Standards 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.
Artifact:
Reflection:
For standard 5.1 I chose the Technology Needs Assessment artifact that was created in ITEC 7460 class, Professional Learning and Technology Innovation. The purpose of this project was to assess the technology needs of individual faculty members. Standard 5.1 states that 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.
As an instructional technology coordinator, it is a part of my job to assess teacher’s use of technology. For this artifact I spent several hours with a teacher getting to know her and developing a trusting relationship. After spending time and becoming comfortable with me, I was able to convince her that everyone has to start somewhere. We had an initial interview where we set goals and planned coaching sessions to help her feel confident about her technology use. After the initial interview and one coaching class it was determined that the teacher needed more Smartboard training, picture and movie editing skills for her Geometry project that she was implementing, online submissions through the Darlington School website and Quia. The planned schedule was to meet forty-five minutes every week during Christie’s planning period, keeping in mind her current workload and not putting to much pressure on her. During these weekly meetings, a small instruction would be given on a new skill or reinforcement of a previous method during the last coaching session would occur. She would be given a series of things to do on her own during the next week, possibly during class if she felt comfortable. She would then make notes on her log sheet that was given to her to mark her accomplishments. Also on the log sheet she would note any questions to ask during the next coaching session. We accomplished many coaching sessions and I continue to evaluate her progress making follow up visits to her classroom weekly.
By accomplishing needs assessment with my first teacher, it allowed me to learn the steps I needed to take to assess all of my teachers at Darlington School. Not all teachers will need the same care and training that this teacher needed but it gave me a foundation for how I need to assess what each teacher may need. After completing this assessment, this particular teacher asked to speak about the projects she was doing in her classroom. She sparked so much interest in other teachers, I received several emails that day to meet with them about their technology use and coaching. This teacher’s progress also raised the attention of the technology director and he was enthusiastic for me to use this method with all the teachers at the school. We have developed a plan to meet and reflect on each teacher's use of technology and their progress over the next two years.
As an instructional technology coordinator, it is a part of my job to assess teacher’s use of technology. For this artifact I spent several hours with a teacher getting to know her and developing a trusting relationship. After spending time and becoming comfortable with me, I was able to convince her that everyone has to start somewhere. We had an initial interview where we set goals and planned coaching sessions to help her feel confident about her technology use. After the initial interview and one coaching class it was determined that the teacher needed more Smartboard training, picture and movie editing skills for her Geometry project that she was implementing, online submissions through the Darlington School website and Quia. The planned schedule was to meet forty-five minutes every week during Christie’s planning period, keeping in mind her current workload and not putting to much pressure on her. During these weekly meetings, a small instruction would be given on a new skill or reinforcement of a previous method during the last coaching session would occur. She would be given a series of things to do on her own during the next week, possibly during class if she felt comfortable. She would then make notes on her log sheet that was given to her to mark her accomplishments. Also on the log sheet she would note any questions to ask during the next coaching session. We accomplished many coaching sessions and I continue to evaluate her progress making follow up visits to her classroom weekly.
By accomplishing needs assessment with my first teacher, it allowed me to learn the steps I needed to take to assess all of my teachers at Darlington School. Not all teachers will need the same care and training that this teacher needed but it gave me a foundation for how I need to assess what each teacher may need. After completing this assessment, this particular teacher asked to speak about the projects she was doing in her classroom. She sparked so much interest in other teachers, I received several emails that day to meet with them about their technology use and coaching. This teacher’s progress also raised the attention of the technology director and he was enthusiastic for me to use this method with all the teachers at the school. We have developed a plan to meet and reflect on each teacher's use of technology and their progress over the next two years.