4.1 Digital Equity
Candidates model and promote strategies for achieving equitable access to digital tools and resources and technology-related best practices for all students and teachers. (PSC 4.1/ISTE 5a)
Artifact: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) Analysis
Reflection
One of the things that is important for a technology coach is to do an analysis of the school’s digital tools and resources. I think the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis that was completed is an excellent tool to promote strategies for achieving equitable access to digital tools and resources. I had to work with the principal of the school to discuss the tools and resources already provided by the school and then discuss the technology based best practices for students and teachers for the school year. This artifact shows that I can assess a school’s technology tools and resources and determine if they are being used to their full capacity for all staff and students to promote school improvement.
I learned from this assignment that there was a lot of hidden gems in the school and various technology that could be used in the school. By having a conversation with the principal and in more real life situations, a technology forum, you are able to have a frank discussion about what technology is made available and the best ways they can be used throughout the school. This analysis allows a technology team to discuss the best ways that the staff and students can use the technology they have effectively.
If I was able to do anything differently, I would have worked with more than the principal. Since this was a project done over the summer, there was not an assigned technology coach assigned to the school yet and I was not able to meet with the previous coach to see how the technology was used. Also I did not have a chance to speak with the teachers regarding how they were or were not not using the technology. The SWOT analysis could be more useful regarding the equitable access if I was able to speak with the teacher regarding if they had equal access.
Creating the SWOT analysis was important to faculty development because it helps the school to look at the resources they have in the school already and determine if they are being used by the staff properly and effectively for staff and student development. This analysis also helps the administration determine if more tools are needed and how to best use them in the school. The analysis also helps schools see where they can add to student engagement and learning with these digital tools and resources and if there are more that can be added. Since there are not that many schools with technology on a 1:1 basis, research into the best practices is needed to see how you can use the technology to make it beneficial to all of the students. It can be assessed to see how much improvement students have with reading and math after using those resources that were discovered in the analysis.
One of the things that is important for a technology coach is to do an analysis of the school’s digital tools and resources. I think the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis that was completed is an excellent tool to promote strategies for achieving equitable access to digital tools and resources. I had to work with the principal of the school to discuss the tools and resources already provided by the school and then discuss the technology based best practices for students and teachers for the school year. This artifact shows that I can assess a school’s technology tools and resources and determine if they are being used to their full capacity for all staff and students to promote school improvement.
I learned from this assignment that there was a lot of hidden gems in the school and various technology that could be used in the school. By having a conversation with the principal and in more real life situations, a technology forum, you are able to have a frank discussion about what technology is made available and the best ways they can be used throughout the school. This analysis allows a technology team to discuss the best ways that the staff and students can use the technology they have effectively.
If I was able to do anything differently, I would have worked with more than the principal. Since this was a project done over the summer, there was not an assigned technology coach assigned to the school yet and I was not able to meet with the previous coach to see how the technology was used. Also I did not have a chance to speak with the teachers regarding how they were or were not not using the technology. The SWOT analysis could be more useful regarding the equitable access if I was able to speak with the teacher regarding if they had equal access.
Creating the SWOT analysis was important to faculty development because it helps the school to look at the resources they have in the school already and determine if they are being used by the staff properly and effectively for staff and student development. This analysis also helps the administration determine if more tools are needed and how to best use them in the school. The analysis also helps schools see where they can add to student engagement and learning with these digital tools and resources and if there are more that can be added. Since there are not that many schools with technology on a 1:1 basis, research into the best practices is needed to see how you can use the technology to make it beneficial to all of the students. It can be assessed to see how much improvement students have with reading and math after using those resources that were discovered in the analysis.