Laura Houston - Technology Administrator Center Analysis

8/2/2019 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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