Technology Needs Assessment Results Report

Introduction

The following report provides an analysis and interpretation of the results from the Technology Needs Assessment survey administered to K-12 educators at Weslaco ISD in Weslaco, Texas. The survey was created by the EdTech Leaders team to determine current technology access and procedures in place, as well as gain insights into the K-12 educators' attitudes and thoughts pertaining to the technologies in use at Weslaco ISD. In addition, the report includes the EdTech Leader team's recommendations for improving upon current practices and implementing technology to support the teaching and learning at Weslaco ISD.

Analysis of the Results

The EdTech Leaders team created a survey for K-12 educators at Weslaco ISD to assess the current technology in place and determine any new technology needs or practices. Below you will find the results to each question within the survey and a summary of the results:

A total of 21 teachers responded to the survey consisting of 18 elementary school teachers and 3 high school teachers. The teachers provided information about their use of technology, their opinions about the technology, and suggestions for future implementation of technology.

Used Technology and Strategies

When asked if their classroom was equipped with a designated teacher computer and projector needed for instruction, 20 teachers (95.2%) responded yes, with only 1 teacher (4.8%) responding no. When asked about access to commonly used technologies (laptops, tablets, interactive whiteboards, and document cameras), 81% of teachers responded that they had access to all of the listed technology. Three of the teachers indicated that they had access only to laptops, document cameras, and projectors, and one teacher responded having access only to desktop and laptops (Chromebooks). All teachers stated that they had access to a wireless internet connection.

The teachers were asked about their use of collaboration tools in the classroom (Ex. G-suite tools, Padlet Discussion Boars, Social Media); 17 teachers stated that they use a collaboration tool (81%), 3 teachers stated that they had no prior use of collaboration tools (14.3%), and 1 teacher responded only starting to use a collaboration tool after remote teaching was required. When asked about their use of blended learning strategies, 90.5% of teachers claimed to use blended learning strategies with their students, with only 2 teachers claiming no prior use of the strategy.

Attitudes of Current Technologies Used

When asked to what degree they agreed with the statement “I am comfortable with technology/ educational technology” on a scale from 1 to 5, with 1 being completely disagree and 5 being completely agree, 90.4% of teachers responded 3 or above. The results are presented in Figure 1.1.

When asked to what degree they agreed to the statement “The technology currently in place allows me to conduct my duties in an effective manner” on a scale 1 to 5 with 1 being completely disagree to 5 being completely agree. All teachers selected 3 and above on the scale with 42.9% selecting completely agree. The results can be found in Figure 1.2

The teachers were asked about their degree they agreed with the statement “I feel satisfied with the technology currently available to teachers on campus” on a scale from 1 to 5, with 1 being completely disagree and 5 being completely disagree. All teachers selected 3 and above on the scale. The results can be found in the table in Figure 1.3.

The teachers provided their suggested improvements and identified resources they would like to see provided for students and teachers. The most common resources being updated computers/laptops for students, access to paid software/applications, and internet access at home for students. A large percentage of teachers also stated their desire for training that would allow them to implement technology more effectively in the classroom. Other suggestions included updated devices, distance learning instruction tools, and time for hands-on training with technology. Data can be found in Figure 1.4 and Figure 1.5.

Interpretation of the Results

Based on the data collected from Weslaco ISD teacher’s responses to the needs assessment survey and our team’s analysis of the results, there are several conclusions that were established. When analyzing the category of questions pertaining to technology accessibility and usage, the responses were relatively positive as a vast majority of these educators indicated that they possessed the technological resources needed to conduct their duties in an effective manner. Many of these educators also noted that they use a plethora of technology tools to collaborate and engage with their students.

When analyzing the educators' attitudes of the technology currently being used at their respective campuses, a vast majority of the responses were also positive as all of the educators expressed that they feel comfortable with technology, are satisfied with the technology on their campus, and are confident in the technical assistance provided on their campuses.

Within the last section of questions pertaining to potential technology improvements, the respondents provided an array of recommendations regarding technology that should be available to students such as computers, internet access, and headset devices. The respondents also provided recommended improvements that can be made to better implement technology, such as more professional development opportunities and more days dedicated to teachers learning and becoming acclimated with new technology. Furthermore, based on the data obtained from this survey and our team’s analysis of the results, it is evident that Weslaco ISD needs improvement in terms of providing technological resources to students as well as professional development opportunities for educators.

Recommendations

Our team has several recommendations based on the current technology needs of K-12 educators at Weslaco Independent School District. In the survey, the respondents noted that their students are in need of more Chromebook computers that are already provided by their respective campuses. In addition, it was also noted by the respondents that their students lacked home internet access. To address the issue of computer access, we recommend that the district adopt a One to One Chromebook Program. In addition to providing the students with Chromebook computers, we recommend that the district also provides students who lack internet at home access through the purchase of WiFi hotspot devices. Incorporating a one to one Chromebook program and purchasing WiFi Hotspot devices would provide the district an affordable, reliable, and effective way of providing students the resources they need to access the online content offered by their teachers and would thus create opportunities for students to succeed.

One final recommendation by our team is the incorporation of online professional development opportunities. In the survey, many of the respondents noted the need for more training opportunities that would allow educators to become better acclimated and more knowledgeable about the technology that they are currently using in the classroom. Other educators also emphasized the need for training on how to educate students in utilizing the technology available to them properly. Our team recommends that the district incorporates monthly online Professional Prep Days, Summer Teach Camps, and Digital Citizenship Training Initiatives as potential professional development opportunities.

Online Professional Prep Days would be dedicated online training days that would be conducted once a month where educators would collaborate and learn hands-on how to utilize the technology currently in place at their respective campuses. Summer Teach Online Camps would be training days during the Summer where educators, administrators, and campus technology personnel would receive hands-on online training on the current technology in place and the latest technology that has been purchased and adopted by their campuses. Digital Citizenship Training Initiatives would also be provided to educators when they would be trained online on how to teach students the responsible use of technology. Furthermore, based on our analysis of the data, all of these initiatives would significantly meet the technological needs of educators at the Weslaco Independent School District.

Recommendations

• Implement a One to One Chromebook Program

• Provide students who lack home internet access WiFi hotspot devices

• Incorporate online professional development opportunities (Professional Prep Days, Summer Teach Camps, and Digital Citizenship Initiatives)

Summary

This Technology Needs Assessment Results Report presents insights on Weslaco ISD educators' access to educational technology and their attitudes toward the current educational technology solutions in place at Weslaco ISD. The report provides a comprehensive overview of the results from the Technology Needs Assessment Survey and offers recommendations for technology improvements at Weslaco ISD. The EdTech Leaders team found that overall, educators at Weslaco ISD were satisfied with the technology access; however, educators felt that improvements could be made to technology available to students off-campus, in addition to offering online professional development and training to educators and students. Based on these results, the EdTech Leaders recommended the following: implementing a One to One Chromebook Program, providing WiFi hotspot devices to students who lack home internet access, and incorporating online professional development opportunities for educators.

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