Technology Assessments

After completing SETDA survey it is obvious to me that I work for a great school district. The SETDA was asking questions about if your students have access to computers and the internet. Every student at my high school is provided with an Apple laptop. The computers have built in video cameras and every program that a student could possibly need. We also have wireless internet throughout our entire campus. To make that even better, every classroom has its own modem so the internet never gets slow no matter how many people are on it.

I have several technology strengths. I have these because I am relatively young, took a very useful college course, and have been provided with some very pertinent professional development. In college I was forced to take a class called Technology Education. I thought the class was a waste at the time, but it is the most useful education class that I ever took. The entire class was devoted to teaching things like using a smart board, an ELMO machine, and integrating technology into the classroom. I have also been blessed to work at a school district that strongly believes in technology. In the last year I been through at least seven days of professional development devoted entirely to using technology. Having been taught all of this I know how to do quite a bit. I can easily use Word, PowerPoint, Excel, iMovie, iPhoto, iTunes, and GarageBand. I use Spaces to navigate between programs that I way I can have multiple programs running without having the programs overlap each other. I do not have my students turn in assignments on paper unless it is a test. All other assignments are put into drop boxes. So far this year my students have created talking Word documents, filmed themselves demonstrating Newton’s three laws and posted movies to YouTube. My technology strength is that I can use most computer programs to an advanced degree and teach others how to use them also.

My technology weaknesses fall under the domains of Solving Problems and Communication. I believe that many of weaknesses are in these two domains because many of the questions asked I have never been asked to do and probably will never be asked to do. I also do not know how to create a webpage or manage a network.

The Technology Applications Inventory showed me that I know how to do more than I thought that I could. It also showed me that I have a good understanding of basic computer skills. The SETDA Teacher Survey showed me that I work for a great school. My school not only provides a large amount of educational technology, but also teaches us how to use it. My school has everything that the SETDA ask about.

The technology area where I need the most improvement is in creating documents that communicate all types of information. As a principal I will be asked to give presentations to all kinds of groups of people. It would be very useful to know how to easily create all types of documents that look professional and are still easily understood.

I do agree with the assessments. The SETDA shows that I work for a school that provides more than enough technology for our students, and that is completely true. The Technology Applications Inventory shows that I have a good foundation in technology.