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Introduction
La Grange Independent School District is an ethnically diverse, rural, Title 1 school district in the central Texas city of La Grange. The district includes La Grange Elementary School, La Grange Middle School, and La Grange High School. Prior to this endeavor, the district had not developed a Technology Plan or Educational Technology Plan. This Needs Assessment Report will address the needs of approximately 143 classroom teachers and 90 other staff members including: instructional aides, guidance counselors, librarians, district administrators, school administrators, and other support staff, who exhibit varying degrees of technology proficiency. In an effort to assist the La Grange ISD with identifying, understanding, and prioritizing their unique technology needs with the goal of improving staff and student performance, a “Technology Needs Assessment Survey” was developed and distributed. Data collected from the survey informed the design of this report.
Analysis of Results
Figure 1.1. | The needs assessment was provided to all schools within the La Grange school district. Out of 27 responses, the majority did come from the elementary school. Results of all participants can be located above.
Figure 1.2 | To get an accurate number of who was taking part in the Technology Needs Assessment Survey, we asked participants to indicate what their current positions are. Over 70% of respondents were classroom teachers.
Figure 1.3a | Our participants felt highly proficient using Google Education apps such as Classroom (88%), Gmail (89%), Docs (96%), Slides (74%), Sheets (70%), and Forms (89%). Services not commonly used such as Meets showed 44% feet proficient, while the remaining 56% did not.
Figure 1.3b | Our participants felt quite proficient with using Frontline Teams. 81% felt good using it for Attendance and 81% for Gradebook.
Figure 1.3C | When asked how proficient they felt using Eduphoria for Aware, 78% felt proficient (3-5), while 22% did not (0-2). With Strive, 74% felt proficient, while 26% did not. WIth Forethought, 60% felt proficient, while 40% did not.
Figure 1.3d | When asked how proficient they felt with Thrillshare, about 70% of participants did not feel they were proficient (0-2), while 30% said they did feel proficient (3-5). With Live Feed, 70% did not feel proficient (0-2), while 30% did feel proficient (3-5).
Figure 1.4a | When it comes to using drill-and-practice software or software-based tutorials to build basic skills, 33% said they never did, 26% said they did several times a year, 22% did monthly, and 19% used these types of softwares on a weekly/daily basis.
Figure 1.4b | When it comes to using presentation software to present information, 37% said they never did, 19% said they did several times a year, 44% did so monthly, and 30% used presentation software on a weekly/daily basis.
Figure 1.4c | When it comes to using spreadsheets for organizing and analyzing data, 48% never did, 26% said they did several times a year, 7% did so monthly, and 19% used spreadsheets on a weekly/daily basis.
Figure 1.4d | When it comes to using word processing software for writing, 33% said they never did, 33% said they used it several times a year, 7% said they used it monthly and 26% said they used it on a weekly/daily basis.
Figure 1.5a | Participants were asked if they had the opportunity to observe classrooms to see how technology was used, 48% agreed, 11 percent were not sure, 41% disagreed.
Figure 1.5b | When asked whether the school's integration of technology aligns with the school's improvement plan, 56% agreed, 37% were not sure, and 7% disagreed.
Figure 1.5c | When asked if school culture focused only on technology and that it helps improve student success, 48% of participants agreed, 26% were not sure, and 26% disagreed.
Interpretation of Results
Interpretation of the data resulting from the 27 Technology Needs Assessment respondents revealed four areas of needed improvement at La Grange Independent School District. Three areas directly relate to an increased need for staff training, and one area relates to hardware needs. All four are necessary for students to increase learning and prepare for their future in an ever-growing technological world.
Staff training and professional development is needed for Google for Education applications, Eduphoria Aware and Forethought, and Thrillshare. LGISD has adopted Google for Education as their official workspace, both in business practice and classroom learning. Yet, approximately 53% of respondents reported a proficiency level of zero to three (on a five-point scale) across seven necessary Google applications. Additionally, 56% of respondents reported either no or limited use of presentation software in their classrooms by themselves or their students. 74% reported no or limited use of spreadsheets for analysis of data, creating graphs, etc., while 67% reported no or limited use of word processing software at multiple stages of the writing process. Increased application skills through staff training is necessary not only for efficient functioning of the district, but for classroom teachers to have the ability to have students engaged with software throughout the school day for learning purposes.
Eduphoria is utilized by LGISD for data/testing and lesson planning, through the Aware and Forethought platforms, respectively. 52% of respondents reported a three or lower level of proficiency (on a five-point scale) for Aware, while 56% of respondents reported the same level of proficiency for Forethought. Without proper training, over half of district staff are unable to effectively use data to drive instruction or comply with the district’s policy for submitting lesson plans.
LGISD uses ThrillShare for staff to communicate to students and parents through text, as well as to the community-at-large through the Live Feed on the district and schools’ websites. 78% of respondents reported a three or lower level of proficiency (on a five-point scale) with utilization of ThrillShare for text messaging, while 81% reported the same level of proficiency for use of the Live Feed. For the district to adequately communicate with students, parents, and the community, improvement is needed in mastery of the ThrillShare software.
While staff training and professional development is integral in preparing staff for the classroom and the workplace, collaborative learning is equally important. Yet, 52% of staff reported they either disagreed or were unsure that they have opportunities for classroom observation to investigate how teachers and students are using technology in other classrooms or settings. Additional time to observe others would allow staff to build upon newly implemented training.
Finally, ten out of 27 respondents replied to the open-ended questions with requests for more devices (laptops, chromebooks) to be available to the student population. Most reported that increased availability of devices would allow them to use technology more frequently and more effectively than they currently do.
Increasing staff training and professional development to raise proficiency levels for district-adopted technology, while simultaneously allowing for staff to learn collaboratively from one-another through observation, and making devices available to all students provides solutions to the current technological deficiencies in the survey and increases both staff and student learning and success.
Recommendations
Trainings on Thrillshare and Eduphoria Aware & Forethought - In order for La Grange ISD to implement the digital organizational tools necessary for effective operation of the district, the district may assign current personnel, or use Title-1 funds to hire support staff or coaches, to assist in the implementation of personalized professional learning and provide technical assistance with software operation.
Trainings on Google Apps for Digital Learning Tools - In order for La Grange ISD to support teachers as they implement Google digital learning tools effectively within their classrooms the district may assign current personnel, or use Title-1 funds to hire support staff or coaches, to assist in the implementation of personalized professional learning and the use of data systems to support and improve the effectiveness of these digital learning tools within the classroom.
Provide Opportunities for Peer-to-Peer Observation - Peer Observation can be very effective when teachers acquire new technology skills at conferences or training and then model those new approaches for their colleagues. Professional development should be job-embedded by teachers observing other teachers. In order to do that, we recommend providing teachers and staff members with at least one peer observation a semester as part of a pool of professional development opportunities.
Provide 1-to-1 Computers in Classrooms - Provide students with access to a device per individual that is used as a tool for learning. The maintenance of desktop computer labs, laptop and tablet rental programs, and negotiated discounts for personal academic devices enable nearly all students to have access to the technologies they need to succeed. Currently, La Grange ISD still needs 1467 technology devices to meet this recommendation. Federal Title-1 funds and the use of E-rate programming discounts may be used to purchase devices for students to access digital learning materials and collaborate with peers and educators.
Summary
The results of the technology needs assessment survey administered to the La Grange ISD respondents agree that devices for every student are needed in every classroom in order to provide tools for learning for student success. Based on the response of 27 participants, we were able to recognize faculty and staff needs for training and professional development. Across the district, most responses on the survey were consistent. One of the consistencies was having resources such as Thrillshare and Eduphoria but not using the resource due to lack of knowledge.
In conclusion, we were able to make suitable recommendations to benefit the La Grange ISD faculty and staff. The recommendations consisted of acquiring one-to-one device availability, training on Eduphoria Aware and Forethought, training on Google Application Tools and Apps, and providing opportunities for peer-to-peer observations of technology usage. In order for students to be successful, the teachers need to feel they are capable of delivering the best possible instruction in their classroom with technology and administrative support.
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