1. Below you will find my action plan for the Week 4 Assignment. Any suggestions for
improvement are greatly appreciated.
Development of an organization chart integrating technology
Role & Responsibilities
Superintendent
• Provides educational leadership for the District, including leadership in
developing the District vision statement and long-range educational plan
• Delegates authority and supervision of district goals and initiatives to Associate
Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction, Assistant Superintendent of
Schools, Chief Technology Officer and other cabinet members
• Keeps informed of current curricular and educational thoughts, trends, and
practices, as well as proposed legislation impacting the schools
• Oversees development and implementation of objectives and long-range plans
for curriculum and technology and instructional evaluation and improvement
• Supports the professional development of principals, teachers, and other staff
Associate Superintendent of Curriculum & Instruction
• Serves as a member of the Superintendent’s Cabinet and provides educational
leadership for the District, including leadership in developing the District vision
statement and long-range educational plan
• Provides instructional, curricular, & technology leadership that creates,
implements, maintains, and enhances excellence, scholarship, creativity, and
achievement for all students
• Supervises Chief Technology Officer and Directors of Curriculum & Instruction,
Instructional Technology & Library Services, and Desktop Services in the areas
2. of staff development and curriculum
• Collaborates with Chief Technology Officer and Directors of Curriculum &
Instruction, Instructional Technology & Library Services, and Desktop Services to
write the District Improvement Plan and assessing needs, planning, and
implementing district professional development programs
• Supports the professional development of principals, teachers, and other staff
Assistant Superintendent of Schools
• Serves as a member of the Superintendent’s Cabinet and provides educational
leadership for the District, including leadership in developing the District vision
statement and long-range educational plan
• Provides instructional, curricular, & technology leadership that creates,
implements, maintains, and enhances excellence, scholarship, creativity, and
achievement for all students
• Delegates authority and supervision of all district goals and initiatives to all
campus administrators
• Works with administrators, principals, teachers and parents relative to curriculum,
administrative functions, instructional materials, and evaluation of educational
programs
• Collaborates with Chief Technology Officer and Directors of Curriculum &
Instruction, Instructional Technology & Library Services, and Desktop Services to
write the District Improvement Plan and assessing needs, planning, and
implementing district professional development programs
• Supports the professional development of principals, teachers, and other staff
Chief Technology Officer
• Serves as a member of the Superintendent’s Cabinet and participates in the
strategic planning process to meet District’s mission, technology strategies,
action plans, and objectives
• Develops the Long-Range District Technology Plan
• Explores new technologies for future planning and potential implementation to
include collaborating with industry on technology matters and innovations for
K-12 educational programs
• Delegates authority and supervision of district technology goals and initiatives to
Directors of Desktop Services and Network Services
• Develops, implements, and controls the overall strategy and plans for the
development, deployment, and utilization of technology to support the District in
department and campus operations
Director of PK-12 Curriculum & Instruction Specialists
• Supervises PK-12 content area Curriculum & Instruction Specialists and
Coordinators
• Facilitates the appropriate use of technology in the teaching/learning process
• Ensures content area TEKS with embedded technology components are
implemented appropriately and effectively in classroom instruction
3. • Monitors professional development programs and provides direction in the
development of any new or revised educational programs
• Collaborates with Director of Instructional Technology & Library Services,
Instructional Technology Specialists and Curriculum & Instruction Specialists to
further the integration of technology into the curriculum and establish best
practices to guide everyday teaching and lesson planning
• Supports the professional development of principals, teachers, and other staff
Director of Instructional Technology & Library Services
• Ensures Technology Application TEKS are implemented appropriately and
effectively in classroom instruction
• Supervises Instructional Technology Specialists, Librarians, and Campus
Instructional Technologists
• Assists in leading change for the purpose of managing efforts around data driven
decision making, standards-based instruction, 21st Century literacy, and other
key knowledge regarding educational uses of technology
• Collaborates with Director of PK-12 Curriculum & Instruction Specialists,
Instructional Technology Specialists and Curriculum & Instruction Specialists to
further the integration of technology into the curriculum and establish best
practices to guide everyday teaching and lesson planning
• Collaborates with campus administrators and staff in the acquisition and
utilization of innovative technologies that contribute to success in student
learning
Director of Desktop Services
• Collaborates with the Director of Instructional Technology & Library Services and
the Director of PK-12 Curriculum and Instruction Specialists to find the most
appropriate, compatible hardware & software to be used in the educational
setting
• Provides technical support for professional development and emerging
technologies
• Ensures technologies are available and in working condition for everyday
teaching and student use on all campus and district facilities
Principals
• Review and analyze AEIS Report, AYP Report, STaR Chart, Mock TAKS data,
and CBA data
• Develop a Campus Improvement Plan with staff that reflects a technology
component based on campus data
• Collaborate with Curriculum Specialists and Instructional Technology Specialists
to plan professional development for teachers in curriculum and instructional
technologies
• Support the Campus Instructional Technologists to implement ongoing
professional development, modeling, and co teaching for teachers in needed
areas as demonstrated by data results
4. • Ensure content area and TA TEKS are taught and mastered
• Model effective use of emerging technologies and trends to develop an
organizational pattern for adapting the instructional program, practices and
structures to meet individual needs of students in an atmosphere conducive to
research-based practices in learning
• Communicate to students, staff, and parents the Acceptable Use Policy and
monitor its adherence
Instructional Technology Specialists
• Assist in the development of the Long-Range District Technology Plan
• Assist the Campus Technology Committees to in developing a Campus
Technology Plan in alignment with the Long-Range District/State Technology
Plan
• Provide sustained, in-depth quality technology training and professional
development related to technology integration, technology trends, and
technology research and applications
• Model technology-based instructional strategies for teachers using best practices
• Collaborate with Curriculum & Instruction Specialists, Campus Instructional
Technologists, and campus grade level teams to plan for professional
development in technology integration and its effective implementation into the
classroom
• Analyze campus data on STaR Chart Report and AEIS Reports to collaborates
with campus administrators to develop a plan of action for improving campus
technology needs and staff professional development
Curriculum & Instruction Specialists
• Serve as resource person for campuses in matters of curriculum, materials,
instructional/technology strategies and assessments
• Collaborate with Instructional Technology Department to provide professional
development on the district curriculum using emerging technologies that will
effectively improve student achievement
• Keep abreast of emerging technologies to utilize within their content area to
improve curriculum and instructional strategies for teaching and learning
Campus Instructional Technologists
• Facilitate the Campus Technology Committees to guide them in developing a
Campus Technology Plan in alignment with the Long-Range District/State
Technology Plan
• Serve as a liaison between the district and campus to disseminate information
regarding current technology trends and emerging technologies
• Collaborate with Instructional Technology Specialists and Curriculum &
Instruction Specialists to provide professional development on the district
curriculum using emerging technologies that will effectively improve student
achievement
• Meet with grade level teams or individual teachers to assist in the creation of
5. integration lessons/projects for students
• Model and co-teach technology-based lessons involving integration of curriculum
using research-based practices
• Provide training to teachers on computer literacy competencies as reflected in
SBEC standards
• Provide Cyberbullying training to all campus teachers and students
Teachers
• Ensure classroom lessons implement the Technology Application TEKS with
district curriculum in all content areas
• Utilize research-based best practices when using emerging technologies in
teaching and learning
• Collaborate with Instructional Technology Department to select appropriate
technology tools to develop student interest and performance in teaching and
learning
• Participate in technology professional development for personal and professional
growth
• Model and teach the Acceptable Use Policy and copyright guidelines to students
Technicians
• Provide campus technical support in the utilization of emerging technology tools
• Fulfill campus work orders daily and prioritizes support based on immediate
student needs
• Provide preventative maintenance on existing technology equipment and
software
Students
• Master the Technology Application TEKS at their grade level
• Comply with the District’s Acceptable Use Policy
• Abide by the guidelines for engaging in appropriate Netiquette
• Engage in appropriate ethical practices in conducting research
• Utilize emerging technologies to improve own learning and academic
performance
The role of the principal is to ensure that all the campus goals and initiatives in their
Campus Technology Plan are aligned with the district’s goals and initiatives reflected in
the District Technology Plan. It is important for the principal to be an effective
instructional leader by modeling the use of technology in campus meetings and staff
development. In researching new instructional technology programs to be implemented
on the campus, it is imperative that the principal follow the organizational chart to get
prior approval and ideas on how it can enhance instruction and learning. The principal
must work with the Curriculum & Instruction Specialists as well as the Instructional
Technology Specialists and Campus Instructional Technologists to devise a plan of
action for professionally developing the campus staff on new technology initiatives and
educational programs. Principals must monitor the implementation of the organizational
6. chart to ensure that the appropriate staff is providing the technical support that teachers
and students need for effective classroom instruction and learning. The principal must
also continuously stay abreast of emerging technologies and educational research and
provide evidence to support that the teachers are utilizing the technology tools available
on the campus. As a principal, one must ensure that they include a technology budget
that sets aside the necessary funding to support the campus technology initiatives and
educational programs that meet classroom technology needs. Finally, it is important for
the principal to assure that all students and staff are abiding by the District’s Acceptable
Use Policy, copyright guidelines and ethical practices in research.
Professional Development Planning
In reviewing the Campus and District Improvement Plans as well as the STaR Chart
results for the district, I found that the most pressing areas needing improvement is in
Teaching and Learning and Educator Preparation and Development. In the past 3
years, our district has been classified at the Developing stage in these two areas
showing very little growth. Both our teachers and administrators need professional
development in the area of technology integration as reflected in the State Board of
Education Certification (SBEC) Technology Applications Standards for Teachers and
the Technology Standards for School Administrators (TSSA).
As mentioned in the Week 3 Report, our district technology plan focuses on three
instructional technology goals: computer literacy for staff and students, technology
integration into all curriculum areas to effectively build content knowledge, and using
technology tools to deliver instruction to enhance student learning and achievement.
These are the three goals that most campuses align their Campus Improvement &
Campus Technology Plans with because they are tied to the instructional components
which ultimately can impact student achievement. In our District Technology Plan for
2010-2013, the first goal states, “Ensure
that all students and staff pursue mastery of clearly defined technology skills for use in
foundations, information acquisition, problem solving, and communication.” The first
objective of this goal focuses on the computer literacy for students. In order to fulfill this
goal, we must ensure that we have 86% to 100% of students showing mastery of
Technology Application TEKS in K- 8th grade, with 8th grade being emphasized as an
area of extreme importance. In reviewing the 8th grade assessment results for the past
three years, our district has gone from a 6% passing rate to 21%. Compared to the
state average’s passing rate for 8th graders of 50%, we are well below the state
average. An effective professional development activity would be to provide all
professional staff including administrators in the elementary and middle school
campuses time to analyze the Technology Application (TA) TEKS by grade level to
determine the horizontal and vertical alignment of the TA TEKS across grade levels.
Another activity may be to allow the teachers to be administered the same assessment
that students are given to provide them with an understanding of how in depth the
content of the test is for the students. I believe in sharing this information, teachers and
administrators will begin to see the importance of ensuring the TA TEKS are being
covered through the online computer literacy programs offered in the elementary and
middle school campuses as well as the need for holding teachers accountable in
7. meeting this state requirement. As we continue to increase the proficiency level of our
students, we will see STaR Chart reports increasing to the Advanced or Target Tech
Level in Teaching and Learning.
The second goal states, “Incorporate technology into teaching and learning in all
curriculum areas to enable students to effectively build content knowledge.” As reflected
in the Round Table discussion with Dr. Abernathy, Dr. Cummings, and Dr. Jenkins, it is
important to know what new technologies are emerging to be able to see how it will
impact the classroom and the teachers in meeting their instructional needs for student
learning. As mentioned in the Week 3 report, many campus administrators want
students to be fully engaged in the process of learning and that the integration of
technology transform the teaching process to allow for student inquiry, creativity and
content. It is essential to promote the use of technology in a student-centered learning
environment that engages the student in working to solve real world problems and/or
issues. All too often teachers criticize that administrators do not provide ample
opportunities or the time to create engaging lessons with technology integration, and
there are very few professional development offered in this area. In analyzing our
Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) and Annual Yearly Progress (AYP)
reports, we found that the students in our district were struggling in Mathematics.
Teachers need to engage in a professional development sessions where they analyze
their student data to come up with individualized learning plans allowing them to
determine which technologies would work best with individual students. Teachers
should engage in online learning that shows a model classroom engaging in the
implementation of instructional strategies using effective technology integration with
Mathematics that will have a significant impact on student learning. The Instructional
Technology Department and the Curriculum & Instruction Department need to work
collaboratively to provide professional development that demonstrates how to
seamlessly integrate technology and the TA TEKS into the core content curriculum
through the use of digital resources, district software like Pixie and Comic Life, and the
emerging technology tools such as the Mobi, blogs, and iPods which will accomplish the
district’s third goal, “Enhance learning and student achievement by using technology
tools to deliver instruction.”
In the Round Table Interview in Week 3, Dr. Cummings stated that administrators need
to be the role models in using the technology tools available to them, stay abreast of the
emerging technologies, and bring technology into the classrooms for anytime, anywhere
access. As instructional leaders of the campus, some lack the technology skills to
improve the Teaching & Learning and Educator Preparation & Development, so by
networking with other administrators most will find ways to improve the technology
integration component on their respective campuses. I believe many of our
administrators need to network with other administrators throughout the state of Texas
either through the use of blogs, discussion boards, or Adobe Connect meetings to
communicate thoughts and solicit ideas for improving the areas of Teaching and
Learning and Educator Preparation and Development. A key professional development
activity for administrators would be to participate in the above mentioned activities for
staff, but also participate in an Administrator Technology Academy hosted by
8. Instructional Technology and Curriculum & Instruction Specialists. In this academy,
principals would learn about the various technology tools present on most campuses
and how to effectively utilize them. Principals would also be informed of what to look for
in a student-centered classroom environment that is seamlessly integrating technology.
With the assistance of Instructional Technology and Curriculum & Instruction
Specialists, principals will become more knowledgeable in devising a progressive plan
of action to meet the needs of the campus while improving technology integration for
teachers and students to impact learning and student achievement.
Professional development activities to include:
• Engage in analysis of Technology Application TEKS in grade level clusters to
carefully study the vertical and horizontal alignment of skills
• Administer the 8th grade Assessment to teachers and staff to help them analyze
and understand the rigor and content that students must master to be successful
• Analyze student testing data to create individualized learning plans and
determine the best technologies to use in meeting the needs of individual
students
• Access to online learning that demonstrates best practices of technology
integration in use with Mathematics lesson
• Collaborate with Instructional Technology Department and Curriculum &
Instruction Department to utilize Mobi interactive pads, blogs and iPods in
integrating the Technology Application TEKS in mathematics instruction
• Design and implement an online learning community in the form of a blog,
discussion board, or through Adobe Connect to communicate with other Texas
administrators on how to improve in the areas of Teaching & Learning and
Educator Preparation & Development
• Conduct an Administrators Technology Academy where administrators learn
about how to utilize various technology tools available on the campus that will
impact student learning and teacher instruction
• Collaborate with Instructional Technology and Curriculum & Instruction
Specialists to develop a plan of action to meet the technology needs of the
campus with a focus on technology integration
• Provide just in time training and more professional development opportunities in
the area of technology integration using available software with a focus on the
areas of need on the campus based on student testing data, AEIS and AYP
reports, and STaR Chart reports
Resources:
9. AEIS Reports 2009-2010
AYP Reports 2009-2010
Campus Improvement Plan 2010-2011
District Improvement Plan 2010-2011
Long-Range District Technology Plan 2010-2013
STaR Chart Campus Summary 2007-2010
STaR Chart Teacher Summary 2007-2010
8th Grade Computer Literacy Assessment 2007-2010
Week 3 Report
Evaluation Planning for Action Plan
The Technology Action Plan will be evaluated twice during the year by the Instructional
Technology Specialists in conjunction with the Campus Technology Committee. A
formative evaluation will be conducted in January to determine the current progress of
the plan. A summative evaluation will take place in May to determine the campus
completion of the plan and to establish areas still needing improvement as well as
determine technology funding for the upcoming school year.
Evaluation components to include:
• Sign-in sheets, professional development evaluation and reflection forms indicating
how the Technology Applications TEKS are aligned vertically and horizontally,
effectiveness of just-in time training, and impact of Administrator Technology
Academy on instruction and learning
• Teacher and Administrator feedback on the computer literacy assessment’s content
and rigor and documentation such as lesson plans indicating how campus has made
changes to improve teaching of the Technology Application TEKS to prepare
students for the assessment
• Samples of individualized student learning plans with documentation of technology
tools utilized and survey results indicating student reflection of learning plans and its
effect on student achievement
• Online learning usage reports that signify number of teachers engaged in online
learning and time spent as well as lesson plan documentation or teacher personal
reflections indicating the implementation of suggested instructional strategies
• Collaboration meeting minutes documenting plan of action and mathematics lesson
plans incorporating the use of Mobi interactive pads, blogs, and/or iPods with
sample student products
• Online learning community discussions and/or meeting recordings and STaR Chart
data results and an analysis of trends in comparison to previous STaR Chart data
• Samples of professional development provided by administrators that document the
use of an emerging technology or tool to enhance the learning experience
10. • AEIS and AYP data reports are reviewed and analyzed to gather information to
show improvement in scores impacted by the integration of technology and teacher
surveys indicating how technology has enhanced instruction in the classroom
• Principal and district walk-throughs that show project based learning and effective
technology integration are occurring in classrooms
• A written, comprehensive campus technology action plan that is aligned to the
district and state technology plan with specific action steps, timeline, resources,
persons responsible and measurable evidence of attainment