Technology Action Plan

Candice McKee

EDLD 5352 Instructional Leadership: Technology

Technology ACTION Plan

GOAL: To effectively integrate technology in curriculum, instruction, assessment and professional development to prepare students for the 21^st century.

Action:	Personnel/ Stakeholders:	Role/Responsibilities:	Evaluation:
1. Administration will implement technology resources in all staff professional development during the year.	Principal	The short throw projector using SMART board capabilities will be used to model technology by administration that teachers are asked to use with students in the classroom.	Monitors staff to ensure campus and district technology plans from the District Improvement Plan and the Campus Improvement Plan is implemented on campus.
2. Provide staff development for the utilization of instructional technology (short throw projectors using SMART board capabilites).	Instructional Technologist	Provides technology professional development for district employees for all new hardware and software installed.	Records of district employees at technology training through the use of sign-in sheets and teacher professional development records on the STaR chart.
3. Provide professional development on the the Technology TEKS for all grade levels.	Principal, Instructional Technologist, District Curriculum Department	Coordinates campus technology professional development for all grade levels.  Present professional development that is meaningful that classroom teachers can implement to prepare students for the 21st century.	The campus principal will conduct walkthroughs looking for technology TEKS in the classroom. Administration will also monitor lesson plans and PDAS observations to note technology used in the classroom.
4. Assign time for teachers to plan collaboratively and find new ways to effectively teach and implement technology in the curriculum at all grade levels.	Principal, Campus Teachers	Embed technology TEKS in the classroom learning, create opportunities for the students to use technology in everyday activities.	Surveys of students in regards to use and effectiveness of technology in the classroom.
5. Utilize the computer lab to provide weekly lessons to all grade levels that will teach the state technology TEKS.	Computer Lab Aide	Support the classroom teacher through the use of technology to extend the technology TEKS learned inside the classroom.  Students should be able to apply lessons taught to activities outside the homeroom classroom.	Surveys of students in regards to use and effectiveness of technology outside the classroom.  Yearly progress monitoring and inventory of school hardware and software.
6. Ask staff to meet to analyze data from Aware system, STaR Chart results, AEIS report, and the AYP report to make a technology plan for the following year.	Principal, Campus Improvement Team	Gather and analyze data to conduct yearly meetings with the Campus Improvement Team to base plans on the district technology goals and strategies to complete the campus technology needs assessment.	Survey staff with regards to quality, effectiveness, and usefulness of campus technology; monitor the Campus Improvement Plan and District Improvement Plan from previous year to ensure campus is meeting technology plan goals.

Web Conference - EDLD 5352: Instructional Leadership – Technology

Web Conference

               I participated in the web conference on Jan. 28, 2012 held by Dr. Abernathy.  We were able to discuss different attributes of the class including the most recent week’s activity of using Web 2.0 tools.   I was able to share that I have a Blog site for my masters use, a classroom website using Google sites, and Facebook for social interactions.   All of these things are considered Web 2.0 tools.  I had no idea that these things were Web 2.0.  When I first heard Dr. Abernathy speaking of 2.0 tools, I had no clue what she was talking about or what they were even used for.  Once I found out a little more about them I found that I was already very comfortable with many of the tools, I just didn’t know they had their own category in the technology world or that they were named that.  This class to me was very intimidating just with having “technology” in the name so I was nervous about the course because there seems there is so much to learn in the technology world.  However, the more that I conversed with others through the web conference I found that I was not the only one who did not know what Web 2.0 tools were or that the STaR Chart was actually used for real data collection.  I am glad that I was able to attend the web conference to learn that there are others like me who enjoy learning about technology!

Texas STaR Chart Presentation

Texas STaR Chart PPT

More PowerPoint presentations from Candice

Texas Long Range Plan for Technology, 2006-2020

Teaching and Learning (p. 17-22)

Students today do not fit the “one size fits all” attitude.  Adults were raised with this teaching that students had to conform to learning the same material in the same way.  In the education world today we realize this cannot be the case.  Students come from every different back ground possible and very different families which means that kids learn in all different ways.  The Teaching and Learning section of the Texas Long Range Plan for Technology, 2006-2020 explains just this.  The section outlines the avenues and different ways teachers must meet the individual needs of all students.  Both the roles of teacher and student must change to meet the needs of 21^st century learners.   This bridge can be closed through the use of technology.   Updating teaching practices with the use of technology can allow learners to have an individual plan for learning and communicate with other children around the world. Learning can be enhanced to prepare our children for the 21^st century.  Numerous recommendations have been made to the Texas Education Agency, State Board for Educator Certification, Regional Education Service Centers, Local Education Agencies, Texas Higher Education, and to parents to help move towards integrating technology into learning.  A few of the recommendations include continued support of the implementation of technology use in the classroom.  Another recommendation is to develop the use of technology to more than just the teacher using it.  Students should also be using computers to learn, communicate, and share with others at the local level and even abroad to expand their horizon.

Draft Action Research Project Progress Report Continued!

Vision Implementation:

          My action research project is being implemented daily in my classroom.  The strategies I have found to work with my students are being implemented into my curriculum on a daily basis while I have observed their classroom behavior.  I have studied how they interacted with other students and the effort put into their classwork from  September to Feburary which was before any new strategies were tried.  Then I also noted behavior from February to May when new strategies were put into effect.  Other faculty members also noted their GT student’s behavior before and after implementing the new strategies.  These new strategies including giving the GT students a Tic,Tac, Toe board or 1,5,8 List to choose certain assignments to complete on their own.  Students are given approximately four weeks to complete choosen assignments and present to the class. 

Steward the Vision:

          The shared motivation for my project is that this is a campus need.  Our GT students at each grade level are only seen for one hour of enrichment each week so it is up to the regular education teacher to provide additional classroom enrichment.  When I approached my site supervisor about my project he was very excited to find some new strategies.  Other teachers that I have shared information with have also been very receptive.  I have been able to revise and evaluate my strategies as I implement them through classroom observation.

Promote Community Involvment in the Vision:

          I held a program evaluation of the Gifted and Talented program on our campus during May 2011.  One teacher from each grade level on campus was invited as well as parents of the GT students to communicate their ideas about the program.  I was able to involve the community as the parents voiced their ideas and concerns at the meeting.   The parents and teachers collaboratd with everything including the new schedule for the 2011-2012 school year and noting the curriculum used in the GT program.  The survey of teachers on campus who have the GT 30 hour professional development hours was also discussed.  Findings and recommendations were suggested for the 2011-2012 school year by the conclusion of the program evaluation. 

Manage Resources:

          Managing my human resources to support my action research had much strategic planning.  I kept in close contact with my administrators and site supervisor so I knew of any meetings or concerns that delt with the Gifted and Talented students at our campus.  I also learned of meetings at the district level that could effect the GT program at my campus.  I made made contact with the district curriculm development corrdinator as well as the Assistant Superindendent of Curriculum and Instruction to ensure I was able to manage my time and the human resources effectively and efficiently. 

Mobilize community resources:

            School resources as well as my own time and energy were used to support the vision of the action research project.  My research project is focused on a campus need so my principal was very happy for me to use campus time or allowed me to interview campus personel to find a resolution.  Also the GT students in my class were observed on a daily basis from February to May using the new strategies in the classroom.  The campus administrators and parents knew that I was implementing new strategies to improve my instruction to the GT students. 

Promote positive school culture:

          My GT action research project has defaniently inspired others and attributed to a positive campus culture.   As I have approached campus personel about my project they see that the only purpose and goal is to improve the GT program and the success of the GT students.  I have found books that give suggestions for differentiated instruction that I brought to the attention of my administrators and two sets of the four books were immediately ordered.  I have shared my information with others and found that others were intrigued by the strategies used with the GT students.  Also, during the GT program evaluation held at the end of the schoo year members were pleased that there was even an evaluation of the program that they were able to contribute their feelings and thoughts. 

Provide an effective instructional program:

The results and conclusions drawn from my research as well as the GT program evaluation are as follows:

• need a new GT pull-out schedule for GT students on campus
• students from multiple grade levels should be grouped together for additional quality enrichment time with their GT teacher
• teachers should also provide differenientiated instruction to all students so the GT student have additional enrichment time in the regular education classoom

          Note:  The strategies found for the regular education classroom that provide the most stimulation as well as giving the GT students the most choice are the Tic,Tac, Toe Board and the 1,5,8 Lists.  The students are able to choose any three from nine assignments on the Tic,Tac, Toe Board as long as they are “in a row”.   On the 1,5,8 List the students can choose which assignments they want to complete as long as the assignment points they choose add up to at least 10 points.   The first category assignments are worth 1 point, the second category assignments are worth 5 points, and the final category are worth 8 points.  Students can choose two 5 point assignment to add up to 10 points or any other combination they choose.    Student have approximately 4 weeks to complete the assignment.

Influencing the larger context:

          Meeting the needs of the GT students is a campus wide need, so providing concluding thoughts will be communicated through blogs, but also written up as a report and shared.  With the help of campus administration as well as my site supervisor I will be holding a presentation at the beginning of the 2011-2012 school year to campus staff members as well.  My site supervisor and the members of the GT program evaluation are advocates of the findings and recommendations of my project so holding a staff meeting to present the information and strategies used they feel would be a benefit for the other campus members.  I will be holding the presentation in an informal setting where questions about the inquiry will be a positive moment where other teachers can gain knowledge from my action research.    Information from a colleague versus an “outsider” can be a powerful influence.  Teachers on campus could use strategies that proved beneficial in my research. 

Design a comprehensive professional growth plan:

          For the faculty to successfully realize the vision of my action research plan more campus personel need to attend the 30 hours of professional development to be GT “certified”.  This will allow all teachers to be able to meet the needs of the GT students in their regular education classroom while the students are only receiving one hour of enrichment with their GT teacher.   Also, teachers need to be trained more extensively on differentiation in the classroom.  The use of the Tic, Tac, Toe boards and 1,5,8 List also need to be communicated so that teachers have additional tools in their “toolboxes” to use to improve the education of the GT students. 

Key Words, Phrases or Terms describing your Action Research Project:

GT Students

Gifted and Talented Students

Regular Education Classroom

Differentiated Instruction