School Technology Environment Evaluation

School Pseudonym: Franklin Middle School Your name or group name: Tyler Zunker, Iota Group

School Demographics
Franklin Middle School has an enrollment of about 950 students and is the only middle school within its district. Recently, on the new school assessment given by this schools state, Franklin Middle School received a score of 21/100. Relevant school statistics for this school are as follows: The student body ethnic demographics: White/Caucasian - 89%, African American - 4%, Asian American - 4%, Hispanic - 3%. Free and Reduced lunch: Free lunch - 29% and Reduced lunch - 10% Teachers are equipped with a laptop. There are no desktops available for teachers. The school has 3 computer labs of 30 computers. New mobile computer labs will be implemented in 2012-2013. SmartBoards are being installed in classrooms. 1 in 4 teachers has one.

Administrative
Policy
Behavioral - Island Stage A lack of communication between the technology committee and the staff in the building is quite appalling. Although a technology plan was just revised this past spring, few teachers know about the changes. Many staff members are willing to use online grading and email on a daily basis, but that is the extent of our daily technology use. Resource/Infrastructure - Integrated Stage A new technology plan was created this spring. Although comprehensive, it is input-based rather than output-based.

Planning
Behavioral - Island Stage A small percentage of teachers are willing to take on new endeavors within their classes. Also, we have not done Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) yet, but we will be beginning them this year. This step could move us into the integrated stage by the end of the school year. Resource/Infrastructure - Island Stage Teachers who want to implement new technology or technology standards are given little direction from administration. In some cases administrators request new initiatives (flipped learning) but without guidance or outcome goals.

Budget
Behavioral - Integrated Stage A five-year spending cycle is laid out in the technology plan. The difficulty in having only a longrange plan is that newer technology initiatives are difficult to fund because they are not a part of the already created plan. Most of the time, this funds have to be found somewhere else. Resource/Infrastructure - Integrated Stage The five-year technology plan does offer some wiggle room in most years for unexpected technology costs. However, the extra money has to be used on a large-scale (district wide), not on a smaller scale (building or classroom). The budget itself accounts for new technology, upgrades, and infrastructure.

Administrative Information
Behavioral - Integrated Stage A weekly email is sent each week by the building principal updating all staff on the state of the building. This email also includes attachments for professional development and updated calendars. We are not paperless. Resource/Infrastructure - Intelligent Stage All our report cards, discipline referrals, assessment data, and attendance data are available online. Parents have access to a portal specifically designed for them. Students have a portal that is specifically designed for them to use.

Curricular
Electrictronic Information
Behavioral - Island Stage A lot of curriculum has not been redeveloped to include technology integration, nor has technology been used to add to curriculum. A handful of teachers do use YouTube to supplement their lessons. Resource/Infrastructure - Island Stage Access to online textbooks for some subjects is available and some teachers do use them. One teacher has computer access to use these books once a day. Discovery Education was requested to be purchased, but it was not.

Assessment
Behavioral - Island Stage Learning Locator numbers are distributed to students the first week of school to offer additional learning opportunities throughout the school year. Minimal opportunities for students to use technology are available as assessment pieces. If technology is used its using Microsoft Word to type a paper or using PowerPoint for a presentation. Resource/Infrastructure - Island Stage

Lack of computer lab accessibility for the student population limits how much technology assessment is used. Labs that are open are not conducive to a learning environment (open labs in the library). Laptop carts are being added this coming school year which could move this to Integrated by next spring.

Curricular Integration
Behavioral - Emergent Stage Technology integration is not purposefully integrated in any curriculum in any content area. Some teachers do have projects that they expect to be done using technology (research papers and presentations), but they do not give adequate time to learn how to use the technology prior to the lesson. Resource/Integrated - Island Stage SMART Boards are being installed in classrooms. Some classrooms have had them for a few years, but they are generally used as a glorified projector. Student use of SMART Boards is minimal. Study Island will be introduced to our math department this next year. Math teachers will be given computer lab time to add the program to their curriculum.

Teacher Use
Behavioral - Integrated Stage Teachers will use technology for instruction and lessons when lab time is available. Professional development opportunities are available throughout the year to allow teachers the opportunity to build their technology skills. Teachers have laptops and enter grades online. Many teachers take these opportunities, but there is still a negative attitude surrounding technology in our building. Resource/Integrated - Integrated Stage Teachers have laptops and internet access at school. Wireless is currently being installed. The access to lab time is still limited.

Student Use
Behavioral - Island Stage When students do use technology it is at its most simple level. They use it for research paper writing, researching, and presentations. One building in the district will be piloting a BYOD program once wireless is installed. Resource/Integrated - Island Stage Some students have regular access to technology in their classes, and other students have minimal exposure to technology in their classes depending on their teacher. Consistency needs to be improved.

Support
Stakeholder Involvement
Behavioral - Emergent Parents are not involved in the technology development process at all. There are have been discussions about getting more involvement, but implementation has not occurred. Also, a

referendum for technology in schools has not passed in this district in 20 years even though it continues to be on the docket. Resource/Integrated - Emergent A new technology plan was implemented without many of the committee members present. The plan has not been distributed to the faculty and staff and possible changes have not been discussed.

Administrative Support
Behavioral - Island Stage Administration is supportive of new technology initiatives, but the outcomes and support throughout the entire process are not always there. The administration seems to want to be involved in the technology education process, but their involvement is very inconsistent. At times after requesting a new initiative project, the administration disappears. Resource/Integrated - Emergent Stage No time is specifically designated throughout the year to discuss new technology and its implementation. The administrator is regularly absent from district technology committee meetings.

Training
Behavioral - Island Stage Professional development opportunities are offered, but are not regularly attended. Specifically, beginning of the year workshops offer countless opportunities for teachers to grow in their technology knowledge, but many technology workshops are not well attended. Resource/Infrastructure - Island Stage Many beginner level professional development opportunities are available, but intermediate and advanced level options are not offered. As a district, so many new initiatives begin and die because adequate opportunities to become experts in something are rarely offered. Training was not required for those who got SMART Boards which is another example of ill-prepared teachers getting technology they do not know how to use the most effectively.

Technical/Infrastructure Support
Behavioral - Emergent Stage The IT department and tech department are slow to allow any new technology into the district. Because of this it has taken 3 years to get wireless into the building. A continued attitude like this will result in being farther behind. Resource/Infrastructure - Island Stage There is an IT staff, but the number of people on the team is low. There is not an IT person in each building which makes emergency tech support non-existent. IT employees are well trained but difficult to get a hold of.

Connectivity
Local Area Networking (LAN)
Behavioral - Island Stage

Use is limited to using email. There is one data port for computers in each classroom. Wireless is being installed which could push this to the Integrated Stage. Resource/Infrastructure - Integrated Stage The network meets the schools needs.

District Area Networking

Behavioral - Island Stage Generally, it is only used for data. Resource/Infrastructure - Island Stage Network goes down quite a bit. Server space is limited.

Internet Access
Behavioral - Integrated Stage A BYOD pilot program will begin when wireless is installed. All computers and laptops in the building have access to the Internet. When teachers do use technology it almost always has to do with the Internet. Resource/Infrastructure - Intelligent Stage Internet is available on all computers and laptops. Wireless is being installed.

Communication Systems
Behavioral - Intelligent Stage Email is used as the primary mode of communication. Resource/Infrastructure - Island More can be done to communicate with parents using technology. Right now the primary way of contacting parents is either a letter home or a phone call. Also, students do not have email and they cannot check email at school.

Innovation
New Technologies
Behavioral - Island Stage Some teachers in the building are piloting new programs (BYOD and flipped classroom), but many teachers are unwilling to implement, or even learn about emerging technologies. Some teachers also use a learning management system (LMS), but teachers are using whatever LMS they want and there is not any consistency. Administration does support the attendance of technology conferences (TIES) so those who do want to learn more have the opportunity. Resource/Infrastructure - Island Stage Professional development opportunities usually focus on technology already in the district. Only one teacher has a computer lab dedicated to new initiatives. More can be done to get technology in the students hands.

Comprehensive Technologies

Behavioral - Emergent Stage Technology is rarely used how it should be. Many times it isnt used to its fullest capabilities. It is used to help teachers teach and is not in the hands of the students enough. Resource/Infrastructure - Emergent Stage Technology use is limited to computers, projectors, some SMART Boards, and VCRs. I would place Franklin Middle School in the Islands stage using the Technology Maturity benchmarks. It is evident that this school wants to be stronger in technology. Franklin Middle School is installing a wireless network, initiating some pilot programs that better utilize technology, and they are offered opportunities to grow in their knowledge of technology through professional development opportunities. Unfortunately, many teachers in the building are still not supporting new technology or willing to learn about new technology. Also, administrative support seems strong, but follow through on the administrators proposed ideas is almost nonexistent. Also, the outcomes of the initiatives is not clearly defined. The good news is that the infrastructure is in place for technology in the classroom to be used more. When technology is used it should be in the hands of students. In the school as it currently stands, the technology is almost exclusively in the hands of the teachers. The goal should be to teach technology use and integrate it into the curriculum so students are the driving factor. Overall, Franklin Middle School is on the right path, but many changes need to take place before it can move up on the technology maturity scale.