Week7, Step5: Region and above

Classify technology goals in a proper domain (technology, management, funding).

Technology:

Student Achievement Objectives

#1 100% of all districts in Region XIV ESC will be rated Academically Acceptable or higher or show improvement on Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) through the utilization of the integration of technology within the curriculum and school district environment.

#2 100% of charter schools served by Region XIV ESC will be rated Academically Acceptable or higher or show improvement on Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) through the utilization of the integration of technology within the curriculum and school district environment.

#3 100% of all districts in Region XIV ESC will meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) or show improvement through the utilization of the integration of technology within the curriculum and school district environment.

#4 100% of charter schools served by Region XIV ESC will meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) or show improvement through the utilization of the integration of technology within the curriculum and school district environment.

#5 100% of all campuses in Region XIV ESC will be rated Academically Acceptable or higher or show improvement on Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) through the utilization of the integration of technology within the curriculum and school district environment.

#6 100% of all charter campuses served by Region XIV ESC will be rated Academically Acceptable or higher or show improvement on Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) through the utilization of the integration of technology within the curriculum and school district environment.

#7 100% of all campuses in Region XIV ESC will meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) or show improvement through the utilization of the integration of technology within the curriculum and school district environment.

#8 100% of all charter campuses served by Region XIV ESC will meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) or show improvement through the utilization of the integration of technology within the curriculum and school district environment through the utilization of the integration of technology within the curriculum and school district environment.

#9 Student Performance for Region XIV ESC on “Met Standard for All Students” will show improvement in TAKS Math and Science through the utilization of the integration of technology within the curriculum and school district environment.

#10 The achievement gap in Region XIV ESC TAKS Science for “Met Standard” between White and Hispanic will show improvement through the utilization of the integration of technology within the curriculum and school district environment.

#11 The achievement gap in Region XIV ESC TAKS Science for “Met Standard” between White and African-American will show improvement through the utilization of the integration of technology within the curriculum and school district environment.

#12 The achievement gap in Region XIV ESC TAKS Math for “Met Standard” between White and Hispanic will show improvement through the utilization of the integration of technology within the curriculum and school district environment.

#13 The achievement gap in Region XIV ESC TAKS Math for “Met Standard” between White and African-American will show improvement through the utilization of the integration of technology within the curriculum and school district environment.

District Efficiency Objectives

#1 The number of districts in Region XIV ESC identified through Performance Based Monitoring Analysis System (PBMAS) for intervention will be reduced annually through the utilization of the integration of technology within the curriculum and school district environment.

#2 100% of the districts in Region XIV ESC will maintain a FIRST rating of Superior, Above Standard, or Standard through the utilization of the integration of technology within the curriculum and school district environment.

#3 100% of the districts in Region XIV ESC will participate in at least one Shared Service Arrangement / Contracted Services, and Statewide Initiatives through the utilization of the integration of technology within the curriculum and school district environment.

Statewide Initiatives Objectives:

Region XIV ESC will, as directed by the commissioner, use funds to support the following initiatives:

#1 School Board Training: Region XIV ESC will develop School Board Training Curriculum for use by all Texas Regional Education Service Centers through the utilization of the integration of technology within the curriculum and school district environment.

#2 Service Learning: The Service Learning Texas will increase the number of students and number of schools participating in service-learning through the utilization of the integration of technology within the curriculum and school district environment.

ESC Operational Effectiveness Objectives

#1 The number of contact hours of training delivered by Region XIV ESC will increase as reported on the Annual Balanced Score Card Summary through the utilization of the integration of technology within the curriculum and school district environment.

#2 Annually conduct internal audit of components. Region XIV ESC will meet QMS standards through the utilization of the integration of technology within the curriculum and school district environment.

Funding:

District Efficiency Objectives

#4 100% of West Texas Telecommunication Consortium (WTTC) member districts will participate in the federal E-Rate program in partnership with Region XIV ESC to assist in the funding of technology services provided by the WTTC.

#5 The Center for Technology Service and the WTTC will apply for 2 additional grant opportunities to assist in the funding of technology services provided by Region XIV ESC.

#6 100% of the districts in Region XIV ESC will participate in a Chapter 41/Chapter 42 Coop that will assist in the funding of technology services to the school districts within the Region XIC ESC support area.

#7 The Center for Technology Services will participate in funding partnerships with purchasing Coops (TCPS, TIPS, NCPA) and revenue sharing programs to assist in the funding of technology services provided by Region XIV ESC.

Statewide Initiatives Objectives:

Management:

Student Achievement Objectives

Statewide Initiatives Objectives:

Region XIV ESC will, as directed by the commissioner, use funds to support the following initiatives:

ESC Operational Effectiveness Objectives

Identify the major steps required to accomplish technological goals.

In the evaluation of the objectives that will be measured, reviewed, and analyzed, we first must look to what purpose these objectives will serve. Are these objectives measurable? Do they measure data that will be consistent, and can the data be used to assist in the improvement of the objective. As we move into STAAR testing and end of course exams we must utilize the best possible evaluation tools to assist us in pulling data that will be useful in the process used to analyze the data. “We have tried to utilize technology as much as possible. Although there is some resistance, the outcome is mostly positive. Technology is moving quickly and the tools are abundant. If we require our staff to use technology we are more likely to see districts moveing that way too. Technology is a tool that we must use and integrate into our everyday lives as educators.” RM, Personal Communication, February 27, 2012.) “Electronic data acquisition technology expands our ability to gather information. Traditionally, assessment and evaluation information has been acquired in three ways—by observing people or things, by listening to people talk as individuals or as participants in a group, or by completing a paper and pencil assessment or evaluation instrument. The next generation of assessment and evaluation experts also will observe, listen, and write, but they will not be using technology merely to acquire data more quickly and efficiently; the nature of the information acquired will change as well.” (Hanson, 1997, p. 33) We also must examine ways to analyze this data to assist in the improvement on the data in the future.

We must also propose ways to incorporate the use of technology into the areas being measured. After a plan has been made to incorporate integration techniques, there must be a design process that will allow for administrators, teachers, and students to be able to acquire information on the objectives and the strategies being implemented for improvement. “Conceptual change occurs when learners change their understanding of concepts they use and the conceptual frameworks that encompass them, reorganizing their frameworks to accommodate new perspectives.” (Jonassen, D., & Kim, B., 2010, P. 440)Then, there must be an avenue for the application of the objectives into the evaluation process. This will be an ongoing process that will require data to be monitored on an annual basis.

A professional development plan will need to be put into place that will assist educators in the pursuit to achieve the improvement process through the use of the objectives that are being measured. ”To maximize the quality of student learning outcomes, we, as academics, need to develop courses in ways that provide students with teaching and learning materials, tasks and experiences which: (1) are authentic, real-world and relevant; (2) are constructive, sequential and interlinked; (3) require students to use and engage with progressively higher order cognitive processes; (4) are all aligned with each other and the desired learning outcomes; and (5) provide challenge, interest and motivation to learn.” (Meyers, N. M., & Nulty, D. D., 2009)

In the observation of the process, staff must be aware of hardships if there is any, which might be encountered with the districts, staff, teachers, or administrator involved in the process. Measures must be put into place to assist educators in the attempt to achieve success in the process.

Develop assessment instruments to test the objectives for the technology plan. Describe the desired instrument/s under each objective.

Because Region 14 is governed by the Texas Education Agency, the developments of instruments to test objectives within the service center are based on TEA approved testing instruments. This is practiced to maintain a consistent measurement throughout the state of Texas when a comparison is need to be made in relation to two or more of the twenty education service centers that are mandated across the state supporting the school districts within specific assigned regional support areas. The Texas education code describes the specified purpose that education service center must embody. Chapter 8 of the Texas Education Code, enacted by the 75^th Texas Legislature in 1997, specified the following purposes of education service centers. “Regional education service centers shall: 1. Assist school districts in improving student performance in each region of the system; 2. Enable school districts to operate more efficiently and economically; and 3. Implement initiatives assigned by the legislature or the commissioner.” For that reason Region 14 Education Service Center attempts to utilize as many TEA and federal measurements instruments as possible. Some of the instruments specific to the measurement of objects are:

Technology:

Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS)
Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)
TAKS, STAAR test “Met Standard” rating
Performance Based Monitoring Analysis System (PBMAS)
Shared Service Arrangement / Contracted Services.

Funding:

FIRST rating
Shared Service Arrangement / Contracted Services.
E-Rate
grant opportunities
Chapter 41/Chapter 42 Coop
purchasing Coops

Management:

FIRST rating
School Board Training Curriculum
Annual Balanced Score Card Summary
Texas STaR chart
Texas ePlan
QMS standards

Although the measurement instruments are mostly based on the Texas Education Agency regional service center do design a few specific assessment instruments to obtain data that can be more specific to a service center area. “This data obtained through the ESC designed surveys are meant to be a measurement tool to assist the Service Center and the quality management system to be more effective.” (JA, Personal Communication, February 29, 2012.) These include:

Technology, Funding, Management:

State wide Third Party Survey constructed by the University of Texas for the service centers.
Validation surveys designed by the ESC to obtain specific data per component and specific to the ESC’s programs provided to school districts.
Workshop evaluations
Administrator meetings to allow for discussions and feedback throughout the year
Individual program surveys for quality management.

For the individualized surveys Region 14 has moved to electronic surveys. “We move over to the Google Apps environment earlier this year. Since then, any survey we need to send out can be done through Google Forms. This allows us to gain any information we may need in a short period of time because the whole process is electronic.” MW, Personal Communication, February 27, 2012.)

References

JA, Region 14 Education Service Center, Quality Management Representative, Personal Communication, February 29, 2012

Jonassen, D., & Kim, B. (2010). Arguing to learn and learning to argue: design justifications and guidelines. Educational Technology Research & Development, 58(4), 439-457. doi:10.1007/s11423-009-9143-8

Hanson, G. R. (1997). Using technology in assessment and evaluation. New Directions For Student Services, (78), 31.

Meyers, N. M., & Nulty, D. D. (2009). How to Use (Five) Curriculum Design Principles to Align Authentic Learning Environments, Assessment, Students' Approaches to Thinking and Learning Outcomes. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 34(5), 565-577.

MW, Region 14 Education Service Center, WTTC Director, Personal Communication, February 27, 2012.

Region 14 Employee Handbook, 2011-1012, Revision #7, Region 14 Education Service Center Quality management system

Region 14 Quality Manual, 2011-1012, Revision #11, Region 14 Education Service Center Quality management system

RM, Region 14 Education Service Center, Director of Technology Services, Personal Communication, February 27, 2012.

Texas Education Code, http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/?link=ED

3 comments:

BridgetMarch 8, 2012 at 4:55 AM
Rob, I really like how many of your goals state by adequately using technology in the classroom. When I went to my curriculum planning meeting for technology, our Director of Instructional Service said a quote that really made me think. She said "We need to be integrating technology for more than just the sake of saying we are integrating it" (Meroney, 2012). It is not enough to just use it every once and while so that teachers can say they are "integrating." It much be used in a way that is beneficial to students and that they are getting something out of it! I really liked the way you set your goals up!

Meroney, C. (2012, February 13). Director of Instructional Services. (B. Costello, Interviewer)
Dr. Shannon's CSTE CoursesMarch 8, 2012 at 3:34 PM
Excellent details for each goal! Great job!
JoySMarch 12, 2012 at 2:46 PM
Rob,

Your statements "....staff must be aware of hardships if there is any, which might be encountered with the districts, staff, teachers, or administrator involved in the process. Measures must be put into place to assist educators in the attempt to achieve success in the process" I find so important! It seems when new material or new tools are purchased for our district, and teachers are trained, then everything is supposed to work perfectly. So often there are small problems that need to be worked out at the start of using a new piece of technology. I like how you remind us that we should be aware of this and not so much expect it to occur but at least put some thought into it and be prepared. Have you seen many or any schools that not only have a technology liaison that works with the actual software and hardware but also there is a position, instructional technology specialist, that is there to assist the teachers in the integration of the technology into their lessons? Our district does not have such a position, although our technology plan addresses it. I think this would help teachers so much in feeling more comfortable with the technology.

Joy

Week7, Step5

Monday, March 5, 2012

Region and above - Week 7

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