For this project you will be asked to reflect on the current level of technology integration at your school. Here’s an outline of how this project should be organized:
Part I: Introduction
Introduce us to your school – where is it located? How many students do you serve? Give us an idea of the general level of technology usage that is currently in place. In terms of technical details feel free to touch on the following (though don’t worry if you don’t have exact information handy):
- How many computers your school owns
- Types of machines (PCs, Macs, etc)
- Network connectivity status (do you have reliable access to the Internet?)
- School website (yes/no? Is it used / updated?)
- How is IT supported?
- How is Instructional Technology supported? Is there a different support structure in place for IT and Instructional Technology Support?
- How does your staff currently develop and maintain their technology skills?
Part II: NETS-A Self / School Assessment
Begin by taking a look at the International Society for Technology in Education (ITSE) National Educational Technology Standards for School Administrators (NETS-A)
For each of the 5 ISTE NETS-A standards construct a brief reflection. Try and cite concrete examples that you can share with the class. Here’s a brief overview of each standard:
-
Visionary LeadershipWhat is your school’s overall vision for the use of technology? Is this vision shared amongst all stakeholders at your school?
- Digital Age Learning Culture
How is Instructional Technology supported at your school? How are teachers trained in the use of technology? How do you work to inspire your staff to utilize technology in their teaching?
- Excellence in Professional Practice
How do you model the use of communication and collaboration tools in your own practice? How do you keep your own technology skills current?
- Systemic Improvement
What kinds of technology infrastructure challenges does your school face? Internet issues? Hardware / software support issues? How well do you work with your Information Technology department? How are school-wide technology decisions made?
- Digital Citizenship
How do you support a safe technology space for all students in your school? What kinds of policies are in place to help support safe, legal and ethical uses of technology?
Deliverables
Your written paper should be at least 5 pages and your presentation to the class should be about 20 minutes long. The presentation should use some technology element (your blog, Google docs, embedded media – this is a technology class, after all!) – keep in mind that if you use a web-based tool that you should require a password before you allow people to view it. Please e-mail me your paper on the last day of class – I would rather have an electronic copy than a paper version! 
