Martha Meloy

Technology Plan Evaluation

FRIT 8132 Administration of Technology Resources

Fall 2009
Introduction

The Technology Plan evaluated in this paper was derived from the Cobb County

School District located in northwest Atlanta, Georgia. It’s a suburban school district with

127 schools and administration sites. Cobb County’s Technology Plan is linked from

their district website under the Instructional Technology Section.

http://www.cobbk12.org/centraloffice/InstructionalTechnology/TechPlan/2009_2012%20

CCSD%20District%20Technology%20Plan.pdf

There are many other informational and helpful links on the Instructional

Technology page, which demonstrates the importance of technology use in the county.

The plan consists of 5 sections including a section on its vision for technology use, a

section on the current reality regarding technology, a section on the communication and

marketing strategies, a section on professional learning, and concludes with a section on

8th grade technology literacy. The plan covers a 3-year time period ranging from July 1,

2009 – June 30, 2012. The plan was last updated on October 28 & 29 2008.

Components of Technology Plan and Analysis Rubric

Dr. Paul Allen from the University of Texas developed the Technology Plan

Analysis Rubric used for this paper. A detailed description of each component and its

corresponding score follows the rubric below.

Components 3 2 1 Score
Total
Executive Identifies clearly and Provides adequate and Executive summary is
Summary concisely for the reader accurate information absent or incomplete. 1
the vision, mission, goals and in Executive (Missing 2 or more
objectives, background, Summary. Submitted components of
findings, issues, conclusions, on time. information.); or
and recommendations of the submitted late.
tech. plan. Submitted
 on time.
Identifies Membership list has
Contributors complete description of
and constituencies/stakeholder
Stakeholder groups. All areas are
Groups equitably represented.
Submitted on time.
Vision Vision is comprehensive and
Statement deals with learning
outcomes, not just
technology outcomes.
Clearly and concisely states
your team's vision for using
technology to improve
learning; identifies who will
be the users of technology
and how it will be used to
enhance learning; indicates
the benefits that you
envision will result from the
use of technology by
students, teachers,
administrators or others.
Submitted on time.
Mission Mission statement is focused
Statement on instructional
outcomes and indicates
clearly what the school
or district will do to make its
technology vision
a reality; why the school or
district wants to do
this; and for whom the
school or district is doing
this. Submitted on time.
Goals Goals are broad,
comprehensive and realistic
in addressing teaching and
learning needs. Goals
clearly answer the questions:
Who? What? By when? By
how much? According to
which instrument? Submitted
on time.
Objectives Objectives are measurable
and delineated from
goals; they clearly define
steps to be taken to achieve
goals; are clear and realistic.
Submitted on time.
Needs Assessment is
Assessment comprehensive and contains
detailed information from
hardware resources,
technology needs
assessment and Maturity
Model Benchmark surveys;
identifies use by students
and staff, and training
received and desired.
Submitted on time.
General Clearly addresses issues of:
Issues staff development,
technical support, technology
standards; student access to
Membership list is Membership is not
provided and listed or is inadequate 3
describes to determine
constituencies representation
represented. of stakeholder groups;
Submitted on or is submitted late.
time.
Vision statement Vision statement is not
provides adequate included or does not 3
description of how address learning
technology will outcomes; is difficult
improve learning but to understand or is
instructional submitted late.
outcomes not fully
addressed. Submitted
on time.
Mission statement Mission statement is
addresses learning missing or does not 2
outcomes but address instructional
provides limited outcomes. Provides
information about incomplete and/or is
what, why, and for difficult to understand;
whom the school or or is submitted late.
district is doing the
plan. Submitted
on time.
Goals are mostly Goals are absent or
equipment based and seem to be only 3
loosely linked to equipment based; are
improvement plans. not measurable; are
Submitted on time. incomplete, difficult to
understand; or are
submitted late.
Provides most of the Objectives are absent
objectives. Some or incomplete; are 1
objectives may not be difficult to understand,
readily attainable or unrealistic; appear
measurable. unmeasurable, or are
Submitted on time. submitted late.
Technology has been Needs Assessment is
assessed and absent, incomplete or 3
analyzed, but is submitted late.
may not include
summaries of
information from all
elements in the
technology surveys.
Submitted on time.
Adequately addresses General issues missing
most, but not all, of or very incomplete; 2
the most significant difficult to understand;
issues specified in or submitted late.
 computers; integrating new
with old technologies;
capacity of present
facilities to accommodate
new technologies; how
technology resources and
budget will be distributed
among schools for equitable
access; how needs of
students with disabilities or
limited English proficiency
will be addressed; student
access to computers;
integrating new with old
technologies; capacity of
present facilities to accept
new technologies, etc.
Submitted on time.
Conclusions Clearly identifies the most
and important needs and
Recommend challenges confronting the
ations school or district and
recommends the projects
and steps to be taken to
achieve the vision.
Conclusions are strong and
relevant. Submitted on time.
Acceptable Describes policies that are
Use Policy needed to ensure
proper use of the technology
resources (e.g., guidelines,
software and facilities use
policies, parental consent for
Internet use, etc.) Includes
well-written draft of
Acceptable Use Policy.
Submitted on time.
Technology Provides clear and strong
and description of how
Learning technology is currently used
Statement in learning environment and
ways it will be used to
achieve instructional
outcomes; describes how
technology will enhance
curriculum and teaching and
learning strategies; is tightly
coupled to other reform
efforts; indicates what
students will do
environment; submitted on
time.
Technology Provides clear and
Standards, comprehensive description
Requirement of the capabilities of
s, and hardware and learning
Models for environments. It identifies
Technology minimum standards and
and requirements for computer
Learning hardware, software, and
connectivity; describes the
types of learning
environments that currently
exist and those to be created
by the plan. Submitted on
time.
Excellent column.
Submitted on time.
Conclusions and Conclusions and
recommendations are recommendations are 2
adequately justified missing or are not
although the basis of adequately justified
some conclusions not based on the
entirely clear. information gathered
Submitted on time. in planning process; or
submitted late
Provides an adequate Policy issues are
description of the absent, incomplete, or 3
most relevant policy difficult to understand;
issues. Includes an lack of Acceptable Use
adequate draft Policy draft; or
of Acceptable Use submitted late.
Policy. Submitted on
time.
Provides overview of Technology and
the current and future Learning statement 1
use of technology in absent or provides
enhancing the incomplete
teaching-learning information on the
process for students. current use or future
Little detail on how role of technology in
technology will be the school or district
integrated into and how it will
learning and enhance learning; or
curriculum. Submitted submitted late.
on time.
Provides general Technology standards,
description of requirements and 3
hardware, software models are missing,
and connectivity incomplete, vague, or
standards and submitted late.
requirements.
Although clear, may
miss some information
elements. Submitted
on time.
Staff Clearly describes current and
Developmen needed technology
t competencies; Describes how
plan will take teachers and
other staff from present
level of technology
competency and knowledge
to the level of skill required
in the plan; describes staff
development strategies and
recommendations for
incentives and professional
development resources.
Submitted on time.
Technical Provides clear and
Support comprehensive
requirements and plans for
services available and
needed to support
technology use (network,
computer and software
support). Submitted on time.
Projects, Provides a prioritized list of
Budgets, major tech plan projects,
and tasks and timelines. Provides
Timelines budget summary estimate of
capital expenses (hardware,
software, facilities,
infrastructure, staff
development, tech support,
etc.) Identifies possible
alternative funding
resources. Projects,
timelines, and budgets are
realistic and consistent with
plan goals and objectives.
Submitted on time.
Clarity of Writing is concise and clear;
Writing uses active voice
when appropriate. No
misspelling, grammar, or
punctuation mistakes
evident.
Executive Summary - Score 1 out of 3
Cobb County’s Technology Plan lacked an Executive Summary. Many of the
components of an Executive Summary such as the vision and mission statements for the
plan were included at the beginning of the document but an official Executive summary
as well as other essential information were not included. It would have been much easier
Provides a general Staff Development is
overview (not absent or provides 2
detailed) of current & only minimal
needed technology information on
competencies. current and needed
Describes a few technology
strategies and competencies or how
recommendations for the plan will help
incentives and staff achieve the
resources. needed competencies;
Submitted on time. or submitted late.
Provides adequate but Technology support is
not comprehensive absent or provides 3
description of vague or little
technical support information on
requirements and technical support
services. Submitted on requirements for plan;
time. or is submitted late.
Provides most, but not Projects, budgets, or
all, of the project, timelines missing; 1
timelines, and provides vague or
budget estimate little information on
information. Appears project budgets, or
to be generally timelines; projects
consistent with appear not relevant to
plan goals. Submitted plan goals; budget
on time. estimates appear
incongruent with plan
or unrealistic; or not
submitted on time.
Writing is clear but Writing is difficult to
unnecessary words understand. Evidence 3
are used. Meaning is of spelling, grammar
not clear in some and punctuation errors
instances. Few errors
in spelling/grammar.
Total Score 36/48
to locate useful information or to know what critical information was included in the

report. I found myself searching the entire 51-page document to locate pieces of

information. For example, the goals of the plan began on page 34. It would have been

much more efficient if the document had an Executive summary that included not only

the vision and mission statements but also the goals, objectives, issues, conclusions and

recommendations of the technology plan. Readers could glance over the Executive

Summary for information instead of searching the entire document for bits and pieces of

information haphazardly.

Identifies contributors and Stakeholder Groups – Score 3 out of 3

In the Gap Analysis portion of the technology plan a list of contributors and what

department they are from are listed in the plan. A person from each of the following

departments helped with writing the technology plan for Cobb County. Names are listed

in the actual plan. Representatives of the tech plan: e-Rate and Documentation

Specialist, Supervisor Professional Learning, Human Resources Technology Analyst,

Instructional Technology Project Manager, Technology Integration Specialist, Supervisor

K-12 Curriculum, ESOL Consultant, Director Instructional Technology, Instructional

Resources, Library Media Education, Cobb Virtual High, Supervisor Instructional

Technology, Chief Technology Officer, Distance Learning Specialist, Director

Technology Funding and Special Projects, Supervisor Library Media Education,

Assistive Technology Coordinator, Principal Durham Middle School

 Other stakeholders are mentioned in the marketing and communication section of

the technology plan. Cobb County has a plan to communicate with its stakeholders to

encourage involvement.

Vision Statement - Score 3 out of 3

There are 13 separate statements that make up the overall vision for Cobb

County’s Technology Plan. The statements were worded with actions and how it will

enhance learning. For example, the first statement is “Students will be deeply engaged in

quality learning experiences everyday, applying higher-order thinking skills to solve

authentic problems that are relevant to their lives and technology will serve as a catalyst

for these learning experiences” (p. 3). Statements were also included that dealt with the

teachers role using technology.

Mission Statement - Score 2 out of 3

Cobb County has their mission statement divided into two parts. One part is for

student and teacher uses of technology and the second part is for the administrative uses

of technology. The mission statement is well versed in learning outcomes and why it is

necessary to utilize technology in order to live in the 21st century but lacks what the

district will do to make it’s vision a reality. In order to make this mission statement more

complete I would add aspects of how the vision statement will become a reality.
Goals - Score 3 out of 3

There are eight goals for Cobb County that incorporate benchmarks, evaluation

methods, strategies, funding sources, funding amounts needed and people responsible for

each strategy. There are three goals for instructional use, one goal on Internet safety, one

goal for administrative uses, one goal for parent and community use, one goal on system

readiness (staff competencies/ attitudes) and one goal on student tech literacy. The goals

are deeply embedded in the document. They don’t begin until page 34. It would have

been much more efficient if they had been listed at the beginning of the technology plan

without all of the details that this section provides.

Objectives - Score 1 out of 3

There are no objectives included in the Cobb County Technology Plan. When

rewriting the plan to meet the needed criteria from the analysis rubric I would include

objectives. They will be measurable, delineated from the goals and clearly define the

steps needed to achieve the goals.

Needs Assessment - Score 3 out of 3

The need assessment portion of the technology plan is very through. It is listed

under the Current Reality section of the document and provides the bulk of the document.

It includes data and surveys related to access technology including data sources,

instructional and administrative use with corresponding data and a gap analysis for the

technology plan. The following data sources were used to determine current instructional

uses of technology in Cobb County. The actual data was also included.

1. Levels of Technology Implementation (LoTi) and DETAILS questionnaire

2. GAPSS Teacher Survey Questions

3. GAPSS Observation Items

4. Classroom Observations

5. Parent, Staff, Student SIP Survey Items

6. Eighth grade Technology Literacy Assessment Scores

7. Usage data: SkillsTutor, netTrekker, CVL resources, Blackboard, Atomic Learning,

Achievement Series

8. Assistant Principal Perceived Needs Survey

9. Essential Conditions Survey

There were many tables, graphs and other helpful data in determining the current usage

of technology in the county.

General Issues - Score 3 out of 3

Many issues were covered in Cobb County’s technology plan. There was not a

section that covered general issues but they were covered haphazardly throughout the 51-

page document. When rewriting this plan to meet the technology components created by

Dr. Allen I will create a section for general issues that are more reader friendly instead of

having to search for the general issue ideas presented throughout the document.

Conclusions and Recommendations - Score 2 out of 3

In the Gap Analysis portion of the document there are conclusions made from the

current usage data. However, steps and projects to be taken to achieve the concerns are

missing. When rewriting the plan clear steps for each concern must be identified.
Acceptable Use Policy - Score 3 out of 3

Along with the link for the technology plan there is another link for the

appendices. In the appendices there is an acceptable use policy. The Children’s Internet

Protection Act of 2000, safety risks, Internet searches. Network security, acceptable use

agreement, and copyright is all included under the general provisions of the plan. Other

issues are discussed such as email use, we pages, and prohibited uses are elaborated on.

http://www.cobbk12.org/centraloffice/InstructionalTechnology/TechPlan/2009_2012%20Technology%20P

lan%20Appendices.pdf

Technology and Learning Statement - Score 1 out of 3

Cobb County’s technology plan does not have a technology and learning

statement. There are aspects of how technology is currently used in learning but lacks the

ways it will be used for instructional purposes in detail. When rewriting the plan I will

include a technology and learning statement that encompasses how technology will

enhance the curriculum in detail.

Technology Standards, Requirements, and Models for Technology and Learning -

Score 3 out of 3

Capability details are included in the current reality section of the document. It

identifies the hardware available currently and what it hopes to achieve in the next three

years. Software processes are also included.

Staff Development – Score 2 out of 3

 There was plentiful data to determine the current usage of technology pertaining

to teachers in Cobb County using surveys and questionnaires such as the LoTi survey.

However, the overall plan of staff development was lacking. There was a section in the

technology plan on Professional Learning that included a professional development

program, funding sources, alignment with criteria for quality professional development,

research supported practices and focuses on student achievement of Georgia Performance

Standards. The information provided was plentiful but lacked how the plan takes

teachers to the appropriate technology levels for successful teaching with technology.

When rewriting this plan clear, details of a staff development plan should be included.

Technical Support – Score 3 out of 3

Technical support aspects are discussed in the technology plan. There is a

Customer Care Center that receives 66,000+ calls a year for technical support. Each high

school and middle school has a technician on site and the elementary schools and

administrative sites rotate technicians. It is also noted that “SPLOST I and II funds have

provided a means to establish a hardware refresh cycle for district equipment” (p. 6).

Other components of technical support are elaborated on in the plan.

Projects, Budgets, and Timelines – Score 1 out of 3

This technology plan does not have a sufficient timeline in place. Budgets are

included in the goal information but an overall timeline of meeting the goals is lacking.

It also does not include a prioritized list of major technology projects or tasks. When
rewriting this technology plan it should include a clear timeline labeled with projects to

be achieved and appropriate corresponding budgets.

Clarity of Writing – Score 3 out of 3

The writing is clear and concise in this technology plan.

Summary

Overall, Cobb County has a good technology plan. Readers can tell that

technology is important to the county and using technology to its fullest potential is

obvious from reading the vision statements. The vision statements correlate with

everything that I’m learning in this Master’s Program, which makes me believe they are

on the right track with their technology concepts. The students of Cobb County are lucky

in that the district realizes the importance of technology and even if they don’t have the

funds to change all the classrooms and teachers overnight I am sure it will happen in the

next five to ten years. The significant factor is that they have a good vision for their

students. They just have to bring their vision statements to life.

The overall organization of the plan could have been much more reader friendly.

By adding a table of contents and an Executive Summary at the beginning of the

document information would be much easier to find. An accurate timeline and

corresponding budgets and goals also should be included in the overview of the plan.

Subsections of the technology plan should be highlighted and easy to find such as the

components of technology planning provided by Dr. Allen.

There were two other sections in the technology plan that were indicative of a

good plan. The section on communication and marketing exhibited many ideas about
“sharing progress, disseminating evaluation results, encouraging broad stakeholder

involvement, and marketing the role technology can plan in helping students achieve the

GPS” (p. 44), which was beneficial to document in the plan. The last section of the

technology plan informs about 8th grade technology literacy. It is imperative that all

Cobb County students reach a level of technology literacy by the time students reach 8th

grade. It includes tools and strategies defining technology literacy, estimation of student

technology literacy and strategies to ensure student reach technology literacy by end of

8th grade. Cobb County has also created a site that documents all of the high priority

standards for each grade level, which is helpful to teachers and parents.

http://www.cobbk12.org/centraloffice/SI/SIITTRAININGMATERIALS/hpts/index.htm

Cobb County’s Instructional Technology’s page has many helpful links such as

White Board resources, technology resources, technology requirements, and much more.

http://www.cobbk12.org/centraloffice/InstructionalTechnology

By evaluating Cobb County’s technology plan it is apparent that technology is

important to their district. When I return to the workforce in the next few years I will be

eager to get back into the classroom to use some of this newfound knowledge that Cobb

County is trying to instill in their teachers, administrators, and students alike.