Technology Plan Evaluation

FRIT 7232
Spring 2014
Robin Skelley
Britton Spivey
Leslie Walbert

Technology Plan Resources

1. Bennett, Harvey Everhart, Nancy. "Successful K-12 Technology Planning: Ten
essential Elements." Teacher Librarian 31.1 (2003): 22-26. MasterFILE Elite.
Web. 4 Feb. 2014.
<http://proxygsu-grl1.galileo.usg.edu/login?
url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=fth&AN=12123760&site=eds-live&scope=site>
This article gives an overview of ten elements to consider when creating a
technology plan. These elements include allocating appropriate funding,
creating a technology infrastructure, and considering technology and the role it
will play in the future. This article discusses the importance of integrating
technology into instruction. This article helped bring insight on important
components when creating and evaluating a technology plan.
2. Botts, J. Six-step process in creating a technology plan. Missouri Department
of Elementary and Secondary Education , 01 April 2013. Web. 5 Feb 2014.
<http://dese.mo.gov/divimprove/instrtech/techplan/gettingstarted.htm>
This comes from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary
Education and gives step by step instructions on how to effectively plan for
technology in schools. The guiding questions are especially helpful in
determining the purpose and the role of the technology plan development
committee. The article helps the committee to develop the format of the
technology plan. Most importantly, this site helps the reader to see how
important looking at raw data is in planning for the budget, professional
development, and to justify purchasing hardware and software.
3. Dexter, S. School-Based ICT Policy Plans in Primary Education Elements,
Typologies and Underlying Processes. British Journal of Educational Technology
2012: 43(3), 505-519. Print.
In attempt to bring more insight to information and communication technology
policy plans, researchers gathered data from 31 primary schools. After reviewing
the current systems technology plans and conducting interviews to the
informational communication technology coordinators, the study identified three
types of technology plans: 1. Vision blueprints, 2. Technical inventory, 3.
Comprehensive policy plan. The data supports that each system should create a
technology plan based on the needs of their school. This article creates a better
understanding of what goes into generating a technology plan and therefore
deepens the understanding when evaluating technology plans. As technology
planning is becoming a vital to a schools system productivity, clear and
common guidelines are beneficial to all educational organizations.
4. Federal Funding for Educational Technology and How It Is Used in the
Classroom: A Summary of Findings from the Integrated Studies of Educational
Technology. United States Department of Education, 2003. PDF File.

<http://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/tech/iset/summary2003.pdf>
This paper is written by members of the U.S. Department of Education. It
discusses the requirements school districts must meet in order to receive federal
funding, including the e-rate program, and how the funding is being used around
the country. Theres a large portion of this document that discusses the need for
professional development for teachers. Teachers around the country lack
training in integrated learning systems and using technology for assessment.
This article reminds the reader that professional development opportunities
should be more than just how to use email and presentation programs.
5. Nevada State Educational Technology Plan. Nevada State Department of
Education (2005) 1-24. ERIC. Web. ED492899. 6 Feb. 2014. <9eric.ed.gov/?
q=school+district+technology+plans&ft=on&ff1=dtySince_2005&pg=3&id=ED4928>.

The Nevada State Educational Technology Plan outlines how the state believes
technology should be used in schools. In the plan, the authors describe the
desire for technology to be integrated in all classrooms. It discusses the need for
appropriate hardware and technology infrastructure. The plan addresses the
need for technical support to be available, which includes the need for an onsite technical support person. After reading this article, it became evident that
creating clear and valuable goals was essential to any technology plan.
6. Overbay, Amy, Melinda Mollette, and Ellen S. Vasu. "A Technology Plan That
Works." Educational Leadership 68.5 (2011): 56. Publisher Provided Full Text
Searching File. Web. 6 Feb. 2014.
<http://proxygsu-grl1.galileo.usg.edu/login?
url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=edb&AN=58108048&site=eds-live&scope=site>
After evaluating 45 schools across North Carolina, the authors of this article
offers five lessons they learned about school technology plans. These lessons
include customizing technology plans to fit the schools needs, building in
professional development, and using collaboration to create technology
initiatives. This article reminds the reader that a technology plan is about more
than technology, it is about customizing a plan for the people who are going to
be implementing it.
7. Potter, Stephanie. "Technology Integration for Instructional Improvement: The
Impact of Professional Development." Performance Improvement. 51.2 (2012):
22-27. Web. 13 Feb. 2014. <http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/pfi.21246>.
Potter and Rockinson-Szapkiw focus on the importance of professional
development with an emphasis on technology integration in the classroom. The
authors provide a framework for how a school can effectively implement
professional development by including three aspects: technology operation,
technology application, and technology integration with mentor and community
support. This articles allows the readers to see the importance of including
effective professional development practices in technology plans.

8. Technology Plan Rubric 2013. Georgia Department of Education. Web. 4 Feb

2014. Microsoft Word File.
<http://www.gadoe.org/Technology-Services/InstructionalTechnology/Pages/default.aspx>.
This is the rubric (found under the System Technology Planning heading) that
the State of Georgia use to evaluate technology plans. In order to qualify for Erate and grant funding, school districts must update their plans every three
years. The rubric includes creating clear and concrete goals with benchmarks,
an evaluation method, a budget, and a list of people responsible for
implementing the strategies. Using this rubric as a guide helped us form our
evaluation rubric.
9. Wise, Bob. "Technology in Education: Before you Make a Purchase, Make a
Plan." The Huffington Post. N.p., 16 Apr 2013. Web. 13 Feb 2014.
<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bob-wise/technologyeducation_b_3055037.html>
The article introduces the reader to Project 24, which the Alliance for Excellent
Education recently launched. Project 24 provides schools resources and help
with technology planning. Project 24 suggests that in order to use technology in
a purposeful way schools must first meet schools learning goals and specific
challenges. By doing this, student achievement will improve. This resource
helped influence the budget and professional development sections of our
groups rubric.

10. Vanderlinde, Ruben, and Johan van Braak. "Technology planning in

schools: An integrated research-based model." BJET. 44.1 (2013): E14-E17.
Web. 13 Feb. 2014. <http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.14678535.2012.01321.x/abstract>.
The article attempted to create a single model that encompassed the research
results of several studies conducted during the past year on technology
planning in primary schools. During a seminar, research was compiled,
analyzed, and applied to create a holistic model on technology planning. The
model is intended for teachers and school leaders to use when developing their
schools technology plans. The model can also serve useful to policy makers and
educational developers when designing initiatives to support schools in the
technology planning process.

Technology Plan Rubric

Catagory

3pts
Target

2pts
Approaching

1pt
Not Evident

Goals

Goals are broad,

comprehensive and
realistic in addressing
teaching and learning
needs. Goals clearly
answer the questions:
Who? What? By when?
By how much?
According to which
instrument? Submitted
on time.

Goals are mostly

equipment based
and loosely linked
to improvement
plans. Submitted
on time.

Goals are absent or

seem to be only
equipment based;
are not measurable;
are incomplete,
difficult to
understand; or are
submitted late.

Professional
Development

Provides a concrete
plan for professional
development
opportunities for
teachers and staff. It
includes instructional
practices that are
research-supported
and helps student
achievement.
Provides funding
sources.

Plans for
professional
development are
vague. Gives little
information or
examples of
effective
professional
development
practices.

Provides few or no
plans for
professional
development
opportunities.

Evaluati
on

Budget/
Timelines

Provides a prioritized
list of major tech plan
projects, tasks and
timelines. Provides
budget summary
estimate of capital
expenses (hardware,
software, facilities,
infrastructure, staff
development, tech
support, etc.) Identifies
possible alternative
funding resources.
Projects, timelines, and
budgets are realistic
and consistent with
plan goals and
objectives. Submitted
on time.

Provides most, but

not all, of the
project, timelines,
and budget
estimate
information.
Appears to be
generally
consistent with plan
goals. Submitted
on time.

Projects, budgets,
or timelines
missing; provides
vague or little
information on
project, budgets, or
timelines; projects
appear not relevant
to plan goals;
budget estimates
appear incongruent
with plan or
unrealistic; or not
submitted on time.

Ongoing
Evaluation

Provides descriptions
on how each goal is
going to be evaluated.
Evaluations are
scheduled to occur in
a consistent and
timely manner.
Evaluation
instruments make
sense for the goal it is
evaluating.

Provides
descriptions on
how some goals
will be evaluated.
Some evaluations
do not occur in a
timely manner.
Some evaluation
instruments do
not make sense
for the goal it is
evaluating.

Provides no
descriptions on
how goals will be
evaluated. No time
line provided for
evaluations.
Evaluation
instruments do not
make sense for
the goal it is
evaluating.

Accessibility of
technology
resources
(Americans with
Disabilities Act)

Provides a detailed
plan for giving
technology access to
students and teachers
with disabilities. Plan
is realistic and
concrete. Plan is in
line with the
Americans with
Disabilities Act

Plan for
technology
access for those
with disabilities
lacks details. Only
some parts of the
plan is in line with
the Americans
with Disabilities
Act.

Provides limited or
no plan for giving
access to
technology for
those with
disabilities. None
of the plan is in
line with the
Americans with
Disabilities Act.

An assessment
of
telecommunicat
ion services,
hardware,
software, and
other services
needed

Provides a detailed
assessment of current
available technology.
Provides assessment
of needed technology.

Assessment of
current, available
technology is
vague or only
includes some
schools.
Assessment of
needed
technology is
vague or only
includes some

No assessment of
current available
technology.
No assessment of
needed
technology.

schools.

Organization
and Design

Provides all the

necessary
components required
by state and national
standards. The plan is
well organized and
provides valuable
information to all
parties. Uses a
consistent template
and is easy to read.

Most of
components that
are necessary are
available. The
plan is well
organized and
provides valuable
information to all
parties. Template
present but not
consistent
throughout
document.

Several
components are
missing from the
plan. Information
is available but
lacks in content
and organization.
Lacks any
template and
poorly designed.

Long Term Plan

Provides ideas for

future growth. Ideas
are feasible and
elaborates on current
technology reality.

Provides few
ideas for future
growth. Parts of
the plan does not
make sense when
compared to
current reality.

Provides no plans
for future growth.

/21

Technology Plan Evaluation

Lowdnes County Technology Plan :

http://www.lowndes.k12.ga.us/files/user/28/file/LCS_TechPlan2012-15.pdf

Catagory

3pts
Target

2pts
Approachin
g

1pt
Not Evident

Evaluation

Goals

Goals are broad,

comprehensive and
realistic in
addressing teaching
and learning needs.
Goals clearly answer
the questions: Who?
What? By when? By
how much?
According to which
instrument?
Submitted on time.

Goals are mostly

equipment based
and loosely linked
to improvement
plans. Submitted
on time.

Goals are absent

or seem to be only
equipment based;
are not
measurable; are
incomplete,
difficult to
understand; or are
submitted late.

3
The goals are
broad and realistic.
They make sense
based on current
reality.

Professional
Development

Provides a
concrete plan for
professional
development
opportunities for
teachers and staff.
It includes
instructional
practices that are
research-supported
and helps student
achievement.
Provides funding
sources.

Plans for
professional
development are
vague. Gives
little information
or examples of
effective
professional
development
practices.

Provides few or
no plans for
professional
development
opportunities.

2
The plan does not
provide enough
opportunities for
quality
professional
development for
both teachers and
administrators. It
gives few specific
ideas about what
type of
professional
development the
staff will
participate in.

Budget/
Timelines

Provides a prioritized
list of major tech
plan projects, tasks
and timelines.
Provides budget
summary estimate of
capital expenses
(hardware, software,
facilities,
infrastructure, staff
development, tech
support, etc.)
Identifies possible

Provides most,
but not all, of the
project, timelines,
and budget
estimate
information.
Appears to be
generally
consistent with
plan goals.
Submitted on
time.

Projects, budgets,
or timelines
missing; provides
vague or little
information on
project, budgets,
or timelines;
projects appear
not relevant to
plan goals; budget
estimates appear
incongruent with
plan or unrealistic;

2
The plan provides
a budget and
timelines. Budgets
are realistic.
However, the many
timelines are
grouped into 1 and
2 year segments.
This imprecision
allows for error.

alternative funding
resources. Projects,
timelines, and
budgets are realistic
and consistent with
plan goals and
objectives.
Submitted on time.

or not submitted
on time.

Ongoing
Evaluation

Provides
descriptions on
how each goal is
going to be
evaluated.
Evaluations are
scheduled to occur
in a consistent and
timely manner.
Evaluation
instruments make
sense for the goal it
is evaluating.

Provides
descriptions on
how some goals
will be
evaluated.
Some
evaluations do
not occur in a
timely manner.
Some evaluation
instruments do
not make sense
for the goal it is
evaluating.

Provides no
descriptions on
how goals will be
evaluated. No
time line
provided for
evaluations.
Evaluation
instruments do
not make sense
for the goal it is
evaluating.

2
The plan
discusses how
goals will be
evaluated, but
does not provide
a timeline for
evaluations to
take place.

Accessibility of
technology
resources
(Americans
with Disabilities
Act)

Provides a detailed
plan for giving
technology access
to students and
teachers with
disabilities. Plan is
realistic and
concrete. Plan is in
line with the
Americans with
Disabilities Act

Plan for
technology
access for those
with disabilities
lacks details.
Only some parts
of the plan is in
line with the
Americans with
Disabilities Act.

Provides limited
or no plan for
giving access to
technology for
those with
disabilities. None
of the plan is in
line with the
Americans with
Disabilities Act.

1
No evidence in
the plan about
providing access
to technology for
students and
teachers with
disabilities.

An assessment
of
telecommunica
tion services,
hardware,
software, and
other services
needed

Provides a detailed
assessment of
current available
technology.
Provides
assessment of
needed technology.

Assessment of
current,
available
technology is
vague or only
includes some
schools.
Assessment of
needed
technology is
vague or only

No assessment
of current
available
technology.
No assessment
of needed
technology.

3
Provides a very
detailed
assessment
current available
technology.
Assessment
discusses what
technology is
available different
schools and how

includes some
schools.

Organization
and Design

Long Term
Planning

it is being used.

Provides all the

necessary
components
required by state
and national
standards. The
plan is well
organized and
provides valuable
information to all
parties. Uses a
consistent template
and is easy to read.

Most of
components that
are necessary
are available.
The plan is well
organized and
provides
valuable
information to all
parties.
Template
present but not
consistent
throughout
document.

Several
components are
missing from the
plan. Information
is available but
lacks in content
and
organization.
Lacks any
template and
poorly designed.

Provides ideas for

future growth.
Ideas are feasible
and elaborates on
current technology
reality.

Provides few
ideas for future
growth. Parts of
the plan does
not make sense
when compared
to current reality.

Provides no
plans for future
growth.

2
Plan is missing:
1) Signature page
2) List of
technology
members

Font styles
change
throughout
document.
Parts of the
documents are
difficult to read.

2
Parts of the long
term plan do not
make sense
when compared
to the districts
current reality.

17/21

Recommendations
URL for Lowdnes County Technology Plan :
http://www.lowndes.k12.ga.us/files/user/28/file/LCS_TechPlan2012-15.pdf

The technology plan that we have chosen to evaluate is from Lowndes

County Schools. Lowndes County is located in south Georgia, on the GeorgiaFlorida border. There are seven elementary schools, three middle schools, and
one high school in the system. During the 2010-2011 school year, the total
enrollment was 9,970 students.

Category
Professional
Development

Problem
1. Professional
development goals
are not provided
specifically for
teachers.

2. Plan for
administrators is
vague.

Recommendations
1. Create new goals that focus on
teachers use and growth of
technology in the classroom. These
professional development goals should
include using technology for
assessments and integrating
technology in the classroom. The
county could use both face to face and
online course to provide training.
2. Create a plan that specifies exactly
how administrators will adopt more
efficient administrative uses of
technology. Simply making sure each
administrator uses Google calendar
and Google collaboration tools will not
insure the goal. The county could
consider creating training courses that
will encompass Web 2.0 tools.

Budget/Timelin 1. Timelines are

es
grouped into 1 and 2
year segments. This
imprecision allows
for much error.

1. Create timelines in 3-6 months

timeframes. If training is required
schedule the months and include the
topics on which it will cover. By
creating a more detailed timeline, it
will allow teachers and administrator
to know when they should expect
changes or when there are training
deadlines that need to be met.

Ongoing
Evaluation

1. The county should create a concrete

timeline for administering evaluations.
The time between evaluations should
make sense in order to produce
accurate data for future planning.

1. The plan
discusses how goals
will be evaluated,
but does not provide
a timeline for
evaluations to take
place.

Accessibility of
technology
resources

1. No evidence in
the plan about the
use of technology
for students with
disabilities.

1a. A detailed and strategic plan that

includes ideas and methods for
technology use for students and
students with disabilities is needed.
The county should research proven
methods for providing students with
disabilities access to technology
resources.
1b. The plan must be in line with the
Americans with Disabilities Act. The
school district should research the
requirements of this act. Then they
should evaluate what the district
needs in order to comply with the
requirements.

Organization
and Design

1. The technology
plan is hard to read
with the font sizes
and styles changing
throughout the
document. The
tables a cramped
and difficult to read.

1. The plan should be formatted and

designed so that teachers and
interested members of the community
can find the information they are
looking for. The font size and styles
should be consistent throughout the
document. The tables should be large
enough to easily read. It would be
helpful if large blocks of text were
broken up with subheadings. While this
does not affect the content of the
technology plan, it will more easily
allow people to find the information
they need and know what the school
district is planning.

2. Plan is missing,
approval page with
superintendent
signature, and a list
of technology
members who
created the plan.

Long Term Plan 1. Parts of the Long

Term Plan do not
make sense when
compared to the
current reality.

2. The signed approval page should be

scanned and placed as part of the
document.
A page that states who collaborated
and created this plan should be
included in the document.
1. The county should compare their
future goals to the availability of the
technology they have now. This
requires reevaluating the technological
improvements that can be made in 3
years. The district might also have to
increase training so that

administrators and teachers can

effectively use new equipment.