what is the current reality in our school?€¦ · itec 7410/edl 7105 swot analysis template for...

ITEC 7410/EDL 7105 SWOT Analysis Template for Technology Planning Needs Assessment

What is the current reality in our school?

Name: Christel Young Bonner Semester: Spring 2017

ESSENTIAL CONDITION ONE: Effective Instructional Uses of Technology Embedded in Standards-Based,

Student-Centered Learning

ISTE Definition: Use of information and communication technology (ICT) to facilitate engaging approaches to learning.

Guiding Questions: • How is technology being used in our school? How frequently is it being used? By whom? For what purposes? • To what extent is student technology use targeted toward student achievement of the Georgia Learning Standards (GPSs,

CCSs)? • To what extent is student technology use aligned to research-based, best practices that are most likely to support student

engagement, deep understanding of content, and transfer of knowledge? Is day-to-day instruction aligned to research-based

best practices?

Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats

• All classrooms have at least

one desktop computer for

student usage

• All teachers were given a

Dell touchscreen laptop

• All students and teachers

have unlimited access to the

Office 365 Suite of tools.

• SPLOST Funding (Schools

C. C., 2016)

• Acquisition and

installation of instructional

technology

• Acquisition of security,

safety, and support

• Acquisition and

• Some students have not

received access to Office 365.

• Some students have limited or

no Internet access at home.

• Access to technology is

limited to 3 computer labs, a

media center computer lab, 7

laptop carts, and 2 iPad carts

which serve 856 students

(Cooke, A. personal

communication, March 2017)

• Typically, technology is used

to supplement direct-

instruction and students rarely

engage it with the intent to

use it to create and access the

• Additional technology is being

brought to the school to include

the addition of one laptop cart

and one iPad cart

• Provide informational sessions

at the beginning of the school

year in which parents will be

informed of the benefits of

Office 365 usage and offered the

opportunity to accept or decline

access for their child

• Encourage student utilization of

the Office 365 software to create

in a collaborative learning

environment

• Provide informal learning

• Parents who

decline access

to the Office

365 tools and

technology

usage

• Teachers who

are

inexperienced

or reluctant to

use technology

• Tapp Middle

School has no

technology

plan.

• Limited access



installation of information

systems software and

associated software and

accessories

• Improvements to

infrastructure at all schools

and select administrative,

support, and educational

facilities

• Technology equipment to

support learning needs of

students with disabilities

• Replace data center

equipment

• Replace school servers

• BYOD School District

• Students have the option of

taking the Pre-Engineering

Connections class.

• Technology Resources

o Flocabulary

o Read 180/System 44

o USA TestPrep

o NewsELA

o Edmodo

o CTLS Online Assessment

System

o iRespond Response System

o Study Island

• STEM Club

higher LoTi levels.

• Technology usage rarely

capitalizes on the ability of

purchased software to provide

differentiated remediation and

enrichment opportunities

• Purchased program usage is

traditionally limited to the

lower level learners

sessions to encourage increase

teacher usage of technology

tools for instructional purposes

• Provide learning sessions for

parent to increase their

comfortability with their child’s

usage of technology for

educational purposes and

increase their knowledge of the

value of technology for

education as well as digital

citizenship

• Increase meaningful usage of

the BYOD opportunities within

the classroom

to technology



Summary of Results/Conclusions: While Tapp Middle School is making advances in educational technology, there are definite areas

in which improvement is imperative. The acquisition of technology has created spaces within the school which serve the current

student population. To assure that the students can compete globally, students will need rigorous learning opportunities in which to

engage with technology in a collaborative space that encourages academic growth.

Recommendations from Gap Analysis: The overall goal will be to provide every student with rich and rigorous experiences. Though

the resources are available to students and teachers, there is still room for improvement. With the introduction of a new principal, the

administration can move forward with developing a school-level technology team that will review and make needed recommendations

for technology improvement. Students will need regular access to technology on a daily basis. Student-centered learning

opportunities will need to be emphasized.

Data Sources:

Cobb County School District. (2016) Special purpose local option sales tax (ED-SPLOST V) 2019 - 2023. Marietta, Georgia: Cobb

County Schools. Retrieved from http://www.cobbk12.org/splost/SPLOSTVNotebook_CompleteSigned.pdf

Moersch, C. (October 4, 2004). LoTi characteristic and benchmark matrix. Retrieved from

http://www.dcet.k12.de.us/instructional/loti/benchmarkmatrix.pdf

ESSENTIAL CONDITION TWO: Shared Vision

ISTE Definition: Proactive leadership in developing a shared vision for educational technology among school personnel, students,

parents, and the community.

Guiding Questions: • Is there an official vision for technology use in the district/school? Is it aligned to research-best practices? Is it aligned to

state and national visions? Are teachers, administrators, parents, students, and other community members aware of the vision? • To what extent do teachers, administrators, parents, students, and other community members have a vision for how technology

can be used to enhance student learning? What do they believe about technology and what types of technology uses we should

encourage in the future? Are their visions similar or different? To what extent are their beliefs about these ideal, preferred

technology uses in the future aligned to research and best practice?



• To what extent do educators view technology as critical for improving student achievement of the GPS/CCSs? To preparing

tomorrow’s workforce? For motivating digital-age learners? • What strategies have been deployed to date to create a research-based shared vision? • What needs to be done to achieve broad-scale adoption of a research-based vision for technology use that is likely to lead to

improved student achievement?


• Cobb County School District has

a clear Technology Strategic Plan

which details the long-range goals

for the district

• The plan emphasizes:

o Varied learning experiences

that emphasize college and

career preparation

o Usage of differentiated

learning resources based on

student need

o Encouragement of stakeholder

relationships

• Tapp Middle

School does not

have a Strategic

Improvement Plan

• Stakeholders are

unaware of the

school’s technology

vision and needs

• Develop a Technology

Strategic Plan for Tapp

Middle School.

• Share the plan with

stakeholders and inform

them of how they can

best support the goals

outlined in the plan.

• Provide informal sessions

to teachers on how to

move instruction from the

lower LoTi levels.

• Apply for funding

opportunities from

community partnerships

that will be used provide

equitable access to

technology resources for

all students.

• Conduct a feasibility

study for a 1:1

environment.

• Share resources with

parents and guardians for

• Inexperienced and new staff

as well as reluctant staff may

be resistant to BYOD and

using technology within the

instructional framework

• Stakeholders may be

unfamiliar with the benefits

of technology integration and

oppose efforts



acquiring free or low cost

Internet access.

Summary of Results/Conclusions:

The lack of a shared vision plan for technology must resolved. It has not been communicated to stakeholders how they can best

partner with the school to best provide support for students to obtain their academic goals.

Recommendations from Gap Analysis:

Develop a shared vision plan with a school-based technology team leading the charge. Communicate with key stakeholders as to how

they can partner with the school to achieve the goals outlined in the plan.

Data Sources: Technology Services Division. (2015) 2016-17 Cobb County school district strategic plan. Marietta, Georgia: Cobb County School

District. Retrieved from http://www.cobbk12.org/tapp/2016-2017%20Tapp%20MS%20SSP%20School%20Strategic%20Plan.pdf

ESSENTIAL CONDITION THREE: Planning for Technology

ISTE Definition: A systematic plan aligned with a shared vision for school effectiveness and student learning through the infusion of

ICT and digital learning resources.

Guiding Questions: • Is there an adequate plan to guide technology use in your school? (either at the district or school level? Integrated into SIP?) • What should be done to strengthen planning? • In what ways does your school address the needs of diverse populations in the school or district to include how race, gender,

socio-economic, and geographic diversity giving consideration to how these factors commonly affect K-12 students’ access to

school and beyond-school access to high-speed Internet, modern computing devices, software, knowledgeable technology



mentors, culturally-relevant digital content, and other affordances critical to technology literacy acquisition.


• Additional hardware

resources have been

allocated to the school in

the form of an additional

laptop cart and an iPad

cart

• Additional funds were

allocated with the recent

approval of SPLOST V

Plan

• Tapp Middle School does not

have a Technology Plan nor

is there a component within

the School Improvement

Plan that addresses

technology integration within

the classroom.

• No direction is provided for

technology integration within

the classroom in the

District’s technology plan.

• The Teacher Keys

Effectiveness System

(TKES) requires that

teachers utilize technology

within the classroom but

there are no specific

guidelines as to how this

should be accomplished.

• Specific, Measurable,

Attainable, Realistic, and

Timely (SMART) goals should

be developed at the state,

district, and school levels with

specific guidelines for effective

implementation of technology

within the classrooms.

• The creation of a school-level

technology team would have the

ability to capitalize on the fact

that they could develop a

technology plan that suits their

specific needs without having to

follow a framework that has

been developed for them.

• Due to a lack of

funding sources,

technology

improvements may

not be a priority.

• Without resources

and guidelines on

successful integration

threatens to

undermine the goal

of equipping for

college and career

goals


Progress has been towards adequately equipping students for exposure to become digitally aware. However, students need to move

the place in which they are no longer consumers of technology by use technology in creative ways.




Create a school-wide technology plan or at least incorporate a technology component within the School Improvement Plan with

measurable goals that will provide a framework for the successful implementation of technology within the classroom.

Data Sources: Cobb County School District. (2016) Special purpose local option sales tax (ED-SPLOST V) 2019 - 2023. Marietta, Georgia: Cobb


Office of Teaching and Learning. (2016) Georgia teacher keys effectiveness system implementation handbook. Atlanta, Georgia:

Georgia Department of Education. Retrieved from http://www.gadoe.org/School-Improvement/Teacher-and-Leader-

Effectiveness/Documents/Finalized%20TKES%20Handbook%20with%20district%20feedback%20%202016-2017.pdf

Technology Services Division. (2015) 2016-17 Cobb County school district strategic plan. Marietta, Georgia: Cobb County School

District. Retrieved from http://www.cobbk12.org/tapp/2016-2017%20Tapp%20MS%20SSP%20School%20Strategic%20Plan.pdf

ESSENTIAL CONDITION FOUR: Equitable Access (Specifically Low SES and gender groups)

ISTE Definition: Robust and reliable access to current and emerging technologies and digital resources.

Guiding Questions: • To what extent do students, teachers, administrators, and parents have access to computers and digital resources necessary to

support engaging, standards-based, student-centered learning? • To what extent is technology arrange/distributed to maximize access for engaging, standards-based, student-centered

learning? • What tools are needed and why? • To what extent are strategies needed to address equity issues among Low SES and gender groups? What are examples of

strategies that would benefit your school/district? (required) • Do students/parents/community need/have beyond school access to support the shared vision for learning?


• All teachers were given

a Dell touchscreen

laptop

• Some students have not received

parental permission to access Office

365 tools.

• One additional laptop cart

and one additional iPad cart

are being adding in the

• Limited

technology

hardware



• All classrooms have at

least one desktop

computer for student

usage

• All students and teachers

have unlimited access to

the Office 365 Suite of

tools.

• Students have the option

of taking the Pre-

Engineering

Connections class.

• SPLOST Funding

(Schools C. C., 2015)

• Audio Visual

Equipment for

classrooms

• Installation and

update of printers,

copy machines

(color and B/W)

• Data Center

equipment refreshed

• Interactive

projection devices

• Some students lack Internet access at

home.

• There are not enough computers for all

students to access technology on a daily

basis. There are 3 stand-alone computer

labs which house 30 desktop computers

each. The Media Center has 21 desktop

computers. There are 7 laptop carts that

houses 24 laptops each and 2 iPad carts

with 30 iPads. In total, there are 239

devices for 856 students.

• Even though we are a BYOD campus,

some teachers are reluctant to allow

students to use their devices fearing

misuse.

• Not all students have a device with

which they may participate in the

BYOD program.

immediate future.

• Strengthen the digital

citizenship programs to

educate both students and

parents.

• Capitalize on the

collaborative components

of the Office 365 tools so

that students not only learn

how to use the tools but

engage in real-world

authentic problem solving

tasks.

• Educate parents as to how

Office 365 will be used for

educational purposes

beyond basic desktop

publishing tasks.

• Provide students and

parents with hands-on

instruction on how to access

and use Office 365.

• Acquire additional

technology resources

through grants and other

outside funding sources.

• Explore the possibilities of

becoming a 1:1 campus.

resources

• Uninformed

parents

• Parents who elect

not to permit

access to Office

365 for their

child

• Reluctant and

inexperienced

teachers

• No technology

plan at Tapp

Middle School




There is an insufficient number of devices for the number of students at the school. Only 28% of the students could use the devices at

one time if needed. A significant hurdle that must be overcome is the lack of resources to adequately accommodate the number of

students at the school.


Acquire more hardware resources. Consider and research the viability of becoming a 1:1 campus. Develop a technology plan to

include the suggestions for explicitly addressing the disparities in underrepresented groups.

Data Sources: Cobb County School District. (2016) Special purpose local option sales tax (ED-SPLOST V) 2019 - 2023. Marietta, Georgia: Cobb


ESSENTIAL CONDITION FIVE: Skilled Personnel

ISTE Definition: Educators and support staff skilled in the use of ICT appropriate for their job responsibilities.

Guiding Questions: • To what extent are educators and support staff skilled in the use of technology appropriate for their job responsibilities? • What do they currently know and are able to do? • What are knowledge and skills do they need to acquire?

(Note: No need to discuss professional learning here. Discuss knowledge and skills. This is your needs assessment for professional

learning. The essential conditions focus on “personnel,” which includes administrators, staff, technology specialists, and teachers.

However, in this limited project, you may be wise to focus primarily or even solely on teachers; although you may choose to address

the proficiency of other educators/staff IF the need is critical. You must include an assessment of teacher proficiencies.)




• The Cobb County School

District Instructional

Technology Division has

created an informative website

that houses instructional

webinars, the Technology

Services eMagazine, and other

resources that may be accessed

on a daily basis

• All educators and support staff

have access to the Office 365

suite of tools.

• All educators are equipped

with an operational knowledge

of the basics of Office 365.

• CTLS Assessment System

training has been offered to all

educators.

• Knowledge, skill level, and

experience with regards to

how to the various hardware

and software tools varies

amongst the educators and

support staff

• Because there is no

technology plan at Tapp

Middle School, educators

utilize the tools within their

individual range of comfort.

• Access to Instructional

Technology Coaches is

significantly limited as they

are assigned to several

schools within the district and

are rarely at a particular

school for a significant

amount of time.

• CTLS Assessment System

can only be accessed while on

the district network.

• A concise

instructional

technology plan with

measurable goals

should be developed

at the state, district,

and school levels.

• Technology programs

should not replace sound

pedagogical and research

based instructional

techniques.

• Reluctance to participate in

professional development

opportunities due to fact that

technology is frequently

replaced with new

technology that educators

must dedicate time to

learning.


There are many resources available to facilitate the continued education of personnel. Educators regularly use Office 365 tools on

some level to accomplish daily professional duties. The District has streamlined the process to access assessments that are aligned

State Standards. This is easily accessible from the district network. Additional professional development is needed to better

equipment educators to integrate technology to create a more constructivist learning environment.




Provide teacher mentors at the school level who are well versed in the software to assist in helping peers when they meet difficulties.

Increase the usage of Office 365 tools that are not frequently utilized to that students and educators get the benefit of using tools that

in a real-world setting.

Data Sources:

ESSENTIAL CONDITION SIX: Ongoing Professional Learning

ISTE Definition: Technology-related professional learning plans and opportunities with dedicated time to practice and share ideas.

Guiding Questions: • What professional learning opportunities are available to educators? Are they well-attended? Why or why not? • Are the current professional learning opportunities matched to the knowledge and skills educators need to acquire? (see

Skilled Personnel) • Do professional learning opportunities reflect the national standards for professional learning (NSDC/Learning Forward)? • Do educators have both formal and informal opportunities to learn? • Is technology-related professional learning integrated into all professional learning opportunities or isolated as a separate

topic? • How must professional learning improve/change in order to achieve the shared vision?


• Cobb County School District

has provided several

opportunities for teachers to

engage in professional

learning throughout the

school year and during the

• There are few professional

learning opportunities that occur

at the school level.

• Instructional Technology

Specialist access is limited since

they are responsible for several

• Place an Instructional

Technology Coach at

each school to support

educators, staff, and

students.

• Conduct a school-level

• There is a lack of

funding available for

additional technology

staff.

• Some educators are

resistant to the



summer.

• Webinars are provided by

the district that educators

can access at their leisure.

• The district encourages the

usage of Twitter to build a

Professional Learning

Network (PLN) to support

the professional growth.

schools within the district and

they are not housed within the

schools for immediate access.

• CTLS training has been limited to

one day and has not been as

successful needed to fully

implement the software usage.

professional

development needs

assessment at the

school level to better

address specific needs.

• Provide more

purposeful professional

development

opportunities.

implementation of

BYOD and the usage of

technology within the

classroom.

• Lack of benefit for

participation in

additional professional

development leads to

low participation.


Professional learning opportunities are frequently available at the district-wide level and participation is often on a voluntary basis.

Educators are encouraged to find professional development opportunities that fit their personal learning needs and preferences. There

is a need for more immediate access to Instructional Technology Coaches at the school-wide level.


Make sure professional development is personalized for the needs of the educators at the school level. Place an Instructional

Technology Coach at each school.

Data Sources: inTech Blog. (March 2017) Retrieved from http://www.cobblearning.net/ccsdintech/

Technology Services Blog. (March 2017) Retrieved from http://www.cobbk12.org/centraloffice/InstructionalTechnology/

ESSENTIAL CONDITION SEVEN: Technical Support

ISTE Definition: Consistent and reliable assistance for maintaining, renewing, and using ICT and digital resources.



Guiding Questions: • To what extent is available equipment operable and reliable for instruction? • Is there tech assistance available for technical issues when they arise? How responsive is tech support? Are current “down

time” averages acceptable? • Is tech support knowledgeable? What training might they need? • In addition to break/fix issues, are support staff available to help with instructional issues when teachers try to use technology

in the classroom?


• Media Specialist are

available at each

school. Their level

of technology

expertise varies.

• There is a district

level Instructional

Technology

Specialist assigned to

each school.

• The district provides

an online Helpdesk

that is utilized to

resolve hardware and

software issues.

• There are a few

teachers who can

provide

troubleshooting

assistance.

• Instructional Technology

Specialists are assigned to

several schools and are not

available daily. Therefore,

there may be a delay in

accessing the assistance that an

educator needs.

• The resolution of HelpDesk

tickets can often be delayed or

left unresolved for days due to

a lack of personnel needed to

field the tickets.

• Train school staff on

basic troubleshooting

techniques.

• Provide an Instructional

Technology Specialist at

each school who is

trained in basic software

troubleshooting to help

alleviate the strain.

• Connectivity issues pose

minimal problems but as the

district grows changes will

need to be implemented to

expand the compatibility of the

system to handle more Internet

traffic.




Technical support is readily available and with the implementation of the Helpdesk, work orders can be monitored and tracked for

response times. Many minor issues could be resolved at the local level with proper training of a core group of educator peer mentors.


Train a core group of staff members who will serve as field responders when minor issues arise. With the availability of team

members who are trained to handle basic problems, teachers and students can quickly recover and the amount of time spent providing

alternatives to technology rich lessons that have failed would be significantly decreased.

Data Sources:

ESSENTIAL CONDITION EIGHT: Curriculum Framework

ISTE Definition: Content standards and related digital curriculum resources.

Guiding Questions: • To what extent are educators, students, and parents aware of student technology standards? (ISTE Standards for Students) • Are technology standards aligned to content standards to help teachers integrate technology skills into day-to-day instruction

and not teach technology as a separate subject? • To what extent are there digital curriculum resources available to teachers so that they can integrate technology into the

GPS/CCS as appropriate? • How is student technology literacy assessed?


• ISTE Standards

for Educators

and Students is

readily available

on the Internet.

• The Cobb

• There is no ongoing

assessment for technology

integration.

• Technology standards are

not emphasized as a

component of the daily

• Embed technology

standards within the

curriculum performance

standards.

• Develop a standard digital

citizenship and digital

• Educators are reluctant to cooperate

with additional technology

requirements.

• Lack of knowledge and understanding

of expectations leads to educators

feeling overwhelmed with the amount



County Digital

Library is

available to all

students.

• An assessment

of student

technology

literacy occurs in

the 8th grade.

instructional planning.

• There is no technology

integration plan at Tapp

Middle School.

• There are no measurable

goals detailed in the district

plan.

• Though there are digital

resources that are available

to all educators and

students, they are not

accessed on a regular basis.

literacy curriculum for K-

12 students that

measurable goals that are

regularly assessed.

of research that must be completed to

adequately meet standards with no

clear standard of measure.


Though the resources are available that outline standards on a national and district level, the expectations for implementation has not

been well articulated. There are no measurable goals which leaves educators to formulate individual plans as to how to effectively

implement technology within the lessons.


Develop a clear and concise list of measurable and attainable goals. Require that all students who enter Tapp Middle School complete

the Common Sense Digital Citizenship lessons.

Data Sources: ISTE. (2008) ISTE standards for students. Retrieved from https://www.iste.org/standards/standards/for-students

ISTE. (2008) ISTE standards for teachers. Retrieved from https://www.iste.org/standards/standards/standards-for-teachers



References

Cobb County School District. (2016) Special purpose local option sales tax (ED-SPLOST V) 2019 - 2023. Marietta, Georgia: Cobb


inTech Blog. (March 2017) Retrieved from http://www.cobblearning.net/ccsdintech/

ISTE. (2008) ISTE standards for teachers. Retrieved from https://www.iste.org/standards/standards/standards-for-teachers

Moersch, C. (October 4, 2004). LoTi characteristic and benchmark matrix. Retrieved from

http://www.dcet.k12.de.us/instructional/loti/benchmarkmatrix.pdf

Office of Teaching and Learning. (2016) Georgia teacher keys effectiveness system implementation handbook. Atlanta, Georgia:

Georgia Department of Education. Retrieved from http://www.gadoe.org/School-Improvement/Teacher-and-Leader-

Effectiveness/Documents/Finalized%20TKES%20Handbook%20with%20district%20feedback%20%202016-2017.pdf

Technology Services Division. (2015) 2016-17 Cobb County school district strategic plan. Marietta, Georgia: Cobb County School

District. Retrieved from http://www.cobbk12.org/tapp/2016-

2017%20Tapp%20MS%20SSP%20School%20Strategic%20Plan.pdf

Technology Services Blog. (March 2017) Retrieved from http://www.cobbk12.org/centraloffice/InstructionalTechnology/

Appendices

Appendix A:

Appendix B:

ISTE. (2008) ISTE standards for students. Retrieved from https://www.iste.org/standards/standards/for-students