Technology Needs Assessment

Technology needs assessment is an ongoing process that occurs regularly in USD 388.  The Technology Director continually looks at the technology needs of USD388 and discusses these needs with administrators, staff, students, parents, and community members. USD388 staff members are surveyed at least once during the technology plan duration. The survey asks staff members for suggestions of new equipment and resources, equipment that needs replaced, and equipment that is no longer used. The Curriculum Coordinating Council, Building Site Councils, and the Board of Education also provide input to the Technology Director.

In addition to these discussions, a current technology inventory is kept for all hardware and software.  These inventories are required for insurance purposes, but also act as a reference for hardware and software that is becoming obsolete and needs to be replaced. Hardware is replaced on a rotational basis or as needed when equipment fails. The Technology Director also keeps a record of purchase dates, service requests, and repairs to help determine needs.

The Technology Director uses all this information to plan for the short and long term technology needs of USD388. Each spring, the Director makes changes to the district’s long term technology plans based on this information.

Instructional Technology Vision

The technology mission of USD 388 is to enable the district’s learning community to become information literate and technologically proficient in preparation for life in the 21st Century.

The vision of the USD 388 School District is based in part on belief statements about the role technology can play in the educational process.  These beliefs include:

• Technology should be used to improve effectiveness and efficiency of learning.

• Technology is to be used for parent, community, and collegial communications to help create the supportive educational community.

• Technology becomes a natural part of the learning process.

• Technology initiates a move toward a paperless society by streamlining clerical and administrative tasks for the learning community.

• Technology will provide meaningful and stimulating instruction for diverse learning styles and needs.

• Technology will provide timely information in a variety of media.

 Technology Use Assessments

USD 388 currently uses assessment tools to determine the extent of technology use.  Students are surveyed using an assessment tool created and delivered online.  District staff has been surveyed using a locally created survey to determine the effectiveness of curriculum and technology integration and any needs for professional development.  This data is used to guide training of staff and students in the use of technology in the district. 

  Curriculum Integration-Goals

Increase student achievement through the effective use of technology

• Integrate technology into student learning at the earliest grade levels

• Provide access to technology at all grade levels

Ensure that students are technology literate by the end of the 8th grade

• Develop student literacy in technology by providing access from grade K through 8

• Assess 8th grade students in the spring and use those results to make changes to K-7 use of  technology

Progress is being made toward fully integrating technology into the curriculum

• Students use technology in a seamless manner

• Students are able to use technology with little or no support from the instructor

  Assessment of Curriculum Integration

Locally developed surveys are used to gage the effectiveness of the use of technology and its integration into the curriculum. These surveys are developed and administered to instructional staff and students. The results of these surveys are presented to curriculum and instruction leaders for use in planning professional development and curriculum planning.

   Technology Professional Development Goals and Objectives

Improve the capacity of teachers to integrate technology effectively into the curriculum and instruction

• Provide training on the use of technology hardware and software

• Provide support to teachers while they learn the operation of new hardware

• Provide up to date hardware and software to remove the barrier of frustration with poor performing equipment

Encourage effective integration of technology through teacher training and curriculum development to establish replicable best practices

• Include technology use in the writing/rewriting of classroom curriculum

• Provide training to teachers specifically designed for enhancing technology integration

• Use existing staff members who are integrating technology in their classroom to train and assist other staff members

• Provide individualized support and training to staff

Improve the capacity of classified staff to effectively use technology to fulfill their duties

• Provide training on the use of technology hardware and software

• Provide up to date hardware and software to remove the barrier of frustration with poor performing equipment

Technology Professional Development Assessment

USD 388 uses a locally developed survey to evaluate future needs for professional development. Professional development planning for the upcoming years must include discussion of the need to address all areas, excluding basic equipment operation skills.  The goal must be to assist teachers to become more proficient at locating and using technology integration resources within their classrooms.  USD 388 currently is addressing some of these needs with staff inservices within the district as well as electronic resources developed in house.  Staff members are also encouraged to attend workshops, or other training opportunities, to improve their knowledge of technology integration.

  District Technology Infrastructure-Description

All buildings have high speed internet access with full wireless network coverage. The district utilizes a 1GB internet connection services both instructional facilities as well as the district office. All classroom teachers have their own laptop. Elementary instructors also receive an iPad for use in their classroom. Washington elementary has iPads for all K-6th students. Every classroom is equipment with a ceiling mounted projector.. The EHS/EJH building has labs of desktop computers in the web design and journalism classrooms. Every 7-12th grade student receives his/her own laptop for use throughout the school year.

  District Technology Infrastructure-Goal

District technology infrastructure, telecommunications, hardware, software, internet access, services and resources support the educational and administrative needs of the district.

• Continue replacement rotation of laptops, iPads, and desktops.

• Replace or upgrade existing servers(domain controller, database, etc.)

• Replace firewall appliance every 5 years or sooner

• Replace network switches and wifi access point on a 5 year rotation using eRate funding when available

• Replacement of peripherial devices when needed(projectors, document cameras, etc.)

• Continue use of content filtering, spam filtering, and antivirus solution

• Continue increasing the amount of available bandwidth as required by demand and allowed by budget

District Technology Infrastructure Assessment

USD388 technology infrastructure will be assessed by the Technology Director each spring.  The Director will analyze bandwidth usage, hardware usage, repair data, and budget concerns. The Director will use this info to develop a yearly plan for what equipment and services need to be replaced/upgraded.