Running head: Individual Teacher Technology Assessment

Individual Teacher Technology Assessment

Tracy Kienel Castleberry
PL & Technology Innovation- ITEC 7460
Kennesaw State University
Fall 2014

Individual Teacher Technology Assessment

This teacher technology assessment has been completed

regarding Ms. D. R (colleague), a teacher at Woodstock High School.
The candidate assessed the technology use and comfort level using
several interviews with Ms. R as well as two assessment tools including
a LOTI (levels of technology integration) survey as well as an adopter
level survey, both compiled in the candidates PLC group in ITEC 7460.
The candidate used the two assessment tools and interviews to
thoroughly assess the colleagues integration of technology and her
comfort level of the different technology tools that are out there for
teachers to use in their classrooms.

The first tool used to evaluate Ms. R was the LOTI survey
(levels of technology integration) survey complied by the candidates
PLC group in ITEC 7460. I can create multiple types of presentations
for classroom use (Powerpoint, SMART Notebook) Ms. R replied Got
it to this question, showing that she is highly capable of creating and
presenting a variety of presentations to her classes. I can build,
manipulate and apply formulas to spreadsheets (such as excel). Ms. R
answered, Got it to this item, and this shows that Ms. R has a firm
foundation of functionality and ease with productivity tools. I feel
comfortable with creating technology based activities where students

Individual Teacher Technology Assessment

create products. Ms. R answered kind of familiar this questions.

This shows the candidate that Ms. R might need a bit of coaching
where it comes to giving the students the reigns. I feel comfortable
maintaining a class blog. Ms. R chose the response what? to this
question. Use of blogging in the classroom is can probably be
considered an advanced skill and is useful to expand the walls of the
classroom. I feel comfortable teaching students how to use Google
docs to create collaborative projects. Ms. R answered kind of
familiar to this item. Google Drive is a great place to start coaching
from! I can create, edit, and maintain a class website for my students
to reference on assignments, missed work, important dates, etc. For
this question, Ms. R answered, got it. This is common in Cherokee
County schools; teachers have been maintaining websites for several
years. feel comfortable using a Google Calendar (editing, formatting,
embedding, sharing, etc.) Ms. R replied what? to the Google
Calendar question. The candidate has not used Google Calendar
either. I can use technology to assist with daily tasks
(attendance/grades/parent communication/etc). For this item, Ms. R
answered, I could teach someone else. Again, this is something that
Cherokee County Schools have been doing with ease for years, and the
teachers are really good at using technology for communicating with
parents and students. I understand netiquette and teach my
students about their digital footprint. Ms. R replied, got it to this

Individual Teacher Technology Assessment

item. This is an indicator of a firm foundation on how to appropriately

integrate technology into the classroom.

The second assessment tool that was used to evaluate Ms. R

was the adopter level survey. This tool is meant to give the candidate
an idea about how open Ms. R is to using new tools and teaching
methods (including technology) in her classroom. Normally, I don't try
new initiatives in my classroom unless told to do so by administration.
To this question, Ms. R replied, strongly disagree. This shows that
Ms. R does not need administration to tell her what to try in her
classroom and denotes openness to finding her own things to try. I
am always looking for new strategies in teaching. Ms. R chose
strongly agree to this question, providing more evidence that she is
always on the lookout for new and fresh strategies in teaching. I
usually try new initiatives in the classroom once I see evidence of
success. Ms. R replied, disagree here, showing that she doesnt
have to see evidence of success in order to try something. This is
great news for her students; it shows that Ms. R is adventurous and
always looking for new and engaging tools and techniques. I like to
explore and implement new tools in the classroom to meet the needs
of all my students. Ms. R answered, strongly agree. This is more

Individual Teacher Technology Assessment

evidence that she is very aware that her students learning needs are
diverse and her teaching methods and classroom tools need to be as
well. I do not really like to try new innovations. I prefer the "old
school" way of teaching my students. Ms. R chose disagree here.
The candidate is pleased that she is so open to trying new things, and
realizes that teaching and learning are always changing, evolving and
growing. I wait and see if an innovation is going to be "of value" to
my students before I try it. Ms. R replied, depends to this answer.
When she and the candidate discussed this question later, Ms. R said
that she does get frustrated when professional development forces
innovations on teachers with no evidence of their effectiveness. I
would be willing to give a presentation to other educators on new
innovation tools. Ms. R chose disagree to this question, and further
explained in the interview that she is not sure enough of her skills with
these innovations to teach them to someone else. I attend training
sessions on new innovation tools given by my school or district. Ms. R
replied, strongly agree here. She attends optional school district
provided on technology tools 4-5 times per school year. I am usually
willing and excited to implement new innovations from trainings. Ms.
R chose the answer strongly agree to this question, and then went on
to say that her main challenge is not finding new things to try, but
rather remembering what they are and what they offer. I like to model
new strategies and innovations for other teachers to learn from. Ms. R

Individual Teacher Technology Assessment

replied, disagree here. She then told the candidate she is feeling a
little shy about the things she learns and is afraid that shes not
implementing it in a way that other teachers find useful. I would be
willing to model a lesson using technology? Ms. R answered,
depends to this question and reiterated that sometimes she is
uncomfortable sharing what she learns with other teachers.

Based on change theory, the candidate puts Ms. R somewhere

in between early adopter and early majority when it comes to
adopting change in her classroom. She does try new things in the
classroom, is aware that there is always room for failure, that failure is
a chance to learn something and improve, but she is shy to share the
innovations that she tries with her colleagues and sometimes becomes
frustrated when the administration pushes an innovation without
evidence of usefulness in the classroom.

Ms. R has a great deal of curiosity about the different types of

technology tools available in the classroom. She regularly attends
technology-training sessions offered by the county technology
department, and these are all optional trainings. Ms. R realizes and
understands that technology is a wonderful way to differentiate her
classroom and to engage her students in meaningful learning. She

Individual Teacher Technology Assessment

understands how important resources are while she engages in her

professional learning. On Standards for Professional Learning it is
stated that Resources for professional learning include staff,
materials, technology, and time, all dependent on available funding
(Learning Forward, 2011, p. 59). Her main trepidation is not trying the
technology, or even having a lesson that is a failure but being able to
decide which tools to use and when. Ms. R feels quite overwhelmed
with all of the technology tools available and is not sure where to start.
Ms. Rs access to technology is a bit of a challenge for her.
She does not have a set of laptops in her classroom to use. There is a
department computer lab, which is not as in demand as previous
years, because many of the teachers in the department do have a
class set of laptops. Ms. R does have a SMART board in her classroom
and a teacher laptop with the necessary software installed, but her
laptop has been acting up lately and she has put in multiple requests
to get it fixed to no avail so far. Her students can use their smart
phones to access learning activities, but she says that they complain
about using their own devices. The technology challenges are a
concern, but one that can be worked around.
Ms. R was somewhat unfamiliar with the concept of
instructional coaching. She is receptive, and appreciates that two
heads are better than one when it comes to integrating technology
and other new strategies into the classroom. While Cherokee County

Individual Teacher Technology Assessment

Schools all have an ITC (instructional technology coach) assigned, Ms.

R hasnt taken advantage of any of the training opportunities that the
coach offers at the school. Like all teachers, Ms. R is having a hard
time finding time in her day to accommodate everything that she
needs to get done. The candidate was careful to try and appreciate
non-verbal cues while communicating with Ms. R, just to make sure she
continued to feel comfortable. According to Jim Knight in his book
Instructional Coaching, We watch for non-verbal cues, we read body
language, we look for eye contact, and we pay attention to how we feel
as we talk with others (2007, p. 73).
Based on the coaching model that Ms. R and the candidate
have decided on (peer coaching), there will be many opportunities for
Ms. R to return the coaching favor. Once the candidate and Ms. R
decide what to try, they will do peer observations on each others
classroom and then debrief and offer each other suggestions. Also,
at their weekly meetings, they have agreed to bring one tool or
strategy to the table each week to share.
The peer-coaching model has been decided on for Ms. R and
the candidate. They made that choice together, agreeing based on the
fact that they have known each other for years and are comfortable
collaborating with each other and think that particular model will be
very helpful. Ms. R and the candidate will meet at least once a week,
maybe two times (time permitting) and have a plan laid out for their

Individual Teacher Technology Assessment

meetings. The first meeting was spent discussing the fact that in order
to keep from being overwhelmed, the baby steps method is a
perfectly acceptable place to start. Pick something that relates to or
works with the material that youre covering, try it, reflect on it and
change afterwards if needed. At each meeting, Ms. R and the
candidate each bring a tool or an intervention to talk about and then
one to try that week. This past week, they tried Socrative
(http://www.socrative.com) to administer a practice quiz in biology
covering natural selection and the history of life. Ms. R will visit the
candidates class 1st period and the candidate will visit Ms. Rs class 3rd
period, and in their next meeting, they will debrief what they tried in
class and make suggestions to each other based on their peer
observations. The candidate also plans to suggest Google Drive,
Google Calendar and using Wikis in the classroom to help Ms. R
introduce
The main concern that Ms. R has with integrating technology
in the classroom is that because she doesnt have a set of computers
in the classroom. The candidate suggested using BYLD (bring your
learning device) and allowing the students to pair up and use on device
between two of them. This will relax the demands of technology and
allow the students to experience the tool. The computer lab can be
used for larger assignments, but the use of smart phones and tablets is
easily integrated. In high school classes, at least 75 % of students in

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most classes have at least one smart phone or tablet that they can use
and share.
Overall, the candidate and Ms. R have the potential to make
great strides and making changes in their classroom together. Ms. R is
well versed on the different types of technology available and is willing
to try new things. By trying the innovations and technology tools
together Ms. R and the candidate can give real time feedback to
each other and offer real suggestions so that each of them can make
the best out of the available technology and tools.

Individual Teacher Technology Assessment

References
Knight, J. (2007). Instructional Coaching: A Partnership Approach to Improving
Instruction. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Standards for Professional Learning. (2011). Oxford, OH: Learning Forward.

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