Technology Plan Evaluation

Chelsea George
Georgia Southern University
FRIT 7232 Section 1
June 7, 2022
 Resource 1: Making Dreams Come True! How to Write a Technology Plan
by Larry S. Anderson
o Reference - Anderson, L. S. (1995). Making Dreams Come True!
How to Write a Technology Plan. MultiMedia Schools, 2(5), 14–19.
o Paragraph Description – Anderson begins this article by describing
the importance of making space for stakeholders to clearly understand
the role they play when creating a technology plan.. After reviewing
several school technology plans posted on the The National Center for
Technology Planning (NCTP) at Mississippi State University’s
website, Anderson identifies 8 steps to help schools construct a
successful plan of their own. The most important steps include
involving stakeholders that have unique roles in the school
community, consulting those that have created a plan before, conduct
a needs assessment and inventory before reviewing and analyzing
data, and evaluate the plan regularly after implementation. Similar to
Norton’s article, Anderson emphasizes the importance of creating a
budget and timeline. Lastly, Anderson provides an outline of an
outstanding technology plan. Some of the more notable components
include school demographics, critical issues (personnel, special needs
learners, incentives for teachers), community resources, emerging
technologies, and more.
 Resource 2: Technology Planning: Designing the Direction to Get There by
Sylvia Knight Norton
o Reference - Norton, S. K. (2013). Technology planning: designing the
direction to get there. Knowledge Quest, 42(1), 64.
o Paragraph Description – Norton describes the vital role of the school
librarian/media center specialist should have when it comes to the
designing of a school technology plan. The school librarian is usually
involved in reviewing school technology plans, not helping to design
it seeing as they are most times forgotten in the process. Norton
continues to explain that school technology plans are usually 3-5 years
long; the last year is usually less specific than the first, but its still
provides an understanding of how to meet the clear vision. Finally,
Norton explains that there are 4 things that should be included in a
school’s technology plan: goals and strategies, professional
development, an assessment inventory of current technology or
services, and an evaluation process to monitor progression towards the
goal. To further strengthen the plan, costs and timelines should be
considered.
 Resource 3: NOW Classrooms Leader's Guide: Enhancing Teaching and
Learning Through Technology (a School Improvement Plan for the 21st
Century). by Meg Ormiston
o Reference - Ormiston, M., Fisher, C., Reilly, J., Orzel, C., Garrett, J.,
Bruebach, R., Griesbach, S. M., & Fischer, B. (2017). NOW
Classrooms Leader’s Guide : Enhancing Teaching and Learning
Through Technology (a School Improvement Plan for the 21st
Century) (1st ed.). Solution Tree.
o Paragraph Description – This resource describes the role technology
plays in the actual learning process. While reading this book I could
clearly understand the role that technology plays in the classroom. For
example, the authors mentioned that at the heart of every school’s
technology plan is the goal to have learners ready to enter the real
world as 21st century citizens. To achieve this goal it is imperative that
the Four C’s (communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and
creativity) as well as the SAMR model (substitution, augmentation,
modification, redefinition) are considered when developing the plan.
 Resource 4: Reimagining the Role of Technology in Education: 2017
National Education Technology Plan Update
o Reference - Reimagining the Role of Technology in Education (2017,
January). In U.S. Department of Education Department of
Technology. Retrieved from
https://tech.ed.gov/files/2017/01/NETP17.pdf
o Paragraph Description – This resource describes the national plan for
technology integration into public schools. This document begins by
addressing the progress that has been made from the previous
technology plans while acknowledging that there is still much work to
be done. The plan continues by going into detail on the setbacks that
students and stakeholders experience both inside and outside of the
school environment as well as how to combat those difficulties to
enhance learning. I noticed that this plan, unlike the others, explicitly
provides resources that teachers and administrators can implement to
enhance lesson plans. It offers ideas and strategies in plain language to
improve student engagement and performance. I also appreciated how
this plan had a strategy to combat cyberbullying as a means of
teaching digital citizenship.
 Resource 5: Seattle Public Schools Technology Plan 2019-2023
o Reference - Seattle Public Schools Technology Plan (2019, April 4).
In Seattle Public Schools.
o Paragraph Description – I found this technology plan to be strong for
multiple reasons. It begins by defining its mission and vision as it
relates to the type of learners within the school system and the
struggles they face in the community. It goes on to describe the
different types of community outreach initiatives that take place for
various stakeholders (which were also previously identified in the
document) both inside and outside of the school buildings. This
technology acknowledges the reality of racial disparity and how it can
affect the learning process; it provides an outline of how ensure an
equitable learning experience for all students. It also addresses a
universal design for learning as they strive to support students with
disabilities.
 Rubric Template for Evaluation of District Technology Plan

Does Not Meet Approaching Meets Standards (3 Exceeding Standards

Standards (0 pts) Standards (1 pt) pts) (5 pts)

Goals Goals are not defined Goals are loosely Goals are clearly Goals are clearly
defined and are defined but without defined with a
without a timeframe. a timeframe. reasonable timeframe.
AND/OR AND/OR AND
Goals only Goals include a few Goals include all
include 1 group groups of types of groups of learners and
of learners. learners and might the resources they
mention the might need to achieve
resources they need. the established goals.

Professional Dev. Professional Professional Professional Professional

development development development development is
opportunities are not opportunities are opportunities are available to all
provided to minimally included available and teachers, staff, and
teachers/administration and only limited to include teachers and administration.
teachers or administration. AND
Professional administration. Opportunities are
development is not Professional regular and clearly
included in goals. Professional development aligned to goals.
development opportunities are
opportunities are irregular and not
irregular and not aligned to goals.
aligned to goals.
Accessibility of Telecommunication is Telecommunication Telecommunication Telecommunication is
not available or is inconsistently is available and/or readily available and is
Telecommunication
accessible. available and/or of of decent quality. of high quality.
poor quality. AND
Telecommunication Telecommunication is
is only available to available to students,
school or district parents, and other
employees. stakeholders
Accessibility of Resources are not Resources are Resources are Resources are clearly
mentioned. loosely clearly defined/listed.
Tech Resources
defined/listed. defined/listed. AND
Resources are Resources are
unavailable. Resources are Resources are available to students,
 available to students available to students teachers, and other
only. and teachers within stakeholders outside of
the school facilities school facilities.
Budget Budget and financials Budget and Budget is somewhat Budget is clearly
are not explicitly financials are explained. defined.
explained. loosely explained. AND
Budget accounts for Budget accounts for 3-
Budget does not 1-2 years of 5 years of spending.
take into account a spending.
timeframe.
Ongoing There is no process for Current state of Current state of Current state of affairs
ongoing evaluation affairs is not affairs is minimally is explicitly addressed.
Evaluation
addressed. addressed.
Evaluation is ongoing
Evaluation occurs Evaluation occurs and occurs frequently
infrequently. once during the term throughout the term of
of the technology the technology plan.
There is little to no plan.
strategy for There is some There is evidence that
strategizing after evidence of various groups of
evaluation adjusting the plan stakeholders (not just
after evaluation. administration or the
board) are involved in
adjusting the plan.
 Rubric for Evaluation of Rockdale County Public Schools’ District Technology
Plan

Does Not Meet Approaching Meets Standards (3 Exceeding

Standards (0 pts) Standards (1 pt) pts) Standards (5 pts)

Goals Goals are not defined Goals are loosely Goals are clearly Goals are clearly
defined and are defined but without defined with a
without a timeframe. a timeframe. reasonable
AND/OR AND/OR timeframe.
Goals only include 1 Goals include a few AND
group of learners. groups of types of Goals include all
learners and might groups of learners
mention the and the resources
resources they they might need to
need. achieve the
established goals.
Professional Dev. Professional Professional Professional Professional
development development development development is
opportunities are not opportunities are opportunities are available to all
provided to minimally included available and teachers/staff and
teachers/administration and only limited to include administration.
teachers or teachers/staff and AND
Professional administration. administration. Opportunities are
development is not AND/OR regular and clearly
included in goals. Professional Professional aligned to goals.
development development
opportunities are opportunities are
irregular and not periodic and
aligned to goals. slightly aligned to
goals.
Accessibility of Telecommunication is Telecommunication Telecommunication Telecommunication
not available or is inconsistently is available and/or is readily available
Telecommunication
accessible. available and/or of of decent quality. and is of high
poor quality. AND/OR quality.
Telecommunication AND
is only available to Telecommunication
school or district is available to
employees. students, parents,
and other
stakeholders
Accessibility of Resources are not Resources are Resources are Resources are
mentioned. loosely clearly clearly
Tech Resources
defined/listed. defined/listed. defined/listed.
Resources are AND
unavailable. Resources are Resources are Resources are
available to students available to available to
only. students and students, teachers,
teachers within the and other
school facilities stakeholders
outside of school
facilities.
Budget Budget and financials Budget and Budget is somewhat Budget is clearly
are not explicitly financials are explained. defined.
explained or included loosely explained. AND
in the plan. Budget accounts for Budget accounts
Budget does not 1-2 years of for 3-5 years of
take into account a spending. spending.
timeframe.
Ongoing Evaluation There is no process for Current state of Current state of Current state of
ongoing evaluation affairs is not affairs is minimally affairs is explicitly
addressed. addressed. addressed and
AND/OR acknowledges
Evaluation occurs Evaluation occurs barriers.
infrequently. once during the
term of the Evaluation is
There is little to no technology plan. ongoing and occurs
strategy for There is some frequently
adjusting the plan evidence of throughout the term
after evaluation. adjusting the plan of the technology
after evaluation. plan.
AND
There is evidence There is evidence
that some that stakeholders
stakeholders - beyond students,
students, teacher, teachers, and
administration - are administration are
involved adjusting involved in
the plan. adjusting the plan.
 I chose to evaluate the Rockdale County Public Schools technology plan
since this is the district I work in. I wanted to analyze the plan closely to determine
if what is actually carried out in the school is a reflection of what is in our district’s
technology plan. In accordance with the rubric I created, the overall score of this
technology plan was 21 out of 30 points (70 percent). I would recommend
revisions to the plan in a few areas.
To begin, I found that the goals were clearly defined and had a general
timeframe; however, only 2 groups of learners were identified – ELLs and SWD.
Similar to the Seattle technology plan, it would’ve been advantageous to include
the demographics of students as it relates to gender, ethnicity, and other factors.
The Seattle technology plan included strategies to help Black male students as they
acknowledge that this particular demographic is uniquely disadvantaged. For this
reason, the criteria for the goals section of the plan earned a score of 3 points.
There were 3 areas in which this plan received the highest marks:
professional development, accessibility of telecommunication, and accessibility of
technology resources. First, the professional development opportunities that were
outlined are clearly defined and explicitly relate to the overall goals that were set.
The professional development section could have been stronger if there were more
detail regarding the different types of opportunities for professional in different
grade bands, content areas, and support roles. To continue, the telecommunication
section was strong. It was made evident that there are various means of
communication made available both inside and outside of the school for various
groups of stakeholders. For example, in this county, teachers and parents can
communicate through Infinite Campus, Remind, Microsoft Teams, etc. Resources
for communication have also been made accessible to those in the community. In
addition to opening the doors of the computer labs and media centers in schools for
those without internet access at home, hotspots have been made available for check
out to parents and guardians. Furthermore, the amount of quality resources that are
available to students and teachers is quite impressive. Each student is provided
with a device, either iPad or computer tablet depending on the student’s grade band
and need. With the classroom teachers are provided with a flat panel that is used to
enhance instruction. Lastly, laptops and iPads are replaced every 3-5 years
depending on the amount of use. Unfortunately, because I was unable to locate or
identify to find any information related to a budget, this section received a score of
0 points.
Lastly, the section for ongoing evaluation received a score of 3 points. The
primary reason for this is the lack of effort to include any other stakeholders
outside of the teachers, staff, and administration. While reviewing the scholarly
articles, books, and websites for this project, I noticed that the strongest plans
made an explicit effort to include various groups on stakeholders throughout the
planning, execution, and evaluation.