Current Status of Technology
in Stafford County Public Schools
Great progress has been made over the past four years in developing
the physical infrastructure needed to fully implement the Commonwealth
Technology Standards of Learning and to support the Core Area Standards
of Learning. This includes:
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Installation of modern, high-data rate local area networks at all
school sites;
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Completion of a Wide Area Network connecting all school sites in
the division and providing ready, continuous access to the Internet;
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Provision of at least one Internet-capable, multimedia, networkable
computer in every division classroom equipped with software required
to meet the Technology Standards of Learning;
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Provision of at least one Internet-capable, multimedia, instructional
computer lab capable of providing a computer for every student in
a class; and,
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Provision of dedicated assistive technology resources to ensure
every student has the opportunity to learn.
The most significant need, and the primary focus of this plan, is to
develop a comparable human infrastructure to train and support the division's
teachers as they learn how to and begin to integrate this technology
into their everyday teaching and learning.
Vision
As the 20th Century comes to an end, the infusion of technology into
our classrooms causes us to contemplate new ways of looking at teaching
and at learning. Teachers are no longer simply information providers,
students no longer passive recipients, classrooms no longer quiet places
of teacher-directed instruction. With the technological infrastructure
in place in Stafford County Public Schools, students are poised to share
in the responsibility of acquiring knowledge in fascinating ways. This
will be manifested under the direction of skillful teachers using such
technological resources as hypermedia, the Internet, and instantaneous
electronic collaboration with students, teachers, parents and experts
from around the world. Teachers have at their disposal, powerful technological
tools that can provide our students with the necessary avenues to share
in the discovery of information.
It is the vision of Stafford County Public Schools to use the powerful
technologies available to our teachers and students in favor of instruction
and the discovery of knowledge. With our hardware and software infrastructure
largely in place, we must now turn our attention to building the human
infrastructure that will enable our teachers to effectively utilize
technology to its fullest extent. To this end, our vision must capitalize
on hardware and software already in place in our schools, through constant
attention to the needs of our students and teachers, and rigorous follow
up with appropriate classroom support and teacher training.
Students in our schools should be provided with opportunities to discover
knowledge in much the same vein that an early explorer would discover
new territories. Our students in the 21st Century must be able to participate
in a live experiment being conducted in Los Angeles, maintain an electronic
dialogue with students in Europe, share information, ideas, and dreams
with friends around the world. A 21st Century student in Stafford County
Public Schools will be able to research current events and instantly
publish findings on the Internet, sending them swiftly across continents
in collaboration with others. Knowledge acquisition and discovery learning
techniques should be a part of every teacher's repertoire.
Mission
It is the mission of Stafford County Public Schools to provide educational
excellence through programs and activities that meet the needs of all
students To fulfill this commitment to excellence, a combined body of
knowledge and ideas to be shared by all students must be defined through
the curriculum with emphasis on skills in reading, writing, mathematics,
critical thinking, and citizenship.
In support of the Stafford County Public Schools stated mission, the
mission of our technology initiatives is to support the division's Six-Year
Plan, and the Commonwealth's Standards of Learning. It is the view of
Stafford County Public Schools, that technology's role in the education
of our children is that of a unifying learning tool. Technology cuts
across all curriculum boundaries and its potential as an information
delivery system is almost limitless.
Our technology resources play a pivotal role in making these statements
a reality for our children. We recognize that existing and emerging
technologies represent learning tools that will empower and unite individuals
and groups to achieve their fullest potential. We believe that technical
literacy is a benefit not only to Stafford County Public School students
but to a much larger community. Our goal is the realization of this
technology in our schools, our homes, and our places of work.
Goals/Objectives
The ultimate goal of technology integration is to ensure each child
leaves our schools with the skills and knowledge necessary to enable
him/her to aspire to the highest levels of achievement in chosen endeavors
and become a contributing member of our democratic society.
Curriculum Priorities
Overview
While technology is not a substitute for effective personal classroom
teaching, it is a valuable tool when used to enrich the classroom experience,
to provide for individual instruction and additional practice, and to
allow opportunities for a student to advance at her/his own pace. To
accomplish these goals, there are times when technology will be employed
with an entire class. At other times, individual students will be working
with equipment on their own, frequently without direct teacher intervention.
Consequently, there is no one system design that would serve every need
and every purpose; therefore, the long-term Stafford County Technology
Plan incorporates the use of computer labs, classroom clusters, single
classroom workstation configurations, Resource Room support, and media
retrieval systems.
It is imperative we realize that simply installing state-of-the-art
equipment is not sufficient to ensure that our teachers and students
are benefactors of technology's potential. Nor is it enough to provide
software to schools and expect teachers and students to utilize them
effectively. A systematic method for acquisition of hardware and software
in which teachers share in the decision making process will help to
insure "buy in" and utilization of the technologies. The following
process will be followed in the acquisition of future hardware/software:
1) determine desired outcomes for learning,
2) develop an appropriate curriculum,
3) evaluate and select appropriate software for each grade level/subject
area,
4) research hardware standards and availability and,
5) select appropriate hardware to facilitate educational goals
In this way, technological tools will become a staple for cooperative
learning, developing not only computer competencies but also the social
skills that enable children to become successful citizens and learners.
We believe it is essential that our curriculum, both skills-based and
content-based, incorporate the building blocks of self-esteem, risk-taking,
and organization that can be so creatively addressed via modern technology.
Goals Summary
1) Establish, by the start of the 2002/2003 school year, an effective
training and support structure consisting of both division and site
based assistance in support of the Virginia Standards of Learning
and all Stafford County Public Schools curricula.
2) Develop technology literacy and skills in students needed for
the 21st Century.
3) Use local area, district-wide and world-wide network resources
effectively.
4) Evaluate and provide software and hardware needed for instruction.
5) Develop a technology training facility, independent of school-based
resources, to provide Stafford County Public Schools personnel and
community members hands-on training in the use of instructional technology.
6) Establish a mechanism to provide direct teacher input and recommendations
to the Superintendent regarding instructional technology issues.
Evaluation
Evaluation of this plan will be conducted in conjunction with the ongoing
division Technology Needs Assessment Process which will include:
Teacher Self Assessment
Teachers will complete an annual self assessment to determine their
personal growth in the use of technology. The assessment will be completed
prior to the end of each school year, and results will be used to make
"mid course" corrections to their goals and objectives.
Student Self Assessment
Students in grades 3, 5, and 8 will complete self assessments to determine
their personal growth in the use of technology. Self assessment will
be done after SOL testing, and will measure students perceptions of
technologys effectiveness on student achievement and progress toward
meeting state content standards and state student performance standards.
Teacher Technology Competency Checklist
A Teacher Technology Competency Checklist will be maintained by all
teachers within the division. It will be reviewed annually by building
administrators to track progress of teachers toward meeting Virginias
technology competencies for teachers.
Annual Technology Survey
An annual technology survey will be completed by all teachers and administrators
that measure perceptions of technologys effectiveness in helping students
meet the State content standards, and State student performance standards.
This survey will be under the auspices of the Technology Advisory Committee.
Student Checklist
Students in grades K through 8 will have a checklist of skills to demonstrate
each school year. The skills for each grade will be described in the
division K-8 Technology curriculum.
Training
The purpose of this training plan is to:
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Provide a framework in which all teachers will develop, meet and
exceed the required teacher technology competencies; and,
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Provide a framework that, once minimum competencies have been attained,
teachers will be provided with training that assists them in making
the transition to fully effective integrators of technology.
Assumptions:
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A significant number of teachers do not possess the requisite skills
needed to incorporate technology into their instruction effectively,
or to satisfy the required teacher competencies in technology.
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The Coordinators of Instructional Technology cannot effectively
train 1500 teachers to meet the competencies.
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Demonstration of these competencies, like periodic relicensure,
is the individual teacher's responsibility.
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Some form of documentation of performance, such as a checklist,
is necessary to record that the individual teacher has met the required
competencies. The checklist is then reviewed periodically to ensure
that the teacher is making acceptable progress toward the attainment
of the competencies.
Basic Plan Outline:
1. The existing Professional Development Seminar (PDS) program will
be the primary vehicle for the delivery of training associated with
this aspect of the plan. The PDS program is administered and overseen
by the Director of Curriculum and Staff Development who is responsible
for ensuring that the PDS program meets teachers' needs for training
as outlined in the School Board Objectives, Division Six Year Plan,
the Virginia Standards of Learning and other state board of education
directives. The Professional Development Seminars in technology will
fall into two basic categories:
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Those seminars that are aimed at meeting minimum technology competencies;
and,
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Those seminars that are aimed at exceeding the minimum competencies,
and assisting teachers in becoming effective integrators of technology.
2. Oversight of the competency program and the local building PDS programs
is the responsibility of the individual school administrators. As such,
they will:
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Ensure that all newly reporting and not yet competency certified
teachers in their building have a SCPS Teacher Technology Competency
Checklist, and are making acceptable progress towards completion
of the program;
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Monitor teacher progress toward attainment of the basic competencies
by, as a minimum, reviewing the Teacher Technology Competency Checklist
during regularly scheduled performance reviews;
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Ensure that the required teacher observations as specified in the
Teacher Technology Competency Checklist are conducted;
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Write a letter to record, copy to the teacher and to the Office
of Professional Growth documenting the attainment of the state required
minimum teacher technology competencies after satisfactory completion
of all requirements of the Teacher Technology Competency Checklist;
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Provide assistance to those teachers who are, for what ever reason,
not making sufficient progress to complete the Teacher Technology
Competency Checklist requirements by the end of their current licensure
period;
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Ensure that teachers attend PDS training appropriate to their current
program. teachers working on competencies should concentrate on
PDS training aimed at competency development and teachers who have
attained minimum technology competency should take only training
aimed at improving technology integration skills;
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Ensure that the PDS training sessions scheduled for individual
school sites meet the needs of faculty and staff. All eight competencies
will be addressed at each school site with a mix of the competency
and advanced PDS training sessions, appropriate to the specific
and general needs of the faculty and staff; and,
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For teachers new to a particular school site, but who have already
completed the Teacher Technology Competency Checklist, at another
SCPS site, review previous experiences and determine what, if any,
of the requirements need to be performed at the new site. Reasons
for such a repeat might be the availability of different equipment
or software than were available at the teacher's former school.
3. Attaining the minimum competencies, like licensure, is the responsibility
of the individual teacher. Teachers will complete the following:
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Actively pursue completion of the Teacher Technology Competency
Checklist;
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Assist administrators by informing them of opportunities for them
to conduct the required technology teaching observations;
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Assist administrators by identifying areas for PDS training sessions
needed to complete his/her Teacher Technology Competency Checklist;
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Seek assistance when required to complete the Teacher Technology
Competency Checklist; and,
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Attend PDS training sessions that are designed to cover those competencies
not yet achieved.
4. Once teachers have completed their Teacher Technology Competency
Checklist, they will complete their requirement of a minimum of ten
(10) hours of technology training per school year by attending the more
advanced PDS training with a goal towards improving both their integration
skills and tailoring the curriculum to facilitate effective technology
integration.
5. Remedial technology training curriculum, specific to each competency,
will be developed by the Coordinators of Instructional Technology, and
provided to the building administrators for use in their building in
assisting teachers to correct competency deficiencies. At the end of
each PDS training, the teachers will be expected to satisfactorily complete
the performance assessment in the deficient competency area.
