Technology Initiative

TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVE

Julie Turnbull

Rationale

The International Society for Technology in Education standards are used nationally to “…define the new skills and pedagogical insights educators need to teach, work and learn in the digital age” (ISTE, 2015).  One of the standards that our district could give more attention to is 3b, which states that teachers should “…collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation.” 

According to a survey of parents by the National School Public Relations Association, the top five preferred methods of parent-school communication are all by digital means, such as email, online grading systems, and school websites (O’Brien, 2011).  One of the main tools parents would like to get their information from is a school website, and one of the most important items they would like to find there are daily classroom assignments (Haines 2010, Vance 2013).

Not only can technology increase student engagement (Wardlow 2014), posting daily assignments online, as well as links to digital copies of classwork and homework, can also help level the playing field for students with IEP’s and 504 plans. According to an article on the website SETDA.org (State Educational Technology Directors Association), “We live in a time of rapid technological advancement, with innovations in education holding great promise for improving teaching and learning, particularly for students with unique needs” (2014).  Having a classroom website can provide the online location for class materials.

Having a classroom website provides students with special needs – from Autism to hearing and vision difficulty – access to notes, clear instructions, review materials, and specific assignment details. When a teacher is in the practice of uploading classroom materials, students, parents, and special educators can more easily follow the events in the class on their own and better handle extended deadlines and any trouble that a student may be having. You’ll be surprised at how genuinely appreciative parents of all students will be with your site – but you’ll be even more pleased with the response of the people who support your students with special needs. (McCallum 2011)

This school district has made a couple of very useful technology tools available to all teachers and parents through the use of our online grading system, Livegrades, and through our county and school level websites.  Through the county website, each school has it’s own online presence, and each teacher within that school has a web page to call his or her own.  Having a high-quality school website, though, is just one piece of the puzzle.  “Far too many schools invest substantial time, energy, and resources into building a school website and then neglect to extend that effort down to the classroom and teacher level” (Cooper 2014).  This seems to be true of this school district, as well, as an informal technology survey of teachers at this school  found that only 37% of teachers update their web pages daily, and only 5% use Livegrades to post assignments before they are due.  Only a quarter of teachers feel they understand the tools available to them on the school district’s website Content Management System, and over 67% would like to have more training on these tools.

Time and Expense

A study done in 2011 at Arizona State University, and published in the Journal for Current Issues in Education, found that “…most educators…believe we fail to meet the needs of students who have grown up in a digital world and are heading into…futures rich in ever-advancing technology and information” (Taylor & Parsons). Even though educators recognize there are shortcomings with the use of available technology in the schools, a common reason by teachers as to why they don’t update their websites daily is lack of time (Strauss, 2014). 

Although time may be a concern for many educators in our building, by adopting the following technology initiative, and by utilizing already available planning time for professional development, within one month, with minimal investment of time, our school, classroom teachers, team leaders, and administrators, can overcome this obstacle.

The other consideration is the financial investment necessary to implement this initiative.  Because all teachers and administrators in our building have laptops with the operating system and Internet connectivity needed to utilize the school district CMS, technology costs will be at a minimum.  The only technology costs would be those associated with purchasing an updated presentation station in the distance learning lab, where some of the professional development will take place.  The total investment for a new wireless laptop, an AppleTV, and necessary cables and adapters is approximately $1500.  If our teachers are willing to invest one team planning each week, for four consecutive weeks, doing professional development and follow-up for this training, (approximately 3 hours total) the financial cost to the school or district for the PD will be zero.  As an alternative, if the administration is willing to allow the training to take place during two of the district’s two-hour delay days, the cost for the PD will also be zero. However, if the teachers would prefer two days of professional development held after school, for 90 minutes each session (approximately 3 hours of stipend pay), the cost to the school or district will be $3225 in addition to the technology cost, for a total monetary investment of approximately $4825.

Although there will be a sacrifice of time by teachers, and an investment of money by the school, the benefits will far outweigh the costs.  Our school district has already put the tools in place for us, but they are sorely underutilized.   This is not a good investment for the district, or the taxpayers of our community, if we aren’t utilizing these tools to their fullest extent. The technology skills teachers will learn through this initiative will benefit our students for years to come. Not only will they benefit students, but they will help teachers become more comfortable will the digital tools available to them, and pave the way for better communication between parents and teachers. If we are to move forward, improve our existing technology tools, and “provide students with the tools for success in a digital world” (Sheninger 2014), it is incumbent upon us as educators to make this minimal investment. Lets prepare students for the world they will live in, using the tools and technology that are a part of their everyday lives. Lets “invite parents into the classroom,” so to speak, and make them a part of the everyday educational process of their children. Our school can become a leader in our school district by regularly providing digital resources and assignments to students, and by making available timely information and daily communication with the parents of our community.

Sources/Works Cited

Cooper, Jay. "5 Reasons to Integrate Teacher Websites with Your School." Campus Suite. Campus Suite, 03 Nov. 2014. 3 Apr. 2015. <http://www.campussuite.com/5-reasons-integrate-teacher-websites-with-your-school-website/>.

Fletcher, Geoff, and Doug Levin. "The Accessibility of Learning Content for All Students, Including Students with Disabilities Must be Addressed in the Shift to Digital Instructional Materials.” SETDA. June 2014. 5 March 2015 <http://www.setda.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/SETDA_PolicyBrief_Accessibility_FNL.5.29.pdf>

Haines, Rebeccah. "Keep Parents in the Loop with a Class Website." Learn NC. UNC School of Education, 2010. 3 Apr. 2015. <http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/6639>.

McCallum, Ryan. "Ten Reasons Every Teacher Should Want a Web Site." Cleanapple.com. Cleanapple.com, 2011. Web. 5 Apr. 2015. <http://www.cleanapple.com/?p=165>.

"National Survey Pinpoints Communication Preferences in School Communication."  NSPRA...The Leader in School Communications. National School Public Relations Association, 22 Aug. 2011. 3 Apr. 2015. <www.nspra.org>.

O'Brien, Anne. "What Parents Want in School Communication." Edutopia. George Lucas Educational Foundation, 31 Aug. 2011. 3 Apr. 2015. <http://www.edutopia.org/blog/parent-involvement-survey-anne-obrien>.

Parsons, Jim, and Leah Taylor. "Improving student engagement." Current issues in education 14.1 (2011).

Sheninger, Eric. Digital Leadership Changing Paradigms for Changing Times. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin, 2014. Print.

"Standards for Teachers." Standards for Teachers. International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), 2015. 3 March 2015.

<http://www.iste.org/standards/iste-standards/standards-for-teachers>.

Strauss, Valerie. “Teacher: What I don’t have time to do anymore — and what I’d do if I had it.” The Washington Post. December 22, 2014. March 2015.

"Stronger Communication." Pearson Research & Innovation Network. NCS Pearson Inc., 2015. Apr. 2015. <http://researchnetwork.pearson.com/elearning/teaching-in-a-digital-age/stronger-communication>.

Vance, Michele. "50 Ideas For Your Class Webpage." Newsbay Media, LLC, 24 Sept. 2013. 15 Apr. 2015. <http://www.techlearning.com/default.aspx?tabid=100&entryid=6414>.

Wardlow, Liane. “How Technology Can Boost Student Engagement.” Pearson. May 1, 2014. March 2015.  <http://researchnetwork.pearson.com/elearning/technology-can-boost-student-engagement.>

"What Information on a Teacher Website?" Ask MetaFilter. MetaFilter Network Inc., 28 Jan. 2011. 3 Apr. 2015. <http://ask.metafilter.com/176952/What-information-on-a-teacher-website>.

Resources

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