4.1 Digital Equity
Candidates model and promote strategies for achieving equitable access to digital tools and resources and technology-related best practices for all students and teachers. (PSC 4.1/ISTE 5a)
Artifact: SWOT Analysis
The Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) Analysis was completed during ITEC 7410 to assess the current reality and condition of Adairsville Middle School’s technology integration. In developing the SWOT analysis, I utilized ISTE’s Essential Conditions to determine how AMS utilizes technology and to make recommendations to school leaders for improvement of the overall school condition.
This artifact demonstrates mastery of Standard 4.1 because it includes ideas of how to model and promote ideas and strategies to meet and achieve digital equity for students and teachers through digital tools and resources. After evaluating diagnostic surveys that I designed, results showed that most teachers are aware of national technology standards, because we have created district-wide technology – related best practices and our schools are 1:1. I also learned from the surveys that teachers and students use technology daily in many different ways to increase student achievement and learning of curriculum standards. However, the SWOT showed we needed more professional learning opportunities. To implement the plan, the school technology committee must provide additional learning opportunities for our staff so that we can model and promote student centered learning experiences to meet the needs of our diverse learners, increase motivation, and to change the pace of classroom work. During the development of the plan, I had personal communication with my school’s new principal in order to discuss our shared vision and the development of a schoolwide technology plan. Our hope is to use this research-based model to close the achievement gap and improve the low performance of our at-risk learners. The fact that I could identify opportunities such as technology leaders applying for additional funding and establishing a technology committee to create and implement a strategic technology plan, was critical in completing this thorough assessment of the digital tools and resources needed at Adairsville Middle School.
The SWOT Analysis helped me learn how to investigate and evaluate technology integration at my school. As a technology leader, I must be able to assess the current state of my school, find solutions, and communicate findings to leaders so a plan can be implemented to improve technology use and overall student learning and engagement. I learned how to find strengths and weaknesses as well as to find opportunities for growth in my school’s current reality. By communicating my findings with leaders in my school, we were able to find ways to offer professional development for teachers who were struggling with technology integration. To increase the level of this artifact in the future, I would like to conduct a SWOT analysis after the weaknesses found have been addressed to determine if the solutions offered were beneficial in correcting the weaknesses. I would then like to reevaluate the current reality of the school to find future goals and opportunities, in order for AMS to continue to improve in the use of technology.
This artifact impacted school improvement by allowing stakeholders to see the current reality of the school, which in turn helped determine a clear vision and path that needed to be taken to improve technology use. By conducting this SWOT, administrators and teachers were able to see our current reality, and what steps needed to occur in order to achieve the level with which we need to be. This impact can be assessed by the professional development that is now being offered at AMS to improve technology integration.
The Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) Analysis was completed during ITEC 7410 to assess the current reality and condition of Adairsville Middle School’s technology integration. In developing the SWOT analysis, I utilized ISTE’s Essential Conditions to determine how AMS utilizes technology and to make recommendations to school leaders for improvement of the overall school condition.
This artifact demonstrates mastery of Standard 4.1 because it includes ideas of how to model and promote ideas and strategies to meet and achieve digital equity for students and teachers through digital tools and resources. After evaluating diagnostic surveys that I designed, results showed that most teachers are aware of national technology standards, because we have created district-wide technology – related best practices and our schools are 1:1. I also learned from the surveys that teachers and students use technology daily in many different ways to increase student achievement and learning of curriculum standards. However, the SWOT showed we needed more professional learning opportunities. To implement the plan, the school technology committee must provide additional learning opportunities for our staff so that we can model and promote student centered learning experiences to meet the needs of our diverse learners, increase motivation, and to change the pace of classroom work. During the development of the plan, I had personal communication with my school’s new principal in order to discuss our shared vision and the development of a schoolwide technology plan. Our hope is to use this research-based model to close the achievement gap and improve the low performance of our at-risk learners. The fact that I could identify opportunities such as technology leaders applying for additional funding and establishing a technology committee to create and implement a strategic technology plan, was critical in completing this thorough assessment of the digital tools and resources needed at Adairsville Middle School.
The SWOT Analysis helped me learn how to investigate and evaluate technology integration at my school. As a technology leader, I must be able to assess the current state of my school, find solutions, and communicate findings to leaders so a plan can be implemented to improve technology use and overall student learning and engagement. I learned how to find strengths and weaknesses as well as to find opportunities for growth in my school’s current reality. By communicating my findings with leaders in my school, we were able to find ways to offer professional development for teachers who were struggling with technology integration. To increase the level of this artifact in the future, I would like to conduct a SWOT analysis after the weaknesses found have been addressed to determine if the solutions offered were beneficial in correcting the weaknesses. I would then like to reevaluate the current reality of the school to find future goals and opportunities, in order for AMS to continue to improve in the use of technology.
This artifact impacted school improvement by allowing stakeholders to see the current reality of the school, which in turn helped determine a clear vision and path that needed to be taken to improve technology use. By conducting this SWOT, administrators and teachers were able to see our current reality, and what steps needed to occur in order to achieve the level with which we need to be. This impact can be assessed by the professional development that is now being offered at AMS to improve technology integration.