KISD E-RATE INFORMATIONAL MEETING

Created for EDLD 5306

KISD E-RATE INFORMATIONAL MEETING

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EDLD 5306: Reflections from Week 2 Web Conference

The web conference for week 2 with Dr. Borel was very interesting.  This was a mandatory web conference worth 10 points. Using the words “mandatory” and “10 points” in the same sentence immediately makes me nervous. I pulled out my web conference directions and read them over and over as I waited for the 8:00 conference to start.

Finally, at 7:45 I was able to enter the web conference room. I saw my picture pop up on the screen and I was very excited.  I suddenly realized that I could not hear Dr. Borel speaking and I knew she had valuable information that I needed to hear. As I tried to work on the problem, wouldn’t you know it, my computer froze!! My stomach was nervous again.

I was able to enter the web conference room again and to my surprise, I could hear Dr. Borel. She shared information related to our Internship and answered questions from our group. We were told to start thinking about choosing a mentor for our Internship because we would need to turn the information in soon. She also explained the student embedded and field-based activities that we would complete throughout the 18 months. I am excited about starting the internship.

Overall, the web conference was informative and fun.

My Review of the National Educational Technology Plan

Many of us have heard about the new National Education Technology Plan, but do not know exactly what it entails. I accessed the plan from http://www.ed.gov/technology/netp-2010 and carefully read over the documenation.The plan recognizes the fact that education is the key to the success of the growth and prosperity of our global economy.

This is a five year action plan with two primary goals. Goal 1 is to increase the number of college graduates and Goal 2 is to make sure that all high school students are college ready. This new plan recognizes the value of technology in achieving the goals. “Technology-based learning and assessment systems will be pivotal in improving student learning and generating data that can be used to continuously improve the education system at all levels,” the draft plan states. “Technology will help us execute collaborative teaching strategies combined with professional learning that better prepare and enhance educators’ competencies and expertise over the course of their careers.”

The draft plan covers kindergarten through high school education and focuses on technology for learning, teaching, assessment and productivity. Students should be taught to use computers and software for personalized learning experiences and teachers should ensure their knowledge and methods are up to date in order for the students to succeed in this technological world. Teachers need to understand that technology has the power to reach all learners anywhere at anytime. Districts should provide online access and social networking communities to help understand and implement new interactive technologies in the classroom. Professional development is a key element in helping the teachers become successful with technology.

Proper infrastructure in a school district is required in order to help students compete in this technological world and then to in turn meet the two goals set by the National Educational Technology Plan.  All schools will need to provide sufficient access to the internet and adequate wireless connectivity in and out of school. 

I do applaud the effort in the plan to increase college readiness for all students. Tackling the issue of the increasing high school drop rate is an enormous project in itself.  While technology is a facilitator in the classroom, it is not the sole solution for improvement in the classroom. District leaders need to be ready to address the underlying issues of students dropping out of school, whether it is for discipline or socio-economical reasons. In conclusion, the National Educational Technology Plan is a great start to addressing college readiness in the United States.
 

National Education Technology Plan 2010.  

Standards. (2010). Retrieved January 20, 2011, from http://www.iste.org/standards.aspx

Retrieved January 20, 2011, from http://www.ed.gov/technology/netp-2010

Review of a District Technology Plan

All school districts that receive E-Rate funding must have a Long-Range Technology Plan. Kaufman ISD is made up of 6 campuses with 3,700 students (62 % of the district being economically disadvantaged) and 493 faculty members.

Kaufman ISD has a vision that the community served by the Kaufman Independent School District will benefit from technology in the school system. The community benefits from a school system whose students become competent in skills that will enable them to qualify for good jobs and serve as responsible citizens. Kaufman schools will serve as a central resource for everyone in the community to learn computer skills and gain access to the vast array of information available through current technology.

The mission of the Kaufman ISD Technology Department is to provide students and educators with leadership, infrastructure, technical support and staff development to gain the knowledge and attitudes necessary to function successfully in our changing society. 

KISD has four goals in its Technology Plan. "GOAL 1: Teaching and Learning - Instructional systems technology will be implemented to increase and enhance student learning, instructional management and community usage. GOAL 2: Educator Preparation and Development - The instructional staff will have access to staff development and to a variety of resources to address the individual needs of students. GOAL 3: Administration and Support Services - Kaufman ISD support systems will continue to provide skilled personnel, training, and resources required to support ever changing technologies. GOAL 4: Infrastructure for Technology - Kaufman ISD will provide and maintain an infrastructure for communication with parents and community members. This infrastructure will include a fiber backbone for our district network/phone/voice mail system" (2007, 8 -13).

There are many strategies listed in this plan to meet the goals listed above. For example, KISD will provide training to staff on district assessment tools and district curriculum software. Also, Kaufman ISD support systems will continue to provide skilled personnel, training, and resources required to support ever changing technologies. All teachers are required to participate in district staff development trainings which will enhance their performance in the classroom. The district will offer new on-line courses to students and teachers. 

KISD has an overall three year budget of 854,173.80.This is a difficult but adequate budget considering the downfall of the economy. The budget allows for $230.86 for every student and one computer per seven students. 100% of the classrooms have direct connection to the Internet and network.

KISD has several ways of evaluating the success of their Technology Plan.  A comprehensive needs assessment utilizing teacher/student input, interviews, campus meetings, inventories and the Texas Campus STaR Chart is conducted to analyze the current status of technology in the district and to determine future needs. Items analyzed include: infrastructure, hardware, software, programs, courses, student achievement, technology resources, staff development, and technical support. 

Campus principals are in charge of all Professional Development. There are four members in the Technology Department and they help provide as much in-house training as possible. They also set up trainings conducted at the regional service center.

In reviewing KISD’s Long-Range Technology Plan, it is clear that they are working in an economically challenged area. They have found ways to meet the needs of their teachers and students on a limited budget with limited technology personnel. All schools should strive to go beyond the goals they have set no matter what their limitations.

Williams, T. (2010). Kaufman ISD technology plan: 2010-2013 [PDF document]. 1-15.

The Value of Accessing Technology Leadership

The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) has created technology standards for teachers, administrators, and students. The challenge for school leaders is to assess the knowledge and skills of their district. By using assessment tools, school districts can find if and where they need to improve the integration of technology as part of their instructional strategies and curriculum.

School leaders are starting to realize that the focus should not just be on just increasing the number of computers or increasing the number of Internet connections. You cannot install interactive boards in all classrooms and expect teachers to start using them. The purpose of using assessment tools is to make sure that districts are providing teachers with the professional development to go along with the proper infrastructure. With proper instruction, teachers will learn to align technology alongside their curriculum. With proper technology integration, students will learn to use technology to help solve problems and find solutions.

Using an assessment tool to analyze your district does not come without concerns. Teachers are already pushed to their limit during the day. Asking them to complete one more report can be daunting. It is important to explain to teachers the purpose of the assessment and to take the time to complete the assessments with complete honesty. Also, it is crucial to find an assessment tool that provides immediate feedback. Teachers want to see the results when they spend their valuable time completing reports.

I think there is growing evidence that technology is helping improve student achievement. By implementing technology assessments among school districts, school leaders can make sure technology is changing the environment of the classroom.