Technology Maturity Evaluation Nathan De Groot

State Christian School is a small private school that teaches students from three years old all the way through high school. The elementary and high school campuses are spread out. The high school was recently built, and much of the budget is focused on paying off debt. Due to tuition costs, enrollment varies depending on economic growth within the community. Currently, enrollment is increasing at a good pace, allowing the administration to take a closer look at budget costs.

Administrative Filter
Policy Behavioral: Islands Resource/Infrastructure: Islands Our school has a small section on computer usage and what is acceptable in the student handbook. However, this does not drive technology use within the school. While there havent been any problems regarding a policy, it would be difficult to pinpoint how the policy is broken if a problem does arise. Planning Behavioral: Islands Resource/Infrastructure: Islands The administration has a plan to upgrade certain aspects of technology in the future, but it is limited to certain areas of the school. The integration of technology with the curriculum from what I understand is not a key factor in planning. Budget Behavioral: Emergent Resource/Infrastructure: Emergent Since the school has just built a new high school building, the budget is focused on paying off debt and other aspects such as sports facilities. Because of the plan for this building, technology does not have a high budget. Much of the new technology received is through donations. Administrative Information Behavioral: Islands Resource/Infrastructure: Islands The school uses Edline as a source of communication and administration throughout the school. However, the use of this resource varies by teacher. All teachers are required to use it for grades, but many features are not utilized. Students and teachers also have access to this, but it is under-utilized at home as well.

Curricular Filter
Electronic Information Behavioral: Integrated Resource/Infrastructure: Islands

Much of the communication comes through electronic communication resources. Many families are dependent upon information given electronically rather than through paper. However, the resources do not offer too much versatility and accessibility to information. Assessment Behavioral: Emergent Resource/Infrastructure: Emergent Most of the assessment is done through resources that come with the curriculum. Rarely are electronic tools available for assessment. When electronic assessment is conducted, it does not carry much weight to guide further instruction. Curriculum Integration Behavioral: Emergent Resource/Infrastructure: Emergent Most of the curriculum is independent of technology mainly because it is not readily available. There are times when technology is used in a subject area, but it focuses more on remedial learning rather than increasing the level of thinking within the content area. Teacher Use Behavioral: Emergent Resource/Infrastructure: Emergent Technology is often used for material generation, such as worksheets or other learning activities. I believe that if there were more technology available, teachers would use it more effectively. Student Use Behavioral: Emergent Resource/Infrastructure: Islands During school hours, technology is used to practice learned concepts through games and activities. In the elementary level, students rarely use computers to develop technology skills or high level thinking skills. Many students have access to a computer and internet at home, but it is not a highly used resource.

Support Filter
Stakeholder Involvement Behavioral: Emergent Resource/Infrastructure: Emergent The groups who plan and implement technology and procedures are not well-known or visible by most faculty. It seems that there are few people who are involved in this process, where if more faculty members were involved, the technology program would improve. Administrative Support Behavioral: Islands

Resource/Infrastructure: Islands The technology plan is not at the forefront of administration, but it is addressed. When new technology is implemented, there is usually little support and time to help this be implemented properly. Training Behavioral: Emergent Resource/Infrastructure: Emergent Since the two campuses are separated, there is little support, training, and activities available for the faculty at the elementary campus. When technology is brought in, many teachers would prefer not to use it because of fear of using it as a crutch or inefficiently. Technical/Infrastructure support Behavioral: Islands Resource/Infrastructure: Islands Many teachers and faculty members do ask for support, usually from fellow faculty members. There are several teachers who do have experience with technology and are available to assist those who dont.

Connectivity
Local Area Networking (LAN) Behavioral: Integrated Resource/Infrastructure: Integrated Throughout the school, both students and faculty have access to highspeed networking. The network allows for easy communication between faculty members and can be served for other needs as well. District Area Networking (WAN Behavioral: Emergent Resource/Infrastructure: Emergent We do not have any network connections with the district. Administration may have connection to services within the district, but it is not available to other faculty members. Internet Access Behavioral: Integrated Resource/Infrastructure: Integrated In most areas, internet is used frequently to help improve the curriculum. Teachers use resources from the internet within the classroom, and students use the internet for researching or other activities. Internet access is available throughout the campus, wherever computers are installed. Communication Systems Behavioral: Integrated Resource/Infrastructure: Integrated All staff is given a school e-mail address and is required to check it often. It is the most used form of communication between parents as well as

within the school system. Most of the school information if communicated through e-mail or other electronic means.

Innovation
New Technologies Behavioral: Islands Resource/Infrastructure: Emergent There are not many opportunities available for new technology to come -into the school, but when it is available, most teachers dont end up implementing it properly, even though they may be excited and interested in it. Many teachers use the technology in very limited ways. Comprehensive Technologies Behavioral: Emergent Resource/Infrastructure: Emergent Technology is very limited within the school. Many teachers use computers within the classrooms. Sometimes video is shown through a VCR. More advanced technology is not available.

Final Summary
My overall evaluation of State Christian School is that we are in the Islands stage. Technology is not an integrated part of the curriculum or throughout the school. There are a few teachers who are engaging new technology and trying to incorporate it but do not have the full resources to make it completely useful. The lack of budgeting for integrating technology and offering resources for learning limit how the school uses what technology is available.