Kelly DeWeese-Lewis

FRIT 7739
Technology Program Administrator
Part A: Program Evaluation
Executive Summary
The media center at Pierce County High School serves as both a literary and a technology
resource center by providing services to all students, faculty, and administration. The center is
home of the technology specialist; media specialist, who is also the technology coordinator, and
the half-day instructional technology coach. The media specialist offers informational lectures
and tutorials on technology implementation for both students and teachers on a needs-to basis.
Proper digital citizenship rules and regulations are enforced with emphasis on plagiarism and
copyright laws. This center proved to support its mission and goals which include providing both
literary and technology materials and services to support all stakeholders through my
observations and an interview with the media specialist. A beneficial improvement for this center
would be to hire a full-time instructional coach to remain in the center at all times. Another
suggestion for improvement would be to have a full-time media center clerk. The clerk is often
pulled for other duties, which leaves all circulation desk responsibilities on the media specialist.
Organizational Chart

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Methods
I used a variety of sources when to complete my evaluation report. The data I obtained was
supported by interview questions and answers from the media specialist (Appendix A), checklist
observations (total of 8 hours) of media/technology center (Appendix B), and the schools
website (Appendix C).
Center Context and Goals
The Pierce County High School Media Center has served as a book resource center for many
years but within the last three years it has evolved into a 21st century technology center. Students
still have the opportunity to check out books to use as reference material or pleasure reading, but
they can also utilize available technology as well. Mrs. Amy Nimmer, a 2nd year media specialist,
has worked diligently to transform this center into an absolute 21st century digital environment.
She believes that technology is a crucial component in preparing students to become productive
modern citizens. Her mission is to encourage students to reading, as well as educate them on how
to use the tools that are available to them. Her main duties include promoting literacy,
technology, digital citizenship, and copy right laws. She maintains the school website, monitors
all equipment, and updates resources through well researched purchases. The media center
houses 70 computers that can be used for research and creating project-based technology
assignments. Besides the media center, the school houses 5 computer labs, 4 classroom iPad
carts, 3 chromebooks, and 3 class laptop carts. Some of the carts are issued to different
departments, while a few are left in the media center for other teachers to check out. The staff
does a great job divvying up the resources and scheduling accordingly so that all teaches have
the opportunity to use them.
Additional personnel who staff the media center include a Media Clerk, Lori Marx, Technology
Specialist, Albert Stanford, and half-day Instructional Technology Coach, Ericka McIntosh. Lori
Marx handles duties such as checking out books and technology resources, which include iPads,
laptops, and chromebooks, as well as classroom equipment. Albert Stanford, the Technology
Specialist, manages hardware, software, wireless, and/or internet issues. Ericka McIntosh, the
half-day Instructional Technology Coach, offers assistance to students on researched-based
technology tools. She maintains the IT updates on the school website and helps teachers learn
how to implement technology for best practices. The media centers objective is to service all
stakeholders: teachers, students, and administration with updated technology and increase
literacy skills. The goals for the center include: 1) Providing technology services appropriate to
the curriculum of our school. 2) Providing materials and services that meet the informational
needs of our school. 3) Promoting literacy. And 4) Promoting safe and ethical technology use.
Center Activities
The Media enter provides several services and activities for teachers and students such as:
Teaching groups how to utilize reference materials
Teaching groups how to research information
Teaching groups about plagiarism and copyright laws

Teaching groups how to use the Online Public Access Catalog and GALILEO
Assisting students in exploring and creating in Makers Space
Demonstrating to groups various ways to use software and technology equipment
Monitoring and assisting online college courses offered to 11th and 12th graders
Teaching groups how to use Gmail and Google Apps for Education

The Media Center promotes the use of student email through Google and provides instruction on
the log in process as well as tutorials on Google Apps for Education with emphasis placed on
Google Classroom. Our school has adapted well to the implementation of Google Drive across
the board; therefore, our media center provides assistance and guidance for teachers as well as
students for these tools.
Our center has also incorporated Makers Space for students to explore and create using new
innovative technology. Students have the option to use tools such as 3D printer, Silhouette
printer, Makey Makey, LittleBits, and Rasberry Pi. These activities are available for students at
all time and are student-centered.
Evaluation
After reviewing the data collected, it is evident that the Media Center performs resourcefully as
the technology center for Pierce County High School. The media specialist along with the
supporting staff upholds the mission and goals of the media center. It is obvious that the
activities, information, lessons, and demonstrations that are provided by various staff members
support literacy and technology for all stakeholders. Updated technology and equipment is
available for student and staff usability. It is my opinion, that the most supporting evidence
provided is the schools media specialist. This is a new position for her, but she does an
outstanding job. A new position that was executed last school year was the half-day Instructional
Technology Coach. She works half a day as a classroom teacher, and the other half she serves as
the Instructional Technology Coach. My suggestion for this center would be that a full-time
position be created. Therefore, she is readily available to assist teachers and students during all
day opportunities. Another suggestion would be to retire using the media clerk to fill in for other
positions when needed. Although it does not seem like much, when she is pulled for coverage, it
leaves the media specialist with all duties of her own, as well as those at the circulation desk.
Therefore, it would be beneficial for her to only be pulled on an emergency-only basis.

Appendix A: Interview Questions

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Media Specialist/Technology Coordinator

Interview Questions
What is your job title?
What is your job description?
What are the job titles of the other personnel?
What are the job descriptions for those personnel?
What is the mission for this center?
What are the goals for this center?
What activities and/or programs does this center offer?
Who are considered stakeholders?
What technology equipment is available for student use?
What technology equipment is available for teachers?
What Web tools and Applications do you promote and offer?
What digital rules and procedures do you promote?
What other additional resources do you provide for students and faculty?
In your opinion, does the media center effectively serve as the technology center?

Appendix B: Observation Checklist

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Technology Resource Center

Checklist
Evidence of Literacy Promotion
Evidence of Digital Citizenship Promotion
Evidence of Copy Right Laws Promotion
Evidence of Technology Student Usage
Evidence of Equipment Monitoring and Usage
Evidence of Computer Lab Usage
Evidence of Website Monitoring and Production
Evidence of Technology Updating and Repairing
Evidence of Updated Resources

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Evidence of Instructional Technology Information for Teachers

Appendix C: School Website

http://pchs.pierce.k12.ga.us/

Appendix D: Additional Documentations

2014-15 Technology Plan

Pierce County High School Handbook
Media Center Handbook