1.3: Policies, Procedures, Programs, & Funding
Candidates research, recommend, and implement policies, procedures, programs and funding strategies to support implementation of the shared vision represented in the school, district, state, and federal technology plans and guidelines. Funding strategies may include the development, submission, and evaluation of formal grant proposals. (PSC 1.3/ISTE 1c)
Artifact: School Action Plan
Reflection:
The artifact used to demonstrate mastery for this standard is an action plan. The action plan details specific goals for skilled teachers, instructional uses, students, and the community. The plan outlines strategies, timelines, costs, and responsibility. I chose this artifact as it outlines policies, procedures, programs, and funding in a school.
Policies and Programs
The action plan outlines a number of policies which would be important for any school trying to implement technology. The policies are directed toward teachers, instructional uses, students, and the community. The teacher policy states: in one year, teachers will use various technology to provide authentic experiences to enhance higher order thinking skills to students in a standards based classroom. The success indicator for this goal is 90% of teachers will use at least two multimedia resources such as Webquests, Online Projects to increase real-world, authentic learning experiences, as aligned to the curriculum and measured monthly. Research shows the importance of implementing technology in every classroom as a way to increase rigor. By making this a teacher goal, providing training and opportunities, and conducting follow-up meeting to verify usage, students should be given assignments which are more in depth. The instructional goal to be addressed is the use of programs such as Webquests, Blogs, and online projects in order to engage students in a real-world, authentic learning environments. This is a measurable goal based on data from focus walks and lesson plans submitted by teachers. Students should also have technology goals. The goal is directed at students using different types of technology as a way to construct and communicate ideas with their peers and have hands-on, real-world experiences through the use of technology. The goal will be evidenced through lesson plans, focus walk data, and student work. To be more specific, students will use technology resources (Webquests, blogs etc) as a way to collaborate and communicate both in the classroom and outside the classroom to create meaningful products. The final goal incorporates the stakeholders. Stakeholders and community members play a vital role in making sure the school runs successfully. The final goal is in one year, parents, community members, teachers, and administration will share their beliefs and ideas in order to develop a shared vision where student learning is brought to a higher level due to technology being present in each classroom.
Procedures
As a way to ensure the goals are being met, procedures should be set in place. These procedures should be created before the policies are rolled out. They should be fully explained to staff and should be a way to provide constructed feedback. During the procedure meetings, teachers and administration should have healthy discussions regarding the procedures put in place. For this action plan, there are four procedures in place. These procedures allow skilled teachers are meeting their goals, students are achieving the use of technology, various instructional strategies are being used, and the community and stakeholders are aware of what is happening in the school. Additionally, these procedures address professional learning for teachers. Several dates have been set in the plan for training in order to ensure success in the implementation of technology in the classroom. The technology committee will develop a list of resources which can assist teachers in the classroom. These resources will be shared during professional learning sessions, tech mentor meetings, and during lesson plan review with the technology coach. The resource list will be created and shared on the teacher drive so everyone has access by the end of August.
To determine participation and success of the stakeholder goal sign-in sheets and parent surveys would be used also in the determination of success. At Parent Night, teachers and administrators will educate parents and community members on standards being taught and the importance of technology in each classroom. Parent Night is the 3rd Thursday in August. School Perceptions survey will be given out for parent input on technology night and other suggestions for technology plans. The survey will be issued at the beginning of September in order to parents to give input in time to create a shared vision. Survey Monkey will used. The school already uses this. Additionally, paper copies will be sent home to ensure all parents participate. The school may need to purchase different color paper to catch attention. School Improvement Team will meet to discuss feedback from Parent Night and School Perceptions Survey. The feedback will be developed into the shared vision statement which will be shared with parents, community members, and teachers. By October, all the information will be gathered and a statement will be developed. By November 1, the vision statement will be shared with parents, community members, and teachers.
Funding
Funding in any school is important. In any action plan, funding is key. Developers should be conscious the school has adequate funding for the plan to be achievable and successful. Since trainings will be held after school and on professional learning days for teachers, there will be no additional funding required. Substitutes will not need to be purchased. In addition, this training will come from teachers on the Technology Committee; therefore, no money will be spent on gathering outside resources. training will consist of 2 levels: Beginners and Advanced. Teachers will be sorted into these two categories so their needs can be met. The Professional Learning Meetings will focus on either: (a) how to navigate, use, and understand the technology or (b) creating and developing meaningful lessons for classroom use. Teachers can either learn how to navigate, use, and understand the technology (beginner) or create meaningful lessons during the Professional Learning Days. Eventually, all teachers will be advanced users/creators. The technology Mentor Committee will create tutorials for teachers. The tutorials will be about basic troubleshooting and how to use various programs in the classroom. These will also be at no cost to the school.
Funding for the student goal is also at a minimum. Programs are free; computer labs are new and up-to-date. Teachers may need to update their computers in the classroom, but this is free. Students will use technology as 2-way collaboration with experts outside the classroom. Students will create a project or enhance the learning experience in a content area. With the addition of a new computer lab, students will have more free options to achieve these goals.
As a way to entice parents and community members to participate, a budget of $1000 has been set aside for food and snacks for parent meetings. Since these meetings will be held in the evening, it will be essential to provide meals. In some form, most schools create an action plan similar to this one. Generally, the goals aren’t as specific. The goals in this action plan have specific timeline and responsibility guidelines. By setting these specific guidelines, it ensures all of the responsible parties will work diligently to accomplish the goal. It is important to remember that just because teachers aren’t held accountable for the goal, they are held accountable for making sure the success indicator is achieved. Therefore, all teachers need to be familiar with the action plan and their role.
I feel it schools developed action plans as specific as this one, student achievement would increase. By developing goals and holding teachers responsible, they are determined to work harder to achieve what has been placed before them. I enjoyed creating this assignment. It gave me the opportunity to think of things not only as a coach but from a teacher’s point of view. As a classroom teacher, I feel all of the goals I set were very much attainable.
Artifact: School Action Plan
Reflection:
The artifact used to demonstrate mastery for this standard is an action plan. The action plan details specific goals for skilled teachers, instructional uses, students, and the community. The plan outlines strategies, timelines, costs, and responsibility. I chose this artifact as it outlines policies, procedures, programs, and funding in a school.
Policies and Programs
The action plan outlines a number of policies which would be important for any school trying to implement technology. The policies are directed toward teachers, instructional uses, students, and the community. The teacher policy states: in one year, teachers will use various technology to provide authentic experiences to enhance higher order thinking skills to students in a standards based classroom. The success indicator for this goal is 90% of teachers will use at least two multimedia resources such as Webquests, Online Projects to increase real-world, authentic learning experiences, as aligned to the curriculum and measured monthly. Research shows the importance of implementing technology in every classroom as a way to increase rigor. By making this a teacher goal, providing training and opportunities, and conducting follow-up meeting to verify usage, students should be given assignments which are more in depth. The instructional goal to be addressed is the use of programs such as Webquests, Blogs, and online projects in order to engage students in a real-world, authentic learning environments. This is a measurable goal based on data from focus walks and lesson plans submitted by teachers. Students should also have technology goals. The goal is directed at students using different types of technology as a way to construct and communicate ideas with their peers and have hands-on, real-world experiences through the use of technology. The goal will be evidenced through lesson plans, focus walk data, and student work. To be more specific, students will use technology resources (Webquests, blogs etc) as a way to collaborate and communicate both in the classroom and outside the classroom to create meaningful products. The final goal incorporates the stakeholders. Stakeholders and community members play a vital role in making sure the school runs successfully. The final goal is in one year, parents, community members, teachers, and administration will share their beliefs and ideas in order to develop a shared vision where student learning is brought to a higher level due to technology being present in each classroom.
Procedures
As a way to ensure the goals are being met, procedures should be set in place. These procedures should be created before the policies are rolled out. They should be fully explained to staff and should be a way to provide constructed feedback. During the procedure meetings, teachers and administration should have healthy discussions regarding the procedures put in place. For this action plan, there are four procedures in place. These procedures allow skilled teachers are meeting their goals, students are achieving the use of technology, various instructional strategies are being used, and the community and stakeholders are aware of what is happening in the school. Additionally, these procedures address professional learning for teachers. Several dates have been set in the plan for training in order to ensure success in the implementation of technology in the classroom. The technology committee will develop a list of resources which can assist teachers in the classroom. These resources will be shared during professional learning sessions, tech mentor meetings, and during lesson plan review with the technology coach. The resource list will be created and shared on the teacher drive so everyone has access by the end of August.
To determine participation and success of the stakeholder goal sign-in sheets and parent surveys would be used also in the determination of success. At Parent Night, teachers and administrators will educate parents and community members on standards being taught and the importance of technology in each classroom. Parent Night is the 3rd Thursday in August. School Perceptions survey will be given out for parent input on technology night and other suggestions for technology plans. The survey will be issued at the beginning of September in order to parents to give input in time to create a shared vision. Survey Monkey will used. The school already uses this. Additionally, paper copies will be sent home to ensure all parents participate. The school may need to purchase different color paper to catch attention. School Improvement Team will meet to discuss feedback from Parent Night and School Perceptions Survey. The feedback will be developed into the shared vision statement which will be shared with parents, community members, and teachers. By October, all the information will be gathered and a statement will be developed. By November 1, the vision statement will be shared with parents, community members, and teachers.
Funding
Funding in any school is important. In any action plan, funding is key. Developers should be conscious the school has adequate funding for the plan to be achievable and successful. Since trainings will be held after school and on professional learning days for teachers, there will be no additional funding required. Substitutes will not need to be purchased. In addition, this training will come from teachers on the Technology Committee; therefore, no money will be spent on gathering outside resources. training will consist of 2 levels: Beginners and Advanced. Teachers will be sorted into these two categories so their needs can be met. The Professional Learning Meetings will focus on either: (a) how to navigate, use, and understand the technology or (b) creating and developing meaningful lessons for classroom use. Teachers can either learn how to navigate, use, and understand the technology (beginner) or create meaningful lessons during the Professional Learning Days. Eventually, all teachers will be advanced users/creators. The technology Mentor Committee will create tutorials for teachers. The tutorials will be about basic troubleshooting and how to use various programs in the classroom. These will also be at no cost to the school.
Funding for the student goal is also at a minimum. Programs are free; computer labs are new and up-to-date. Teachers may need to update their computers in the classroom, but this is free. Students will use technology as 2-way collaboration with experts outside the classroom. Students will create a project or enhance the learning experience in a content area. With the addition of a new computer lab, students will have more free options to achieve these goals.
As a way to entice parents and community members to participate, a budget of $1000 has been set aside for food and snacks for parent meetings. Since these meetings will be held in the evening, it will be essential to provide meals. In some form, most schools create an action plan similar to this one. Generally, the goals aren’t as specific. The goals in this action plan have specific timeline and responsibility guidelines. By setting these specific guidelines, it ensures all of the responsible parties will work diligently to accomplish the goal. It is important to remember that just because teachers aren’t held accountable for the goal, they are held accountable for making sure the success indicator is achieved. Therefore, all teachers need to be familiar with the action plan and their role.
I feel it schools developed action plans as specific as this one, student achievement would increase. By developing goals and holding teachers responsible, they are determined to work harder to achieve what has been placed before them. I enjoyed creating this assignment. It gave me the opportunity to think of things not only as a coach but from a teacher’s point of view. As a classroom teacher, I feel all of the goals I set were very much attainable.