1.2 Strategic Planning
Candidates facilitate the design, development, implementation, communication, and evaluation of technology-infused strategic plans. (PSC 1.2/ISTE 1b)
Artifact: Current reality SWOT Analysis
Reflection:
This artifact was created in the course ITEC7410, Instructional Technology Leadership. The assignment was a part of a larger-scale technology plan for my school. The purpose of this particular assignment was to examine the current realities of my school’s technology use by reviewing the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (S.W.O.T). This analysis focused on the essential conditions set forth by the International Society for Technology Education. The essential conditions considered when analyzing data and developing the artifact include student centered learning, shared vision, planning for technology, equitable access, skilled personnel, professional development, technical support, and curriculum framework. To create this artifact, I examined each essential condition and collected data relating to my school. After analyzing the data, I determined relevant strengths and weakness and made recommendations to strengthen each essential condition. This was done to ultimately improve and implement the proper use of technology within my school.
The artifact demonstrates mastery of Standard 1.2, the Strategic Planning Standard. The creation of this artifact required the facilitation of design, development, communication, and evaluation of a technology-infused strategic plan. It demonstrates my ability to assess my school’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats relating to technology in the school. The analysis helped guide and set the foundation for a strategic plan to increase technology use at my school. It facilitated the design and development for an organized and sequential strategic plan to lead to a desired outcome. Embedded within the design of the plan is the inclusion of multiple stakeholders. Staff, students, parents, and the community were considered to balance the perspectives and conclusion. After the plan was designed, implementation was planned. Professional learning opportunities were suggested to provide support to staff members to increase levels of student engagement. The SWOT analysis determined largely that while technology access was increasing at the school, technology was not necessarily consistently used to strengthen higher-order-thinking and learning. The shift needed to be made from teachers guiding and facilitating learning to student driven learning utilizing available resources. It was determined that training for professional development be implemented, and that the training provide support, follow-up, and clarity.
The communication of this plan was delivered to staff members when an action plan was created as a part of the overall technology plan. The plan was communicated to stakeholders to ensure all necessary parties were reached. The school’s strategic plan was analyzed and changed the following school year. It was analyzed and edited to include technology related professional development to ultimately increase student achievement. This was derived with the school Strategic Planning Committee. Since staff members would be directly affected by the plan, they gained a solid understanding of its contents. It was additionally shared with relevant stakeholders by being accessible on the school’s website. The School Strategic Plan (SSP) was created with a goal to ultimately increase teacher competency and student achievement. Sharing this plan with staff members, parents, and community members allowed for multiple parties to understand the focus for the school and increase an awareness of the steps that were being taken towards strengthening the educational environment. Once professional development could occur to encourage proper technology integration in the classroom, the plan would be able to be evaluated. Data retrieved from the student performance on statewide testing would determine the effectiveness of the plan in achieving the goals and vision for technology within the school. Also, the information gained from the SWOT Analysis could be used for an overall School Strategic Plan, which directly impacts school improvement. If teachers are using the SWOT Analysis to improve their technology practices, then student learning will also be positively impacted in return. To assess this impact, school performance indicators can be analyzed.
I most definitely learned a great deal of information by completing the S.W.O.T Analysis for technology use at my school. In order to lead the development and implementation of a shared vision, I had to work collaboratively with stakeholders at the school to create a technology infused strategic that ultimately focused on student achievement and staff enrichment. I learned that a technology leader must be able to develop and implement a shared vision and analyze current realities to successfully create an action plan to facilitate school improvement. Leaders must possess the skills necessary to research effective procedures, programs, and funding opportunities implement the shared vision in the technology plan. Furthermore, a leader should possess the skills to make recommendation to help the school achieve outlined goals. In my personal experience with designing and developing a technology-infused strategic plan, I learned that it leads to a vision. A vision sets the pathway for success, but a strategic plan gives the specifics that a vision lacks to reach goals. One aspect that I would likely change in this artifact is a formalized form of communication to gather information for the S.W.O.T Analysis. I was able to summarize what a variety of stakeholders believed to be true within the school based off of multiple informal conversations. Formalized sessions to share opinions and beliefs that have been able to give me a more specific perspective and quantitative data that I was unable to utilize for parts of the analysis.
This artifact was created in the course ITEC7410, Instructional Technology Leadership. The assignment was a part of a larger-scale technology plan for my school. The purpose of this particular assignment was to examine the current realities of my school’s technology use by reviewing the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (S.W.O.T). This analysis focused on the essential conditions set forth by the International Society for Technology Education. The essential conditions considered when analyzing data and developing the artifact include student centered learning, shared vision, planning for technology, equitable access, skilled personnel, professional development, technical support, and curriculum framework. To create this artifact, I examined each essential condition and collected data relating to my school. After analyzing the data, I determined relevant strengths and weakness and made recommendations to strengthen each essential condition. This was done to ultimately improve and implement the proper use of technology within my school.
The artifact demonstrates mastery of Standard 1.2, the Strategic Planning Standard. The creation of this artifact required the facilitation of design, development, communication, and evaluation of a technology-infused strategic plan. It demonstrates my ability to assess my school’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats relating to technology in the school. The analysis helped guide and set the foundation for a strategic plan to increase technology use at my school. It facilitated the design and development for an organized and sequential strategic plan to lead to a desired outcome. Embedded within the design of the plan is the inclusion of multiple stakeholders. Staff, students, parents, and the community were considered to balance the perspectives and conclusion. After the plan was designed, implementation was planned. Professional learning opportunities were suggested to provide support to staff members to increase levels of student engagement. The SWOT analysis determined largely that while technology access was increasing at the school, technology was not necessarily consistently used to strengthen higher-order-thinking and learning. The shift needed to be made from teachers guiding and facilitating learning to student driven learning utilizing available resources. It was determined that training for professional development be implemented, and that the training provide support, follow-up, and clarity.
The communication of this plan was delivered to staff members when an action plan was created as a part of the overall technology plan. The plan was communicated to stakeholders to ensure all necessary parties were reached. The school’s strategic plan was analyzed and changed the following school year. It was analyzed and edited to include technology related professional development to ultimately increase student achievement. This was derived with the school Strategic Planning Committee. Since staff members would be directly affected by the plan, they gained a solid understanding of its contents. It was additionally shared with relevant stakeholders by being accessible on the school’s website. The School Strategic Plan (SSP) was created with a goal to ultimately increase teacher competency and student achievement. Sharing this plan with staff members, parents, and community members allowed for multiple parties to understand the focus for the school and increase an awareness of the steps that were being taken towards strengthening the educational environment. Once professional development could occur to encourage proper technology integration in the classroom, the plan would be able to be evaluated. Data retrieved from the student performance on statewide testing would determine the effectiveness of the plan in achieving the goals and vision for technology within the school. Also, the information gained from the SWOT Analysis could be used for an overall School Strategic Plan, which directly impacts school improvement. If teachers are using the SWOT Analysis to improve their technology practices, then student learning will also be positively impacted in return. To assess this impact, school performance indicators can be analyzed.
I most definitely learned a great deal of information by completing the S.W.O.T Analysis for technology use at my school. In order to lead the development and implementation of a shared vision, I had to work collaboratively with stakeholders at the school to create a technology infused strategic that ultimately focused on student achievement and staff enrichment. I learned that a technology leader must be able to develop and implement a shared vision and analyze current realities to successfully create an action plan to facilitate school improvement. Leaders must possess the skills necessary to research effective procedures, programs, and funding opportunities implement the shared vision in the technology plan. Furthermore, a leader should possess the skills to make recommendation to help the school achieve outlined goals. In my personal experience with designing and developing a technology-infused strategic plan, I learned that it leads to a vision. A vision sets the pathway for success, but a strategic plan gives the specifics that a vision lacks to reach goals. One aspect that I would likely change in this artifact is a formalized form of communication to gather information for the S.W.O.T Analysis. I was able to summarize what a variety of stakeholders believed to be true within the school based off of multiple informal conversations. Formalized sessions to share opinions and beliefs that have been able to give me a more specific perspective and quantitative data that I was unable to utilize for parts of the analysis.