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Running Head: EASYTECH IMPLEMENTATION 1

Lake Oconee Academy’s EasyTech Implementation

Melissa Snell

July 21, 2013

Dr. Jo Williamson

Fall 2012

EASYTECH IMPLEMENTATION

Setting/Context

Lake Oconee Academy is a public charter school located in Greene County. The

school is situated in a rural area with a school population of approximately 400 students.

During the 2013-2014 school year, it will serve students in grades Pre-K through eighth

grade. Class sizes range between twenty to twenty-two students, with teaching assistants

in each Pre-K and kindergarten class, and one per grade level in first, second, and third

grade. Eighty-one percent of the school’s population is Caucasian, followed by 8% African

American, and 10% other nationalities. Acceptance into this school is based on which zone

students are located in, as well the order in which they are picked in the school attendance

lottery. Is it is considered a great privilege to attend Lake Oconee Academy, and the waiting

lists are long for every grade.

The school is consistently recognized with the Platinum Award for Highest

Performance from the Governor’s Office for Student Achievement, with all students

meeting or exceeding state standards. In June of 2013, Lake Oconee Academy was awarded

with a half-million dollar grant to use for a virtual desktop system and four hundred

workstations. In July, the school purchased the EasyTech curriculum from Learning.com. In

order for this grant and curriculum purchase to be worthwhile, they must be implemented

successfully in the 2013-2014 school year, with the students and staff of Lake Oconee

Academy. Dr. Otho Tucker, CEO of Lake Oconee Academy, has given his permission for the

implementation of EasyTech at Lake Oconee Academy in the 2013-2014 school year, to be

the source of my Capstone project.

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Capstone Problem and Rationale

“The world is changing around us, yet as a system we have been very slow to react.

Our student’s realities in terms of the way they communicate and learn are very different

from our own” (Richardson, 2010, p. 6). The students of today have been coined the digital

natives, as they have grown up immersed in technology. Most teachers on the other hand,

are digital immigrants, struggling to learn and assimilate the new ways into their own life

and teaching pedagogy. It is very clear that what students will need to survive the job

market of the future will be drastically different from the past. In order to prepare students

appropriately for the global world ahead of them, teachers must rise to the challenge of

implementing technology into their own lives and classrooms.

“Expecting technology to be the answer is putting the cart before the horse.

Technology by itself will not get us where we want to go. It must be driven by teachers and

students using technology as a tool to perform at a higher level” (Creighton, 2003, p. 102).

Receiving four hundred workstations, a virtual desktop, and the EasyTech curriculum this

year at Lake Oconee Academy will be a wonderful addition to the school, but they will be

wasted resources if teachers and students are not taught how to use them effectively.

“Supporting technological change requires much more than instituting workshops; it

requires as well the creation of opportunities to practice and observe, and opportunities to

be coached and coach others” (Schlechty, 1997 as cited in Creighton, 2003, p. 89).

Training teachers in the area of technology is no different than any other skill they

must learn to become a skilled teacher. First, they must become confident with the

programs and begin to see practical and meaningful ways to use them to teach the required

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standards. In the early 1900’s educational psychologist Lev Semenovich Vygotsky

described a process of learning called scaffolding. In this process, a teacher builds on a

student’s current knowledge, providing assistance with harder skills, and gradually

removing their help, so that the child is eventually doing this skill independently (Robyler

& Doering, 2013). This is an excellent model for all learners, even adults, and it is especially

helpful in the area of technology.

Throughout the scaffolding process, modeling is an essential key. “People need to

see it. They need to see it done right at first” (Knight, 2007, p. 29). Modeling best practices

can be incredibly helpful in the beginning process of implementing new technology

programs. When teachers feel confident using new technology and tools, they will be able

to create and implement meaningful lessons for their students using technology. Teachers

need somewhere or someone to turn to when difficulties arise. They need someone that

will follow up on their progress and offer suggestions and help throughout the entire year.

Objectives

Improve typing skills for students

Improve productivity and Web 2.0 skills for students and teachers

Improve understanding of digital citizenship for students and teachers

Create curriculum map with focus areas and technology skills for each grade

Develop professional development plan for implementing EasyTech curriculum into

K-8 classrooms

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Deliverables

Give students and teachers Learning.com technology assessments in the beginning

of the year to determine strengths and weaknesses in the area of technology

(Appendix A, Appendix B).

Use the technology assessment results to create a plan of implementation and

determine focus areas for teachers and each grade level.

Provide training on EasyTech in pre-planning and throughout the year in small

groups and one-on-one, to teachers in grades K-8.

Create a scaffolding process of implementation by teaching the teachers appropriate

ways to implement the EasyTech Program in their classroom, modeling ways of

using the program, being available to assist teachers in the classroom as they try out

the program, and being a resource for questions and problems as teachers use the

program on their own.

Create Screencasts and handouts on EasyTech procedures for teachers to use as a

resource as needed. Screencasts and handouts will be saved to a common place,

where all teachers can download at any point in time.

Create surveys to use throughout the process of implementation to get quick input

from the students and teachers (Appendix C, Appendix D, Appendix E).

PSC Standards

Standard 1: Visionary Leadership: Coach demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and

dispositions to inspire and lead the development and implementation of a shared vision

for the effective use of technology to promote excellence and support transformational

change throughout Lake Oconee Academy.

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o Element 1.2: Coach facilitates the design, development, implementation,

communication, and evaluation of technology-infused strategic plans.

o Element 1.4: Coach researches, recommends, and implements strategies for

initiating and sustaining technology innovations for managing the change process

in schools.

Standard 2: Teaching, Learning, and Assessment: Coach assists teachers in using

technology effectively for assessing student learning, differentiation instruction, and

providing rigorous, relevant, and engaging learning experiences for all students.

o Element 2.1: Coach teachers in modeling and facilitating the design and

implementation of technology-enhanced learning experiences aligned with

student content standards and student technology standards

o Element 2.2 Coach teachers by modeling and facilitating the use of research-

based, learner-centered strategies addressing the diversity of all students.

o Element 2.3: Coach models and facilitates the use of digital tools and resources

to engage students in authentic learning experiences.

o Element 2.4: Coach models and facilitates the effective use of digital tools and

resources to support and enhance higher order thinking skills, processes, and

mental habits of mind.

o Element 2.6: Coach models and facilitates the effective use of research-based

best practices in instructional design when designing and developing digital tools,

resources, and technology enhanced learning experiences.

Standard 3: Digital Learning Environment: Coach demonstrates the knowledge skills

and dispositions to create, support, and manage effective digital learning environments.

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o Element 3.1: Coach models and facilitates effective classroom managements and

collaborative learning strategies to maximize teacher and student use of digital

tools and resources.

o Element 3.2: Coach effectively manages digital tools and resources within the

context of student learning experiences.

o Element 3.3 Coach develops, models, and facilitates the use of online and

blended learning, digital content, and learning networks to support and extend

student learning and expand opportunities and choices for professional learning

for teachers and administrators.

o Element 3.6: Coach collaborates with teachers and administrators to select and

evaluate digital tools and resources for accuracy, suitability, and compatibility

with the school technology infrastructure.

Standard 4: Digital Citizenship & Responsibility: Coach demonstrates the knowledge,

skills, and dispositions to model and promote digital citizenship and responsibility.

o Element 4.1: Coach models and promotes strategies for achieving equitable

access to digital tools and resources and technology-related best practices for all

students and teachers.

o Element 4.2: Coach models and facilitates the safe, healthy, legal, and ethical

uses of digital information and technologies.

Standard 5: Coach demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to conduct

needs assessments, develop technology-based professional learning programs, and design

and implement regular and rigorous program evaluations to assess effectiveness and

impact on student learning.

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o Element 5.1: Coach conducts need assessments to determine school-wide,

faculty, grade-level, and subject area strengths and weaknesses to inform the

content and delivery of technology-based professional learning programs.

o Element 5.2: Coach develops and implements technology-based professional

learning that aligns to state and national professional learning standards,

integrates technology to support face-to-face and online components, models

principles of adult learning, and promotes best practices in teaching, learning and

assessment.

o Element 5.3: Coach designs and implements program evaluations to determine

the overall effectiveness of professional learning on deepening teacher content

knowledge, improving teacher pedagogical skill and/or increasing student

learning.

Standard 6: Coach demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to engage in

continuous learning, reflect on professional practice, and engage in appropriate field

experiences.

o Element 6.1: Coach demonstrates continual growth in knowledge and skills of

current and emerging technologies and apply them to improve personal

productivity and professional practice.

o Element 6.2: Coach regularly evaluates and reflects on his/her professional

practice and dispositions to improve and strengthen their ability to effectively

model and facilitate technology-enhances learning experiences.

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o Element 6.3: Coach engages in appropriate field experiences to synthesize and

apply the content and professional knowledge, skills, and dispositions identified

in these standards.

Project Description

A. Narrative

EasyTech, a technology curriculum developed by Learning.com will be implemented

throughout the kindergarten through eighth grade classes at Lake Oconee Academy. This

curriculum developed by Learning.com includes keyboarding, digital citizenship, Web 2.0 tools,

and Microsoft Program tutorials. Teachers and students will be given a pre-test created by

Learning.com in the beginning of the year to determine their strengths and weaknesses in the

area of technology (Appendix A, Appendix B). Students will be given a survey to share their

likes and dislikes when it comes to technology (Appendix D, Appendix E). Teachers will be

given a survey to determine their immediate needs and areas that they feel they need assistance I

(Appendix C). Using this information, as well as state standards, the Instructional Technologist

will work with each grade level to set technology goals for the 2013-2014 school year.

Training will happen throughout the year in a scaffolding manner. A bulk of these

trainings will transpire in grade-level meetings. In these sessions, the Instructional Technologist

will guide the teachers on pedagogically appropriate approaches for their classrooms using the

EasyTech curriculum. This will lead to modeling best practices within the classroom, integrating

the curriculum and encouraging teachers to attempt the approaches on their own. Throughout this

process, the Instructional Technologist will be available to help and provide assistance whenever

needed. Screencast tutorials and downloadable handouts with basic troubleshooting techniques

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and other helpful information will be created. This information will be available at any given

time on Lake Oconee Academy’s virtual desktop.

Surveys will be given quarterly to students and staff using the curriculum (Appendix F,

Appendix G). These surveys will help drive any changes that need to be made. At the end of the

year, final assessments will be given to the students and teachers (Appendix A, Appendix B).

These assessments will be compared to the pre-assessments and the results will be studied and

analyzed so that conclusions can be made. The results of the eighth grade assessments will be

sent to the county and state.

B. Timeline

Date Task

June 2013 EasyTech Program was researched and bought for the 2013-2014 year.

August 1, 2013 EasyTech Training for all Staff Members during pre-planning.

August 2013 Give pre-assessments and first survey to teachers and students.Create any needed screencasts and handouts.

September 2013 Work with teachers on creating technology goals for each grade level.Create any needed screencasts and handouts.

September – April

2013

Train teachers, model best practices in classrooms, and assist teachers in using the curriculum in their classrooms.Give surveys in August, December, and March.Create any needed screencasts and handouts.

May 2013 Give post-assessments and final surveys to students and teachers.Study results and draw conclusions.Meet with teachers in grade level groups to discuss results.Reflect on results and decide on changes that need to be made for the

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following year.Send the 8th grade assessments to the county and state.

C. Resources

Resource How it will be secured

1. EasyTech Curriculum and assessments Already purchased by the school and accessible beginning July 15th, 2013. This includes a one-day training seminar for all teachers, which will be held on 8/1/2013.

2. Computers and Internet access The grant delivering 400 workstations and a virtual desktop for all will be in place by August 19th, 2013. The server and broadband are sufficient to handle the new stations.

3. Surveys Surveys will be created with Google Documents.

4. Screencasts and handouts ScreenCast and Jing accounts will be utilized to create screencasts. Word or Google Documents will be used to create the handouts.

5. Permission Permission has been granted by the CEO of Lake Oconee Academy.

Evaluation Plan

Formative and summative evaluation will be ongoing throughout the implementation.

The results of surveys and assessments will drive future trainings. Teachers and students will be

observed throughout the process, and successes as well as failures will be noted. At the

conclusion of the year, final assessments will be compared to the beginning assessments, to note

areas of growth, and any areas of continued weaknesses. The Instructional Technologist will

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meet with each grade level to share the findings and discuss outcomes and possible changes to

make for the following year.

References

Creighton, T. (2003). The principal as technology leader. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin

Press.

Knight, J. (2007). Instructional coaching. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Press.

Richardson, W. (2010). Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms.

Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Press.

Roblyer, M. & Doering, A. (2013). Integrating educational technology into teaching. Boston:

Pearson.

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Appendix A

EasyTech Teacher Assessment

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Appendix B

Easy Tech Student Assessment

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Appendix C

Beginning of the Year Survey - Teachers

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EASYTECH IMPLEMENTATION 16


.

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Appendix D

Beginning of the Year Survey – K-3

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Appendix E

Beginning of the Year Survey – 4-8th

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Appendix F

Quarterly Survey – K-8th

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Appendix G

Quarterly Survey – Teachers

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