Shannan Muskopf
Unit 5 -- Needs Assessments
Statement of the Problem
The school has received large grants and fund allotments to enhance the technology in the school, many computer labs have been installed and are shared by departments, most teachers have received one computer in their classroom. The classroom computers are supposed to be networked and have online capabilities. The computer labs and classroom computers were installed over a year ago, but there seems to be a major stall in the utilization of the technology. Many departments still do not use the labs, and some teachers do not use the computers in their classrooms.
Though funding seems not to be a problem in this school, the implementation of the technology is definitely a problem. Teachers are not sure how to use many of the programs, sign up classes for the computer labs, and some don’t even have the rudimentary skills for operating computers in their own classrooms. Some teachers are not even aware what tools and resources are available to them. The administration has requested that all teachers use the labs provided, and has been frustrated that some departments have never signed up for lab time or seem to be interested in using the labs at all. There seems to be a basic breakdown in the communication between the technology staff, the administration, and the teachers.
Furthermore, the school itself does not seem to have clear technology goals or a mission statement regarding the technology. The Illinois State Board of Education periodically sends information regarding Illinois standards, but the administration has not aligned the district toward those standards. Though in their defense, funding for the program was a major step, the technology is there, it just needs to be used.
Needs Assessments Tools
The first needs assessment tool will focus on staff knowledge and usability of the computers and labs, will try to pinpoint what kind of training is needed to make the computers work for the teachers and classes. It will be in a written survey format with mainly forced choice items with a few open ended questions. It will also measure the staff’s knowledge of the technology that is available to them
The second tool will focus on the students and what they perceive would be a worthwhile use of the computers for their studies, and will be similar to the survey for the staff. The student survey has a basic goal of determining the students ability level when using computers, which will help the teacher establish how much pre-planning and computer instruction will be necessary before bringing students to the labs. It also has two open-ended questions for students to write in how they feel computers can enhance instruction and interest.
After the surveys are administered, it can be determined how much training is necessary to ensure the staff is comfortable using the technology in the school. Training may be required for both the staff and the students to prevent class time being needlessly wasted on basic computer skills. Or alternately, one department could volunteer to teach the students the basics of computer use so that the students aren’t getting “double” lessons in the same areas.
The third tool will focus on the administration. This survey instrument will determine how the administration feels the school is aligned to the state policies on technology, and will be in ian interview format. For this survey, I researched the Illinois Technology goals and standards, the survey itself is designed to see how the administration feels the district is aligned toward the State Board of Education's technology polices. It is intended to ascertain areas that need improvement. This instrument will be an interview, where each policy will be stated, and the person given a chance to respond in an open-ended way to how they feel this policy is being enacted. Each policy statement is stated, followed by a list of questions for the interview regarding that policy. The person being surveyed will receive a list of the State’s policies, the questions will be asked verbally.
The administration survey will help to establish how the administration feels they are being supported by the Illinois State Board of Education, and how close the district is aligned to state goals. This will help to establish a clear plan and course of action toward establishing a school technology mission statement.
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Staff Survey--Science Department
1. Basic Computer Use
___Level 1 - I do not use a computer.
___Level 2 - I use the computer to run a few specific, pre-loaded programs.
___Level 3 - I run two programs simultaneously, and have several windows open at the same time.
___Level 4 - I trouble-shoot successfully when basic problems with my computer or printer occur. I learn new programs on my own. I teach basic operations to my students.
2. File Management
___Level 1 - I do not save any documents I create using the computer.
___Level 2 - I select, open and save documents on different drives.
___Level 3 - I create my own folders to keep files organized and understand the importance of a back-up system.
___Level 4 - I move files between folders and drives, and I maintain my network storage size within acceptable limits. I teach students how to save and organize their files.
3. Word Processing
___Level 1 - I do not use a word processing program.
___Level 2 - I occasionally use a word processing program for simple documents. I generally find it easier to hand write most written work I do.
___Level 3 - I use a word processing program for nearly all my written professional work: memos, tests, worksheets, and home communication. I edit, spell check, and change the format of a document.
___Level 4 - I teach students to use word processing programs for their written communication.
4. Spreadsheet
___Level 1 - I do not use a spreadsheet.
___Level 2 - I understand the use of a spreadsheet and can navigate within one. I create simple spreadsheets and charts.
___Level 3 - I use spreadsheets for a variety of record keeping tasks. I use labels, formulas, cell references and formatting tools in my spreadsheets. I choose charts which best represent my data.
___Level 4 - I teach students to use spreadsheets to improve their own data keeping and analysis skills.
5. Database
___Level 1 - I do not use a database.
___Level 2 - I understand the use of a database and locate information from a pre-made database such as Library Search.
___Level 3 - I create my own databases. I define the fields and choose a layout to organize information I have gathered. I use my database to answer questions about my information.
___Level 4 - I teach students to create and use databases to organize and analyze data.
6. Graphics
___Level 1 - I do not use graphics with my word processing or presentations.
___Level 2 - I open, create, and place simple pictures into documents using drawing programs or clipart.
___Level 3 - I edit and create graphics, placing them in documents in order to help clarify or amplify my message.
___Level 4 - I promote student interpretation and display of visual data using a variety of tools and programs.
7. E-mail
___Level 1 - I have an e-mail account but rarely use it.
___Level 2 - I send messages using e-mail – mostly to district colleagues, friends, and family. I check my e-mail account on a regular basis and maintain my mail folders in an organized manner.
___Level 3 - I incorporate e-mail use into classroom activities. I use e-mail to access information from outside sources.
___Level 4 - I use e-mail to request and send information for research.
8. Research/Information-Searching
___Level 1 - I am unlikely to seek information when it is in electronic formats.
___Level 2 - I conduct simple searches with the electronic encyclopedia and library software for major topics.
___Level 3 - I have learned how to use a variety of search strategies on several information programs, including the use of Boolean (and, or, not) searches to help target the search.
___Level 4 - I have incorporated logical search strategies into my work with students, showing them the power of such searches with various electronic sources to locate information which relates to their questions.
9. Desktop Publishing
___Level 1 - I do not use a publishing program.
___Level 2 - I use templates or wizards to create a published document.
___Level 3 - I create original publications from a blank page combining design elements such as columns, clip art, tables, word art, and captions.
___Level 4 - I design original publications that communicate to others what I’ve learned.
10. Technology Presentation
___Level 1 - I do not use computer presentation programs.
___Level 2 - I present my information to classes or groups in a single application program such as a word processor, a spreadsheet, or a publishing program.
___Level 3 - I present my information and teach my class using presentation programs such as Power point or SuperLink, incorporating various multimedia elements such as sound, video clips, and graphics.
___Level 4 -I teach my students how to use presentation software. I facilitate my students’ use of a variety of applications to persuasively present their research concerning a problem or area of focus in their learning.
11. Internet
___Level 1 - I do not use the Internet.
___Level 2 - I access school and district web sites to find information. I follow links from these sites to various Internet resources.
___Level 3 - I use lists of Internet resources and make profitable use of Web search engines to explore educational resources.
___Level 4 - I contribute to my school or district web sites. I teach students how to effectively use the resources available on the Internet.
12. Responsible Use/Ethics
___Level 1 - I am not aware of any ethical issues surrounding computer use.
___Level 2 - I know that some copyright restrictions apply to computer software.
___Level 3 - I understand district rules concerning student and adult use of e-mail and internet. I know the programs for which the district or my building holds a site license. I understand the school board policy on the use of copyrighted materials.
___Level 4 - I model ethical use of all software and let my students know my personal stand on this issue.
13. Technology Integration
___Level 1 - I do not blend the use of computer based technologies into my classroom learning activities.
___Level 2 - I understand the district technology plan supports integration of technology into classroom activities, but I am still learning about what strategies will work and how to do it. I accept student work produced electronically, but do not require it.
___Level 3 - From time to time, I encourage my students to employ computer based technologies to support the communicating, data analysis and problem solving outlined in the district technology plan.
___Level 4 - I frequently model and teach my students to employ computer based technologies for communication, data analysis, and problem solving as outlined in the district technology plan.
Resources
14. To your knowledge, which of the following are available to be checked out through the library or through the science department. Check all of those that you know for sure are available for use.
____ digital camera ______ laser disc player
____ laptop computer ______ video camera
____ microscope camera ______ video player
____ science software
15. Have you ever taken your class to the computer lab?
______ yes _______ no
16. Have you ever visited the computer lab?
______ yes _______ no
17. Do you have a working computer in your classroom that has access to the internet?
_____ yes _______ no _______ don’t know
18. Which of the following would be useful for you to integrate technology into your classroom curriculum. Please rate them according to your personal feelings toward the action.
Rating: 1 --- not very useful, unneeded
2 --- somewhat useful
3 --- definitely worthwhile
4 --- very needed, cannot proceed without this
____ Tour of the computer lab with instructions on its use
____ A complete listing of the resources available to you
____ A tutorial on the basic operation of the computer, including file managing and word processing.
____ A tutorial on the basic navigation of the internet.
____ A database of internet resources relating to your subject area
General
19. What other resources would make it easier for you to implement technology into your lesson plans?
20. What would you like the administration to do to help you achieve the school and department’s technology goals?
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Student Survey
1. Basic Computer Use
___Level 1 - I do not use a computer.
___Level 2 - I use the computer to run a few specific, pre-loaded programs.
___Level 3 - I run two programs simultaneously, and have several windows open at the same time. I can install programs, run programs and find files on the computer.
2. Word Processing
___Level 1 - I do not use a word processing program.
___Level 2 - I occasionally use a word processing program for simple documents. I generally find it easier to hand write most written work I do.
___Level 3 - I use a word processing program for nearly all my written professional work: memos, tests, worksheets, and home communication. I edit, spell check, and change the format of a document.
3. E-mail
___Level 1 - I have an e-mail account but rarely use it.
___Level 2 - I send messages using e-mail – mostly to friends, and family. I check my e-mail account on a regular basis and maintain my mail folders in an organized manner.
___Level 3 - I use e-mail to access information from outside sources, subscribe to newsgroups and listservs.
4. Research/Information-Searching
___Level 1 - I am unlikely to seek information when it is in electronic formats.
___Level 2 - I conduct simple searches with the electronic encyclopedia and library software for major topics.
___Level 3 - I have learned how to use a variety of search strategies on several information programs, including the use of Boolean (and, or, not) searches to help target the search.
5. Internet
___Level 1 - I do not use the Internet.
___Level 2 - I access web sites to find information. I follow links from these sites to various Internet resources.
___Level 3 - I use lists of Internet resources and make profitable use of Web search engines to explore resources, and am comfortable using the world wide web for researching projects.
6. School Computer Use
__ Level 1 - I have never used a computer at school
__ Level 2 - I have used the library computers to research school projects
__ Level 3 - I have used the library computers and the computer labs. Many of my classes use the computer labs as part of the classroom lessons
7. How important do you feel that computers are to your learning?
8. How can computers be used to enhance learning or interest in a subject?
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Administration Survey
1. Technology and telecommunications are keys to improving student learning in this and the next century. It is critical that equitable and universal access to technology and telecommunications be available to all students in the Illinois K-12 school system. The State Board of Education should be providing vision, leadership, advocacy and support for the technical and human resources necessary if K-12 schools are to improve student learning through technology and telecommunications.
--Has the SBE provided support for technology resources?
--Has the school received any grants to allot toward technology?
--Are you aware of the State Board of Education’s vision regarding technology integration in schools?
2. State regulations should enable and encourage school districts to develop, implement and operate the technology/information plans to improve student learning and increase the efficiency of education systems.
--Has the school developed a technology plan?
--Has the SBE encouraged the adoption of a technology plan?
3. To effectively serve K-12 students, Illinois schools must be part of an electronic network that is developed, deployed, operated and maintained through a collaborative and sustainable approach by state agencies, local school districts, higher education, communication groups, business and industry.
--Do you feel that you have access to an electronic network of resources
--Do you know how to access the state board of education’s web site?
--Have you ever searched for Illinois schools on the web?
--Does your school have a web site?
4. In order to provide equitable, ubiquitous access to electronic resources for K-12 students, K-12 interests must be represented in the telecommunications regulatory arena through leadership and advocacy.
--Do you feel the State Board of Education has represented K-12 interests effectively? Why or why not?
5. Those entering the professions of teaching and educational administration and those earning degrees/certificates in education should understand and be able to use technology and telecommunications as instructional, administrative and learning tools.
--Do you feel new teachers have the appropriate level of skill in technology?
--Do you feel that new administrators have the appropriate level of skill in technology?
--Where are the gaps, if any?
6. Relevant, student-centered, ongoing professional development is essential to successful integration of technology and telecommunications in K-12 schools.
--Has the school offered workshops to help the staff learn to integrate technology in the classroom?
--Has the school supported individuals who want to take workshops to learn technology?
--If no, what would be necessary to change this?
7. Students and their communities should have electronic access to public information and services.
--Do the students have access to the world wide web?
--(If yes) How many classes, in your opinion, use computers to research projects?
--Do all classes have equal privileges regarding the library and computer labs?
--Does the school have enough computers to support all of its students?
--What needs improvement?
8. The rethinking and redesign of teaching and learning is necessary if schools are to take full advantage of the learning potential inherent in technology and telecommunications.
--Are teachers encouraged to incorporate technology into their lesson plans?
--Does the curriculum for various classes include elements of technology
--What would be necessary for including technology goals in the curriculum?
Resources:
Illinois State Bureau of Education: Technology Plan (http://www.isbe.state.il.us/learn-technology/technopages/ncsa/ch2.html)
Bellingham Public Schools, Staff Use of Technology (http://www.bham.wednet.edu/tcomp.htm)