Demographics of Mystery Middle School

The school that I work in is located in rural central Florida. We are surrounded by orange groves and cows. Many of my students have parents that are migrant workers. Our students are frequently coming and going. Our school is currently rated a D based on FCAT scores. There are 244 students in the 6th grade at Mystery Middle School. Of those students, 84 students are black (29 are female and 55 are male), 106 students are white (46 are female and 60 are male), and 54 students are Hispanic (25 are female and 29 are male). Our school is 85% economically disadvantaged.

Administrative: Policy: Behavioral: Emergent We have many opportunities to use technology in our school; however many times staff is unwilling to try it. We are also very limited on funding and resources. When we do try a new program we meet a lot of resistance. Resource/Infrastructure: Islands We dont have a lot of policy for technology use in our school. If we do, its not known to all. We do have some policy as far as what we can do with our teacher laptops. Forms have to be signed for them and if we want to take them off campus during the year we have to fill out a form. We are responsible if anything happens to them. Also, we arent allowed to use certain websites at school even though some may be beneficial to our teaching. We also arent supposed to download a lot of things, even if they are required for teaching. We have to go through our IT guy and he usually isnt willing to help. Administrative Planning: Behavioral: Islands: I am not 100% sure that formal planning takes place; however it must because we do get some new technology. Usually when new technology is received it is because we have to do it. For example: last year we started using Moodle. They forced teachers to use it for lesson planning and it was very disorganized. We are used to a structured lesson plan and Moodle didnt have that for us. It was very different from when we use Moodle for a structured class. We were a pilot school for using Moodle for lesson planning, but we were simply told we had to use it. Teachers resisted it. After that, one of our tech coaches got the Edmodo bug. We were then

encouraged to use Edmodo in all of our classes. SO our teachers who wanted to, signed up all of their classes, but only a few teachers have continued to use it this year. Usually technology that we use comes from the district level because of new curriculum. Our new Language Arts and Math curriculum can be accessed online, but we dont have computers to do so.

Resource/Infrastructure: Islands *+ We have an informal plan but it is created by our tech coaches and IT guy. Teachers are not informed or asked what we should use technology funds for. Many times we are told we cant have things. Administrative Budget: Behavioral: Islands: When we want to get a new piece of technology there is never any money. Two years ago we got a grant for a new laptop cart in the 6th grade because we didnt have easy access to computers. We do have a budget that is given to use from the district. It is very hard to get even our IT guy on board with new technology and when we do get it, he doesnt know how to use it.
Resource / Infrastructure: Emergent We hardly have any funding for technology. Just last week we got an email stating that we only have $2,000 left in our tech budget for all the rest of our needs this year. We were told not to leave our projectors on for more time than is needed because they cost $300 each for the bulbs. They told us to use them sparingly but all of our technology works through these projectors (smart board, doc cam, etc.). Yet, we are graded on our teacher evaluations for use of technology but we are told to use them sparingly. It makes teaching very stressful. Administrative Information: Behavioral: Integrated:

We do have some paperless systems in place, but not many. We, of course, have staff email and we are encouraged only to print if necessary. We have a lot of our textbooks online as well, but we still have paper copies of them. This is more so students can access them online at home, but many of our students dont have computer access at home. We also have to have paper copies because we dont have daily computer access in our classrooms to simply access the books online. Resource/ Infrastructure: Integrated: We all have access to online grades books, online referrals for behavior; we have tracking forms that are electronic. We also have our attendance that is all done online. We also have access to the computer all day long and email. Curricular: Electronic Information: Behavioral: Integrated: I believe staff uses electronic resources daily. Students dont have enough access to use the computers daily in all of their classes, only our reading teacher have enough computers for of their class at a time. As a staff we are encouraged to use PD360 and other online resources for professional development and classroom materials. Resource/ Infrastructure: Integrated: We all have access to laptops during our day. Students can use the computer lab as needed or the media center to use the computers. We have online databases the students can use for research such as World Book. Few classrooms have computers for student use. For example: my classroom is a writing classroom and we dont have computers for research or typing papers. If students want to do this, we have to rent the laptop cart or reserve the media center/computer lab. Curriculum: Behavioral: Emergent:

We have very limited use of technology integration on a daily basis. It is such a hassle to get a laptop cart or a computer lab. We have to fight teachers to use them who use them weekly for different tests. Since it is such a hassle, most people simply dont do it. We do various reading programs (Odyssey, Read 180, etc.) in our reading classes. A few teachers use Edmodo for assignments and turning assignments in. Some Language Arts teachers use the computers to type essays. In our actual curriculum map, we only have one lesson for L.A. that states we are supposed to use technology to type an essay. We are required to use it on a daily basis by our administrators and they are looking for us to be using simple technology like a doc cam or projector. We have art classes that require the use of computers, such as 2D, 3D and Graphic Design. Resource/ Infrastructure: Islands: As stated above, we do have computers in Reading and Arts classes that they use on a daily basis, but not school wide. Teacher Use: Behavioral: Islands: We use our computers for grading, attendance, parent/student information, email and that is about it. I am rating us Islands but could possibly be Emergent. I said Islands because of the lack of technology used on a daily basis in our curriculum for academic classes. We do have the document cameras, smart boards, voice enhancers, and projectors used in almost all classes. Resource/Infrastructure: Islands: We do not have access to enough computes on a daily basis. We do have a personal laptop but most classes are not equipped with student computers. Computers in all of our classrooms would be much more beneficial for our students than simply just the use of a document camera. Student Use: Behavioral: Islands:

Students do use technology often, but are limited in what they can do. Most teachers who use the computers use them for word processing or testing. Once in a while we use them for research. Students are not being taught new innovative things with technology such as teaching through virtual worlds or even simple things like Zotero. Resource/ Infrastructure: Emergent: The majority of our students have access to computers/technology however it isnt consistent unless they are in an intensive reading class or an art class. As stated above my students dont get innovative technology, just basics. Support Filter: Stakeholder Involvement: Behavioral: Emergent: and Resource/Infrastructure: Emergent There is hardly anyone involved in the planning for technology in our school. They do not ask general staff members for their opinion. We have a few tech coaches and I think they involve them regularly. Our IT guy and our principal are also involved in the planning process along with our AIF. Administrative Support: Behavioral: Emergent: We have little support from Administration on technology planning. They mark teachers down on their evaluations when the technology fails and the teacher has absolutely no control over it. Yet, when the AIFs or administration is putting on a professional development and their PowerPoint wont start due to some unknown issue, they arent marked down on any evaluation because they arent evaluated in the same way. They want us to use technology but they dont want to provide it for us when we need it. Resource/ Infrastructure: Emergent: We dont have any special time allocated to planning for technology use. The only specific time set aside for technology is a few trainings

offered after school for teachers who wish to attend. We dont have any formal meetings on technology planning. Training: Behavioral: Emergent: and Resource/ Infrastructure: Islands We have very limited technology trainings. So far this year we have been offered three trainings after school. They were all in the month of December, which is the busiest month for after school activities. We are a fine arts academy and we have art shows, dance performances, choir/band/orchestra concerts, etc. so most teachers arent able to attend trainings after school in the month of December. Most staff members are not willing to stay after school for an hour, even if we are paid (only $18/hr.). We arent offered any during the day trainings or before school trainings and most of the trainings they offer are on technology that most teachers already know or wont have access to use on a daily basis. Technical & Infrastructure Support: Behavioral: Emergent: & Resource/Infrastructure: Islands Our IT guy who is there to help support us is rude and arrogant. He will not help teachers out without making them look like idiots. He acts like its a bother to help his staff out, so most dont ask him. We usually ask help of other staff members when we need it. A lot of teachers come to me to help them troubleshoot their smart boards, doc cams, etc. Usually the IT guy will come in during a class and ask you really condescending questions in front of our students. We dont have a formal mentor program, but we do help each other out as I stated above. Connectivity Filter: Local Area Networking: Behavioral & Resource/ Infrastructure: Integrated: We have a lot of access to data online. We use the computers for attendance, grade book, parent contact info, discipline paperwork, etc. We also have network printers located in our hallways to print items that are needed. There is high speed internet/ WIFI located in all areas of our school. Every teacher is hooked up to the network printer and can access

their printer as long as they are on campus. If we leave our area we can still print, but we have to walk to our hallway to get the printed document, we cant change the printer we print to. District Area Networking: (WAN): Behavioral: Integrated & Resource/ Infrastructure: Integrated: We have high speed connections and Wi-Fi throughout our school. We also have Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) setup throughout our district, however many schools dont use it. We also have network printers as stated above. Internet Access: Behavioral: Integrated: Internet is used mostly by staff on a daily basis. We use it for everything including attendance. When our internet goes down it is very hard to do anything because we depends so heavily on it for things like attendance. Students do not use the internet at school on a daily basis unless they have an arts class or are in a few select teachers classes that actually have computers in their rooms. Students who have to do testing will have access to internet throughout the day. Technology isnt integrated into the academic curriculum, except in very limited ways. It is built into the Arts classes and the Reading classes. Resource/ Infrastructure: Intelligent: This is the only category I have rated my school as Intelligent. We have direct internet access in all areas of our school and even set up for BYOD but my administration wont let our students participate. Some of our reading teachers allow their students to bring tablets for reading such as Kindles and Nooks. However, most teachers take cell phones away if they are seen so students arent able to utilize them throughout the day, even for class use. Communication Systems: Behavioral: Integrated & Resource/Infrastructure: Integrated:

Email is used frequently throughout our day. All staff members have access to it, but students do not. Many students do have email accounts set up through Google Docs if they have certain teachers, but not all teachers utilize this. Staff is encouraged to check emails throughout the day. It is our main way for communication as we do not have classroom phones at my school. We are sent lessons to teacher, etc. through the email. Administration will send us professional development to complete, etc. Innovation Filter: New Technologies: Behavioral: Emergent & Resource/Infrastructure: Emergent: Staff members are very resistant to learning new technology. We do have a few older staff members who have a hard time doing anything on their computers, including email and attendance. They also struggle with our online discipline referrals because they are used to paper and pencil. Two years ago we switched our referrals to online and we had so much resistance from staff. We still did it, but it took a lot of time to teach them how to use it and now every new staff member has to be taught. It is a lot easier and more efficient than paper and pencil though. As stated above, two years ago, we had a staff member who was very into trying to technology. He kept changing things constantly. One week was Moodle, the next Edmodo, and then Google Docs. Staff got angry because he kept taking new technology to the administration who didnt really understand what to do with it and then they would force it on the staff. It caused a lot of friction because it was too much change at once. Comprehensive Technologies: Behavioral: Islands: & Resource / Infrastructure: Integrated: We are getting more technology to use each year. It is a slow process but it is happening. We have voice enhancers and smart boards, but it is not being used to its fullest potential because staff doesnt know how to use the smart boards. They offer online training for how to use it, but no one cares enough to take it. It took them two years to put voice enhancers into all of our classrooms. We are just starting to get to a point where its being utilized more.