The document outlines the technology flow chart and responsibilities of various roles in Cleburne ISD, including the board of trustees, superintendent, director of technology, principals, teachers, and others. It then describes two professional development activities for faculty and staff on integrating technology into the classroom: one focusing on tools like PowerPoint and the other on using blogs. Evaluation surveys will be used to assess the effectiveness of these activities in promoting student success and technology integration.
3. The Principal’s Role in the Implementation and Monitoring of Technology With technology changing around us on a daily basis, campus principals have to create strategies to overcome these challenges. Campus principals are responsible for understanding these technology advances and creating ways to implement new technology into the curriculum and instruction of their campus as well as providing the opportunities for professional development for their staff. The campus principals are also responsible for reporting back to the Assistant Superintendent of Educational Programs on the status of the implementation of technology and how the use of technology in the classroom is enhancing the learning environment for their students. Professional Development Activity 1 As a new age of technology is forming, principals are facing the challenge of providing professional development that is effective for all of its participants. According to the Cleburne ISD StaR Chart Results from 2008-2009, faculty and staff are searching for additional professional development for technology. In order to have effective professional development sessions, they must address each type of learner as our faculty and staff create their lessons to meet the needs of their students. By creating sessions that faculty and staff can relate too, they will be more willing to learn new technology as well as integrate the new technology into their curriculum. I have created professional development sessions using podcasts in order to provide multiple opportunities for the faculty and staff to learn when it is convenient for them as well as to learn at their own pace. Creating multiple podcasts will allow the staff to choose the podcasts that they are interested in using or that they aren’t quite familiar with. PowerPoint Presentations are beneficial for both students and teachers. Teachers are able to create presentation for notes or special activities and students can use them to assist in presentation assignments as well. InterWrite Boards have been provided for most classrooms in Cleburne High School but very little training has been provided on the benefits it can provide for teachers and students. This specific session would focus on each tool and how it can be used in your everyday classes. All teachers know how to enter grades and attendance in our system, Skyward, but this specific session would focus on the email/message system within the software. This feature allows teachers to send emails to students and parents about tests and other important information including all or a selected amount of students and parents. This saves time and keeps parents in the loop of their child’s education. Moodle, the last session offered, would focus on the specific discussion forum that involves students and teachers. This is a great tool for Advanced Placement Classes on our campus to discuss summer readings and to collaborate with other classmates and teachers in a different setting outside the norm. By using the podcasts as the method of reaching our faculty and staff, it provides 24/7 access as well as the opportunity to “recall” the information if you happen to forget. Providing a link on the district website under staff resources provides easy access and having the director listed on that page provides a direct contact for communicating questions and help sessions.