5.1 Needs Assessment
Candidates conduct needs assessments to determine school-wide, faculty, grade-level, and subject area strengths and weaknesses to inform the content and delivery of technology-based professional learning programs. (PSC 5.1/ISTE 4a
Artifact: Needs Assessment Report
Reflection:
In the fall of 2014, I created a Technology Needs Assessment for The Country Day School (CDS) in Escazú, Costa Rica. The project was created for the ITEC course, 7460: “Professional Learning and Technology Innovation.” The project was created to assess the professional development program at CDS. Data was collected and the project was conducted through an intensive survey with the principal of the school. The interview was analyzed and evaluated for strengths and weaknesses regarding the professional development program that the principal detailed. The CDS needs assessment report suggests that, despite making great strides in professional development, the school is still in desperate need for a consistent and evenly administered teacher evaluation system. The needs assessment report was given to administration in an attempt to further conversations regarding school improvement and growth.
The CDS needs assessment report is evidence of my mastery of standard 5.1 which states that, “Candidates conduct needs assessments to determine school-wide, faculty, grade-level, and subject area strengths and weaknesses to inform the content and delivery of technology-based professional development.” In the process of completing the needs assessment report, I conducted an interview with administration to determine strengths and weaknesses regarding the professional development program at CDS. This interview and subsequent analysis was used to inform future decision making at CDS with regards to technology-based professional development. In fact, this information went on to spur the principal to create a new position in the high school of technology integrationist. Additionally, the data was used to inform decisions regarding the technology integrationists push for staff development in the 2014/15 school year. Furthermore, based on the report I conducted, need was determined in the area of staff evaluation, and at the beginning of the 2014 school year, a huge push was made by administration to improve this process by creating the “Teacher Growth and Evaluation” process which is conducted primarily online.
This project proved to be great learning experience. I learned that a great deal of planning and discussions go into developing professional learning opportunities, and that CDS administrators are quite dedicated to improving the school and faculty. Through the interview and analysis, I learned that the high school doesn’t have a set vision for technology-based professional development. And, I see this as a large area for growth in the school. If I could extend this project further, I would have polled the entire staff to analyze their perceptions regarding the school’s use of technology-based professional development and their ideas about needs. I imagine that their perceptions vary greatly from that of the administrator.
The needs assessment report for The Country Day School is a powerful resource for administration and me. By conducting research we are able to understand our current status of technology-based professional development, to determine where we are and where we want to be. The impact of this report on the CDS community is still ongoing as administration has taken this information and made major decisions regarding organization of personnel and direction of professional learning opportunities.
Reflection:
In the fall of 2014, I created a Technology Needs Assessment for The Country Day School (CDS) in Escazú, Costa Rica. The project was created for the ITEC course, 7460: “Professional Learning and Technology Innovation.” The project was created to assess the professional development program at CDS. Data was collected and the project was conducted through an intensive survey with the principal of the school. The interview was analyzed and evaluated for strengths and weaknesses regarding the professional development program that the principal detailed. The CDS needs assessment report suggests that, despite making great strides in professional development, the school is still in desperate need for a consistent and evenly administered teacher evaluation system. The needs assessment report was given to administration in an attempt to further conversations regarding school improvement and growth.
The CDS needs assessment report is evidence of my mastery of standard 5.1 which states that, “Candidates conduct needs assessments to determine school-wide, faculty, grade-level, and subject area strengths and weaknesses to inform the content and delivery of technology-based professional development.” In the process of completing the needs assessment report, I conducted an interview with administration to determine strengths and weaknesses regarding the professional development program at CDS. This interview and subsequent analysis was used to inform future decision making at CDS with regards to technology-based professional development. In fact, this information went on to spur the principal to create a new position in the high school of technology integrationist. Additionally, the data was used to inform decisions regarding the technology integrationists push for staff development in the 2014/15 school year. Furthermore, based on the report I conducted, need was determined in the area of staff evaluation, and at the beginning of the 2014 school year, a huge push was made by administration to improve this process by creating the “Teacher Growth and Evaluation” process which is conducted primarily online.
This project proved to be great learning experience. I learned that a great deal of planning and discussions go into developing professional learning opportunities, and that CDS administrators are quite dedicated to improving the school and faculty. Through the interview and analysis, I learned that the high school doesn’t have a set vision for technology-based professional development. And, I see this as a large area for growth in the school. If I could extend this project further, I would have polled the entire staff to analyze their perceptions regarding the school’s use of technology-based professional development and their ideas about needs. I imagine that their perceptions vary greatly from that of the administrator.
The needs assessment report for The Country Day School is a powerful resource for administration and me. By conducting research we are able to understand our current status of technology-based professional development, to determine where we are and where we want to be. The impact of this report on the CDS community is still ongoing as administration has taken this information and made major decisions regarding organization of personnel and direction of professional learning opportunities.