/assets/STNA%20Results.pdf