Technology Assessments

As an instructional technologist for the district, I feel I this is an area in which I have daily working knowledge and strive to develop to the best of my ability. Technology is an area in which excites and engages learners. It provides a method of instruction that students today easily relate and feel that it is part of their communication. It is vital for a leader to be proactive with teachers utilizing technology. Many teachers are fearful and feel that they are not adequately trained with using technology in their classrooms. As a trainer, I feel that training and practice of including technology in the classroom will benefit and maximize the classroom time and teaching. This will in turn produce greater student achievement and provide students with valuable tools for them to build upon. We understand that the tools we have today will be obsolete in the future but, like most concepts technology builds upon other concepts previous.

From the technology surveys, I feel that most of my skills in technology are rather strong. Within the first domain of the Technology Applications Inventory, I am very strong in most areas. I do feel that copyright is increasingly becoming a larger issue within education because technology allows copying information, music and videos so easily. It allows the educator quick access to these and thus, the educator can easily and inadvertently misuse the information. Copyright issues begin to really be important with the fair use clause for educators. It is limited and many teachers do not understand the limits. This is one of the most difficult subjects to relate and for teachers as well as students to understand. Other important trends in education are within the information acquisition domain. The validity of information on the internet is becoming an increasing issue in schools with the amount of information that is erroneous and incorrect on the internet.

Along with the Technology Applications Inventory, the State Educational Technology Director's assessment provides a view of personal and school objectives. It asks if data is being collected. I feel that some data is being collected concerning this but, not enough. Because we do not have state mandated testing in this area, I feel that not enough data is being collected by most districts and my district as well. Data in technology literacy and student engagement is needed to provide more corroboration that technology improves student achievement.