Michigan Department of Education Educational Technology Plan Suggestions for Enhancing Your Technology Plan Please note that all of the components listed are suggested components you can use to strengthen your educational technology plan. None of these components are required for technology plan approval. *KEY QUESTIONS (KQ) in each section are from the NEIRTEC web site (www.neirtec.com) Cover Page SECTION 1 A cover page is necessary for identification and logistical purposes. NONE Enhancement Suggestions for: Introductory Material SECTION 2 A short executive summary covering the highlights of the plan is included. A table of contents is included to facilitate easy navigation. An indication that the school/district mission statement is explicitly linked to the technology mission statement. Demographics are described within the context of the district technology program needs. Technology committee membership is representative of stakeholders, including parents, students, and community leaders. Members of the technology committee are listed, including their affiliation (teacher, parent, student, technology coordinator, principal). The process for the selection of technology committee members is described. Ongoing duties of technology committee members are outlined. The process for Board approval of the plan is noted. Details describing the means for ensuring that the plan is a living document are included. Enhancement Suggestions for: Vision and Goals SECTION 3 The vision for the technology program is explicitly linked to student achievement and classroom reform that is specific to the broader district mission and goals. The vision and goals are grounded in evaluation, with a clear picture of where the district/school is today and where it wants to be in the future. The goals will clearly achieve the vision of all district stakeholders. The processes by which the vision and goals are established are included. Goals are explicitly related to student learning and the infrastructure required to meet those goals (i.e. classroom management, business processes, etc). Goals address the specific telecommunications and information technologies (such as access to the Internet or remote databases, etc.) that are used within the district. The process for revising and updating the district goals is described. KQ How do your goals support local curriculum initiatives aligned with national and state content standards? KQ How do your goals contribute to a comprehensive system that supports effective uses of technology and contributes to improved student achievement? KQ How do your goals support the use of technology for ongoing professional development for teachers and administrators? Educational Technology Plan Enhancements May 9, 2003 Page 1 of 7
Enhancement Suggestions for: A. Curriculum Integration SECTION 4 An action plan is detailed that clearly moves the curriculum from its present status to the expected future outcomes. The action plan links curriculum objectives with classroom practices. Specific goals are included for each grade level and/or content area. Specific technology goals are identified to meet the learning requirements of special needs students. The role of technology in promoting critical thinking and problem solving is specifically addressed. Specific references to research are included that support the district strategies for integrating technology into the curriculum. Strategies for identifying best practices are included. Potential partnerships with other districts to utilize available expertise are investigated. KQ How can you maximize the instructional impact of your existing technology resources? KQ How can you balance resources for hardware, software, personnel, and professional development to reach curricular and instructional goals most effectively? KQ How will you promote the use of these curricula and teaching strategies that integrate technology effectively in your district? Enhancement Suggestions for: B. Student Achievement SECTION 5 Methods for assessing student achievement of the district learning goals are identified. The role of technology in student assessment is defined within the context of Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) scores. The plan includes details for monitoring the relationship between technology implementation and student achievement. KQ How will you identify curricula and teaching strategies that integrate technology effectively and lead to improvement in student academic achievement? KQ How can technology be used to support the improved academic achievement, including technology literacy of all students? KQ What strategies will you use to improve teachers capacity to integrate technology effectively into curriculum and instruction? Enhanced Elements: C. Technology Delivery SECTION 6 Specific steps and timelines for developing and implementing distance instruction are detailed. The target populations for specialized courses are described in detail. An awareness of various state resources (i.e. Michigan Virtual High School, Michigan Virtual University) is included. KQ What are the primary purposes that online courses can serve in extending the curriculum offerings in your district? KQ What will be the process for planning, implementing, and evaluating online courses in your district? How will all the relevant constituents be involved? KQ Will the online courses be developed and taught by district staff, purchased from outside the district, or some of each? Educational Technology Plan Enhancements May 9, 2003 Page 2 of 7
Enhancement Suggestions for: D. Parental Communications & Community Relations SECTION 7 Specific strategies that are identified for communicating with staff, parents, community, and other partners regarding the progress of, and plans for, technology integration and implementation. These might include: newsletters, parent nights, web sites, media releases, or public hearings. Specific timelines are set for each outreach activity so it occurs frequently and regularly. Annual Board reports on the status of the district technology program are developed. The plan is widely distributed and actively used in district policy development and program initiation. KQ Does your long-range technology plan enable parents, educators, students, and community members to contribute to and benefit from the investment in technology? KQ Is the community involved in district and school strategic technology planning efforts? KQ Does your plan describe how parents will leverage existing networks and communication systems to facilitate communication with educators regarding student progress, assessment results, and support resources? Enhancement Suggestions for: E. Collaboration SECTION 8 Specific examples are included within each area (i.e. English as a Second Language (ESL), Adult Education, Continuing Education, General Education Degree (GED)). Adult literacy providers are represented and contribute in the planning stages. The stakeholders are actively involved in the implementation and assessment stages. Detailed descriptions of existing and proposed collaborations are accompanied by timelines. KQ What are the adult literacy needs in your community and how are they currently being met? KQ In what ways might collaboration between your schools, district, and organizations that promote adult literacy around technology use produce increased benefits for each of their constituents? KQ What other funds and resources can you access to increase your impact? Educational Technology Plan Enhancements May 9, 2003 Page 3 of 7
II. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Enhancement Suggestions for: F. Professional Development SECTION 9 Professional development is specifically aligned to the district learning goals and objectives. Personnel that are responsible for professional development planning, implementation, and assessment are identified. PD is based on best practices in learning and teaching. Strategies are complete and include specific timelines. Strategies are developed to ensure continuous and on-going improvement. Specific examples of PD opportunities available to the various target groups (teaching staff, support staff, media specialists, technicians, administration, etc.) are included. A variety of resources are identified from both within and outside the district. Examples could include: professional conferences, on-line classes, NETg, or other distance learning opportunities. Strategies are described to maximize the utilization of local and regional expertise and resources. Teacher and administrator competencies are strictly aligned with national and state standards. Incentives and recognitions for the achievement of higher technology competencies are indicated. Specific offerings are available for staff involved with finance, student accounting, and other administrative technologies. Specific trainings are offered for other applications, i.e. Michigan Electronic Grants System (MEGS), Single Record Student Database (SRSD). KQ Do you have an overall professional development plan, tied to goals and standards, that provides for ongoing and sustained staff training? KQ Is your professional development for technology linked to curriculum programs and student performance? KQ Does each of your educators develop an individual professional development plan that includes technology integration skills? II. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Enhancement Suggestions for: G. Supporting Resources SECTION 10 Resources that assist staff and administrators with locating various professional development opportunities are included. Materials that encourage ethical, equitable and safe use of technology are distributed and/or discussed. Resources are linked specifically to learning goals. Periodic updates of PD opportunities are available that identify newly available resources. The process for identifying, prioritizing and evaluating new resources is included. Awareness is indicated of the variety of curriculum support resources (i.e. National Educational Technology Standards (NETS), International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), Instructional Technology Across the Curriculum (ITAC), Technology Standards for School Administrators (TSSA)) that are available. Resources identifying and describing available assistive technologies are included. Resources utilized in the development of the plan are documented (i.e. print, web, visitations, consultations). KQ What supporting resources and services do you already have available that effectively leverage and expand your technology investment? Where are the gaps? KQ What untapped community resources are available that can provide hands-on support of technology-enhanced learning? For example, are there local universities of higher education that can help investigate alignment of proven practices for technology integration and the methods used at your school or district? KQ Does your school or district provide an expectation and structures that encourage technology and curriculum coordinators to plan together so that software, services, and resource acquisition link directly to current curriculum priorities? Are there particular supporting resources that can assist in this sort of ongoing collaboration? Educational Technology Plan Enhancements May 9, 2003 Page 4 of 7
III. INFRASTRUCTURE, HARDWARE, TECHNICAL SUPPORT, AND SOFTWARE Enhancement Suggestions for: H. Infrastructure Needs/Technical Specification, and Design SECTION 11 Diagrams of the LAN or WAN design are included. The network design reflects a high degree of compatibility with the district overall goals. The infrastructure is clearly justified based on district goals and operational needs. Specific examples for the types of technical support that are available within the district are included. Awareness is indicated of the Michigan Technology Staffing Guidelines (http://techguide.merit.edu). Strategies include provisions for technical support, maintenance, and repair. Strategies for leveraging technical support through community partnerships and/or use of student expertise are included. The plan identifies the network security that is in place to safeguard the network from intrusion by unauthorized persons. The need for remote access to local files and databases is investigated. Strategies to investigate and utilize a wide variety of technologies, such as wireless networks, are discussed. KQ What technology options effectively support teaching and learning in a variety of classroom and learning environments? KQ What are some lower-cost options to providing technological support besides a desktop computer for every student? KQ What are the real cost factors involved in successful uses of technology to support teaching and learning? III. INFRASTRUCTURE, HARDWARE, TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND SOFTWARE The plan details specific responsibilities of all staff, including teachers, administrators, and others in addressing equity issues. Recognition is made that achieving equity access extends well beyond the classroom. Resources that are available at local, state and national levels that can assist in equity issues are investigated. Access is addressed in terms of much more that simply identifying student to computer ratios and hardware available. Methods of content delivery and utilization of varying types of technology (wireless, distance learning, assistive, etc) are examples that could be included. KQ Are your educators trained and encouraged in a supportive environment to utilize technology with content that will effectively enhance the achievement of all students (regardless of gender, socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, or special needs)? KQ Do your teachers have access to high quality content that is appropriate, relevant, and engaging for every student (regardless of gender, socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, or special needs)? KQ Do all of your students (regardless of gender, socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, or special needs) have positive, supportive learning opportunities that are hands on experiences with technology resources and high-quality content? Educational Technology Plan Enhancements May 9, 2003 Page 5 of 7
IV. FUNDING AND BUDGET Enhancement Suggestions for: J. Budget and Timetable SECTION 13 The budget directly reflects the goals and priorities established by the district. A summary of the major activities for each year of the plan is included. Individuals responsible for various action items are identified. The timeline includes a checklist for completion of each element. The timeline includes general goals that may extend beyond the three-year time frame of the technology plan. The budget identifies high and low priority items. The budget is detailed and clearly identifies the hardware, software, professional development, support, and other services that are needed to implement the plan. Likely funding sources are included for each budget item. The process for revising the budget, priorities, and the timeline is detailed. The budget process is based on broader models such as the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) model (http://www.classroomtco.org ). IV. FUNDING AND BUDGET Enhancement Suggestions for: K. Coordination of Resources SECTION 14 Partnerships with community groups, businesses, state agencies and programs, and other educational organizations are indicated. Listings are available within the district that identify a variety of available state and national technology grants. KQ How will you coordinate initiatives funded under an Ed Tech grant with other technology-related initiatives in your school or district? KQ Does your plan include opportunities and structures necessary to share and coordinate resources? V. MONITORING AND EVALUATION Enhancement Suggestions for: L. Evaluation SECTION 15 The plan includes an extensive evaluation process that enables the district to monitor progress toward the specified goals and make mid-course corrections in response to new developments, technologies, and opportunities as they arise. The plan indicates how best practices will be identified. Benchmarking is used to track progress in relation to district goals. A description of how evaluation data will be used in setting future priorities is included. A description of how evaluation data will be used to drive technology plan revisions when necessary is included. Strategies are in place to provide a written update to the technology plan on an annual basis. This may be a short report appended to the original plan. Multiple methods and standardized tools, such as the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory s (NCREL) engauge program, are used in evaluating district progress. Evaluation is based on quantitative and qualitative data collected from administrators, teachers, and students. Evaluation is focused on outcomes, with the emphasis being on student achievement. KQ What set of evaluation questions will most effectively yield answers to whether and how your district needs are being addressed? KQ What evaluation strategies (e.g., interviews, questionnaires, classroom observations, analysis of student products or scores) will most effectively provide the data needed to address your evaluation questions? KQ When addressing accountability measures, what is the quality, reach, and impact of your technology program? V. MONITORING AND EVALUATION Educational Technology Plan Enhancements May 9, 2003 Page 6 of 7
Enhancement Suggestions for: M. Acceptable Use Policy SECTION 16 The process for adopting, evaluating, and revising the Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) is described. An awareness of regional, state, and national AUP models is included. The process for educating students, staff, and community on issues relating to ethics, safety, and the appropriate use of technology is detailed. The process for reviewing disciplinary actions under the AUP is described. *Note: The complete document Technology Briefs for No Child Left Behind Planners is available free of charge from the Northeast & the Islands Regional Technology in Education Consortium (NEIR*TEC) web site at http://www.neirtec.org. The Key Questions to Consider used throughout this document are summarized on pages 61, 62, 63, and 64 of their planning guide. Links to web sites referenced in this document: State of Michigan s Education Technology Planning Site: http://techplan.org Michigan Virtual High School (MVHS) http://www.mivhs.org Michigan Virtual University (MVU) http://www.mivu.org ISTE s National Educational Technology Standards: http://cnets.iste.org ISTE Home page: http://www.iste.org ISTE Accreditation and Standards Committee web page: http://cnets.iste.org/ncate/n_overview.html ISTE National Technology Standards for Administrators: http://cnets.iste.org/administrators/ Michigan Technology Staffing Guidelines: http://techguide.merit.edu CoSN Total Cost of Ownership: http://www.classroomtco.org Michigan Instructional Technology Across the Curriculum (ITAC) sample activities: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/itac-mde-1996_58223_7.pdf For additional Supporting Resources, visit: http://techplan.org/supresources.html Educational Technology Plan Enhancements May 9, 2003 Page 7 of 7