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Technology Needs Assessment Results Report
Technology Needs Assessment Results Report
Introduction
This report will reflect the analysis of the results of a technology needs assessment survey conducted on two elementary institutions. The target audience from the campuses is teachers and staff from two different parts of the South Texas area (Brownsville and McAllen, Texas) who conduct instructional duties such as classroom teachers, instructional paras, and teacher aides. The total participants for the survey were 18 people, of which 10 were from 1 campus and 8 from the other. The analysis is broken down by questions and responses, represented in graphs, to interpret why the staff selected each response and have an easier visualization of the answers provided.
The primary objective of the technology needs assessment survey is to evaluate the applications that are currently being used and not used by educators. This will allow the districts to determine what to do with underutilized tools which could potentially lead to cost savings. Our ultimate goal is to improve the educational environment, help allocate resources more effectively, and align technology with the specific learning needs of our educators and students.
Analysis of the Results
This section shows the graphs that will reflect participant responses regarding their technology usage and needs. Participants were asked questions to select specific tools they were using and given the option to add another one that was not listed to be added to the results. They were also asked their perspective in regards to how prepared they felt to implement technology in the classroom, how ready were the students technology-wise, and how involved were parents in this transition of the educational field. Each graph will contain a detailed description of what it means and meaningful data to highlight.
Identify which educational technology hardware items you use in your teaching.
This question's responses reflected teachers and staff mostly using their laptops as the primary educational technology hardware implemented while teaching. This was followed by the use of SMART boards and document cameras to project on a screen. Overall, this demonstrates teachers are using these tools to model and show students a reflection of their screen and how activities need to be completed. It was also interesting to note that the student desktop computers are the least used hardware item in the classroom. This reflects that either students are working on their own electronic devices or they keep using their paper-pencil method of assignment completion.
What educational technology hardware would you be most interested in learning about?
The results suggest teachers (69.2%) are most interested in learning about SmartBoard within their classrooms. Another 23.1% of teachers are interested in learning about their Computer/Laptop devices followed by 7.7% interested in iPads.
Identify which educational technology software items you use in your teaching.
Based on the results reflected in the survey, teachers shared that the technology software they mostly use to support their instruction is YouTube. YouTube has shown to be a great tool to build on students' schema and project real-world experiences.
Another technology software that is used in the classroom is word processing applications. Examples of this kind of software are Microsoft Word or Google Docs. This tool helps students in their keyboarding practice as well as the transition from paper-pencil to keyboard and screen.
The results also showed that teachers do not know what "progress learning" is due to it being selected 0 times. The other technology programs mentioned were at least selected three times demonstrating their use but not fidelity while implementing them.
What educational technology hardware would you be most interested in learning about?
Results show that 37.5% of teachers are interested in learning about Microsoft Office or Google tools for presentations, spreadsheets, and documents. Another 25% of teachers are interested in making their presentations more interactive. Other teachers are interested in various educational technology tools including Youtube and AI.
Interest in learning more about educational technology uses and applications?
The survey results reveal a strong inclination among participants toward expanding their knowledge about the uses and applications of educational technology with 61.1% of respondents expressing strong interest. Additionally, 38.9% indicated a somewhat interested stance, reflecting a positive overall feeling toward exploring educational technology further. There were no respondents who reported being not interested, highlighting acknowledgment of the role technology plays in modern education.
Biggest challenges in using Educational Technology
The survey results show the primary challenge faced by respondents in utilizing educational technology is lack of time. A significant 54.5% of participants identified "Lack of Time" as the foremost obstacle, emphasizing the struggle to integrate technology into educational practices. Additionally, 36.4% highlighted "Lack of Experience" as a significant challenge and a smaller 9.1% pointed to "Lack of Necessary Equipment" as a hindrance. These results collectively show the challenges in implementing educational technology include time constraints, continuous skill development, and resource allocation.
Biggest educational technology needs for your classroom
The survey results provide valuable insights into the biggest educational technology needs in their classrooms. Results show that 37.5% of participants indicated that they currently have all the necessary tools and resources, suggesting a level of satisfaction with their existing technological infrastructure. However, a significant 25% highlighted the need for Training/Professional Development, emphasizing the importance of ongoing skill development to fully implement available educational technology. On the hardware front, 31.3% of respondents expressed a desire for additional equipment to enhance instructional implementation. Conversely, a smaller 6.3% expressed a need for a Reduction of Software, possibly indicating a desire for streamlining and optimizing the available resources.
Do you feel parents need more education/awareness on raising kids in today's digital world?
The findings of the survey present a clear indication of the consensus among the participants regarding the increased need for education and awareness among parents in raising children in today's digital world. The results demonstrate that 83.3% of the respondents expressed a positive response, indicating the necessity of further education and awareness. On the other hand, a minimal 5.6% of participants responded negatively, suggesting a minority viewpoint that perceives the current level of education and awareness as sufficient. Furthermore, 11.1% of respondents fell into the "Maybe" category, indicating a perspective that recognizes the possibility of additional education but does not firmly commit to the necessity.
Do you feel students are prepared with the technology skills needed to be college ready?
The survey results reflect a mixed perspective among participants regarding students' preparedness with the necessary technology skills for college readiness. Results show that 44.4% of respondents expressed concern that students are not adequately equipped with the required technology skills, and 33.3% of participants asserted that they think students are equipped with the technology skills needed to be college-ready. Additionally, 22.2% fell into the "Maybe" category, suggesting they do not know if students are prepared with the technology skills to be college-ready. Overall the diverse responses suggest that there is room for improvement to prepare students in their technology skills to be college-ready.
Do you feel students need more education on digital citizenship and their digital footprints (using technology responsibly)?
The survey results strongly indicate that students indeed need more education on digital citizenship and responsible technology use. Results show that 77.8% of respondents responded "Yes" while a smaller percentage, 11.1%, responded "Maybe" and 11.1%, responded "No". The overwhelming majority favoring increased education on digital citizenship suggests a widespread recognition of the potential risks and challenges associated with digital literacy and ethical behavior among students to ensure they are well-prepared for the digital world they navigate daily.
Interpretation of the Results
Based on the data shown in the technology needs assessment survey results, the areas that can be improved are the purposeful use of specific hardware tools in the classroom. For example, the implementation of Smart Boards in the classroom ( or Promethean Boards, as a specific brand used in McAllen ISD) and interactive software platforms such as NearPod, Pear Deck, and others. This information was reflected for both campuses. It is important to mention that both campuses are at a distance of 1.5 hours away. They are both located in the South Texas area.
Based on the responses, 61% of teachers indicated being very interested in learning about educational technology uses and applications. Teachers expressed the need for proper training in the use of the technologies provided and the lack of knowledge in implementing technology applications during instruction. The audience also revealed a lack of time at the time of using educational technology in the classroom.
As a solution to these inquiries, we suggest contacting the technology department of each school district to come to campus a provide a series of professional development courses that will target the functions and characteristics of these three mentioned topics ( Smart Boards, Nearpod, and Pear Deck). Considering that teachers and staff already spend the majority of their days at work, we suggest access to virtual training as well for those teachers who prefer to watch videos to learn and are not able to attend the training or simply have access to see the information again.
Recommendations
Provide Efficient Training(s)
Based on the results of the needs survey, it is evident that educators believe they would benefit from receiving proper training on applications before being asked to implement them in the classroom. To suit all learners and schedules, we recommend that there are flexible training options that allow teachers to work at their own pace. Additionally, virtual and face-to-face professional development should be offered for the best results.
Educational Technology Leaders
Another factor that could significantly improve the learning and teaching experience in schools is ensuring there are educational technology leaders on campus. The role of an educational technology leader is to research, compare, train, and assist with the implementation of programs on campus. Each campus services a unique group of learners and the needs may vary by grade level. With the help of leaders, teachers can determine which programs will help their pupils thrive. Furthermore, they could analyze data to monitor the usage and effectiveness of apps over time. If there are programs that are not providing positive outcomes across multiple classes, a technology leader can suggest new ideas or strategies. Overall, having knowledgeable leaders can improve teacher and student outcomes by ensuring the applications are being used as projected and providing positive results.
Time
Lastly, time is a factor that 54.5% of educators in this survey indicated was scarce. How can educators successfully implement technology in the classroom without time to learn, create, and apply it in the classroom? Teachers should have sufficient time between training and incorporating programs into the classroom in order to create new material and plan how it can fit into the classroom. We highly recommend providing educators with planning days to allow for determining how and when to implement data.
Summary
The teachers surveyed in two separate districts had some common opinions. Based on the results, the target audience of teachers mostly believes they have everything they need to provide tools for students to use to enhance their learning with technology. However, they do see there is room for improvement in integrating technology into the classroom, such as Microsoft Office and students learning about digital citizenship. The recommendations above suggest utilizing an Educational Technologist to help teachers prioritize focus areas. This approach enables teachers to save valuable time for other tasks. By doing so the teachers can support their students' learning now and in the future by incorporating a foundation of technology skills into their repertoire. Teachers nurture students to become lifelong learners, and their ongoing learning with technology serves as a powerful example for their students. This survey helped focus the teachers' opinions on what they see as valuable technology. The job of the Educational Technologist is to help support teachers through training, changing technology where and when available, and promoting a positive rapport between the teachers and the technology department.
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