Running head: CURRENT CONDITIONS 1

Current Conditions Synthesis Report: An Analysis of the Academy of Early Learning

Introduction

When choosing a school to investigate the application of the ISTE NETS-A standards, I

decided to choose a new program that was started in a school district in the service area of

Coastal Carolina University. The Academy of Early Learning in the Marion County School

District is a Pre-K program that started in the fall of 2017. The district combined all of their K-3

and K-4 classrooms from three elementary/primary schools into one school building. There are

currently twelve classrooms that house approximately two hundred students and thirty faculty

and staff. The building itself is a repurposed school that was only partially utilized in previous

years.

In order to obtain the information needed to evaluate and assess the current technology

use and implementation at the Academy of Early Learning, individual conversations were had

with the director, the curriculum coach, and three teachers in the program. The respondents

matched the average profile of the school in accordance to average teacher age, years’

experience, and diversity. Additionally, all of the teachers at the school have taught in the district

for a minimum of five years.

Standards

According to Zhong (2017), a new role of principals in the twenty-first century and

beyond is to encourage the use of technology in teaching effectiveness and academic

achievements, rather than just being the administrator of a building. This can be achieved by

utilizing technology during evaluation activities, as well as encouraging the use of technology

during education, and providing multiple avenues for the teachers to be trained on the use of

technology. Richardson, Bathon, Flora, and Lewis (2012) found that most scholarly articles on
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the ISTE NETS-A standards described the standards did not evaluate their effectiveness and

implementation.

Visionary leadership is the first standard, and therefore the first standard I analyzed at the

Academy of Early Learning. The focus of standard one is for technology leaders to support and

promote the positive integration of technology in learning. The role of the administrators at a

school and district is vital in transforming instruction to a base in technology (Zhong, 2017). The

Academy of Early Learning does not have a school-level technology vision or plan, so I

researched the school district’s mission and strategic plan. The theme for the academic year in

the district was “Believe in Better”. The most recent strategic plan was implemented in 2016 to

be utilized through 2021. Included in this strategic plan are general references to training

teachers on the use of technology in the classroom, purchasing of hardware to aide with the

implementation of technology in the classroom, and implementing instructional technology

coaches at each school to aide with the implementation of instruction (Marion County School

District, 2016).

To develop and implement a technology plan, the principal must understand the

utilization of current technologies to advocate for the financial resources needed to purchase

relevant technology, both hardware and software (Metcalf & LaFrance, 2013). With the current

age of the faculty at the Academy of Early Learning, the emphasis on and importance of

technology use in the classroom is not as great, but as a new generation of teachers and

administrators replace the current faculty, while the students have a great understanding of

technology, the principal will be required to understand and have supports to lead the integration

of technology in student learning and achievement (Hayashi & Fisher-Adams, 2015). Though

there is no formal plan or vision in place for technology implementation in this school, there is
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significant evidence that decisions are data-driven. After each formal assessment, the principal,

curriculum coach, and teacher meet to discuss the students’ level and how to adjust instruction to

meet each students’ needs. Additionally, the teachers all said that they can instruct however they

wish if they can show the achievement of student learning outcomes.

The ISTE NETS-A standard two addresses continual improvement in the frequent use of

technology along with infusing technology throughout the curriculum while addressing the needs

of diverse learners. According to Hyashi and Fisher-Adams (2015), the upcoming generation of

students, teachers, and new administrators have different needs than past generations since they

have utilized technology for most of their life. The challenge for administrators is to maintain the

relevance of technology utilized, even at the rapid advancement of the technology (Hyashi &

Fisher-Adams, 2015).

The school does not have any existing documents that describe the vision for technology

use in the classroom, nor a true plan. As with most state institutions, the selection of instructional

technologies is above the classroom level, but the teachers I met with do say the current

administrator of the Academy of Early Learning takes their suggestions and input on needed

technology, which does give a general definition on each person’s role in the procurement

process. In the study by Yorulmaz and Can (2016), they found that no matter the age, school

directors refer to themselves as very effective at modeling promoting the use of technology in the

classroom. From my discussions with the faculty at the Academy of Early Learning, their

principal does model the use of technology when new ideas or initiatives are presented and

encourages all faculty to use technology in the classroom. However, the younger teacher did

express a desire for more cutting-edge technology to be brought-forth by the administration

rather than using the traditional technology.

The district and school do have diverse learners, such as 89.2% of students being in

poverty, lack of parental education, and the percentage of students with an identified disability

almost doubling from 4.5% in 2016 to 7.9% in 2017 (South Carolina State Report Cards, 2017).

Because of the faculty’s experience with diverse populations and diverse learning styles, I have

no concerns that they are ensuring to address the diverse needs of the learners. The principal also

schedules regular faculty meetings and visits each classroom daily to ensure effective instruction

is happening and that the focus of the school remains on the student. The principal also said they

have full participation in parent-teacher conferences because they are willing to meet with the

parents through a variety of methods and at a variety of times, not just during a scheduled time-

period. This not only meets the needs of the students, but also show’s an understanding of the

parental population of the school because many of the parents work varying hours to support

their families or may not have reliable transportation every day.

Standard three from ISTE NETS-A addresses the promotion of learning and innovation

that empowers educators to utilize technology to enhance student learning. According to

Yorulmaz and Can (2016), administrators must utilize technology during evaluation activities, as

well as encouraging the use of technology during education and instructional technology. By

acquiring and improving their skills in utilizing technology in instruction, administrators will

motivate their faculty to utilize and integrate technology into their lessons (Yorulmaz & Can,

2016). The administrator’s role in relation to the allocation of resources is to identify and address

the need of the teacher to successfully integrate technology into their classroom (Zhong, 2017).

The faculty all report that the administration provides them with various technology

training opportunities, both formally and informally. Additionally, the principal states she

attempts to seek-out additional trainings on integrating technology within her school particularly
CURRENT CONDITIONS 6

since they are a new program in the district and a somewhat rarity in the state. These trainings

are both for the faculty and for the principal herself, since the principal understands she must be

an expert on the technology utilized in her school. Though there are not formal expectations for

faculty to utilize technology in instruction, there are understood best practices throughout the

school, such as using the interactive whiteboards and specified applications for teaching reading.

As in the study by Zhong (2017), primary communication with parents is via recorded phone

calls and text messages, but an email system is also in place. Because of the district having

slightly under 90% of students at or below the poverty line (South Carolina State Report Cards,

2017), the school must use a variety of avenues to communicate with parents, as well as with

outside constituents. The school collects cell phone, home phone, email and even neighbor or

emergency contact numbers and emails for each of the students at the start of the school year.

According to the faculty, though, these numbers can change several times throughout the year, so

the school has even resorted to having a teacher or instructional assistant visit the home of the

parent or emergency contact to obtain updated information.

Standard four from ISTE NETS-A concerns continuous improvement of the organization

by effectively using the resources available, related to information and technology. In addition to

utilizing current resources, technology leaders, along with stakeholders, must research and

advocate for new, sustaining funding to continue to achieve the learning goals in the digital age

(Richardson et al., 2012). Metcalf and LaFrance (2013) found in their study that principal’s

perceptions of their own preparedness in standard four ranked fourth, with only the standard of

visionary leadership ranking lower. Some districts seem more reactive than proactive, and that is

the case with the Marion County School District. In review of their strategic plan, there is one

activity under the action plan for strategy one where technology is to be utilized to enhance
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literacy within the district, one activity under the action plan for providing support to teachers

through additional training in delivering literacy instruction digitally, and one activity under the

action plan for the mathematics strategy two that also relates to professional development

(Marion County School District, 2016). Thought these are overall goals, they are not school-level

specific.

The Academy of Early Learning just finished its first year of existence, so the principal

took this year to evaluate all the assessments of the students, both those required by the district

and ones administered at each of the former base schools, before determining which of the

assessments were most effective at determining student achievement. The faculty reported that

they all were provided the opportunity to advocate for the assessments they preferred, while

providing evidence of the effectiveness of the assessment. The principal has now determined the

appropriate assessments for each of the learning outcomes. She has shown effective

collaboration throughout this process, but there are not metrics and assessments specific to

instructional technology use.

The fifth and final ISTE NETS-A standard concerns to digital citizenship. Administrators

need to understand the issues and responsibilities related to the current digital culture and model

and facilitate appropriate actions for their faculty and for their students. In the study by

Yorulmaz and Can (2016), school administrators rated their level of comfort and competency

with digital citizenship as very high. Richardson et al. (2012) found in their literature review that

standard five along with standard four lacked significant research, especially in comparison to

the first three standards. With slightly under 90% of students being in poverty (South Carolina

State Report Cards, 2017), many students may not have access to technology at home, and the

stakeholders in the community may not have access to technology. The school does provide
CURRENT CONDITIONS 8

recommendations for the parents as to where they can get access to technology, plus they do

allow, as appropriate and available, parents to access technology in the school. Indicator one is

not a concern to me at this school. The students have equitable access within the school, but the

access to technology outside the school varies greatly, which cannot be helped more than the

school already is.

The teachers and administrators report that they are required to sign appropriate use

forms and that the district regularly monitors their computer usage. There is a person in the

district office that manages the district’s social media and web presence, and any post or

publication is only placed on the web by that person. Because the school does not have a 1:1

device initiative, along with the young age of the students, the faculty and administration are not

concerned about the students accessing or posting inappropriate content. As Hollandsworth,

Donovan, and Welch (2017) found in their study, most instruction on digital citizenship begins

around grade three, but nearly all of the respondents indicated that this topic should be

introduced in preschool. Though there are many concerns with the safety and security of

information on the internet as well as children being negatively influenced by information found

or persons contacted via technology, students need to understand the positive aspects of digital

citizenship, such as creating a voice for themselves and gaining an understanding of and

participating in global issues (Hollandsworth et al., 2017). The faculty at the Academy of Early

Learning report that students ask them about global issues that they may have heard from their

parents or from the television, so the teachers use that as a teaching moment. The principal states

that after a major event, either positive or negative, she instructs the faculty to incorporate that

event into their classroom in some way, and to use technology to show the students about that
CURRENT CONDITIONS 9

area or topic. This typically happens through a video or simulation game that incorporates

weather happenings in the game.

Summary

Administrators of today must be willing to adapt to the changes and increases in

technology’s utilization in learning (Medcalf & LaFrance, 2013). Though current administrators

are primarily generation X or Y, the new students and teachers coming in have matured in a

technology-rich environment, and school leaders must be prepared to support the integration of

technology in learning (Hyashi & Fisher-Adams, 2015). At the Academy of Early Learning, and

in the Marion County School District as a whole, the development of a vision and plan for

integrating technology into learning is the first step in meeting the ISTE NETS-A standards.

Hyashi and Fisher-Adams (2015) found that school leadership preparation programs are

being more effective with educating future administrators on technology use in instruction, but to

be a technology leader, one must strive to constantly research and learn emerging technologies

for the classroom. The current principal at the Academy of Early Learning seems to meet this

goal, but she cannot let roadblocks to implementation of new technology, such as budgetary

constraints or lack of parental involvement, diminish her drive to provide the best education

possible for her students. The school and district are currently, in my opinion, slightly behind the

expected level of technology use and integration in their classrooms. The implementation of a

school-level instructional technology coach will alleviate and elevate the current technology use

issues. The current administrator is an advocate for incorporating technology into her school, but

she needs to take the time to be purposeful and decisive in her choices so that resources are best

used. In time, I see where her school could become a model for pre-k programs.
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References

Hayashi, C.A., & Fisher-Adams, G. (2013). Strengthening leadership preparation to meet the

challenge of leading for learning in the digital age: Recommendations from alumni.

Educational Leadership and Administration: Teaching and Program Development, 26,

51-67.

Marion County School District 2016-2021 Strategic Plan (2016, April 28). Retrieved from

https://www.marion.k12.sc.us/Page/1681.

Metcalf, W., & LaFrance, J. (2013). Technology leadership preparedness: Principals’

perceptions. Journal of Research in Education, 23(1), 58-75.

Richardson, J. W., Bathon, J., Flora, K. L., & Lewis, W. D. (2013). NETS[middle dot]A

scholarship: A review of published literature. Journal of Research on Technology in

Education, 45(2), 131-151.

South Carolina State Report Cards (2017). Retrieved from https://ed.sc.gov/data/report-

cards/state-report-cards/2017/view/?y=2017&t=D&d=3410&s=000.

Yorulmaz, A., & Can, S. (2016). The technology leadership competencies of elementary and

secondary school directors. Educational Policy Analysis and Strategic Research, 11(1),

47-61.

Zhong, L. (2017). Indicators of digital leadership in the context of K-12 education. Journal of

Educational Technology Development & Exchange, 10(1), 27-40.