PSC Standard 1 - Visionary Leadership
Candidates demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to inspire and lead the development and implementation of a shared vision for the effective use of technology to promote excellence and support transformational change throughout the organization.
1.2 Strategic Planning
Candidates facilitate the design, development, implementation, communication, and evaluation of technology-infused strategic plans.
Candidates facilitate the design, development, implementation, communication, and evaluation of technology-infused strategic plans.
1.2 artifact.pdf | |
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Reflection
The Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) Analysis was completed to determine the current condition of technology integration in our school. In completing the SWOT Analysis, we were charged with examining the strengths and weaknesses of our school in terms of ISTE’s Eight Essential Conditions (ISTE, 2012). The SWOT Analysis is a reflective and systematic analysis of technological needs involving data collection for providing recommendations and planning for improvement (Creighton, 2003, p. 39).
Standard 1.2, Strategic Planning establishes the expectations for design, development, implementation, communication, and evaluation of technology-infused strategic plans. This artifact demonstrates my ability to assess the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats related to instructional technology in order to develop and implement a strategic plan for improvement. Scaffolded and reflective steps for improvement are outlined in the artifact for each of the eight ISTE Essential Conditions (ISTE, 2012). The information outlined in this analysis was utilized to help craft the Water Creek Elementary strategic plan. One of the first steps in designing and developing a plan is to determine the desired outcome, but the next, and most important step is (as Jim Collins says) “getting the right people on the bus.” In order for a school level technology plan to be effective, a balanced group of stakeholders need active involvement (not just administration). To implement the plan, ongoing professional learning has been planned. It is critical that these trainings provide support, follow-up, and feedback to the staff. The results of the SWOT analysis is being used to improve the ISTE Essential Conditions that are weak in our school in order to ensure full implementation of the technology plan. The technology committee is working to communicate the plan to all stakeholders. The plan is discussed in staff meetings, at PTSA meetings, and advisory council meetings. The plan is included on the school website and parents are invited to download the plan and ask questions about its implementation and impact on student learning. As the technology goals in the plan are achieved, these accomplishments should be celebrated in the school and shared with the school community through the website and other social media outlets. Several metrics were created to evaluate the school technology plan. Data collection has already begun in an effort to determine how effective the plan is in achieving the goals and vision for technology at Water Creek Elementary school.
Completing this SWOT Analysis was a meaningful learning experience. From this experience, I learned how to objectively analyze the technology needs using the SWOT matrix (Creighton, 2003, p. 32). This allowed me the opportunity to assess and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses at my school and determine ways to address the perceived weaknesses. Determining the current state of affairs and evaluating the technology vision allowed me to construct a meaningful plan for improvement. If I could further enhance this artifact, I would combine a synthesis of the results with relevant research to convey this information and related implications with others.
Technology analyses, like a SWOT Analysis, are important for informing steps of strategic planning. This analysis generated meaningful information about the current realities related to technology access, planning, and implementation at Water Creek Elementary. This information was used to during the development of the school strategic plan. Through conducting this analysis, we were able to determine areas of strength, and areas in which technology usage needs improvement. This information helped us determine ways in which funding would be allocated to support technology-related professional development designed to help teachers effectively engage students. In addition, this task ignited discussions among colleagues about how to use these technology related resources to enhance student learning. The ideas resulting from this process were also included in the school strategic plan.
References
Creighton, T. (2003). The principal as technology leader. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Press, Inc.
ISTE (2012). Essential conditions: Necessary conditions to effectively leverage technology for learning. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/standards-for-students/nets-for-students-essential-conditions.
The Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) Analysis was completed to determine the current condition of technology integration in our school. In completing the SWOT Analysis, we were charged with examining the strengths and weaknesses of our school in terms of ISTE’s Eight Essential Conditions (ISTE, 2012). The SWOT Analysis is a reflective and systematic analysis of technological needs involving data collection for providing recommendations and planning for improvement (Creighton, 2003, p. 39).
Standard 1.2, Strategic Planning establishes the expectations for design, development, implementation, communication, and evaluation of technology-infused strategic plans. This artifact demonstrates my ability to assess the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats related to instructional technology in order to develop and implement a strategic plan for improvement. Scaffolded and reflective steps for improvement are outlined in the artifact for each of the eight ISTE Essential Conditions (ISTE, 2012). The information outlined in this analysis was utilized to help craft the Water Creek Elementary strategic plan. One of the first steps in designing and developing a plan is to determine the desired outcome, but the next, and most important step is (as Jim Collins says) “getting the right people on the bus.” In order for a school level technology plan to be effective, a balanced group of stakeholders need active involvement (not just administration). To implement the plan, ongoing professional learning has been planned. It is critical that these trainings provide support, follow-up, and feedback to the staff. The results of the SWOT analysis is being used to improve the ISTE Essential Conditions that are weak in our school in order to ensure full implementation of the technology plan. The technology committee is working to communicate the plan to all stakeholders. The plan is discussed in staff meetings, at PTSA meetings, and advisory council meetings. The plan is included on the school website and parents are invited to download the plan and ask questions about its implementation and impact on student learning. As the technology goals in the plan are achieved, these accomplishments should be celebrated in the school and shared with the school community through the website and other social media outlets. Several metrics were created to evaluate the school technology plan. Data collection has already begun in an effort to determine how effective the plan is in achieving the goals and vision for technology at Water Creek Elementary school.
Completing this SWOT Analysis was a meaningful learning experience. From this experience, I learned how to objectively analyze the technology needs using the SWOT matrix (Creighton, 2003, p. 32). This allowed me the opportunity to assess and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses at my school and determine ways to address the perceived weaknesses. Determining the current state of affairs and evaluating the technology vision allowed me to construct a meaningful plan for improvement. If I could further enhance this artifact, I would combine a synthesis of the results with relevant research to convey this information and related implications with others.
Technology analyses, like a SWOT Analysis, are important for informing steps of strategic planning. This analysis generated meaningful information about the current realities related to technology access, planning, and implementation at Water Creek Elementary. This information was used to during the development of the school strategic plan. Through conducting this analysis, we were able to determine areas of strength, and areas in which technology usage needs improvement. This information helped us determine ways in which funding would be allocated to support technology-related professional development designed to help teachers effectively engage students. In addition, this task ignited discussions among colleagues about how to use these technology related resources to enhance student learning. The ideas resulting from this process were also included in the school strategic plan.
References
Creighton, T. (2003). The principal as technology leader. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Press, Inc.
ISTE (2012). Essential conditions: Necessary conditions to effectively leverage technology for learning. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/standards-for-students/nets-for-students-essential-conditions.