Action Plan
Prior to this school year, technology staff development was conducted separate and apart from the instructional staff development offered. Teachers were free to choose whatever technology application they were interested in learning, and application of this learning was rarely monitored.
This past school year each curriculum area was given the responsibility of embedding technology into all staff development presented. For many this involved modeling the use of air slates, document cameras, and publisher’s websites. We ran into problems, though, because our Professional Development Center’s infrastructure has not been updated. If we are going to continue to embed technology into our curricular staff development, the infrastructure must be updated.
In planning technology staff development for next school year, we should consider data from the Texas STaR chart, teacher and administrator surveys, information gathered from principal walk-throughs, and the technology advisory committee. We should also consider the state goals for technology as well as the district Vision 2020 goals for technology.
Staff development should be presented that provides teachers with basic information regarding the state and district goals for technology. Brief sessions should introduce the Web 2.0 Tools, and teachers should be allowed to choose which tools to implement first. Teachers that I spoke with shared that most technology staff development seems to happen too quickly. There is not enough time to process and practice what is learned. Once new technology has been taught, mentor groups should be established to allow teachers to share ideas and feel comfortable trying out the new technology.
Evaluation
Evaluation must be conducted to ensure the technology plan is being implemented. Following each staff development, participants should evaluate whether the session met their needs and was applicable to the classroom. Presenters can then use this feedback to adjust additional training sessions.
Principals should monitor implementation of staff development by conducting walk-throughs of classrooms, and looking for new technology in lesson plans. As principals meet with grade levels, they should ask teachers to bring examples of student products to share.
Students, teachers and administrators should be given surveys to determine the effectiveness of technology instruction at the campus. The campus decision making committee should review these surveys to ensure the technology plan is being fully implemented. Any areas not being implemented should become a part of the following year’s Campus Improvement Plan.
The technology advisory committee should review all Campus Surveys and Campus Improvement Plans to ensure the district technology plan is being implemented accurately.
