1.2 Strategic Planning
Candidates facilitate the design, development, implementation, communication, and evaluation of technology-infused strategic plans.
Candidates facilitate the design, development, implementation, communication, and evaluation of technology-infused strategic plans.
Artifact - SWOT Analysis
The Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) Analysis that I developed over the summer for ITEC 7410, Instructional Technology Leadership, was one of the most challenging of my assignments. In this analysis, I had to pick apart the state of all eight ISTE Essential Conditions as they exist in my school. My SWOT Analysis challenged me to evaluate not only the current state of each essential condition, but also to design strategies to correct or improve conditions, aligning them with ISTE standards. I developed plans to address each essential condition.
One of the essential conditions I found most useful to analyze was that of technology planning. At the time of this analysis, my school had no technology plan, vision, or committee in place. However, I was able to find the system technology plan through their website and also locate the School Improvement Plan for NPHS online. Analyzing both of these documents provided me with a great starting point from which to begin my analysis and to develop a plan to meet the ISTE Essential Conditions.
Two conditions that concerned me most were those of skilled personnel and professional learning. Skilled personnel is something that is handled at the system level. Each school is provided with a Local School Technologist (LST) which is a paraprofessional position requiring no special background in technology. Training for new LSTs is minimal which renders many of them ineffective depending on their background and personal drive. As the media specialist, I am eager to help as I can, but have limited rights to teacher and student computers which limits my effectiveness. Professional learning is designed by the principal. I needed to convince him that technology training for teachers is necessary to meet the essential conditions laid out by ISTE. As I worked on my Vision Statement and SWOT Analysis, I communicated with my administrators and was able to facilitate the formation of a school technology committee which I am now leading. Having a SWOT Analysis in hand that evaluates the state of technology in my school and outlines plans for school improvement made writing our technology plan much easier.
I appreciate that this experience has better prepared me to lead the technology committee effectively with a viable plan in place which can be adopted or modified as the committee sees fit. If I had to do it again, I would not work in relative isolation over the summer, but would conduct the analysis in collaboration with my technology team at the beginning of the school year or perhaps during a leadership retreat over the summer.
The field experience has had an impact on our school improvement plan (SIP). In past years, one recommendation for our SIP was to include more technology. I have done that by analyzing the state of technology in my school and sharing this information with my administrators. As a result, a technology committee was formed, a technology plan was created, and I, along with a few innovative teachers, have conducted several professional learning workshops in my school which have impacted teaching and learning.
One of the essential conditions I found most useful to analyze was that of technology planning. At the time of this analysis, my school had no technology plan, vision, or committee in place. However, I was able to find the system technology plan through their website and also locate the School Improvement Plan for NPHS online. Analyzing both of these documents provided me with a great starting point from which to begin my analysis and to develop a plan to meet the ISTE Essential Conditions.
Two conditions that concerned me most were those of skilled personnel and professional learning. Skilled personnel is something that is handled at the system level. Each school is provided with a Local School Technologist (LST) which is a paraprofessional position requiring no special background in technology. Training for new LSTs is minimal which renders many of them ineffective depending on their background and personal drive. As the media specialist, I am eager to help as I can, but have limited rights to teacher and student computers which limits my effectiveness. Professional learning is designed by the principal. I needed to convince him that technology training for teachers is necessary to meet the essential conditions laid out by ISTE. As I worked on my Vision Statement and SWOT Analysis, I communicated with my administrators and was able to facilitate the formation of a school technology committee which I am now leading. Having a SWOT Analysis in hand that evaluates the state of technology in my school and outlines plans for school improvement made writing our technology plan much easier.
I appreciate that this experience has better prepared me to lead the technology committee effectively with a viable plan in place which can be adopted or modified as the committee sees fit. If I had to do it again, I would not work in relative isolation over the summer, but would conduct the analysis in collaboration with my technology team at the beginning of the school year or perhaps during a leadership retreat over the summer.
The field experience has had an impact on our school improvement plan (SIP). In past years, one recommendation for our SIP was to include more technology. I have done that by analyzing the state of technology in my school and sharing this information with my administrators. As a result, a technology committee was formed, a technology plan was created, and I, along with a few innovative teachers, have conducted several professional learning workshops in my school which have impacted teaching and learning.