Needs+Assessment


 * Needs Assessment **

The School District of Upper Dublin will create a Technology Planning Committee consisting of administrators, staff, students, parents, community members, local business and industry representation and technology department members from local colleges. The goal of the committee is to oversee and make decisions based on an action plan for bringing technology use to a higher-level in all areas of curriculum and for creating technology-rich learning environments that suit the learning that occurs in a 21st century classroom. The committee will function in a highly collaborative way in which all voices are heard and acknowledged. Decision-making will not be the sole enterprise of an individual, but a result of the collective agreement of what best meets identified objectives.

As Upper Dublin School District prepares the next generation of citizens, the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the school district, institutions of higher education, businesses, and the larger community of citizens need to work together to make certain that educators have the technology tools, skills, and strategies to respond to student needs and reflect the world in which we live. The goal of the committee is to identify learning objectives and determine how technology can best support them. Decisions regarding hardware and software purchases, data communications, and infrastructure are primary considerations, along with staff development. Acquisition, implementation, and training must be well planned and agreed upon in a collaborative manner. 21st century standards, assessments, curriculum, instruction, staff development, and learning environments must be aligned to produce a support system that generates 21st century outcomes for today’s students.

Classroom infrastructure needs to support 21st century learning and skills necessary to excel in the digital age. The district will continue to build on existing hardware and software technologies, including hardware (microcomputers, interactive whiteboards, etc.), educational software, and data communications. The goal of distribution is to ensure equitable access to learning resources across the district to support teaching and learning in the classroom. Furthermore, we hope to develop policies and procedures to facilitate the responsible use of digital resources by educators, students, parents, and community members.

The district will offer engaging training and staff development opportunities to improve professional practice, enable educators to model skills for lifelong learning, and exhibit leadership in their school and professional community. Staff development will promote and demonstrate the effective implementation of digital tools and resources. The goal is to provide teachers with just-in-time technology training and valuable professional development opportunities within the district to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments. Additionally, a technology management team will exist to troubleshoot hardware and software issues.

Furthermore, we will benefit from hiring professionals for instructional coaching positions at the building level. They will help to ensure that the technologies will be integrated seamlessly and effortlessly into the curriculum and daily practice of the teachers and students. To design a professional development plan and to inform the acquisition of resources, the committee must collect teacher input in the form of a needs assessment survey. This survey will gauge teachers’ use of technology, level of integration into their classes, and overall attitudes towards technology use.

District policies and procedures must be updated to reflect emerging technologies and increased access to the Internet and World Wide Web. Students will be able to bring their own equipment to school and access the Internet through a private sub-net. Additionally, mobile technologies will be integrated into schools to support the current curriculum.