SWOT Analysis Template for Technology Planning Needs Assessment

What is the current reality in our school?

Name: Amy Bailey

ITEC 7410, Semester: Spring 2015

ESSENTIAL CONDITION ONE: Effective Instructional Uses of Technology Embedded in Standards-Based,

Student-Centered Learning
ISTE Definition: Use of information and communication technology (ICT) to facilitate engaging approaches to learning.
Guiding Questions:
How is technology being used in our school? How frequently is it being used? By whom? For what purposes?
To what extent is student technology use targeted toward student achievement of the Georgia Learning Standards (GPSs,
QCCs)?
To what extent is student technology use aligned to research-based, best practices that are most likely to support student
engagement, deep understanding of content, and transfer of knowledge? Is day-to-day instruction aligned to research-based
best practices? (See Creighton Chapters 5, 7)
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Threats

Teachers currently use

email on a daily basis
Teachers access
Powerschool on a daily
basis for attendance,
grades, data etc.
Teachers have access to
and use daily,
SmartBoard,
ChromeBooks, Study
Island, Accelerated
Reader, Document
Cameras, Advanced
Response systems.
Teachers use
technology to assist in
differentiation.
Teachers are now
equipped with laptops

Students have very little

access to technology
throughout the day.
Technology is not being
utilized as much as it
should be through out
the day.

There are several

technology resources in
the school. (computer
lab, iPad lab,
Chromebooks,
SmartBoard, Library
computers)
New instructional tools
now come equipped
with technology
resources. (online
resources)

Teachers continue to
use technology as a
resource rather than a
tool for teaching and
increasing instruction.
Teachers are not fully
knowledgeable of
technology resources
available.

SWOT Analysis Template for Technology Planning Needs Assessment

What is the current reality in our school?
they can take home to
work/plan outside of
school.

Summary/Gap Analysis:
The teachers at Wilcox County Elementary School are beginning to see the benefits of technology use in the classroom and in
instruction. Teachers are taking advantage of the many benefits of technology and how it can be used to enhance instruction and
increase the learning skills of the students. Through technology tools, teachers are able to collect data on the students, which in turn
can help in developing authentic learning opportunities for students. Teachers are also able to create online lessons that students can
access outside of school.
Students are given opportunities for technology use at various times of the day. Technology is being used in alignment with the
standards being taught, but merely used as a resource to begin or end instruction. Teachers use technology as a resource at various
times without using it consistently throughout the day.
Data Sources:

ESSENTIAL CONDITION TWO: Shared Vision

ISTE Definition: Proactive leadership in developing a shared vision for educational technology among school personnel, students,
parents, and the community.
Guiding Questions:
Is there an official vision for technology use in the district/school? Is it aligned to research-best practices? Is it aligned to
state and national visions? Are teachers, administrators, parents, students, and other community members aware of the vision?
To what extent do teachers, administrators, parents, students, and other community members have a vision for how technology
can be used to enhance student learning? What do they believe about technology and what types of technology uses we should
encourage in the future? Are their visions similar or different? To what extent are their beliefs about these ideal, preferred
technology uses in the future aligned to research and best practice?
To what extent do educators view technology as critical for improving student achievement of the GPS/QCCs? To preparing
tomorrows workforce? For motivating digital-age learners?
What strategies have been deployed to date to create a research-based shared vision?

SWOT Analysis Template for Technology Planning Needs Assessment

What is the current reality in our school?

What needs to be done to achieve broad-scale adoption of a research-based vision for technology use that is likely to lead to
improved student achievement?
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Threats
Teachers,
Teachers are not fully
Technology grants have
Teachers struggle with
administrators, and
knowledgeable of the
assisted in and used for
staying knowledgeable
parents are in agreement
technology resources
technology purchases.
about the continuing
of the importance of
available.
growth of technology
Teachers are provided
technology use in the
trends and therefore
Teachers are not aware
professional
school and are aware of
take it out of their
of the technology
development
the growing need of
lessons or completely
standards and therefore
opportunities to inform
technology in the
omit them.
do not include them.
and teach them how to
school.
Many veteran teachers
use new technology
Technology leadership
Teachers understand the
resources
for
Reading
have different views on
is a very weak area in
need to increase
and Math instruction.
technology use and
which the school lacks
technology use within
changing the way they

Recruit
teachers
to
adequate technology
their classroom and
teach students.
leadership in order to
assist in creating a
their instruction.
Lack of proper funding
develop a technology
technology plan for
Teachers are willing and
plan.
teachers.
to support technology
open to try new ideas,
use.
Very few teachers are
suggestions, to increase
equipped with proper
technology use.
technology knowledge
to assist in creating a
school vision plan.

Summary/Gap Analysis:
The teachers at Wilcox County Elementary School agree in and understand the importance of technology use but due to lack of
knowledge and lack of funds, they choose to continue to use technology as an extra resource instead of as the main source of teaching
and instruction. Teachers are not provided a technology plan that would assist them in the proper use and direction for using
technology in the classroom. If teachers were provided a TP, more technology would be used as the main source of teaching rather
than an extra resource.
Without proper knowledge of technology standards, teachers fail to include the standards in their lessons. While teachers see the
importance of technology use, because of the lack of proper knowledge of technology use, they fail to use technology consistently. In

SWOT Analysis Template for Technology Planning Needs Assessment

What is the current reality in our school?
order to keep teachers informed of the growing trend of technology, a TP should be created by groups of teachers. The TP should be
created by teachers for teachers and provided to teachers so that they can learn the proper use of technology and how to use it to
enhance the learning of their students as well as provide authentic learning opportunities.
Data Sources:

ESSENTIAL CONDITION THREE: Planning for Technology

ISTE Definition: A systematic plan aligned with a shared vision for school effectiveness and student learning through the infusion of
ICT and digital learning resources.
Guiding Questions:
Is there an adequate plan to guide technology use in your school? (either at the district or school level? Integrated into SIP?)
What should be done to strengthen planning?
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Threats

The district currently

has a technology plan.
Teachers meet on a
weekly basis to discuss
student data and can
also discuss ways to
integrate technology.
Students are provided
with login information
that they can use to
access technology
sources and tools
outside of the school.
Teachers and
administrators have
access to a local hard
drive where they can

Teachers fail to use

technology as much as
needed.
Teachers only use
technology as an added
resource rather than
main source of teaching
and instruction.
Teachers tend to use the
minimum technology
such as SmartBoard and
document cameras and
tend to stay away from
other technology
resources available.

The leadership team

continues to work on a
improving the SIP in
order to integrate more
technology and to set
technology goals.
The school could create
a group of teachers to
research technology
tools and professional
development
opportunities to provide
in order to inform all
teachers of new
technology
opportunities.
Create a technology
plan that is given to

Teachers are not

provided and are
unaware of the
technology plan
currently at hand.
Teachers lack proper
knowledge of
technology tools
available and how to
use them for instruction.

SWOT Analysis Template for Technology Planning Needs Assessment

What is the current reality in our school?
upload lessons, ideas,
etc for all teachers to
access at anytime.

teachers instead of
being kept at the district
BOE.

Summary/Gap Analysis:
Due to the fact that the past SIPs did not include an adequate technology plan, teachers were not provided with the information needed
to properly integrate technology into instruction. Teachers are continuing to work on the SIP in order to meet the goals of integrating
technology and including a technology plan within the SIP. By including the technology plan within the SIP, team members can ensure
that technology goals are being set and properly provided to teachers.
Team members currently working on updating the SIP can use the district plan to refer to for goals, objectives, and ideas on how to
enhance the plan and how to incorporate and include the technology plan in with the SIP. Teachers should be given every opportunity
available to enhance their technology skills in order to enhance instruction as well as provide authentic learning opportunities.
Data Sources:

ESSENTIAL CONDITION FOUR: Equitable Access

ISTE Definition: Robust and reliable access to current and emerging technologies and digital resources.
Guiding Questions:
To what extent do students, teachers, administrators, and parents have access to computers and digital resources necessary to
support engaging, standards-based, student-centered learning?
To what extent is technology arrange/distributed to maximize access for engaging, standards-based, student-centered
learning?
What tools are needed and why?
Do students/parents/community need/have beyond school access to support the vision for learning?
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Threats
Students currently have
Many students and their
All classes have access
Many students and their
access to technology in
families have little to no
to the computer lab and
families have little to no
the classroom as well as
access to technology
iPad lab weekly or
access to technology
the computer lab, iPad
outside of the school.
biweekly.
outside of the school.
lab and media center.
Computer labs and iPad
Allow parents/families
All teachers do not

SWOT Analysis Template for Technology Planning Needs Assessment

What is the current reality in our school?

Through Power School

parents have access to
students grades outside
of the school.
Teachers have access to
many technology tools
such as SmartBoard,
Chromebooks,
document cameras,
advanced response
systems.
Desktops have been
updated and teachers
now have the ability to
work/plan outside of the
school on laptops.

labs are used for

CAMPE times and are
rarely available for any
other instruction time.
Limitations set on
Xerox printers keep
teachers from being
able to use them
properly and efficiently.

opportunities to borrow
technology resources to
use outside of the
school
Students can show
technology tools they
currently use to their
parents on a planned
technology night.
Parents and families can
take advantage of the
county library to access
technology tools.

share a common vision

on the importance of
technology use in the
classroom.
Adequate technology
professional
development restricts
teachers from being
able to properly
incorporate technology
into instruction.

Summary/Gap Analysis:
Technology use continues to grow within the school system, which allows students to have access to technology tools throughout the
day in various areas of the school. Teachers have been provided with laptops and docking stations so that they are able to work/plan
outside of the school in order to put more time and effort into creating lessons that incorporate technology. Each classroom in grades
3-5 are provided with ChromeBooks and charging stations that students have access to on a regular basis throughout the day.
The biggest challenge is that lack of technology use students and their families have outside of the school. Many teachers have created
lesson plans to incorporate Study Island which requests students to use at home for study and homework purposes. Due to lack of
technology resources for families, this can be a huge issue for students who fail to complete homework outside of the classroom.
Data Sources:

ESSENTIAL CONDITION FIVE: Skilled Personnel

SWOT Analysis Template for Technology Planning Needs Assessment

What is the current reality in our school?
ISTE Definition: Educators and support staff skilled in the use of ICT appropriate for their job responsibilities.
Guiding Questions:
To what extent are educators and support staff skilled in the use of technology appropriate for their job responsibilities?
What do they currently know and are able to do?
What are knowledge and skills do they need to acquire?
(Note: No need to discuss professional learning here. Discuss knowledge and skills. This is your needs assessment for professional
learning. The essential conditions focus on personnel, which includes administrators, staff, technology specialists, and teachers.
However, in this limited project, you may be wise to focus primarily or even solely on teachers; although you may choose to address
the proficiency of other educators/staff IF the need is critical. You must include an assessment of teacher proficiencies.
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Threats
Teachers have been
Teachers are unaware of
Teachers now have
Very few teachers have
provided with new
how to troubleshoot
access to a district-wide
proper knowledge of
laptops/docking stations
technology tools when
Weebly page where
technology tools
they are able to use to
they are not working
they can share
available and how to
work/plan outside of
properly.
technology resources.
use them to enhance
school.
instruction.
Teachers fail to use
Teachers are provided
All computers have

Not all teachers share

technology as a main
many webinars to assist
been updated with the
source of teaching and
with technology
the same vision on the
latest Microsoft
as a learning tool for
learning tools and how
importance of
software.
students consistently.
to properly implement
incorporating
them
in
the
classroom.
technology into lessons.
Teachers use
Few teachers are
Teachers are able to use
PowerSchool on a daily
involved in creating and
basis for inputting
implementing
Study Island as a
grades, completing
assessments using
teaching tool within the
attendance daily, as well
technology.
classroom as well as a
as use a data resource to
resource for students to
enhance lessons.
access outside of the
classroom for further
Teachers are provided
study and homework
adequate information to
needs.
properly use
ChromeBooks to
enhance learning for
students.

SWOT Analysis Template for Technology Planning Needs Assessment

What is the current reality in our school?

Teachers are able to

report technology issue
through an online forum
called helpdesk where
they create a ticket on
the current issue or
problem with their
technology tools.
Teachers are now
provided with how their
technology issue was
resolved and how they
might be able to
troubleshoot the issue
next time.

Summary/Gap Analysis:
Teachers understand the importance of technology use in the classroom and continue to show growth in using technology in the
classroom on a daily basis. Most of the teachers are knowledgeable on the basic software uses of the newly updated computers such as
Microsoft Office, SmartBoard, Chromebooks, Document Cameras, Email etc. As made aware of in the survey conducted, teachers are
aware of the importance of technology use for students but do not have proper instruction on how to use it for instruction. While most
of the teachers are eager to learn more about technology tools available, the teachers who show lack of eagerness or compliance
should continue to work on developing skills to increase technology use within the classroom. Through proper professional
development teachers can become more confident in technology use and how to use it authentically.
Data Sources:

ESSENTIAL CONDITION SIX: Ongoing Professional Learning

ISTE Definition: Technology-related professional learning plans and opportunities with dedicated time to practice and share ideas.

SWOT Analysis Template for Technology Planning Needs Assessment

What is the current reality in our school?
Guiding Questions:
What professional learning opportunities are available to educators? Are they well-attended? Why or why not?
Are the current professional learning opportunities matched to the knowledge and skills educators need to acquire? (see
Skilled Personnel)
Do professional learning opportunities reflect the national standards for professional learning (NSDC)?
Do educators have both formal and informal opportunities to learn?
Is technology-related professional learning integrated into all professional learning opportunities or isolated as a separate
topic?
How must professional learning improve/change in order to achieve the shared vision?
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Threats
In-service days are used
Not all PL are
Groups of teachers from
If PL is not required of
for Professional
mandatory.
each school could be
teachers, teachers see as
Development when
trained in technology
a waste of time and
Not all PL require
available or needed.
tools available.
choose not to attend.
teachers to attend.

Groups
of
teachers

After attending the PL

PL is not focused on
trained can then conduct
teachers often place
one area or one grade
PLs
to
other
teachers
to
information received to
level but rather over a
inform them of
the side and tend not to
large array of grade
technology
tools.
use it to enhance
levels and areas.
instruction.
Teachers trained can
All PL provided are

Not all teachers see the

then be used as mentors
presented by persons
for other teachers and
importance of changing
outside of the school
can assist and model
with the times and
district.
technology use in the
growing trend.
classroom.
Teachers do not have
enough time to
adequately prepare
lessons that include
technology tools.
Summary/Gap Analysis:
Professional Learning opportunities are provided on a needed basis and only when available. Due to the 4-day work -week, Mondays
can be and are used as Professional Learning days when needed. Most of the PLs provided do not focus on one grade level but rather
various grade levels and only focus on implementation of new materials. Teachers do not see the importance of attending the PLs
provided because they do not enhance the skills being learned or taught. Through more thorough research and surveys by teachers, the

SWOT Analysis Template for Technology Planning Needs Assessment

What is the current reality in our school?
school can find out what areas teachers need PLs the most and focus on provided quality PL opportunities that teachers will attend and
use the information learned to enhance learning skills. PLs provided and presented by teachers and staff in-house would encourage
more teachers to incorporate what they learn into their classroom.
Data Sources:

ESSENTIAL CONDITION SEVEN: Technical Support

ISTE Definition: Consistent and reliable assistance for maintaining, renewing, and using ICT and digital resources.
Guiding Questions:
To what extent is available equipment operable and reliable for instruction?
Is there tech assistance available for technical issues when they arise? How responsive is tech support? Are current down
time averages acceptable?
Is tech support knowledgeable? What training might they need?
In addition to break/fix issues, are support staff available to help with instructional issues when teachers try to use technology
in the classroom?
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Threats

The school as a whole is

updated with wireless
Internet capability.
All teachers have been
provided with new
laptops/docking stations
to use outside of the
school for planning.
Teachers have access to
Chromebooks with
charging stations to
keep in their classrooms
and to use on daily
basis.
Students have access to

Too much Internet use

at the same time can
slow technology use for
the school.
The school currently
has only one technology
teacher and is only
available when she is
not teaching.
Bad weather can affect
the wireless status.
Students in grades PK-2
are only provided with
2-3 students computers
in the classrooms.

Teachers are able to

report technology
issues/problems through
an online helpdesk by
creating a ticket.
Teachers can reserve a
time to have access to
the iPad lab when
needed.
Students in grades 3-5
have access to
ChromeBooks on a
daily basis.

Repair for technology

problems can take
longer than expected or
needed.
Students lack
knowledge of proper
use of technology tools
and tend to misuse
them.
Lack of technology
support staff.

SWOT Analysis Template for Technology Planning Needs Assessment

What is the current reality in our school?
the grant funded iPad
lab.
Summary/Gap Analysis:
Due to all of the current updates to the wireless connectivity and teacher laptops/docking stations, teachers and students have more
access to Internet as well as technology use in and outside of the school.
Unfortunately due to the lack of adequate technology support staff within the school, teachers often have to wait longer than expected
for technology repairs. The school should focus on developing opportunities for more Technology Staff to ensure that all needs are
being met and technology is being used properly and authentically. Professional development opportunities should be provided to ALL
teachers when new technology tools are being introduced and incorporated in order to ensure that all teachers are using the tools
properly.
Data Sources:

ESSENTIAL CONDITION EIGHT: Curriculum Framework

ISTE Definition: Content standards and related digital curriculum resources
Guiding Questions:
To what extent are educators, students, and parents aware of student technology standards? (QCCs/NET-S)
Are technology standards aligned to content standards to help teachers integrate technology skills into day-to-day instruction
and not teach technology as a separate subject?
To what extent are there digital curriculum resources available to teachers so that they can integrate technology into the
GPS/QCCs as appropriate?
How is student technology literacy assessed?
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Threats
Teachers, students, and
Many families have
Most textbooks are
Like teachers, parents
parents see the
little to no access to
becoming extinct and
and students are
importance of
Technology and/or
can now be accessed
unaware of technology
technology use.
Internet outside of the
online.
standards.
school.
Teachers use
Teachers have access to
Many families have

Teachers
are
unaware
of
technology to enhance
technology standards
little to no access to
lessons.
the technology
and resources to
Technology and/or

SWOT Analysis Template for Technology Planning Needs Assessment

What is the current reality in our school?

Parents and students use

technology tools such as
Study Island outside of
the school for additional
study and homework
needs.

standards and therefore

fail to use them in their
lessons.
Students are not using
technology for authentic
learning.
Students are unaware of
the proper use of
technology and tend to
misuse the tools.

enhance their lessons.

Teachers have
opportunities to
collaborate with one
another to develop
technology goals and
ways to incorporate and
meet those goals.

Internet outside of the

school.
Teachers fail to use
technology as a main
source of instruction
and use it as an extra
resource during
beginning and ending of
instruction.

Summary/Gap Analysis:
Teachers, parents, students, and many others are unaware of the technology standards and therefore do not fully see the importance of
including those standards within their lessons and learning skills. Teachers often do not see the technology standards as important
because they are not directly aligned with the standards they currently use for instruction. The school should work on teaching their
teachers how to properly use technology standards in alignment with their current standards. Too often teachers do not understand the
technology language being used and often find it very confusing to understand so they choose to not use the technology standards. If
the school can provide learning opportunities for teachers to enhance their skills on how to properly use technology standards,
teachers would be more open to include them into their daily lessons.
Data Sources: