Jill Lyn Rooks

Spring 2015
Technology Assessment
Technology isnt as main stream as one would like to believe. When first contemplating
this assignment, I assumed the outcome would be similar to that if I had been the interviewee.
This was not so. Laura T. is a fourth-grade teacher. She is 34 years old and this is her third year
teaching. She is new to teaching as she came aboard the educator network as part of the TAPS
program. Her previous degree is in business.
The assessments used were The Loti Questionnaire (Attach. 1) and the School
Technology Needs Assessment (STNA) from the ServeCenter at the University of North Carolina
at Greensboro (Attach. 2). It was determined through these assessments and the evaluation
process that there is a need for professional learning on using and implementing the Google
Platform which the district has adopted, and also for efficiently using classroom technology. The
school needs to make the staff aware of the technology plan for the school so they can gear
instruction and planning accordingly.
Laura laughingly states that she knows nothing about technology. Her perception of
technology is that if it can fail, it will. She said, As long as it is easy to use,Ill use it but if not, I
wont and I dont. She was not familiar with the ITSE Standards, though did know there was a
set of standards out there. It goes along with, if its not assessed it is not a focus. She is not
aware of how technology is purchased, what technology is available, or how to even find out.
She said they tell us in faculty meetings that if we want something to let them know, but no
information on how is ever shared.
The tour of Lauras classroom to assess access is quite similar to my own. She has four
student computers and a teacher laptop. The classroom, as well as the entire school, is configured

Jill Lyn Rooks

Spring 2015
for wireless. Each room has a Promenthean Board, an Elmo image projector, and there is also a
grade level laptop cart that can be checked out. There are 14 teachers and only one cart.
Laura states that students use technology at least 2-3 times a week. She feels the technology
usage is not as intense or beneficial as it could be if there was more resources to use. Having 4
student computers makes it difficult to rotate them through and make it effective. Checking out
the computer cart is more hassle than it is worth. The school system has adopted the Bring Your
Own Device (BYOD), however students arent consistent in bringing the devices and often dont
know how to use them or have needed apps. She uses centers to take Accelerated Reader tests,
do Moby Max, and sometimes type papers, but other than that, she says she seldom has students
do computer work. She is not using online learning.
Teachers use technology daily, some mainly because they have to in order to listen to
broadcast. Laura stated, I have so many restraints in the day in regards to schedule, subjects,
and technology availability, that I feel like the students when I try to do something new. Give me
a work day to use the technology and be familiar with it if you want me to use it. She also
commented that emails stress her out due to the sheer number she receives and is expected to
keep up with and respond to. The school in need of a technology coach who is accessible to
teachers everyday- not just on a here and there basis. Empowering teachers by using modeling,
observations, and feedback is essential for learning. (Knight, 2007).
Laura T. would be a willing participant in adopting technology, if there was going to be
consistency in it. Her time is precious and learning new technology and not using it is not going
to encourage her. In the next year, the plan is to work on making the Technology Plan more
prominent in the school and more easily accessible. Teachers cannot be active stakeholders if
they are unaware of the technology they currently have access to.

Jill Lyn Rooks

Spring 2015

References
Knight, J. (2007). Instructional Coaching: a partnership approach to improving instruction.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Corbin Press

ServeCenter (2015). School technology Needs Assessment (STNA). The University of North
Carolina at Greensboro. Retrieved from http://www.serve.org/stna.aspx

Attachment 1
Loti Questionnaire
1. What grade do you teach?
___ Kindergarten
___ First
___ Second
___ Third
_x_ Fourth
___ Fifth
___other
2. How often do you think students at your school use technology?
___ Never
_x_ At least 2-3 times a week
___ Daily
3. How often do you think teachers at your school use technology?
___ Never
___ At least 2-3 times a week
_x_ Daily
4. What best describes your current practice of using technology in instruction?
___ I never use technology during instruction.
_x_ I use the whiteboard, PowerPoint, Microsoft Word during lessons.
___ I use it to facilitate learning and allow students to bring their own devices.

Jill Lyn Rooks

Spring 2015
5. How often do you use online learning in your class?
_x_ Never
___ At least 2-3 times a week
___ Daily
6. Which statement describes your level of technology skills?
___ I do not use technology.
_x_ I use it occasionally as communication tool.
___ I consider myself about average.
___ I am knowledgeable about various forms of technology.
7. I understand the ISTE Standards and make sure my students are aware of them.
__x_no
___ somewhat
___ always
8. Do the technology resources in your classroom meet your needs?
___no
_x_ sometimes
___ always
9. Do the technology resources at your school meet your needs?
___no
_x_ sometimes
___ always
10. Do you know how technology resources are purchased for your school?
_x_ no
___ sometimes
___ always
11.What access do students have to technology during the school day?
______None
______Limited to computer lab
_x____Limited number of shared devices
______Unlimited
12.How often do students use technology as a research and/or learning tool for higher-order
thinking?
______Frequently
__x___Sometimes
______Never
13.How often do students use technology to develop a novel solution to an authentic real world
problem?l
______Frequently

Jill Lyn Rooks

Spring 2015
______Sometimes
___x__Never
14. How often do students use technology to collaborate with peers and/or mentors beyond the
classroom?
______Frequently
____x_Sometimes
______Never