Technology Planning Kit

Selected Standards for Technology Staff Development

A) Effective school staff development is aligned with the school's and the district's strategic plan and is funded by a line item in the budget.

1. Does the staff development plan correlate with the School Improvement Plan?

2. Does the staff development plan comply with Iowa Code?

a. 12.7(1) Staff Development Program. The board shall have a plan for staff development. The plan shall provide for the professional developments needs of the instructional professional staff, the non instructional professional staff, the support staff, and educational aides. The plan shall include general goals for a three-year period and specific objectives and activities for the current school year.

b. 12.7(2) Budget for Staff Development. The board shall annually budget specific funds to implement the plan required in subrule 12.7(1).

3. Is the staff development plan a component of the local technology plan?

 

 

B) Effective school staff development provides adequate time during the work day for staff members to learn and work together to accomplish the school's mission and goals.

 

Strategies to meet this standard:

1. Increasing non classroom time for teachers during the course of the school day

a. hire subs

b. cover classes with other staff

2. Refocusing existing time slots to new uses

a. current staff development days

b. faculty meetings

c. during regular classroom instruction

3. Rescheduling the school day to include

a. common prep times

b. expanded planning times

c. late starts

d. early outs

4. Increasing the total amount of time available with

a. supplemental contract

b. per diem/stipend

c. Phase III

5. Promoting more efficient time use by using

a. ICN

b. teleconference

c. e-mail

d. portable computers

 

 

 C) Effective school staff development uses a variety of staff development approaches to accomplish the goals for improving instruction and student access.

Menu of technology staff development options:

1. Faculty awareness sessions

2. Continuing series of workshops throughout the year to address small group needs

3. Late starts for mentoring in technology

4. Early dismissals for small or large group support

5. All-staff inservice day with "mini-session" choices to meet a variety of needs

6. Departmental teams for study and learning

7. Interdisciplinary grade level groups for support and time to design student technology engagement

8. User groups

9. Students and teachers paired with mentor throughout the year

10. Phase Three

11. Subscriptions to technology-related journals

12. Videotape resources

 

 

 D) Effective school staff development provides the follow-up necessary to ensure improvement.

1. Peer coaching

2. Availability of equipment for teacher use and practice at home and at school.

3. Sharing of successes and concerns

4. Ongoing identification of future direction and needs

5. Methods to address identified needs

 

 

E) Effective school staff development facilitates the development and implementation of school and classroom-based management which maximize student learning.

1. Instructional strategies

a. one computer classroom

b. cooperative learning

c. technology as a learning station

d. large group activities

2. Administration responsibilities

a. acquisition and repair procedures in place

b. new staff orientation to district technology goals is a priority

c. e-mail is provided for staff

d. student records are automated

e. student assessment options using technology are possible

 

 F) Effective school staff development addresses diversity by providing awareness and training related to the knowledge, skills, and behaviors needed to ensure that an equitable and quality education is provided to all students.

1. Is technology being used to its fullest with special needs students?

2. Is gender equity assured in access to equipment and classes?

3. Has the district made an effort to provide for socioeconomic equity through technology access outside the school day?

 

 G) Effective school staff development enables educators to provide challenging, developmentally-appropriate interdisciplinary curriculum that engage students in integrative ways to thinking and learning.

1. Emphasis is placed on infusing technology into existing curriculum

2. Cross-curricular projects with technology are initiated and encouraged

3. Developmentally appropriate use of technology is supported

 

 

H) Effective school staff development prepares teachers to use various types of performance assessment in their classrooms.

1. Student multimedia projects

2. Task performance inventories

3. Others