laura houston - technology administrator center analysis
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Laura Houston
Technology Program Administrator Evaluation
Technology Center Analysis
Spring 2012
FRIT 7728
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Table of Contents
Executive Summary 3
Organizational Charts 4
Methods 6
Center Context and Goals 6
Center Activities 8
Evaluation 10
Part B: Monthly Report 12
Appendix 13
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Executive Summary
This report was completed on the technology services provided within DeKalb County's School
District. DeKalb County schools continues to strive each and every year to provide students and
teachers with the necessary technology and support to stay up to date with the 21st century advances in
technology. DeKalb County's Technology Center, The William Bradley Bryant Center, continues to
provide initiatives, support, and training opportunities to staff and students.
By spending time at the technology center, interviewing one of the technology specialist, and
observing day to day operations, the county has a good system in place to ensure that technology is being
utilized to increase student achievement.
Overall the operations and productivity of the technology center were standard and effective.
However, areas that need improvement were noted. One area that needs improvement is in the field of
instructional technology. Instructional technology trainers are one of the most important key components
to carrying out the mission and plans for the the entire center.
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Organizational Charts
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Organizational Charts
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Methods
Information for the analysis of DeKalb County's Technology Center was collected from a variety
of sources. Numerous hours were spent with one of the instructional technology specialist. This
particular technology specialist answered numerous questions about the day to day operations and
procedures within the technology center. Time was also spent observing and touring the technology
center. DeKalb County Schools District's 3-Year Technology Plan was also used in conducting this
report. DeKalb County's Management Information Systems (MIS) and their Instructional Technology
Departments also have web pages with helpful information about the operation of their facilities.
Center Context and Goals
The Management Information Systems (MIS) of DeKalb County School Distrcit is team of professionals
dedicated to the integration and implementation of technology across the school district. There
philosophy is to expand classrooms by providing access to information and programs in a 21st century
learning environment. The center aims to serve all stakeholders such as students, teachers, staff, parents
and members of the community. The Management Information System Department collaborates with
other departments, vendors, and service providers in order to provide high-quality solutions and
technology to all stakeholders. The mission of the center is to establish and maintain a technology-rich
teaching and learning environment where students and staff develop 21st century skills to be successful
citizens in a global community.
The technology center currently employees many directors and leaders to support our Chief
Officer, Gary Brantley. Each department employees several staff members to carry out jobs to support
the mission of DeKalb County. Currently, many changes are taking place in the center. Within this year,
DeKalb County hired a new superintendent who brought in personnel from her previous school system.
The director of the technology center was one of the new staff members brought from our
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superintendents previous school. Currently each school, 153, has a certified computer technologist to
troubleshoot any hardware issues to any technologies within the building including telephones. Right
now, the county is piloting a new program to have all certified computer technologists located in a call
center. As help desk calls are put into the system, the call center sends a computer technologist that
specializes in the area of the program to solve the technical issues. Currently only 11 out of 153 schools
are participating in the pilot. In speaking with many certified computer technologists, the results have
been very effective.
Our technology center is currently undergoing major renovations to update the infrastructure to
the 21st century advances in technology. The technology center is creating an on-site data center that will
house all the servers for the entire school system. The county used SPLOST-3 for this project. This is
one the largest projects that has taken place at the technology center since the fiber optic wide area
network was installed through the district. When the fiber optic network was installed, it was one of the
first to be installed in the United States for any school system.
The center also houses seven instructional technologist to assist schools with incorporating
technology in classrooms. The seven instructional technologist are divided among one hundred fifty-
three schools. They visit schools on an as needed basis. The mission of the instructional technology
department is: The mission of the Instructional Technology Department is to assist DeKalb County
School District (DCSD) personnel with strategies for integrating technology into their respective
disciplines. Our goal is to improve student achievement by supporting instructional technology resources
that are designed to promote optimal student success.
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Center Activities
DeKalb County's Technology Center offers training opportunities, a teacher showcase,
professional learning opportunities, and a technology fair for students. Most of the activities and
programs are carried out by the Instructional Technology Department.
Each year the Instructional Technology Department organizes a system-wide Technology Fair for
students kindergarten twelfth grade. Students in grades kindergarten twelfth are able to display their
technology and video projects while students in grades in third twelfth are able to participate in a
competition. Students in grades third -twelfth who win first place in the competition will be eligible to
participate in the State Technology Fair. The fair is usually held at the technology center, but this year it
was held at central high school due to the renovations at the technology center. During the annul
Technology Fair, teachers are honored who display exemplary technology skills in the classroom. The
chosen teachers will present at the technology fair.
Instructional Technology Specialist conduct school, site based trainings as needed throughout the
school year. They offer training session for new staff members so that they are aware of all required
programs to use by the county. Often courses are also offered during the summer and throughout the year
on various programs that can help teachers incorporate technology into curriculum. These courses are
usually held in one of the many computer labs located at the technology center. The department also
provides opportunities for staff to earn Board Hours and PLU's that all certified personnel in the State of
Georgia need. The Instructional Technology Department trains and supports administrators, teachers and
students in the use of the following:
Compass Learning Odyssey
NetTrekker
Online Assessment System for the state of Georgia
Promethean ActivBoard, ActiVotes and ActivExpressions
eSIS Teacher Assistant
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FirstClass email, webpage development and Collaborative Classroom
Graphic organizers
Multimedia and video production
Integrated learning systems
Science and math simulators
Spreadsheet and graphing tools
Subject specific early learning curriculum packages Safe search engines
Productivity tools - Microsoft Office
Video-on-demand and online teaching services
A standards based, student-centered online instructional program
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Evaluation
Based on the center's mission statement for Management Information Systems, the department is
making advancements to the infrastructure of the center so that the technology center is current with 21 st
century technologies. They are also finding ways to be more efficient with trouble troubling and fixing
hardware problems by conducting the pilot of the help desk call center. The center is using more vendors
to purchase equipment from many different companies, such as Apple and Dell. The center is also using
SPLOST funds to upgrade hardware at the center, such as new servers, as well as new computers and
interactive boards within the schools.
The mission statement for the Instructional Technology Department's main goal is the help
personnel ingrate technology into the curriculum. DeKalb County has purchased many web licensed
programs for students and teachers to use within our county. These programs help integrate technology
with standards based curriculum. The instructional technologists provide assistance as needed and called
upon by staff and teachers. The instructional technologists do a great job with the amount of time and
personnel within the department. With only seven instructional technologists in the county, visiting
school frequently can be an issue.
Although the center is doing a good job maintaining and meeting goals and missions, there are
many areas that can be improved to be more successful at meeting the goals of the center. One area that
can be improved is infrastructure in old school building. New school buildings have the latest technology
and infrastructure available, but older schools are falling farther behind. Wiring is often old and out
dated. The center is slowly updating older schools so that they have newer infrastructure, but time,
money, and lack of personnel to complete all the older buildings is causing this process to take longer
than normal. Wireless networks are slowly being added to older schools also.
Another weakness of the technology center falls heavily in the Instructional Technology
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Department. Currently, there are only seven specialist to serve one hundred fifty-three schools.
Mathematically, this gives each specialist over 20 schools to manage. Instructional Technologists are not
able to effectively carry out responsibilities of helping all personnel incorporate technology into
education. With technology changing more and more everyday, teachers and staff need constant trainings
of how to incorporate new technology into every day learning. DeKalb County technology center is
building a gap. The Management Information Department is making advancements with hardware and
infrastructure, but their a growing gap due to the lack of trainings being held to help teachers. Trainings
on new technology should be mandatory, not voluntary. There should be an instructional technologist is
every school within the county conducting weekly training sessions on how to teach to the 21 st century
student.
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Part B: Monthly Report
DeKalb County held it's annual technology fair in January. Many students were able to go to state
competition. Several DeKalb County students placed in the state competition.
DeKalb County's Technology Center, William Bradley Bryany Center, is currently undergoing
major renovations to update the infrastructure to the 21st century advances in technology. Thetechnology center is creating an on-site data center that will house all the servers for the entire
school system. The county used SPLOST-3 funds for this project. This is one the largest projects
that has taken place at the technology center since the fiber optic wide area network was installedthrough the district. When the fiber optic network was installed, it was one of the first to be
installed in the United States for any school system. Work is slated to be complete by the 2012-
2013 school year.
Currently the county is piloting a new program to have all certified computer technologistslocated in a call center. As help desk calls are put into the system, the call center sends acomputer technologist that specializes in the area of the program to solve the technical issues.
Currently only 11 out of 153 schools are participating in the pilot. In speaking with many
certified computer technologists, the results have been very effective.
DeKalb County's Instructional Technologist are available to train teachers and staff on many
programs and others ways to incorporate technology into the curriculum.
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Appendix A
Questions for Instructional Technology Specialist.
1. How many year have you held this job?
6 years
2. Did you originally go into college wanting to be an instructional technology specialist?
No, I went to school to become a teacher. As I begin teaching, I realized that I had a gift with using
technology in the classroom as well as helping other teachers.
3. What was your next step?
I enrolled in Instructional Technology at Georgia State and later earned my degree. After obtaining my
degree, I began pursuing jobs within education in the area of instructional technology.
4. What is currently the greatest challenge in your job?
There is not enough time to visit all my assigned schools everyday. We have to rely on schools to contactus when they need support. We are not able to see all our schools each week.
5. What other challenges do you face as a technology leader for DeKalb County?There are times when you may not have the answers for questions that teachers and other staff members
ask. We must work with colleagues and stay informed with all new technology.
6. What is your favorite program or application to train teachers to use?I love using most any web 2.0 tools. They are accessible from home and school and there are tools out
there that are suitable for the youngest grade to the oldest kids.
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