5.1 Needs Assessment
Candidates conduct needs assessments to determine school-wide, faculty, grade-level, and subject area strengths and weaknesses to inform the content and delivery of technology-based professional learning programs. (PSC 5.1/ISTE 4a)
Artifacts:
Classroom Technology Integration Self-Assessment
Technology Adoption Self-Assessment
Technology Use and Perception
Reflection:
As part of my coursework for ITEC 7460 I was required to collaborate within my professional learning community to develop and implement assessments that measure individual teachers’ needs assessment related to their level of classroom technology integration (LoTi) and an instrument that measured individual teachers’ level and adopter categories according to change theory. The artifacts for this standard are the two Google Forms we created within my PLC. The third survey, Technology Use and Perception, is a hybrid survey created to measure affect and efficacy togeither in one form. The results of this survey will be used to conduct professional learning during our teacher work day prior to the 2nd semester in our district.
I used the results of the first two instruments to craft a coaching plan for a colleague to assist her in her new role as a teacher leader in my building. In this instance, my colleague's results revealed that she feared that her lack of technology skills may reflect negatively on her leadership ability. The survey indicated that she expressed a willingness to learn new skills, along with a somewhat reticent acceptance of technology use among students in the classroom. The results of the surveys, I was able to discern that my colleague was more concerned about her lack of general technology apptitude compared to her colleagues than her ability to integrate technology use among her students in her classroom. With this knowledge I crafted a coaching plan that addressed her specific wants and percieved needs. The coaching journal describes the program I created and details our one-on-one sessions.
Data gathered from the the thrid link above (Technology Use and Perception) will be used by the school ITS and the technology team to inform a professional development seminar to be given during our staff development day prior to the beginning of the 2nd semester. Survey data thus far reveals that most teachers in my school are using technology regularly in their classroom. We are a BYOT district and students are encouraged to bring their smart phones and tablets. However, most teachers are neutral about the effectivenss of technology as a means to improve student learning. Technology is being used, but it's mostly used as a means to look up information on the internet or as a student response device (Kahoot, Socrative etc.) My role in this professional development will be to share with my ITS the various ways that technology can be used at higher levels. This LoTI sniff test will be a useful resource.
Reflection Part 2
The Individual Teacher Technology Assessment reveals my mastery of this standard. I created these assessments with members of my Professional Learning Community as part of our coursework for ITEC 7460 - Professional Learning and Technology Innovation.
I entered into a coaching relationship with a colleague from my grade level. At the outset, I conducted a needs assessment to determine the individual strengths and weaknesses in terms of technology integration. Two assessments were used to assess my colleague's needs. The Technology Adoption Self-Assessment was designed to measure affective perception of technology integration in the classroom. The Classroom Technology Integration Self-Assessment measures the frequency and effectiveness of a teacher’s use of technology in their classroom. The LoTI survey revealed to me that my colleague only used technology as a digital replacement to what could be accomplished without the technology. She used PowerPoint, and allowed her students to look up information on the internet, and considered this to be technology integration. She was not aware of the principals of infusing technology into instruction in ways that promote critical thinking and higher order thinking. Her results on the Adaptor survey revealed a quietness that belied a lack of confidence in her abilities, but with a hidden veneer of skepticism that required me to approach our sessions with an eye toward presenting the information in a safe, non-threatening manner.
Her results on these each of these assessments were used to inform content delivery of our subsequent individual professional learning and coaching sessions. Her scores indicated a strong willingness to learn new skills and a somewhat reticent acceptance of technology use among students in the classroom. Along with a pre-coaching interview, I used the results of these surveys to create a "needs statement" and a coaching schedule which detailed what topics would be covered in each of our sessions.
Creating and implementing this artifact was very informative, and proved to be useful as I developed a coaching plan from my colleague. As I mentioned previously, I created these assessments collaboratively with my classmates in my professional learning network. As a group we came up with a very well written set of assessment questions measuring exactly what needed to be measured. If I had to recreate this artifact I would have done so using a variety of measurement items, instead of relying solely on Likert scale questions. I've taken many Likert surveys in my lifetime, and I've always come away with a "yes, but what about ….." feeling. Likert type questions limit responses to predetermined choices which may not accurately reflect how an individual truly feels about the issues addressed in the survey. I see value in using Likert surveys, especially when being used with a large sample. But, somehow the usefulness of a Likert survey loses it's some of its effectiveness when the person administering the survey also has the opportunity to interview the individual face to face.
Going forward, I will be mindful of the inherent pros and cons of this type of survey. When working with a smaller group of people, I will always choose to simply ascertain their efficacy and attitudes through face to face dialogue.
The impact of the work that went into the creation of this artifact indirectly lead to an improvement in my faculty. I was able to use the survey data to create a professional development plan to enhance faculty development. The surveys can be used by any technology coordinator to determine how a faculty uses technology and as a measure of teacher's beliefs about the effectiveness of using technology to improve instruction. The assessment format - a Google Form - will reveal individual teacher attitude and beliefs, thereby allowing the technology coordinator to plan how to approach and work with teachers on a case by case basis.
As part of my coursework for ITEC 7460 I was required to collaborate within my professional learning community to develop and implement assessments that measure individual teachers’ needs assessment related to their level of classroom technology integration (LoTi) and an instrument that measured individual teachers’ level and adopter categories according to change theory. The artifacts for this standard are the two Google Forms we created within my PLC. The third survey, Technology Use and Perception, is a hybrid survey created to measure affect and efficacy togeither in one form. The results of this survey will be used to conduct professional learning during our teacher work day prior to the 2nd semester in our district.
I used the results of the first two instruments to craft a coaching plan for a colleague to assist her in her new role as a teacher leader in my building. In this instance, my colleague's results revealed that she feared that her lack of technology skills may reflect negatively on her leadership ability. The survey indicated that she expressed a willingness to learn new skills, along with a somewhat reticent acceptance of technology use among students in the classroom. The results of the surveys, I was able to discern that my colleague was more concerned about her lack of general technology apptitude compared to her colleagues than her ability to integrate technology use among her students in her classroom. With this knowledge I crafted a coaching plan that addressed her specific wants and percieved needs. The coaching journal describes the program I created and details our one-on-one sessions.
Data gathered from the the thrid link above (Technology Use and Perception) will be used by the school ITS and the technology team to inform a professional development seminar to be given during our staff development day prior to the beginning of the 2nd semester. Survey data thus far reveals that most teachers in my school are using technology regularly in their classroom. We are a BYOT district and students are encouraged to bring their smart phones and tablets. However, most teachers are neutral about the effectivenss of technology as a means to improve student learning. Technology is being used, but it's mostly used as a means to look up information on the internet or as a student response device (Kahoot, Socrative etc.) My role in this professional development will be to share with my ITS the various ways that technology can be used at higher levels. This LoTI sniff test will be a useful resource.
Reflection Part 2
The Individual Teacher Technology Assessment reveals my mastery of this standard. I created these assessments with members of my Professional Learning Community as part of our coursework for ITEC 7460 - Professional Learning and Technology Innovation.
I entered into a coaching relationship with a colleague from my grade level. At the outset, I conducted a needs assessment to determine the individual strengths and weaknesses in terms of technology integration. Two assessments were used to assess my colleague's needs. The Technology Adoption Self-Assessment was designed to measure affective perception of technology integration in the classroom. The Classroom Technology Integration Self-Assessment measures the frequency and effectiveness of a teacher’s use of technology in their classroom. The LoTI survey revealed to me that my colleague only used technology as a digital replacement to what could be accomplished without the technology. She used PowerPoint, and allowed her students to look up information on the internet, and considered this to be technology integration. She was not aware of the principals of infusing technology into instruction in ways that promote critical thinking and higher order thinking. Her results on the Adaptor survey revealed a quietness that belied a lack of confidence in her abilities, but with a hidden veneer of skepticism that required me to approach our sessions with an eye toward presenting the information in a safe, non-threatening manner.
Her results on these each of these assessments were used to inform content delivery of our subsequent individual professional learning and coaching sessions. Her scores indicated a strong willingness to learn new skills and a somewhat reticent acceptance of technology use among students in the classroom. Along with a pre-coaching interview, I used the results of these surveys to create a "needs statement" and a coaching schedule which detailed what topics would be covered in each of our sessions.
Creating and implementing this artifact was very informative, and proved to be useful as I developed a coaching plan from my colleague. As I mentioned previously, I created these assessments collaboratively with my classmates in my professional learning network. As a group we came up with a very well written set of assessment questions measuring exactly what needed to be measured. If I had to recreate this artifact I would have done so using a variety of measurement items, instead of relying solely on Likert scale questions. I've taken many Likert surveys in my lifetime, and I've always come away with a "yes, but what about ….." feeling. Likert type questions limit responses to predetermined choices which may not accurately reflect how an individual truly feels about the issues addressed in the survey. I see value in using Likert surveys, especially when being used with a large sample. But, somehow the usefulness of a Likert survey loses it's some of its effectiveness when the person administering the survey also has the opportunity to interview the individual face to face.
Going forward, I will be mindful of the inherent pros and cons of this type of survey. When working with a smaller group of people, I will always choose to simply ascertain their efficacy and attitudes through face to face dialogue.
The impact of the work that went into the creation of this artifact indirectly lead to an improvement in my faculty. I was able to use the survey data to create a professional development plan to enhance faculty development. The surveys can be used by any technology coordinator to determine how a faculty uses technology and as a measure of teacher's beliefs about the effectiveness of using technology to improve instruction. The assessment format - a Google Form - will reveal individual teacher attitude and beliefs, thereby allowing the technology coordinator to plan how to approach and work with teachers on a case by case basis.