DATA COLLECTION & ANALYSIS Section 5

PART A: DATA SOURCES:

The following data sources/tools were used to collect and analyze data for the development of the technology plan:

PART B: METHOD OF ANALYSIS:

The technology committee was involved in the following process to analyze all data collected:

• Review of various data collection tools/methods and make final decision on tools to be used.
• Collection of the data by various committees.
• Preliminary analysis of each data tool used to collect information for the four technology components (Community Involvement, Curriculum and Instruction, Professional Development & Technology Deployment & Sustainability).
• Development of preliminary critical findings based on data collection.
• Draw conclusions from various data tools.
• Complete NextSteps Insta-Audit using the Analysis Guide.
• Finalize findings, ensuring it is triangulated through support from three sources.

·        Identify current status (current reality)

·        Identify challenges/needs

C.  DATA ANALYSIS of INDIVIDUAL TOOLS:

1.  Community Involvement Analysis: (Surveys)

Community Involvement, the first pillar of the Illinois Next Steps Analysis Guide was used as a starting point for self-analysis. The Technology Committee wanted to determine what extent technology and learning initiatives reflect a mutually beneficial partnership between the district and the local community.  Indicators used in this pillar were Home and School Connections, Community Benefits, Community Support and Marketing. Data sources that were utilized included Teacher Online Surveys (pre and post over a three year period), NextSteps Administrator Online Survey, Community Survey, and Review of District’s Communication Portfolio. Based upon analysis of the individual tools, the following preliminary findings were developed:

2. Curriculum and Instruction Tool Analysis:

Curriculum and Instruction is part of Pillar II of the Illinois NextSteps Analysis Guide and was utilized as an organizational process upon review of the various data collection tools. Data sources that were utilized included NextSteps Teacher & Administrator Online Surveys, Review of Student Achievement data and Review of School Improvement Plans.  The following is a summary of each individual tool analysis.

A. Student Achievement Data Analysis:

Student achievement data from ISAT and PSAE Tests was analyzed to determine academic strengths and weaknesses by a district team consisting of administrators and teachers. The District team reviewed data related to reading and writing for third, fifth, eighth, and eleventh grade students from 2001 through 2003 since these are the two areas of school improvement focus.  Student data was compared to statewide data in terms of the percent of students meeting or exceeding Illinois Learning Standards (ILS) as measured by the ISAT and PSAE. The following is a summary of the analysis, which also included input from the Technology Committees and the School Improvement Committees:

ISAT DATA:

Reading:

Writing

PSAE DATA

Reading: Percent of Students Meeting or Exceeding Illinois Learning Standards

Writing: Percent of Students Meeting or Exceeding Illinois Learning Standards

Note: Above scores do include the special education students who took the test.  Their scores, however are not disaggregated due to numbers.

Analysis of Disaggregated Student Achievement Data for ISAT & PSAE:

·        Disaggregated student achievement data for the Limited English Proficiency (LEP) and Racial/Ethnic Groups is not disaggregated because less than 1 percent of District students are non-white and the district has no LEP students.

·        There are 41 students in the District identified as Economically Disadvantaged and not all grade levels could be disaggregated because of the numbers.

·                    Third grade scores for reading and writing continue to show a three- year trend of meeting/exceeding state scores.

·                    Fifth grade scores show continued high reading scores, however, writing scores continue to show an increase in students below standards.

·                    All Eighth grade students meet/exceed standards in reading, however writing scores continue to show an increase in students below standards.

·                    High School does not have disaggregated scores in this area because they have lest than 10 students identified as economically disadvantaged.

·        Because the various grade levels tested have less than ten students with disabilities, data has not been disaggregated.

B. Review of School Improvement Plans

After the analysis of student achievement data, a District Team reviewed all building school improvement plans and determined that their were commonalities between grade levels and content areas that needed to be addressed District-wide.  The following highlights the review undertaken

·        All building plans indicated a need for continued training on how to include technology into the curriculum as well as time for planning with other teachers.

·        All building plans reported a need to update technology equipment and software.

·        All building plans indicated a need for consistency toward goals in focus areas of reading and writing. Regarding reading:

·                    Continuation of Accelerated Reader at middle schools is needed as well as investigation of other innovations in Reading instruction.

·                    Primary grades indicate need to continue common Accelerated Reading program, in addition to increase in independent reading time in classrooms.

·        All building plans indicated need to stress writing across the curriculum.

·                    Based on the analysis of PSAE scores, high school students rank above average in all areas but reading and writing continue to be targeted for improvement. (Example: 33% of students are still failing to meet state expectations, even though this is below state average of 44%)

·                    Junior High Plan indicates need for writing workshops and more grade level writing instruction

·                    Primary Plan indicates need for additional writing opportunities (Past five years writing scores have been around the 50% meets/exceeds level). Middle School indicates need to do more writing across grades and to utilize technology to improve writing skills.

·        All building plans indicated need to have assessments that are meaningful, reflect goals of instruction and are consistent across grade and content levels.

·        All building plans indicate need for a more in-depth staff development program.

Based upon analysis of student achievement data and school improvement plans the following preliminary findings were developed:

C. NextSteps Toolkit Analysis (Online Surveys)

Community Involvement: 

• Percentage of teachers communicate electronically with parents/guardians:

Not using technology for this at this time            17.95%

Using technology for this 2-4 times a year          10.26%

Using technology for this daily               5.13%

Using technology for this monthly                      38.46%

Using technology for this weekly                       28.21%

·        Administrators use technology to communicate with parents:

Daily                                                                75%      

Weekly                                                             25%    

Instructional Practices/Learning Practices:

• Frequency of technology use professionally by teachers:

Daily                                                               67.5%

Weekly                                                            15% 

• Top three professional tasks used with technology by Teachers:

Print out grades and/or progress reports

Generate worksheets, reports, letters:

 Track attendance and other student information:          

• Two tasks not being used by teachers:

Electronically align learning and assessment with goals/standards (e.g., curriculum databases)                                          51.28%

Utilize electronic assessment techniques such as online testing, computer

adaptive testing                                     66.67%

• Years of Experience -Teachers use technology with students: 

1 Year                                                              7.5%

2-3 years                                                          37.5%

4-5 years                                                          12.5%

5+ years                                                           40%

Not Started yet                                                 2.5%

• Where do students use technology? 

Schedule as needed in lab                                 32.5%

Media center                                                    15%

Classroom                                                        32.5%

Regularly scheduled class time in the lab            20%

• How do students work when using technology? 

 Work individually                                          67.5%

• What is the role of the librarian in the instructional process? 

Partner with him/her at least weekly                   17.5%

Partner with him/her monthly                 22.5%

Not partnering with him/her at this time 30%

• Top three tools used in classrooms:

Word Processing; Internet Tools; Content Specific Software

• Lowest three tools used in classrooms:

Web Tools; Multi Media; Simulations

• What has technology use with students allowed me to do?  (In order)

Increase time for students to work independently on topics of their choice, without direction.

Expand the time students have to learn beyond the classroom.

Provide more complex, challenging tasks

Increase my time to work with individuals/small groups

• 75% of administrators reported that currently goals for content impact with technology are specific and measurable.

Student Learning:

• What percentage of students are proficient users of technology?            

15-49% of students are proficient                     35%

50-70% of students are proficient                     25%

70%+ of students are proficient                         22.5%

Less than 15% of students are proficient            2.5%

Not Sure                                                          15%

• How often do students construct/produce knowledge with technology?

Monthly                                                            30%

Weekly/Daily                                                    25%

·        Administrators report learning experiences with technology all students are getting: Keyboarding, Internet, basic software use, JumpStart typing, Word, Excel, PowerPoint. (ELO)

·                    Administrator top priorities for student uses of technology:

To learn and be confident users of computers.

Increase effectiveness of teaching.

Keyboarding and typing

·                    Results Administrators are expecting for students using technology:

All students will use computers to learn.

Increase awareness of possible used, increase effectiveness of use.

Improved use of keyboarding, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint as well as improved Reading scores through the use of Accelerated Reader.

Online Survey Analysis Findings for Curriculum & Instruction:

Professional Development

Readiness:

• Teacher self-rating as technology users: 

A Beginner w/ support                          30%

Capable of teaching others                                20%

Confident on my own                                        50%

• Administrator self-rating as technology users:

Capable of helping others                                              50%

Confident User                                                             50%

• Administrators Rank teachers’ ability to make connection of content and effective technology use at developing stage.
• Teacher Clock hours of training (Last five years): 2004 Survey (rounded to nearest %)

·        Administrator Clock hours of training (Last five years): 2004 Survey  (4 Administrators)

50% of administrators(2 of 4 administrators) report less than ten hours of training in Change management/leadership in last five years.  One administrator is at optimum level with over 70 hours.

·        Tasks completed with technology by all Administrators:

      Email-daily; Generate documents-daily; Use of management systems-daily;

• Training needed in priority order by teachers:

Designing learning projects using technology

Developing assessment strategies for technology uses

Managing learning projects that use technology

Hardware/Software

• Top three personal tools mastered by teachers:

Word Processing, Content specific software, email

• Top three tools used in classrooms:

Word Processing, Content specific software, Internet

Training Opportunities:

• 75% of teachers indicate training opportunities have changed some instructional strategies.
• Top three ways teachers learn:

One-to one mentoring                                       83%

Workshops                                                      78%

University course                                              43%

• 85% of teachers indicate building principals encourage participation in professional growth activities.

Building Leadership Support

·        Efforts made to support professional growth/"best instructional practices for teachers:

25% believe they articulate and coach teachers in effective curriculum/technology connections.

No administrator indicated that articulate/assess teachers in use of NCREL’s Engaged Learning Principles with students or ISBE’s Six Essential Learnings with students (75% not sure).

25% indicate they are articulating/assessing teachers curriculum design of effective content/technology connections (i.e. lesson plans, observations, etc.).

25% indicate they are assessing the competency of teacher use of technology with students.

·        Majority of administrators report they personally model professional uses of technology and provide leadership support for innovative models of excellence with students among their staff. The majority of administrators, however, do not think they make an explicit effort to provide staff with wide range of staff development strategies and resources.

·        Administrators are not sure whether they participate in collective problem-solving as systems barriers arise.

Online Survey Analysis Findings for Professional Development:

Technology Deployment & Sustainability:

·        Access to technology: 

Administrators responses to ranking of district student/workstation ratios is varied:

            Developing - 50 - 70% of staff              50%

Highly Acculturated - 70 - 100%                      50%

Note: District is reaching optimum level.  Reason for varied responses is due to possibility of counting teacher workstations.  Tool 18 (Instructional Technology Inventory) indicates highly acculturated based on research from CEO Forum.

      Teachers rate computer access at school for professional work:

Always available                                               38%      

Available with effort                                          20%      

Easily available                                                 43%    

Teachers rate computer access at school for class work:

Always available                                               15%    

Available with effort                                          35%      

Easily available                                                 45%    

None                                                                  5%    

·        Teachers rating of technical support: 

Frustrating 10%; Lagging 25%;Outstanding 15%; Satisfactory 48%      

• Internet access for classroom work:

Always available                                               18%

Available with effort                                          35%

Easily available                                                 45%

Online Survey Analysis Findings for Technology Deployment & Sustainability:

Note:  Additional tools that have been analyzed can be found in the appendices section of the technology plan.

D. Illinois NextSteps Insta- Audit Results

April 18, 2004

The Technology committee completed the following Technology Profile Summary. It is based upon all data collected from the various surveys, inventories, and NextSteps Teacher and Administrator Online Surveys.