Technology+Skills

A Theory of Information Technology Driven Change in Schools
1. The adoption of almost any new technology will create winners and losers within a school. 2. Losers may see a decline in status, income, and/or comfort. Winners may see the opposite. The decline or increase may not be large but may loom large in the minds of those experiencing the change. 3. If the potential big losers from a new technology can block adoption of the technology they probably will. 4. If the potential big winners from a new technology can force adoption of the technology they probably will. 5. Ideally a utilitarian approach, which compares the overall costs and benefits to all members of the community, will drive adoption decisions. 6. Organizational change is likely to occur much more easily if all members of the organization feel that benefits resulting from change will be equitably shared by all participants. 7. Organizational change is likely to occur in a top-down fashion (dictates) in organizations where change benefits flow inequitably to the few. 8. Determining overall costs and benefits of adopting any new technology can be extremely difficult if not impossible. 9. Therefore, there is great interest in gathering as much information as possible about new developments in technology use. 10. Information technology directors tend to be voracious gathers of information about both new information technology and the use of new technology in other schools. 11. Hearing from and visiting schools that are early adopters of a new technology are one major way that information is gathered. 12. However, it is often difficult to arrange such visits except through the people who are the advocates of the technology, and those speaking out about the new technology's impact are often advocates as well. 13. Therefore it is incumbent for IT directors to get to know each other quite well, both to facilitate the sharing of information, and to be able to filter information based upon knowledge of the source. 14. Those governing a school tend to be very attuned to developments in competing schools. There is often a desire not to get too out-of-sync with technology use in these reference group schools. 15. Schools may attempt to gain a competitive advantage by jumping ahead of competitors with their use of technology. This may lead to other schools in the reference group matching the technology investment (and trying to learn from the pioneer's mistakes) or it may lead to competing schools denigrating and downplaying the new technology use. ("We do things the tried and true traditional way.") 16. Adoption of information technology is likely to go much more rapidly if it is presented as building on an existing strength rather than fixing an existing weakness. http://schoolcomputing.wikia.com/wiki/Education_IT_and_Change

//“To be effective, technology certification for educators needs to be part of formal education policy and a required element of school and teacher evaluations. . . . Educators need a system of technology training and certification.”// Council on Basic Education, 1998.

If you //have// please complete the following:
 * Technology Skills Assessment**
 * 1.** I //have | do not have// a computer at home.

I use that computer 3 often 2 once in awhile 1 hardly ever 0 never _____ My home computer is/are ___ IBM (clone) ___ Mac ___ Apple ___ Other: ________ The model: __________________________________________ The operating system is Windows (__) DOS (__) Mac (__) Other: ________________ If you //have// please complete the following: I use that computer 3 often, 2 once in awhile, 1 hardly ever, 0 never _____ My home computer is/are ___ IBM (clone) ___ Mac ___ Apple ___ Other: ________ The model: __________________________________________ The operating system is Windows (__) DOS (__) Mac (__) Other: ________________ formal courses personal informal study valued colleagues) other: Comment or explanation: ___________________________________ 5. I would | would not be interested in serving on a building-level technology selection committee. 7. I would | would not be interested in presenting or co-presenting technology workshops for my grade level, building, department. Circle/check all that apply. ___ Computers/computers in the classroom ___ Using video/CD in the classroom ___ Using interactive video in the classroom ___ Using e-mail, the WWW, the Internet ___ Building thinking skills through technology ___ Using "office" applications ___ Using desktop publishing ___ HyperCard, HyperStudio, Link Way ___ Software/hardware exhibitions ___ Community technology fair ___ Other:
 * 2.** I have | do not have access to a computer at school.
 * 3.** I learned everything that I know about technology //(circle all that apply)// from:
 * 4.** I would would not be interested in serving on an technology selection committee.
 * 6.** I would would not be interested in presenting or co-presenting technology workshops,

Technology //[|Skills]// | [|//Interests// | //Needs//] Assessment Respond with //3 high//, //2 medium//, //1 low//, and //0 no// in the blank to the left of the statement.
 * I. Personal skills or proficiency levels**

___ **1** Create a document on a word processor ___ **2** Print a word processor document ___ **3** Search a database for specific information ___ **4** Print selected information from a database ___ **5** Create a database ___ **7** Merge form letter with database ___ **8** Create a spreadsheet ___ **9** Write a formula in a spreadsheet ___ **10** Create newsletter with desktop publishing ___ **11** Use graphics software to create pictures ___ **12** Use a scanner to import graphics, photos and/or text ___ **13** Import clipart into text or desktop publishing ___ **14** Modify ready-to-use clipart ___ **15** Troubleshoot malfunctioning computer ___ **16** Troubleshoot malfunctioning printer ___ **17** Format a floppy disk ___ **18** Copy a file ___ **19** Delete files ___ **20** Install a program on a fixed (hard) disk ___ **21** Access information on a CD-ROM ___ **22** Run software from a CD-ROM ___ **23** Identify quality instructional software ___ **24** Run/view a video tape on a VCR or DVD ___ **25** Manually tape a TV program off air/cable ___ **26** Video tape off air/cable using timer ___ **27** Use a camcorder to tape an event ___ **28** Edit a single video tape ___ **29** Edit multiple tapes into a new product ___ **30** Use interactive video in the classroom ___ **31** Create a Link Way or HyperCard HyperStudio presentation or stack ___ **32** Use images from camcorder or digital camera in computer applications ___ **33** Using "presention" software to create a lesson or lecture ___ **34** Use an electronic gradebook ___ **35** Use a computer-based portfolio assessment system ___ **36** Use a laser video disk to show information ___ **37** Use a computer to control a laser disk ___ **38** Access/send e-mail ___ **39** Attach application files to e-mail ___ **40** Browse the World Wide Web ___ **41** Find specific information on the WWW ___ **42** Create a page on the WWW ___ **43** Use Gopher/Archie/Veronica/WAIS etc.to search the Internet ___ **44** Upload/download files to/from the Internet
 * ____6** Use a formula in a database


 * II. Interest and Need Levels**

___ **45** My interest in learning more about technology in general. ___ **46** Before school ___ **47** After school ___ **48** Mon-Thurs Evenings (6:30 - 8:30 pm) ___ **49** Mon- Thurs Evenings (7:00 - 9:00 pm) ___ **50** Saturday Mornings (9:00 - 12:00 am) ___ **51** Saturday Afternoons (1:00 - 4:00 pm) ___ **52** Summer (mid-June) ___ **53** Summer (late June, early July) ___ **54** Summer (late July, early August) ___ **55** Summer (mid-late August) ___ **56** Summer Mornings -- 9:00 am-noon ___ **57** Summer Afternoons--1:00-4:00 pm ___ **58** Summer Evenings -- 6:30-8:30 pm ___ **59** Summer Evenings -- 7:00-9:00 pm

//The technology areas in which I have interest in learning are as follows://

___ **60** Create a document on a word processor ___ **61** Print a word processor document ___ **62** Search a database for specific information ___ **63** Print selected information from a database ___ **64** Create a database ___ **65** Use a formula in a database ___ **66** Merge form letter with database ___ **67** Create a spreadsheet ___ **68** Write a formula in a spreadsheet ___ **69** Create newsletter with desktop publishing ___ **70** Use graphics software to create pictures ___ **71** Use a scanner to import graphics, photos and/or text ___ **72** Import clipart into text or desktop publishing ___ **73** Modify ready-to-use clipart ___ **74** Troubleshoot malfunctioning computer ___ **75** Troubleshoot malfunctioning printer ___ **76** Format a floppy disk ___ **77** Copy a file ___ **78** Delete files ___ **79** Install a program on a fixed (hard) disk ___ **80** Access information on a CD-ROM ___ **81** ...run software from a CD-ROM ___ **82** Identify quality instructional software ___ **83** Run/view a video tape on a VCR ___ **84** Manually tape a TV program off air/cable ___ **85** Video tape off air/cable using timer ___ **86** Use a camcorder to tape an event ___ **87** Edit a single video tape ___ **88** Edit multiple tapes into a new product ___ **89** Use interactive video in the classroom ___ **90** Create a Link Way or HyperCard HyperStudio presentation or stack ___ **91** Use images from camcorder or digital camera in computer applications ___ **92** Using "presention" software to create a lesson or lecture ___ **93** Use an electronic gradebook ___ **94** Use a computer-based portfolio assessment system ___ **95** Use a laser video disk to show information ___ **96** Use a computer to control a laser disk ___ **97** Access/send e-mail ___ **98** Attach application files to e-mail ___ **99** Browse the World Wide Web ___ **100** Find specific information on the WWW ___ **101** Create a page on the WWW ___ **102** Use Gopher/Archie/Veronica/WAIS etc. to search the Internet ___ **103** Upload/download files to/from the Internet

_______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________
 * III. Comments, suggestions:** _____________________________________________