Week 4 Technology Professional Development Planning

Technology Needs:
Our campus has a great need for computer upgrades. Many of our current student computers need to have their hard drives updated. The number of computers available in our writing and math labs along with our library is not sufficient for our class sizes or the number of teachers wanting to utilize this technology for their classes.
Our current technology director is concerned with students accessing in appropriate material and puts up a firewall that blocks many useful sites. Our network needs to be upgraded to allow improvements to be made in this area. Funding must be set aside to provide for this and other improvements.
The entire district network needs to be upgraded. Although the initial cost of doing so would be expensive, it would save the district money in the long term. I believe using blogs, wiki’s, and podcasting would be a valuable tool for our district. However, currently our network does not have the capabilities to support such tools.

Professional Development for use of data:
Many of our teachers are not comfortable with using data that is available. For example, I’m convinced that many teachers have no concept of the value of the STaR Chart. The reasons behind these surveys and the benefits they could bring to the campus need to be conveyed to all within the district.
Surveys should be utilized to assess student and teachers understandings of what data is available on their campus in relationship to technology.
The district must hire an individual for each campus whose sole responsibility is to provide training and technical assistants to teachers throughout the school year. Our district currently is utilizing one individual for all 5 campuses. He cannot possibly address all the needs placed upon him.

Professional Development:
Our district is currently in trouble because of our AYP. Math is the content area in which we fell short of meeting AYP. Our math teachers are more than willing to utilize new technology. However, their concerns over professional development are associated with presentations made by a speaker not a user. They want a current teacher who uses new technology and can give them hands on training that they can see and then turn around and implement in the classroom. Listening to some one ramble for 2 hours and demonstrate nothing is not beneficial.
Our district needs to be willing to pay our teachers to attend 1-2 technology training sessions each year. Many teachers are more than willing to give up their time but feel strongly about being compensated. I agree to a certain extent. In the business world executives, managers, trainees, etc. are paid to receive extra training to increase their expertise in an area. I do not understand why we treat educators any differently.
Identify and provide a variety of staff development delivery models which reflect best practices and teaching methods