Technology Assessments

The fact that we do assessments to figure out the technology leadership ability of our educators is a testament to its need. We have our teachers go through the STaR survey annually and they are given an opportunity to share their views of their proficiency, level of technology available to them on a continual basis, and the support that they receive on the campus and in their district. This type of information can be key to important decisions in the life of a campus. Without that data it is hard to know where we can go in order to increase the level of proficiency at the campus. It is important to making plans as to where we can go in the future to get the most return for our efforts.

We study the student's level of technology skills to ensure that they are meeting the stated goals for their grade and age in that subject matter. This is a way to realize how effective our training is and where we need to reteach the students. Our curriculum is important because that is the framework that we operate on in the school. Without that frame work the students may end up missing our on key areas of knowledge in their education.

With all things there are some pros and some cons. The pros of making this type of study in the first place is it shows the chinks in our armor. It also lets us know what we are doing right so that we continue doing what is positive and seek ways to build up the other areas in a positive manner. There is no program that is perfect, but we should as educators seek to get as close as possible to ensure that they get their money's worth from their education.

The cons on the other had are also in place. First of all assessment takes time. Whether that is just taking the survey, or administering it so that it is properly handled. It takes money to do surveys or report findings. Someone has to pay for the paper, computers, and the interpretation of the findings. Then again it may lead to more research with takes more time and effort.

There is no perfect solution. It will take time to do this type of activity. At the same time it is well worth the effort in the long run.