1.
Develop strategies for funding.
Goal 3: Staff computer
lab with highly qualified teacher(s) on the elementary campus to teach TEKS
objectives (k-6) for Technology.
Funding-
- Determine a need
for a computer lab teacher
- Analyze the
current budget to determine if funds are available to hire a new teacher
for the 2012-2013 school year
- Reduce spending
in non-core subject areas such as athletics to allocate funds for
additional staff
- Research for Technology Grants that fit the needs of the district and apply for them. TEA Grant Opportunities site is a central resource for and link to all State and Federal grant opportunities administered by TEA. Grant management, administrative guidance, and other resources can be found at TEA Grant Resources.
Goal 4: Provide
adequate technology professional development for all staff
- Develop basic
step by step tutorials for commonly used software and or devices at the local level to use minimal funds
- Create a technology communication system for Q&A for teachers to use daily for immediate responses for assistance with minor problems from other staff members and technical support. Free/inexpensive web based programs can be used to implement staff daily communication tools.
- Develop and plan
more advanced trainings for new and old technology devices
- Provide activities
with strategies during technology staff development to ensure new teachers
are able to meet the standards for the STaR Chart.
2.
Develop strategies for management plans.
Goal 2: Develop a Technology Plan/Technology
Professional Development Plan
• Create a technology plan committee which will include professional staff from each campus, curriculum director, technology specialist, principals, and business office personal
• The committee will assess the technology needs of the district to create goals and objectives to meet the needs of all students
• The committee will develop a Technology Plan/Technology Professional Development Plan that will enhance learning through the technology applications curriculum based on the NETS S. and ISTE performance indicators
The technology applications curriculum has six strands based on the National Educational Technology Standards for Students (NETS•S) and performance indicators developed by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE): creativity and innovation; communication and collaboration; research and information fluency; critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making; digital citizenship; and technology operations and concepts. (Texas Education Agency, 2011)
• Create a technology plan committee which will include professional staff from each campus, curriculum director, technology specialist, principals, and business office personal
• The committee will assess the technology needs of the district to create goals and objectives to meet the needs of all students
• The committee will develop a Technology Plan/Technology Professional Development Plan that will enhance learning through the technology applications curriculum based on the NETS S. and ISTE performance indicators
The technology applications curriculum has six strands based on the National Educational Technology Standards for Students (NETS•S) and performance indicators developed by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE): creativity and innovation; communication and collaboration; research and information fluency; critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making; digital citizenship; and technology operations and concepts. (Texas Education Agency, 2011)
3. Describe the
required procedures for the proposed strategies.
Goal 3: Staff computer lab with highly qualified teacher(s) on the elementary campus to teach TEKS objectives (k-6) for Technology.
- Gather data to support the need for the position
- Use the newly created technology plan to justify the skills that need to be taught in a computer lab setting
- Create a proposal to submit to the school board
- Present information/evidence
Goal 4: Provide adequate technology professional development for all staff
- Develop quality professional development sessions for in-service days by using competent faculty and staff to cut cost.
- Create interactive tutorials for widely used software and hardware and place on campus/district website
- Purchase SimSchool to create simulations for new teachers or teachers who struggle with behavioral management or other issues that can be simulated to help improve the function of the classroom
Goal 2: Develop a Technology Plan/Technology Professional Development Plan
- Organize a committee
- Curriculum director
- Technology Specialist
- Instructional Technologist
- Business Manager
- Teachers
- Principals
- Analyze the needs of the district by campuses
- Create a budget that will adequately meet all the needs
- equipment
- staff
- software
- initial training
- continued professional development
- Create goals and objectives that are measurable
- Implement the plan at a reasonable time (beginning of new fiscal school year 2012-2013)
- Monitor the progress of the plan after implementation
I find one of your strategies very interesting. The one about reducing spending in non-core subject areas such as athletics to allocate funds for additional staff. I wonder how these areas would feel about this?
ReplyDeleteI've read about some schools doing this sort of thing. One source I read stated they were given smaller athletic budgets, and the coaches would just have to figure out how to spread it out evenly. Some of the cuts were based on certain sports having lower enrollment. (Athletics funding . . .2011) It is an interesting strategy that I don't think gets enough attention.
Reference
Athletics Funding Takes Budget Cuts. 2011. Retrieved from http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2011/06/23/columbia-public-schools-athletic-budget/
Monica,
DeleteThank you for your comments about the athletic budget cuts. I often wonder how districts justify not cutting the athletic dept. budget when the program is not successful. Why would the football team need new practice uniforms every year when they have only won 5 games in 3 seasons? (go figure as my students would say)It makes no sense that the computer labs have outdated equipment and we are in a digital world but the football team looks really nice at practice. I feel if funds were allocated differently to enhance learning more that it would motivate the students and improve campus morale.
I too agree with the strategy of reducing spending in non-core areas such as athletics to allocate funds for additional staff is very interesting. I know that a lot of funds are placed in the athletic department. I feel that just as the other organizations such as cheerleaders, drill teams etc. require members to pay fees to participate and have fundraiser, the other sports should be required to do the same. This would be another way to get parents involved in the PTA. According to one article, the district should cover coaches, base-level equipment and basic transportation for all sports. Anything additional, including uniforms, should be funded by booster clubs or parents (Athletics funding …, 2011).
ReplyDeleteReference
Athletics Funding Takes Budget Cuts. 2011. Retrieved from http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2011/06/23/columbia-public-schools-athletic-budget/
Marlise,
ReplyDeleteOne of your strategies is to create a technology communication system for Q&A for teachers to use daily. I am implementing a proposal for a web-based communication tool for teachers, staff, and administrators on my campus to use to collaborate and share news, teaching ideas, computer knowledge, technology trainings etc.
FYI: Here is a free web-based communication tools:
1. http://elgg.net
Elgg combines the capabilities of social networking, tagging, and blogs and wikis in which teachers, staff, and administrators can work together to create knowledge. Elgg's greatest use is as a tool for socially constructed learning. It is a wonderful resource for knowledge and experience.
Donzella
Donzella,
DeleteThanks for the website. I have had many teachers ask me questions about how to do something and it would be so much easier for me to just post the information somewhere and they can view it at their leisure. I am currently working on helping develop a Technology Professional Development Plan and this is one of the goals we are working on for each campus.
I too am working on providing adequate professional development for my staff. How are you planning to decide what is adequate? Are you going to let the teachers suggest ideas, or are you more basing it on results from testing and school progress?
ReplyDeleteBridget,
DeleteWe have developed a committee that conducted a survey to determine the actual needs from the teacher perspective. We are looking into having in-house training conducted by teachers who have been trained in different areas and are qualified to train others. We have different equipment that teachers barely know how to use so if they could learn basics and become proficient in implementing the technology in instruction it would increase school progress.