1. Cleburne ISD Technology Flow Chart

3. Superintendant – Assumes executive responsibility and management for the planning, operation, supervision, and evaluation of the education programs, technology, services, and facilities of the district.

4. Director of Technology – Plays a key role in various decision making capacities related to the technology vision of the school district.

5. Technology Committee –Assists in making decisions about what technology will be priority district wide as well as at the campus level.

6. Assistant Superintendent of Educational Programs – Oversee the Directors and ensures the implementation of technology.

7. Director of Curriculum – Works with Principals, Assistant Principals, Counselors, Librarians as well as curriculum coordinators to assist them in implementing strategies, including technology to ensure the success of our students.

8. Technology Integration Specialist – Liaison between campus teachers/staff and the Director of Technology. Assists campus staff as needed to ensure effective implementation of new technology in the classroom.

9. Campus Principals –Ultimately responsible for ensuring that technology is implemented successfully at the campus level and provides access to necessary ongoing training for all staff as needed or requested.

11. Campus Technology Action Plan

12. Campus Technology Action Plan continued…… Technology Needs In referencing the districts organizational flowchart, we have all the systems in place to assist in the area of technology at the district level. However, technology at the campus level can be a little uncertain sometimes. We are sometimes bombarded with a multitude of ideas, lessons and strategies but are often unsure how to implement these ideas and strategies into the classroom setting. I feel that it would be tremendously beneficial for our campus to form a Campus Level Technology Committee. This committee would consist of a campus vice principal and a representative from each department at TEAM school. This committee would be able help with the implementation of the Campus Technology Action Plan. They would also serve as liaisons between the campus teachers and the Technology Integration Specialist Jane Flynn. There are several areas of need concerning technology at the high school level. The development of new technology is moving quickly and the resources that are available today is astounding. There is an obvious need for the use of increased technology in the classroom. Our students utilize many forms of technology from the moment that they wake up in the morning using the alarm on their smart phone. They listen to their MP3 players on the way to school, they post mood updates on blogs or social networking sites and text their friends their plans for the weekend. There is so much technology activity outside the classroom, it is definitely time to bring it into the classroom. Many teachers today have a fear of utilizing these new forms of technology in the classroom. They have reservations for many reasons; some teachers are just “digital immigrants” and just don’t know how to use it, some teachers know how to use it but don’t know how to implement it, and some teachers just don’t think they have the time to utilize new technology in the classroom. Something else that is often articulated by teachers is that we don’t have sufficient technology resources available for classroom use; such as classroom computers and ample internet drops. These may be true statements but we have a multitude of resources available well with in our reach, inside our students pockets and backpacks. We must be “creative thinkers,” we need to think outside of the box. Our students are bringing to school tools that we could use in the classroom. Imagine the possibilities with a campus with Wi-Fi capabilities and students with their own personal computers.

13. Campus Technology Action Plan continued…… Professional Development It is not a surprise that we are in need of professional development on our campuses to increase the use of technology. However, the way that professional development should be delivered to the teachers should be reevaluated. Many of our trainings take place in the CISD boardroom or in an even larger forum. Teachers need to have professional development take place in a setting that is similar to the setting that they are most familiar with, the classroom. Teachers, just like students are able to learn more effectively if they can practice and participate in hands on activities. Another consideration when presenting new technology to teachers is to group the teachers by their content area. It is no surprise that we need to make content relevant to our students for them to take an interest. Why shouldn’t we do the same with our teachers? If we group teachers according to content area, they will have specific ideas of integrating technology into their classrooms specifically. We must also allow teachers adequate time to practice the skills learned inside and outside of the classroom. Instead of one big training, bring the group back together, give teachers a forum to talk about what worked or what didn’t. You could even incorporate a technology piece into this training and have teachers create a wiki space or a blog to post questions, achievements and concerns to other teachers. This will allow teachers to form a support group of sorts, and they have access to other ideas that could be applied to their classroom. The Long-Range Plan for Technology emphasizes the significance of professional development and establishes that at least 30% of a school districts funding must be dedicated to professional development.

14. Campus Technology Action Plan continued…… Evaluation Methods There are several evaluation methods that can be used to ensure the proper integration of technology in the classroom. One of our most valuable resources can be from a critique from a principal observation. We as teachers need to be open to suggestions and ideas from our administrators. Many of whom understand our frustration and realize that it takes time to implement new technology into the classroom. Most administrators also understand that sometimes technology does not work the first time and that encouragement will help teachers to try again. Another way to evaluate the effectiveness of the understanding of technology in the classroom is to simply ask for the Teachers input. Most teachers are not afraid to tell you how they are feeling especially in regards to a change in the way content is presented. A teacher survey can be conducted via an online survey like Zoomerang. A survey can help to pinpoint areas that teachers are comfortable with and areas where more technology training is needed. Student and parent surveys could be another area of evaluation. It would be valuable to understand what technology is specifically available to students at home. This is a great way of bringing parent and student input into the classroom. Educating our parents about today's technology can be very important to help them be more aware of the positive things associated with new technology as well as the dangers that many of our students could face. Using the data that is collected from the STaR chart can be another useful tool in evaluating technology at the district level as well as a the individual campus level. The STaR chart essentially will set the standard for what the target level should be at The campus and district level. This is why it is important for teachers to be trained properly on the use of the STaR chart. It is not a survey that is to be quickly run through because the campus principal needs it tomorrow. Teachers should take the time to Answer the questions truthfully as they pertain to them and their classroom specific situation. As a result, the outcome will be More precise on where the campus is as a whole. Using the Campus and District Improvement Plan as a guide to see where we are and what our goals are at the district and campus level will be helpful to stay on track with the Long Range Plan for Technology. The Long Range Plan outlines what is necessary to reach the goals for Vision 20/20. It defines what students need to be taught in order for them to be prepared to flourish in the ever changing world of technology.