School Technology Plan

School Technology Plan EDTC 630 Group 1 Dara Aydlett Andrea Johnson Ellen De Bruijn Mutter Jaime Schwartz Stevenson 2 School Technology Plan

Needs Analysis

Progressive Middle School has a population of approximately 750 students and is located in a middle class neighborhood in Prince Georges County, Maryland. The school is mostly comprised of African-American students. Our Hispanic/Latino, Asian, and Caucasian populations are relatively small (approximately 15 % of our students fall into these categories). Our school also has high free and reduced lunch and special education populations. Typically, these subgroups do not consistently score well on county or state assessments. Therefore, various resources are needed to encourage these students to do their best on tests. Also, teachers spend more time focusing on these groups of students to ensure that they have all of the educational resources they need to be successful.

Currently, there are four computers in each classroom. All computers used in the building are connected to the district network. The majority of the computers in the building are connected to the network with Ethernet cords. The computers in our building have not been replaced in eight years (since the school opened) and have been damaged. However, the software applications have recently been updated by the school district. In addition to outdated equipment, many of the computers do not work at all. Therefore, many classes are down to one working computer, which is extremely difficult when there are classes containing over 30 students. Many times, students have to rotate to the computer one at a time or be sent to another teacher’s room to work on assignments.

Our media center has seven computers that are available for students to use during their lunch period or before school. There is also a computer lab located upstairs on the eighth grade floor. However, this lab is typically used by the creative arts department so it is rarely, if ever, available for students outside of those classes to use during the day. The computer lab located in the media center has 30 IBM ThinkPad laptops. These laptops are also very old, have missing keys, or do not fully connect to the network.

Each teacher needs working computers in their classroom so that there is no longer a competition to use the computer lab in the media center. Currently, there is a schedule set up for all teachers that would like to bring their classes to the media center to use the computers. Needless to say, this oftentimes causes conflict amongst the staff because everyone wants to use the lab and feels like they should be able to bring their classes to the library.

Vision Statement Our school's technology vision provides the students, staff, administrators, parents, and community members of our learning community with a philosophy to guide and advance instructional procedures. Effective leadership and a commitment to providing technological resources are essential to the success of this vision. The meaningful use of technology integration for all members of our learning community calls for the following requirements:

• utilizing technology as an integrated tool to meet high standards of academic achievement • engaging students and teachers in relevant communication, critical thinking, and collaboration • building a collaborative, technology-rich environment that supports ingenuity and innovation • offering access to the most up-to-date technology resources • sharing and taking responsibility for the safe and ethical use of technology • providing opportunities for community members to learn how to effectively utilize various forms of technologies

In order for the school to meet these requirements we will make it a priority to provide administrators, teachers, and staff with the appropriate training in order to help students succeed with the incorporation of technology. We place a high emphasis on staff development and its importance to successful integration of technology in our school. Our staff must have the opportunity to be equipped with the latest advances so that they may be able to broaden our students’ horizons and expose them to the same technologies their peers have exposure to both across the country and the globe.

We strongly believe that it is important for our vision to be directly related to our goals and objectives in order to effectively integrate technology into our learning community. Our top priority is to provide our staff and students with numerous opportunities that will allow them to become proficient in utilizing diverse forms of technologies. In providing access to updated 4 School Technology Plan technology, proper training which is directly related to Maryland Technology Standards, we believe that the outcome will produce strong, capable and motivated technology users who are equipped to positively affect change in our global community.

By providing adequate and sufficient funding, our vision will have the opportunity to come to fruition. In having the proper technological resources our learning community members will thrive and succeed because with opportunity comes a wealth of knowledge that will help our school community members become equipped to be viable competitors in the 21st century information exchange.

Goals The overarching goal of this plan is to provide staff and students with easier and more consistent access to technology. By purchasing new, updated equipment, we can better meet the needs of students and staff. This will expose everyone to the benefits of technology in education at present and for the future. Fortunately, the school district has recently updated all software for staff and students, so this plan focuses on hardware.

Another goal is to help students work toward meeting the Maryland Technology Literacy Student Standards, which are still being finalized by the state. These standards are described in more detail in the following table. As students work toward these standards, they will be learning about safe, efficient use of online resources and technology. Students will also use various technologies for productivity to contribute to society.

Yet another important goal is to motivate and meet the needs of underserved and low- performing subgroups, including students with special needs and English Language Learners. Our school has a very diverse population with unique needs that can be met by using technology. Using technologies such as Smart Boards and laptops will greatly increase the amount of interactivity during lessons, and subsequently keep students engaged and excited to participate.

In order for students to achieve the goals set forth in this plan, we must also focus on goals for staff. Staff development trainings will teach effective integration of technology in the classroom. The purchase of new equipment will allow staff to incorporate technology on a daily basis. It is important that staff learn to use research-based strategies and the most effective applications. Another important goal for the staff is to learn about how Web 2.0 applications can increase collaboration and lighten the ever-increasing workload of individual teachers.

Clear expectations for technology must be set by administration and department chairs so that the staff will use the equipment and programs as described in this plan. Setting high expectations will help staff work toward meeting state and national technology standards for teachers. The purchases in this plan will help decrease or even eliminate the logistical issues that currently exist at the school, and there will be more opportunities for everyone to use technology. We want students to become lifelong learners, and this can be achieved through consistent and effective use of technology for both students and staff.

Objectives

Standards Learning Objectives Use of Technology ISTE.NETS Standard 1 Given a question or task, Students will use software programs, Creativity and Innovation: students will create a such as Inspiration, Movie Maker, and Students demonstrate creative product using digital media other applications, to create digital thinking, construct knowledge, in response to the prompt representations of our ideas. Students and develop innovative products with 90% accuracy. will design graphics and use word and processes using technology. processing skills to show demonstrate (Similar to MTLSS Standard 4) their knowledge of skills and concepts.

ISTE.NETS Standard 2 Given a question or prompt, Students will use online environments Communication and students will collaborate to for project-based learning experiences Collaboration: Students use share and learn information where students will work to solve digital media and environments through digital media problems while integrating various to communicate and work and/or in a digital content areas. Students will use blogs collaboratively, including at a environment with 90% and podcasts to share our ideas and learn distance, to support individual accuracy. from others. learning and contribute to the learning of others. (Similar to MTLSS Standards 3 and 4) 6 School Technology Plan

ISTE.NETS Standard 3 Given a question, students Students will use the Internet to conduct Research and Information will be able to use the research, evaluate information, and Fluency: Students apply digital Internet to follow the organize their ideas using various tools to gather, evaluate, and use research process (locate, websites and media. information. (Similar to MTLSS read, organize, evaluate, Standard 5) and synthesize) to answer the question with 85% accuracy.

ISTE.NETS Standard 4 Given a question or prompt, Students will use online and digital tools Critical Thinking, Problem students will be able to use to conduct research and organize the Solving, and Decision Making: digital tools to make information in order to respond to Students use critical thinking informed decisions and prompts. Online resources and websites skills to plan and conduct solve problems with 85% will present students with various forms research, manage projects, solve accuracy. of media to help meet their individual problems, and make informed learning needs. decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources. (Similar to MTLSS Standard 6)

ISTE.NETS Standard 5 Digital Given an opportunity to use Teachers will help students create their Citizenship: Students understand technology and the Internet, own list of rules for using technology in human, cultural, and societal students will follow the the classroom. Teachers and students issues related to technology and Acceptable Use Policies will review the rules and the practice legal and ethical and use the technology only school/district AUP each time we use the behavior. (Similar to MTLSS to complete the tasks equipment or go online. Standard 2) provided by the teacher with 100% accuracy.

ISTE.NETS Standard 6 Given direct and indirect Students will receive instruction through Technology Operations and instruction experiences, regular subjects and technology classes Concepts: Students demonstrate students will be able to to learn the skills necessary to effectively a sound understanding of show their skills and use technology, learn about networks, technology concepts, systems, abilities regarding the use of convert file formats when necessary, and and operations. (Similar to technology with 85% perform basic troubleshooting skills. MTLSS Standard 1) accuracy. Technology, Budget, and Justification of Expenditures

Technology Item Cost Justification of Expense

In order for students to work on projects, assignments, and other tasks assigned by the teacher there will be 4 desktop computers placed in each classroom. There are a total of 30 classrooms within the school that will receive a desktop computer. When teachers are in need of a full class set of computers for a project they are working on in the class Desktop Computers there will be a computer lab available for the classroom to Dell Optiplex 380 (160 @ $788.00) go to. Within the computer lab, there will be 30 desktop $126,080.00 computers for student use. Info about Dell Desktops Lastly, there will be 10 desktop computers placed in the Media Center for students to utilize when conducting research for school projects. This desktop comes with a monitor, keyboard, and mouse. It has an Intel Core 2 Quad processor, the Windows 7 operating system, and 4GB of memory. It has Integrated Intel graphics and video.

These are energy efficient laptops that provide ample power for students to use during class time. They are sleek and slim to allow room on student’s desks for other documents and resources. Teachers are able to check out the laptop cart with the 30 laptops to use within the confines of their classroom. The mobility allows teachers to conduct research and projects with students without the Laptop Computers loss of classroom time. Dell Latitude E5410 (70 @ $978.00 In addition to the mobile laptop cart, 35 teachers w/school discount) $68,460 will be provided with a laptop to utilize during the school year. They will have the mobility to bring the laptop to Info about Dell Laptops and from school to work on lessons and otherJaime school – This is related tasks. your part to This laptop has a 14.1” display, Intelindicate Core what processor with the Windows 7 operating system.type It of comes computer with 4GB of memory, DVD-ROM, DVD+/-RW, Blu-Ray, and Bluetooth Wireless.

Mobile Laptop Cart This laptop storage cart can store and charge up Bretford LAP30E Storage Cart (1 to 30 laptops. There is room on the top shelf for the @ $1,664.99) $1,664.99 printers and the wireless device. This is ideal to allow for the laptops to be taken from classroom to classroom. Info about Mobile Cart 8 School Technology Plan

Mobile Wireless for Cart These hotspots will provide wireless Internet MiFi™ 2200 Intelligent Mobile access for the laptops on the mobile cart. Wireless Hotspot (6 @ $269.99 for 2 years, connectivity allows for easy transportation and use of the each serves 5 devices) equipment. $1,619.94 Info about Mobile Hotspot

Wireless Routers In order for the students to work on the internet for Cisco-Linksys WRT54GL their assignments when utilizing the mobile laptop cart it Wireless-G Broadband Router (4 @ is essential for all laptops to have a wireless hook-up. In $56.49) order for this to occur wireless routers are needed. These $225.96 Info about Routers wireless routers will tie into the internet from the school.

The SMART Board will allow for the teacher and students to interact with lessons. Two students can use their fingers to interact with the content that is on the board at a time. The teacher can download educational resources from the SMART Exchange website to enhance Interactive Whiteboards lesson activities. SMART Board 885ix System with Within the school there will be 7 active SMART software (7 @ $6,499.00) $45,493.00 Boards available for teacher use. There will be a mounted Info about SMART Boards SMART Board in the school lab as well as in the media center.

Mobile Stands for Interactive There will be 5 mobile SMART Boards for Whiteboards teacher use. One per core subject (Mathematics, Science, SMART Mobile Stands (5 @ Social Studies, and Language Arts) and one that coincides $1,399.00) $6,995.00 with the mobile laptop cart. Info about Mobile Stands

Replacement Projector Light Extra bulbs will be kept on inventory to prevent Bulbs any down time with the interactive boards. Because of the (10 @ $299.00) $2,990.00 high cost of these, teachers will be made aware of the proper use of the projectors, such as knowing how and Info about Light Bulbs when to turn them off. In order for students who have special needs the school has decided to purchase hardware such as the Read Pen. This pen allows students to read at their own pace, which would help with the student’s ADHD. This product Assistive Technology is specifically geared towards students that are dyslexic Read Pen (2 @ $230.00) and/or have learning disabilities. It scans the words on a $460.00 Info about Read Pen page and allows students to hear how the word should be pronounced. The “hear” and “see” options allow students to see/hear the definition of the words, identify the syllabic breakdown of a word, etc. The product can switch between the basic and advanced edition and is relatively cheap in price. Wireless Printer There will be a wireless printer attached to the Dell P713w All-in-One Wireless laptop cart so that it has the ability to move from Printer (1 @ $199.00) $199.00 classroom to classroom. Info about Wireless Printer

In order for students and teachers to have the Printers opportunity to print their work, they will need a printer. HP Deskjet 1000 Printer (35 @ Additionally, there will be a printer placed within each $29.00) classroom that students will be able to utilize when on one $1,015.00 of the four computers housed within the classroom. The Info about Classroom Printers ink for these will be purchased from individual teacher budgets.

Community Printers There will be color and B&W printers for staff, HP LaserJet Pro P1606dn Black teachers, and students to use that will be housed within the and White (2 @ $229.99) Media Center and the Computer Lab. The ink for these Info about Black & White Printer will be purchased from the Media Center budget. $1,659.96 HP LaserJet M2727nf Color (2 @ $599.99) Info about Color Printer

TOTAL $256,862.85 10 School Technology Plan

Professional Development Plan

To better assist students with learning topics within the classrooms, teachers will have the opportunity to incorporate technology. Our school has been granted a substantial amount of money to bring the school into the 21st Century. Teachers will have different hardware and software provided by the school. Teachers must be provided with knowledge on how to improve their content areas by incorporating different technologies into their classrooms. In order for this to occur, the school will develop a professional development plan that will revolve around assisting teachers make a better learning environment for their students.

The technology plan for the school will cover the span of 4 years. In order for teachers to enhance their students’ learning, there will be an initial training on the SMART Board that they must attend as well as monthly professional developments, in order to have the ability to check out the equipment. The monthly professional developments will assist teachers in learning how to enhance their lessons. The trainings will provide teachers with stepping-stones on how to use Web 2.0 tools within the classroom. Teachers will also be requested to share what they are doing in their classrooms about incorporating technology. With the information teachers provide, there will be mini-training courses provided with the intention of helping their colleagues.

In addition to the professional developments, teachers will have the opportunity to log-on to Smartech.com that has offered many online training sessions that will allow teachers to have advance training on the SMART Board. Smartech.com offers free online interactive orientation sessions led by a SMART trainer as well as more than 2,500 free lesson activities that can be incorporated into their lesson plans.

Lastly, system updates will be completed during the 4-year time span and thereafter to keep the students and teachers in the now with technology. Teachers and students will also be provided with a contract to sign indicating that they will be utilizing technology and Internet within the school and to follow said rules. If said rules are violated there will be consequences such as losing internet privileges or worse the total loss of computer privileges. The timeline below indicates how teachers will continue professional development, obtain funds for technology within the school, and update system operations. Plan for Classroom Technology and Staff Development Dates: April 2011 – June 2015 Grant for SMART Board (AT&T Foundation Grants) May 2011 Discussion with Principal on Laptop Computers June 2011 Fundraising for Laptop Computers and Mobile Cart April 2011 – June 2011 (Students/PTO) Prepare lessons for SMART Board June 2011 – August 2011 Professional Development Initial SMART Board training August 2011 Evaluate Technology Plan for SY 2011-2012 August 2011 Complete Interactive Session w/ SMART trainer (#1) August 2011 Review SMART Board lessons before presenting to students August 2011- September 2011 Principal and Educational Technology Specialist Observe September 2011 teachers incorporating SMART Board in classrooms Professional Development Monthly Training September 2011 Professional Development Monthly Training October 2011 Complete Interactive Session w/ SMART trainer (#2) October 2011 Professional Development Monthly Training November 2011 Professional Development Monthly Training December 2011 Teacher Mini-Training Sessions January 2012 Professional Development Monthly Training January 2012 Complete Interactive Session w/ SMART trainer (#3) February 2012 Professional Development Monthly Training February 2012 Professional Development Monthly Training March 2012 Upgrade Software (#1) April 2012 Professional Development Monthly Training April 2012 Teacher Mini-Training Sessions May 2012 Professional Development Monthly Training May 2012 Evaluate Technology Plan for SY 2012-2013 August 2012 New School Year Professional Training on SMART Boards August 2012 Professional Development Monthly Training September 2012 Principal and Educational Technology Specialist Observe September 2012 teachers incorporating SMART Board in classrooms Complete Interactive Session w/ SMART trainer (#4) October 2012 Teacher Mini-Training Sessions October 2012 Professional Development Monthly Training November 2012 Professional Development Monthly Training December 2012 Teacher Mini-Training Sessions January 2013 Professional Development Monthly Training January 2013 Complete Interactive Session w/ SMART trainer (#5) February 2013 Professional Development Monthly Training February 2013 Professional Development Monthly Training March 2013 Upgrade Software (#2) April 2013 Professional Development Monthly Training April 2013 Teacher Mini-Training Sessions May 2013 Professional Development Monthly Training May 2013 Evaluate Technology Plan for SY 2013-2014 August 2013 12 School Technology Plan

New School Year Professional Training on SMART Boards August 2013 Professional Development Monthly Training September 2013 Principal and Educational Technology Specialist Observe September 2013 teachers incorporating SMART Board in classrooms Professional Development Monthly Training October 2013 Complete Interactive Session w/ SMART trainer (#6) October 2013 Teacher Mini-Training Sessions October 2013 Professional Development Monthly Training November 2013 Professional Development Monthly Training December 2013 Teacher Mini-Training Sessions January 2014 Professional Development Monthly Training January 2014 Professional Development Monthly Training February 2014 Professional Development Monthly Training March 2014 Professional Development Monthly Training April 2014 Teacher Mini-Training Sessions May 2014 Professional Development Monthly Training May 2014 Evaluate Technology Plan for SY 2014-2015 August 2014 New School Year Professional Training on SMART Boards August 2014 Professional Development Monthly Training September 2014 Principal and Educational Technology Specialist Observe September 2014 teachers incorporating SMART Board in classrooms Professional Development Monthly Training October 2014 Complete Interactive Session w/ SMART trainer (#8) October 2014 Professional Development Monthly Training November 2014 Professional Development Monthly Training December 2014 Teacher Mini-Training Sessions January 2015 Professional Development Monthly Training January 2015 Professional Development Monthly Training February 2015 Complete Interactive Session w/ SMART trainer (#9) February 2015 Professional Development Monthly Training March 2015 Upgrade Software (#4) April 2015 Professional Development Monthly Training April 2015 Teacher Mini-Training Sessions May 2015 Professional Development Monthly Training May 2015 Discuss and Evaluate Technology Plans from the Last 4 years June 2015 with Principal and Educational Technology Specialist. Decide what additional Trainings Need to conducted in the next 4 Years. Evaluation

It is vitally important for our school to evaluate the effectiveness of technology integration in our school in order to accurately surmise our program’s success. This evaluation process examines our technology’s impact on student achievement and staff development through a comprehensive data-driven process. Our goal is to offer meaningful technology assessments that transpire over the course of the four-year plan. Our approach to technology evaluation provides a formative process to help our school develop indicators of success. Our technology integration evaluation examines “how our school is doing” as opposed to “how our school has done.” The evaluation will develop our capacity to improve, build upon, and effectively integrate educational technology throughout our school. Our strategies are designed to inspire reflection and change and are directly aligned with Maryland’s Technology Literacy Standards and our staff development initiatives.

The first step in our evaluation process is to establish and train an Evaluation Committee. This committee will include various stakeholders from the school, including teachers, administrators, parents, board members, and students. Once the committee is selected, a full-day training will be conducted that is intended to provide committee members with the fundamentals of the technology program evaluation. During this orientation training, the entire evaluation process will be covered in detail, indicators will be set, and initial responsibilities will be assigned. The goal is for committee members to have a shared understanding of the purpose and intended outcomes of the evaluation process. Each member will have an understanding of his or her role in the overall evaluation process.

After the initial training, the committee will meet for another two days to develop the school’s key evaluation questions and to create indicators for those questions. This work will transpire over the course of several partial-day sessions. The end result is a finalized set of rubrics that will be used to conduct our school’s formative evaluation. 14 School Technology Plan

Data collection is the next step in our evaluation process, which will allow us to gather information that will enable our school to answer the evaluation questions and score performance on evaluation rubrics. Our data collection process is comprised of the following:

•Surveys –Given to teachers, administrators, students, and/or community members. Specific surveys are created for each target population. Survey formats can be obtained online or by hardcopy. These surveys will analyze staff development procedures in order to obtain data on how well participants are progressing.

•Focus Group Interviews --Like with surveys, our school will collect data by scheduling focus groups comprised of interviewing teachers, administrators, and technology staff.

•Classroom Observations – Conducted by our evaluation committee members which will not only observe teachers and students using technology, but review how technology is being used to impact teaching and learning and by also observing classroom setups, teaching styles, and student behaviors.

• Artifact Analysis -- Our committee members will develop an assessment procedure for student work that incorporates technology. This assessment will focus on how students at different grade levels and subject areas have used technology to enrich their content-area learning. The evaluation committee and school administrators will compile an accurate sample of student work for this assessment.

The evaluation committee will score rubrics using collected data to examine the school’s performance. Our reports will provide a detailed explanation of how scores were given and the rationale for choosing one score or level of performance over another. All of this information will be contained in a final report. In addition, the final report will include recommendations on how the school can adjust or change current practices to achieve higher levels of performance in subsequent years. Our recommendations are based on our goals and objectives as they relate to our staff development training, teaching, learning, and technology usage. Reporting is the most critical stage of this formative evaluation because it creates a basis for reflection. We believe that an evaluation that is never shared with the community being evaluated does not result in reflection, and no reflection means no positive change. Our school’s evaluation process ends with a formal presentation to the district committee and other audiences as identified by the school’s administration. We will prepare a presentation that summarizes key report findings to illustrate how our technology integration program has been successful and what areas we can continue to improve. We reserve 1 to 2 days for presentations and another 1 to 2 days for committee members to review data and suggest rubric scores.

We strongly believe that accountability is the key to establishing a stable and viable funding basis for securing effective technology implementation. Through accountability, our goal is to provide a strong and effective technology integration program that meets the needs of all our learning community members. Our formative evaluation process provides a framework for technology accountability in our school, which supports the nature of our evaluations, in that the tools can be used again and again in an ongoing evaluation and reflection effort. 16 School Technology Plan

References

International Society for Technology in Education. (2007). National Educational Technology Standards. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for- students/nets-student-standards-2007.aspx

Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE). (2009). Maryland voluntary state curriculum. Retrieved from http://www.mdk12.org/index.html

Maryland Technology Literacy Consortium. (2007). Maryland Technology Literacy Standards for Students. Retrieved from http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/techlit/docs/MTLSS %20Complete.pdf

Prince George’s County Public Schools. (2011). About Us. Retrieved from http://www1.pgcps.org/aboutpgcps/