evaluation chapmans.(1)

8/2/2019 Evaluation ChapmanS.(1)

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EdTech 501 Scott Chapman

Technology Maturity Evaluation

Institution:International School

Demographics:There is a limited amount of information publicly available for the International School. What isavailable, is provided below:Student Population:There are currently 822 students from over 50 different nationalities represented in the

student body. The top five most important nationalities in terms of representation are:Saudi Arabian 30%

American 16%Canadian 7%United Kingdom 6%Indian 6%Students range in age from 3 to 19, corresponding to K1 to Grade 12.Academic Staff:There are 20 different nationalities represented in the academic staff. The countries with

the highest representation in academic staff are:USA 39%Canada 15%

Australia 8%Saudi Arabia 7%United Kingdom 6%List of Academic Programs:The International School is an IB World School having received authorization in the PrimaryYears, Middle Years and Diploma Programs. The school offers both the IB Diplomaupon graduation and The International School Diploma for all students who satisfactorily

meet the respective requirements of each program.Description of the Schools Physical Facilities:

The International School is situated on two campuses consisting of four separate purpose-built

buildings. The Elementary School consists of three buildings: Early

Childhood Center for K1-2, East for K3 to Grade 2 and West for Grades 3

to 5. The newly occupied Secondary School campus is for Grades 6 to 12.

The Elementary and Secondary campuses each have a pool, outdoor basketball and tennis


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courts, soccer pitches, playgrounds, indoor gymnasium, fully equipped library media

centers (one per building), technology labs, music and performing arts rooms, science

labs and well-resourced classrooms.

Administrative

PolicyBehavioral: IntegratedThere exists a high usage of technology within the school and it is embraced by moststaff members, but there is nothing formalized nor is technology use evaluated byadministration.Resource/Infrastructure: Integrated

There is a policy, but its location and implementation are not clear.

PlanningBehavioral: IntegratedThe Technology Initiative Committee is charged with planning for tech needs, but thereis little direction or oversight.

Resource/Infrastructure: Integrated

As the cycle of the year winds down the Tech Initiative Team presents the findingsto the greater school community and receives a bit of feedback. It is informal withoutconsequences for objectives met or unmet.

BudgetBehavioral: IntegratedThere is a budgeting process, but long-term budgeting for tech needs is not clear.

Additionally, where, when, and how the funds will be made available is far fromtransparent as it comes from a corporate structured source.


Again, in theory, there are funds being allocated, but it's uncertain as to the procedurefor their procurement.


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Administrative InformationBehavioral: IntelligentThe school utilizes a variety of electronic management systems for day-to-day

operations including Power School for attendance, demographics, enrollment, etc.Resource/Infrastructure: IntelligentStaff has limited training and access to Power School, but its improving.

Curricular

Electronic InformationBehavioral: IntelligentElectronic information is regularly used and the bulk of school work for staff andstudents is dependent upon it.Resource/Infrastructure: Intelligent

All teachers and students are provided up-to-date computers. Each classroom has a

smartboard, document camera, speakers, high speed internet, wireless connectivity.

Assessment

Behavioral: IntegratedMeasurement of Academic Progress (MAP) testing twice a year, e-portfolios of studentwork and reflections.Resource/Infrastructure: IslandsMost assessment is done without electronic tools.

Curriculum Integration

Behavioral: IntegratedStudents regularly use technology as part of their daily learning. Teachers plan lessonsbuilt around tech usage. Most work is related to research, educational games, worddocument work.Resource/Infrastructure Intelligent


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Available throughout the school.

Teacher Use

Behavioral: IntelligentTeachers plan lessons and content delivery based with the knowledge technology is tobe used.

Resource/Infrastructure: Intelligent

All teachers are issued a personal MacBook Pro loaded with applications.

Student UseBehavioral: Integrated

Academic outcomes are dependent on students having access to technology.Resource/Infrastructure: Intelligent

Aside from minor tech difficulties (usually resolved within a short time), all students havetheir own laptops loaded with applications, along with smartboard access.

Support

Stakeholder Involvement

Behavioral: IslandsSurveys are beginning to be implemented, but most technology is selected by a limitedgroup of people with little input from most stakeholders.Resource/Infrastructure: Islands

As previously stated, most decisions are made by a limited number of people with littleinput from stakeholders.

Administrative SupportBehavioral: Integrated


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Current administration shows verbal support for tech planning, but strong day-to-daylogistical support is not evident.Resource/Infrastructure: Integrated

Weekly planning time and occasional professional development with tech support isbuilt into the schedule, but it is severely limited and insufficient.

TrainingBehavioral: IntegratedOccasional tech professional development through the year, usually as need arises.Most training is front loaded at the beginning of the year before school begins.Resource/Infrastructure: Integrated

The tech staff is severely understaffed and stretched across many buildings separatedby a good distance.

Technical & Infrastructure SupportBehavioral: IntegratedTech specialist are available, but not regularly.Resource/Infrastructure: Integrated

Tech staff are understaffed and stretched thin.

Connectivity

Local Area NetworkingBehavioral: IntegratedGenerally, staff and students gather information via the Internet. Occasionally, video or

conferencing are used to further an inquiry.

Resource/Infrastructure: IntegratedThe network is high speed and normally functioning, but there are occasionalslowdowns or computers have difficulties accessing the network.

District Area Networking (WAN)


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Behavioral: IntegratedThe staff uses the network to gather information or ideas with occasional video orconferencing.

Resource/Infrastructure: IntegratedThe network is available and has a high capacity workload.

Internet AccessBehavioral: IntegratedThe staff and students generally use the Internet each day, but I do not believe it is fullyintegrated into the curriculum.

Resource/Infrastructure: IntelligentThere are WiFi connections throughout the school and more hotspots are planned forthe near future.

Communication SystemsBehavioral: Intelligent

E-mail is the main source of communication at the school. This comes at a price with e-mail overload upon occasion. Protocol has been put into place and attention to the needof communicating relevant information to the relevant people has helped alleviate someof the burden.

Resource/Infrastructure: IntelligentThere is a lot of available technology at the school. People are sorting through hardwareand software to find relevant technology to support student learning. The technology isnot systematically adapted. Teachers take on the implementation as they see a need orwhen they have a desire to try something new.

Innovation

New TechnologiesBehavioral: Integrated


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As said before, the technology is available, but it is not uniformly implemented.

Resource/Infrastructure: IntegratedThe technology is very comprehensive, but there are installation issues and it does not

regularly function dependably, though this is improving.

Comprehensive TechnologiesBehavioral: IntegratedThe technology is very comprehensive but there are installation issues and it does not

regularly function dependably.


Most staff members stick to smartboard lessons and known websites for studentinstruction.

SummaryThe International School is a unique case study in the integration of technology in education.It has only existed for three years. It exists in an environment found in few places in the worldas it was founded in support of a graduate level university for science and technology. Alongwith an inquiry based approach based on the International Baccalaureate program, technologywas a part of the foundation building of the school. Additionally, during the beginning stages

of the school, money was not an issue. The school is outfitted with smartboards, documentcameras, video cameras, digital cameras, 1:1 MacBook Pros for all students G2-G12, iPads forclassrooms G1 and below, high speed internet, additional computer labs with Mac desktops, abroadcasting studio. The list could be continued. Needless-to-say, there is a lot of technologyavailable to the schools stakeholders.Due to a number of logistical reasons and the context of the school, the International Schoolremains in startup mode. This entails a heavy workload filled with extra duties for all staffmembers as systems are identified, constructed, implemented, evaluated, and restructured onthe fly. Furthermore, technology often does not arrive in a timely manner or, at times, in workingcondition. Or technology that was ordered goes missing. All of these extraneous factors haveled to an overall rating of integrated for the International School.

There are many highly qualified people working to integrate technology in such a way as tomake it indispensable to the curriculum, but there have been and continue to be unforeseenroadblocks not allowing for a rating of intelligent. I fully expect this to change in the near future.There are many intelligent people working diligently for the integration of the technology alongwith access to many powerful tools. With time, the school will move to the intelligent ranking.Overall, the International School is highly integrated and moving toward an intelligentdesignation.


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