44 American School Board Journal/September 2007 Colin Anderson

Reprinted with permission from American School Board Journal, September 2007
© 2007 National School Boards Association. All rights reserved.
 ASBJ Technology Special Report

The Technology Facade In the scramble to stay ahead, school boards

need a checklist to sift through the IT clutter
Lawrence A. Tomei

very child in every classroom, every teacher in every school, and every per-

E
technology-based competencies, hardware
and software, and the ratio of students to
son in every community is affected by advances in instructional technology.
computers in both classrooms and computer
In a 2006 study by Project Tomorrow, 54 percent of students in grades seven labs. They include:
1. Are the computer labs in your school
through 12 were found to know more of their friends’ instant messaging screen used by classroom teachers or is the com-
names than their home phone numbers; 67 percent go online first to research a puter teacher the only educator who dis-
penses technology-related instruction?
topic; and 81 percent acknowledge that losing access to the Internet would affect This item uncovers the practical, daily appli-
their personal lives and their schoolwork. cations of technology within the school.
2. Are computer facilities locked or
Since the influx of technology began in the impact of instructional technology and are they available to teachers and stu-
earnest in the 1990s, computer labs, laptops, you have a friend for life (or at least a term of dents during recess, study halls, lunch,
handhelds, educational software, and the In- office). As a school board member and uni- and before and after school or when no
ternet have changed the way teachers teach versity administrator, I developed the Tech- classes are scheduled? School board mem-
and learners learn. However, we continue to nology Facade, defined as “the use of bers want to know whether computer facili-
find that technology is only as useful as the technology in a school without benefit of a ties are for show or provide a workplace
administrators who prepare their teachers, the necessary infrastructure to support its appli- suitable for teacher and student advance-
teachers who instruct our children, and school cation as a viable instructional strategy.” I ment in technology.
board directors who face the myriad of conse- also developed a checklist that applies to K- 3. Are your computers located in the li-
quences inherent in addressing the challenges 12 technology programs that became the brary, classrooms, or computer labs? Your
of making the best use of technology. We can basis for a book published in 2002. school receives one point if all your comput-
avoid it, support it, pay for it, or ignore it, but The checklist offers 20 items that board ers are in the library, another three points if
sooner or later we need to make decisions members can use to assess the strengths and they can also be found in the classroom (ei-
head-on. weaknesses of the district’s technology pro- ther desktops or wireless), and another three
Today’s school leaders must constantly gram. The survey can be quickly administered points if you have computer labs. All three
scramble to stay abreast of legal and opera- and can provide you with valuable insights venues are important to successfully integrate
tional concerns, as well as issues associated into your program and its effectiveness. technology.
with faculty, staff, and student training. Board Here’s a quick description of each item 4. Do classroom teachers use comput-
members should set district policies and de- and an explanation of why it is important to a ers for grades, lesson preparation, out-of-
termine how to allocate funds in advance of sound technology program. Consider each classroom assignments, and professional
deadlines. To perform that responsibility, we question, and then grade yourself by taking self-development? Many teachers are
need hard facts, practical guidelines, exe- the survey on the next page. forced into using technology by their princi-
cutable recommendations for change, sound pal, peers, or parents. This item examines
technical and financial advice, and valid crite- four uses that show the teachers’ commit-
USE OF TECHNOLOGY
ria for measuring the value of technology. ment to model and demonstrate proper tech-
Give a board member a tool for measuring These questions focus on computer facilities, nology use.

Reprinted with permission from American School Board Journal, September 2007 American School Board Journal/September 2007 45
© 2007 National School Boards Association. All rights reserved.
 5. Is the computer teacher expected to
have lesson plans with specific student
learning objectives related to technology
competencies? Detailed lesson plans, similar
to those expected of most traditional class-
room teachers, are often lacking in the com-
puter classroom. Without scope and
sequence, it is difficult to know when stu-
dents succeed. If you need help here, ask your
superintendent for advice.
6. Does the software found on comput-
ers reflect current classroom curriculum?
Or, is the computer software outdated and sel-
dom reflecting what students are doing?
The Technology Facade Checklist
ABOUT THE CHECKLIST
Complete each question by entering
the most appropriate response.
Transfer the points to your score (maxi-
mum 200 points) and rate yourself
according to the following formula:
A (Outstanding Program):
175 to 200 points
B (Satisfactory Program):
125 to 175 points
C (Modest Phase of the Technology
Facade): 100 to 125 points
D (Moderate Phase): 75 to 100 points
F (Severe Phase): Less than 75 points
USE OF TECHNOLOGY
Total available points: 55.
1. Are your school’s computers used
by classroom teachers or is the com-
puter teacher the only educator who
dispenses technology-related in-
struction? (Select one)
_ Computer teacher only (1 point)
_ A few teachers use technology but not
regularly (3 points)
_ A few teachers use technology
routinely (5 points)
_ Technology is routinely used by many
classroom teachers (7 points)
Your score: _____
46 American School Board Journal/September 2007
Again, board members should ask the build-
ing administrator to justify the points award-
ed to this question.
NECESSARY INFRASTRUCTURE
This section has the most application for
school board members. Items include teacher
training, preparation, and incentives; strategic
technology planning and funding; profession-
al staffing of technology facilities; and re-
placement policies for technology.
7. What is the extent of technology
training received by teachers? Many teach-
2. Are the computer facilities in your
school … (Select one)
_ Locked during unsupervised periods
such as recess, study halls, lunch,
and before and after school
(Zero points)
_ Available before and/or after school
(3 points)
_ Available when no classes are
scheduled (5 points)
_ Open during recess, study halls,
lunch, and before and after school
(7 points)
Your score: _____
3. Computers are located in our …
(All that apply)
_ Library (1 point)
_ Classrooms (3 points)
_ Computer lab (3 points)
Your score: _____
4. Do classroom teachers use tech-
nology for … (Rank each separately,
assigning 0 points for “Never”; 1 for
“Seldom”; 3 for “Occasionally”; and 5
for “Routinely”)
_ Grading
_ Lesson preparation
_ Out-of-class assignments
_ Professional development
Reprinted with permission from American School Board Journal, September 2007
© 2007 National School Boards Association. All rights reserved.
ers have received only initial training in tech-
nology. As board members, you can directly
impact this area of your program. Top dis-
tricts offer continuous, on-demand technolo-
gy training for teachers, staff, and
administrators.
8. Do teachers participate on the technol-
ogy committee and its subordinate teams? It
may seem hard to believe, but the staff mem-
bers responsible for delivering instruction
using technology often are the ones omitted
from this committee. Take a close look.
9. Who else participates on formal com-
mittees, teams, and boards pertaining to
Your score: _____
5. Is the computer teacher expected to
have lesson plans with specific student
learning objectives related to technolo-
gy competencies? (Select one)
_ Computer instruction is not based on
lesson plans (Zero points)
_ Lesson plans are not used. There are
general goals for instruction, but no
specific learning objectives (1 point)
_ Lesson plans contain generic
technological competencies and
learning objectives (3 points)
_ Detailed lesson plans reflect specific
technological competencies expected
(7 points)
Your score: _____
6. Does your software reflect current
classroom curriculum? (Select one)
_ Software is available, but selection
was not based on teacher input and
seldom reflects actual classroom
content (1 point)
_ Software was recently purchased but
is not readily available for teachers
and students (3 points)
_ Software selection was based on
teacher input (5 points)
_ Software is current, selection is based

the use and development of technology?
Schools seeking to eliminate the Technology
Facade include administrators, parents, alum-
ni, community leaders, and even students on
committees. Again, as board members, you
can require by policy that a wide constituency
is represented on school-based and district-
wide technology committees.
10. Does your school provide access to a
computer teacher, computer technician,
network administrator, and/or a technology
coordinator? Most schools place these re-
sponsibilities in the hands of a single individ-
ual—sometimes even a teacher with a
on teacher input, and it is routinely
used by teachers and students
(7 points)
Your score: _____
INFRASTRUCTURE
Total available points: 104.
7. What is the extent of technology
training received by teachers? (All
that apply)
_ Initial training over six months old
(Zero points)
_ Initial training only within the last six
months (1 point)
_ In-service training at least twice a
year (3 points)
_ At least two teachers per school are
encouraged to enroll in formal
instructional technology programs
(3 points)
_ Training classes available on demand,
scheduled with the technology
coordinator (5 points)
Your score: _____
8. Do teachers participate on the
technology committee and subordi-
nate teams? (All that apply)
_ Teachers are not full voting members
(Zero points)
Reprinted with permission from American School Board Journal, September 2007
© 2007 National School Boards Association. All rights reserved.
ASBJ Technology Special Report
A critical measure of success is whether
full-time or part-time load. Posi-
tions mean money, but short- technology is given equal weight with
changing a school by restricting
technology personnel is not wise.
11 Are your district’s tech-
nology funds provided by PTA magazine
drives, bake sales, and end-of-year fallout
monies? Or are they included in the gener-
al operating budget as a specific, recurring
line item? A critical measure of success is
whether technology is given equal weight
with other school programs or funded only
with leftover monies at the end of the academ-
ic year. The board has an impact here for sure.
_ Teachers are on the hardware/
software acquisition team (3 points)
_ Teachers are on the technology
budget preparation team (3 points)
_ Teachers are on the instructional
technology curriculum team (5 points)
_ Teachers are on the strategic
technology planning team (5 points)
Your score: _____
9. Do parents, community leaders,
alumni, and students participate on
the technology committee and its
subordinate teams? (All that apply)
_ They do not participate as voting
members (Zero points)
_ They are on the hardware/software
acquisition team (3 points)
_ They are on the technology budget
preparation team (3 points)
_ They are on the instructional
technology curriculum team (5 points)
_ They are on the strategic technology
planning team (5 points)
Your score: _____
10. Does your school provide direct
access to these technology profes-
sionals? (All that apply)
_ None are employed in our school
(Zero points)
_ Computer teacher (3 points for
American School Board Journal/September 2007 47
other school programs.
12. Do teachers who develop technolo-
gy-based instructional materials receive
compensatory time, monetary compensa-
tion, or other specific remuneration? Good
schools recognize excellence via newsletters,
bulletins, and school board reports. Board
members can recognize the innovators in
your schools with little or no cost.
13. Is there a technology plan for the
part-time; 7 points for full-time)
_ Technology coordinator
(full-time only)—(5 points)
_ Computer technician (1 point for
part-time; 3 points for full-time)
_ Network administrator
(full-time only)—(3 points)
Your score: _____
11. How is technology funded in your
school? (Select one)
_ Funded with year-end fallout money
(1 point)
_ Included in the operating budget
under a miscellaneous account
(3 points)
_ Included in the general operating
budget (5 points)
_ Is its own specific, recurring line item
(7 points)
Your score: _____
12. Does your school recognize
teachers who develop technology-
based instructional materials?
(Select one)
_ No remuneration or recognition
program (Zero points)
_ Excellence recognized in newsletters,
Continued on next page.
school and is it revised regularly? A viable
technology plan is critical to meeting the
school’s long-range goals. Insist on it. A five-
year-old plan needs your attention.
14. Does the school’s technology plan
contain the following: vision/mission state-
ment; demographics; procedures for pur-
chasing, maintenance, facilities, and
security; curriculum impact; a plan for the
use of technology for lifelong learning, spe-
cial-needs learners, and exceptional learn-
ers; and an evaluation plan? Many plans are
in “name only.” A viable plan includes most, if
not all, of the items mentioned in this question.
15. Are the majority of computers in the
school less than two years old and capable of
running today’s educational software pack-
bulletins, and school board reports
(1 point)
_ Formal awards program recognizes
teachers (5 points)
_ Teachers receive time off, monetary
compensation, or other specific
remuneration (7 points)
Your score: _____
13. Is there a technology plan for the
school? (Select one)
_ No plan exists (Zero points)
_ The district has a general plan but no
local building plan exists (1 point)
_ The school has an informal
technology strategy, but no formal
plan has been prepared (3 points)
_ Yes, but it needs to be revised or has
not been revised in the previous two
years (5 points)
_ Yes, and it is revised at least annually
(7 points)
Your score: _____
14. Does your school’s plan contain
the following? (All that apply)
_ No plan exists in our school
(Zero points)
_ Vision/mission statement (1 point)
48 American School Board Journal/September 2007
ages? Some schools declare their commitment
to technology while employing outdated sys-
tems. Run your next school board meeting in a
computer lab and find out for yourself.
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY
For school board members, this might be the
most difficult section of the checklist to mea-
sure. Don’t be snowed by the Technology Fa-
cade—look for proof.
16. For technology-based lessons, has
the school developed a “scope and se-
quence” to include technological compe-
tencies for all students, by grade and
subject area? “Scope and sequence” is a tool
used by educators to design a curriculum with
_ Demographic review of teachers,
students, and community (1 point)
_ Technology-related purchasing
procedures (1 point)
_ Periodic and on-call maintenance for
instructional technologies used in
classroom teaching (1 point)
_ Security plan regarding physical
threats, human threats, and Internet
threats to technology (1 point)
_ Formation and operation of a viable
committee with diverse membership
(2 points)
_ Impact of technology integration
on the curriculum (2 points)
_ Technology uses for lifelong learning,
special needs learners, and
exceptional learners (2 points)
_ A comprehensive facility plan for
installation and periodic upgrades
(2 points)
_ A formal plan for formal and informal
continuous evaluation (3 points)
Your score: _____
15. Rate the computers in your
school’s lab and classrooms.
(All that apply)
_ Most machines are less than three
Reprinted with permission from American School Board Journal, September 2007
© 2007 National School Boards Association. All rights reserved.
explicit learning objectives (scope) delivered
in a precise arrangement (sequence). As a
board member, ask to see the scope and se-
quence and let the curriculum director ex-
plain it so you understand it.
17. When using technology-based
lessons in the classroom, do teachers pre-
pare their own handouts, study guides, and
workbooks to guide the lesson presenta-
tion? An overreliance on off-the-shelf instruc-
tional materials is one indication that teachers
are not truly committed to learning how to use
instructional technology. They should design
some of their own materials to ensure instruc-
tion is addressing their students’ learning
styles. This saves money and ensures that
teachers are differentiating instruction.
years old (1 point)
_ Most machines are CD-ROM-capable
(1 point)
_ Most machines are connected to
printers (1 point)
_ Most machines are connected to the
Internet (2 points)
Your score: _____
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY
Total available points: 41
16. Has your school developed a
“scope and sequence” specifically
addressing student technology com-
petencies? (Select one)
_ None available (Zero points)
_ A scope and sequence available only
for graduating students (e.g., eighth-
graders and high school seniors)—(3
points)
_ A scope and sequence available for
selected grades (first, fourth, eighth,
10th, 12th)—(5 points)
_ Comprehensive scope and sequence
available for all students, by grade
and subject content area (7 points)
Your score: _____

18. Is there evidence of behavioral
learning objectives? A teacher’s lesson plan
should include specific learning objectives
(based on a preference for the behavioral,
cognitive, or humanistic teaching style) when
using technology-based resources. This may
seem technical, but ask your curriculum di-
rector to explain.
19. Are computer labs available for
scheduling without significant delays or
are they always filled with students who
are “required” to receive a certain amount
of lab time each week? The Technology Fa-
cade manifests itself all too often by comput-
er labs occupied by students who are there
only because “every student gets two hours of
computers every week” whether they are ad-
17. When using technology-based
lessons in the classroom, which re-
sources do teachers personally de-
velop and use for instruction?
(All that apply)
_ Text-based materials such as
handouts, study guides, and work
books to guide the lesson (5 points)
_ Visual-based resources such as
PowerPoint slides or overhead
transparencies to support
presentation (5 points)
_ Web-based course home pages for
student discovery and cooperative
learning (5 points)
Your score: _____
18. Lesson plans should include spe-
cific learning objectives when using
technology-based resources. Is there
evidence of learning objectives con-
sistent with accepted educational
psychology? (Select one)
_ Learning objectives are not identifi-
able in lesson plans (Zero points)
_ Learning objectives are used but for
technology-related lessons, it is
difficult to identify criteria for success-
ful student learning (1 point)
Reprinted with permission from American School Board Journal, September 2007
© 2007 National School Boards Association. All rights reserved.
ASBJ Technology Special Report
dressing technology competencies or not.
Can other teachers use the lab too?
20. Do students in the computer class-
room/laboratory describe their experience
as play time or preparation for self-learning
and future vocations? Students know when
their computer time is productive. Ask them.
HOW DO YOU FARE?
How will your district’s schools fare on the
Technology Facade test? The answers may
surprise you.
It is important to note that it is not appropri-
ate to compare the score of one school to an-
other within your district, and particularly not
to another school in another district. The cor-
_ Behavioral objectives are used. They
include components of behavior
(actions to be performed), condition
(instructional tools), and criteria
(assessment standards)—(7 points)
_ Cognitive objectives are used. They
include components of discovery
learning (student-centered growth),
constructivism (building of new
meaning), and reception learning
(structured learning)—(7 points)
_ Humanistic objectives are used. They
include components of
individualization (student-tailored
instruction), affective education
(values training), and intrinsic
learning (learning for its own
sake)—(7 points)
_ Behavioral, cognitive, and humanistic
learning objectives are used. Criteria
for success are readily identified—(7
points)
Your score: _____
19. Describe what typically happens
when teachers wish to use technolo-
gy resources to present a lesson.
(Select one)
_ Labs or technology resources are
American School Board Journal/September 2007 49
rect application of the checklist is to obtain a
particular school’s score early in the academic
year. Then, reapply the checklist toward the
end of the year and compare scores to see how
actions you have taken affected your score.
Hopefully, your scores will increase as
you and your fellow board members seek to
address all the elements that make up a sound
instructional technology program. ■
Lawrence A. Tomei (tomei@rmu.edu) is associate
vice president for academic affairs at Robert Morris
University and a school board member for
Pennsylvania’s Montour School District. He is the
author of The Technology Facade: Overcoming
Barriers to Effective Instructional Technology in
Schools (Allyn & Bacon Publishers, 2002).
often unavailable (Zero points)
_ The technology teacher or coordinator
must present the lesson (1 point)
_ Technology must be transported into
the classroom for the session
(3 points)
_ Labs or technology resources are
available for scheduling without
significant delays (5 points)
Your score: _____
20. How do students in grade 6 and
above describe their experience in
the computer classroom/laboratory?
(Select one)
_ Play time or game time (Zero points)
_ Unstructured, not sure of expected
learning outcomes (1 point)
_ Applicable to what they are covering
in class (5 points)
_ Appropriate for current classes and
important for required/anticipated
future skills (7 points)
Your score: _____
Adapted from The Technology Facade:
Overcoming Barriers to Effective Instructional
Technology in Schools by Lawrence Tomei, copy-
right © 2002 Allyn & Bacon, publishers.