SyllabusThe Role of the Technology SpecialistET 680Education Specialties Department
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CATALOG DESCRIPTION
Analyzes the role of the technology specialist in the school, including practical issues for managing the school's technology infrastucture, balancing a teaching load with technology specialist responsibilities, and the technology specialist as a catalyst for change. Requires reading and presentation of scholarly articles, hands-on work with computers, and preparation of practical strategies and plans for technology implementation in the schools.
COURSE RATIONALE
Increasingly, schools are hiring technology specialists to oversee the smooth implementation of technology throughout the curriculum. Sometimes these positions are full-time positions, but more often than not, they are in addition to regular teaching and administrative responsibilities. Often, these positions are given to regular teachers who have shown the most interest in technology. You might find yourself as the de facto technology specialist without title or recognition. The technology specialist has to juggle being an administrator, a teacher, and a technology guru. This course will explore these roles and help you to better perform your role as a technology leader.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
1. Students will understand the process of planning for technology in a K-12 school.
2. Students will understand the role of a technology committee in a K-12 school.
3. Students will have the skills necessary to apply for technology grants from a variety of funding sources.
4. Students will understand the issues facing technology leaders in a K-12 school.
COURSE MATERIALS
Primary Text (Required):
Frazier, Max and Bailey, Gerald D. (2004). The technology coordinator's handbook. Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education.
Secondary Texts (Required):
Guidebook for developing an effective instructional technology plan, version 2.0. (1996). Mississippi State, MS: Mississippi State University. Retrieved January 12, 2005, from http://www2.msstate.edu/~lsa1/nctp/guide.html
U.S. Department of Education. (2004). Toward a new golden age in American education: How the Internet, the law and today's students are revolutionizing expectations (National Educational Technology Plan 2004). Retrieved January 12, 2005, from http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/os/technology/plan/2004/plan.pdf
Moursund, D. (2002). Obtaining resources for technology in education: A how-to guide for writing proposals, forming partnerships, and raising funds. Retrieved January 11, 2008, from http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~moursund/Books/GrantWriting/
Materials Needed:
Primary Text
Access to Secondary Texts (in print or online)
Software (provided in class and Loyola University labs):
COURSE OUTLINE AND SCHEDULE OF CLASSES
| Class | Date | Topics | Assignments |
| 1 | 9/16 |
Introduction to course Support for Technology and the Technology Specialist |
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| 2 | 9/23 | The Role of the Technology Committee |
Marcovitz, "Changing Schools With Technology" Information to Share: School Technology Committee |
| 3 | 9/30 | Technology Planning |
Change Process Mini-Paper Guidebook for Developing an Effective Instructional Technology Plan Information to Share: School Technology Plan |
| 4 | 10/7 | Technology Planning |
FB: Introduction and Chapter 6 Technology Committee and Stakeholders Mini-Paper |
| 5 | 10/14 | School of Education Launch on Main Campus | |
| 6 | 10/21 |
Planning for the Internet Internet Acceptable Use Policies Filtering and the Children's Internet Protection Act Cyberbullying |
FB: Chapter 2 Information to Share: School/District Acceptable Use Policy; Filtering Policy (including compliance with the Children's Internet Protection Act) |
| 7 | 10/28 |
Hardware Purchasing, Guest Speaker: Cindy Davis (tentative schedule) |
FB: Chapter 3 Information to Share: Software/Hardware Cataloguing/Documentation |
| 8 | 11/4 | Software: Evaluation, Documentation, Piracy |
FB: Chapter 4 Information to Share: Technology Staff Development Plan Acceptable Use Policy Mini-Paper |
| 9 | 11/11 | Staff Development |
FB: Chapter 5 Information to Share: Technology Grants (including but not limited to E-Rate) Information to Share: Administrative Applications and Systems Obtaining Resources for Technology in Education, Chapters 1-7 |
| 10 | 11/18 | Grant Writing Guest Speaker (tentative schedule) Grants and Funding |
Obtaining Resources for Technology in Education, Chapters 8-13 Software Piracy Mini-Paper |
| 11 | 12/2 | Open Source in Education |
National Educational Technology Plan, pp. 1-50 Technology Planning Project |
| 12 | 12/9 |
Issues for the Technology Specialist Project Presentations |
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| 13 | 12/16 |
Project Presentations Looking to the Future Conclusion |
Technology Funding Project |
FB refers to the primary text.
The professor reserves the right to make changes to this schedule. Changes to the schedule and changes in assignments will be announced in class. Note that assignment dates are likely to change as the schedule is adjusted for guest speakers and shifting times for discussing topics in class.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
You are expected to:
1. Attend all classes.
2. Complete all reading assignments as assigned in class.
3. Participate in class discussions (both in-class and electronic).
4. Bring "Information to Share"
5. Hand in projects by the project deadlines.
6. Present one project to the class.
ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES AND GRADING CRITERIA
Projects and written materials should reflect the student's knowledge of the subject as well as the use of higher-order thinking skills (analysis, interpretation, synthesis, and evaluation). Materials should be presented in a professional manner, including correct spelling, punctuation, grammar, and usage.
For this class, there are four mini-papers worth a togal of 25% and two larger papers worth 25% each and a class participation grade worth 25% of the final grade. Each will be awarded a letter grade from A to F (including all + and - grades in between and with A+ being awarded in very rare cases), except that some assignments might be awarded a numerical grade on a 100-point scale.
Projects and class participation will be assigned a grade between A+ and F. Project presentations and "Information to Share" will be part of the class participation grade. Note that class participation is a significant portion of the grade because this is an issue and discussion oriented class in which all participants are expected to examine their own roles in the schools and discuss their roles based on issues presented in class.
For the purposes of averaging, the following numeric equivalents will be used: A+ = 100; A = 95; A- = 92; B+ = 88; B = 85; B- = 82; C+ = 78; C = 75; C- = 72; D+ = 68; D = 65; D- = 62; and F = 0. When the grades are averaged, the following scale will be used to assign the final grade (note that A+, C-, D+, D, and D- are not options for final grades): above 92 = A; 90 - 92 = A-; 87.5 - 90 = B+; 82 - 87.5 = B; 80 - 82.5 = B-; 76.5 - 80 = C+; 70 - 76.5 = C; below 70 = F. For further explanation of this system, click here.
ATTENDANCE POLICY
Due to the fact that this an interactive, discussion-oriented course, students are required to attend all class sessions.
Plagiarism will not be tolerated. Unless otherwise stated, all work handed in for assignments is expected to be the original work of the student. Work that is not your own should be properly and clearly credited to the original author. Any plagiarized work will lead to a grade of F for the course.
Note that your instructor has access to many of the same resources that you do and can easily check for plagiarism in a number of ways (see for example http://www.plagiarism.org/).
LEARNING DISABILITIES
If you have a disability that is documented with the Disability Support Services Office (DSS) and wish to discuss academic accommodations, please contact your instructor as soon as possible. If you have a learning disability that has not been documented, you may contact the Disability Support Services Office (410-617-2602) for assistance.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Dirksen, D.J., & Tharp, D. (1997). "Utilizing the concerns-based adoption model to facilitate systemic change." Technology and Teacher Education Annual. Charlottesville, VA: Asscociation for the Advancement of Computing in Education, 1064-1067.
Dwyer, D.C., Ringstaff, C., & Sandholtz, J.H. (1990). "Teacher Beliefs and Practices Part I: Patterns of Change." ACOT Report #8. Retrieved September 11, 2009, from http://www.apple.com/nl/images/pdf/acotlibrary/rpt8.pdf
Frazier, Max and Bailey, Gerald D. (2004). The technology coordinator's handbook. Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education.
Fullan, M. (with Stiegelbauer, S.). (1991). The new meaning of educational change. New York: Teachers College Press.
Gibson, I.W. (2001) "Technology standards and reform in educational practice: The role of information technology in the transformation of a leader preparation program." In T.J. Kowalski & G. Perreault (Eds.), 21st Century challenges for school administrators (pp. 203 - 220). Lanham, MD: The Scarecrow Press, Inc.
Guidebook for developing an effective insructional technology plan, version 2.0. (1996). Mississippi State, MS: Mississippi State University. [Online] Available: http://www2.msstate.edu/~lsa1/nctp/guide.html
Hall, G. and Hord, S. (1987). Change in schools: Facilitating the process. New York: State University of New York Press.
Hawkins, J. (1993). Technology and the organization of schooling. Communications of the ACM, 36(5), 30-35.
Marcovitz, D. (1998). "Supporting technology in schools: The roles of computer coordinators." Technology and Teacher Education Annual. Charlottesville, VA: Asscociation for the Advancement of Computing in Education, 1041-1045.
Marcovitz, D. (2000). "The roles of computer coordinators in supporting technology in schools." Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, 8(3), 259-273.
Marcovitz, D. M. (2006). Changing schools with technology: What every school should know about innovation. In R. C. Hunter (Series Ed.) & S. Y. Tettegah (Vol. Ed.), Advances in educational administration: Vol. 8. Technology and education: Issues in administration, policy, and applications in K12 schools (pp. 3-15). London: Elsevier.
Marcovitz, D. M. (2006). Copyright, technology, and your rights. In R. C. Hunter (Series Ed.) & S. Y. Tettegah (Vol. Ed.), Advances in educational administration: Vol. 8. Technology and education: Issues in administration, policy, and applications in K12 schools (pp. 73-84). London: Elsevier.
Moursund, D. (1985). The computer coordinator. Eugene, OR: International Council for Computers in Education.
Moursund, D. (2002). Obtaining resources for technology in education: A how-to guide for writing proposals, forming partnerships, and raising funds. Retrieved September 11, 2009, from http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~moursund/Books/GrantWriting/
National Association of Secondary School Principals. (1998, December). "The Internet, Students' Rights, and Today's Principal." A legal memorandum, 1-6.
National School Boards Association. (1997). Investing in school technology: Strategies to meet the funding challenge. Retrieved January 12, 2005, from http://www.ed.gov/pubs/techinvest/
Painter, J. (2002, January). "Purchasing pitfalls" [Electronic version]. Electronic School, 8(1). Retrieved June 19, 2002, from http://www.electronic-school.com/2002/01/0102f5.html
Picciano, Anthony G. (2002). Educational leadership and planning for technology (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill/Prentice Hall.
Strudler, N. (1991). The role of school-based computer coordinators as change agents in elementary school programs. In R. L. Blomeyer, Jr. & D. C. Martin (Eds.), Case studies in computer aided learning (pp. 222-271). New York: Falmer Press.
Strudler, N., Falba, C., and Hearrington, D. (2001, June). The evolving role of school-based technology coordinators in elementary programs. Paper presented at the National Educational Computing Conference, Chicago, IL. Retrieved January 11, 2008, from http://eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=ED462950
Tomei, L.A. (2002). The technology facade: Overcoming barriers to effective instructional technology. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
U.S. Department of Education. (2004). Toward a new golden age in American education: How the Internet, the law and today's students are revolutionizing expectations (National Educational Technology Plan 2004). Retrieved January 12, 2005, from http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/os/technology/plan/2004/plan.pdf
This page was prepared by Dr. David M. Marcovitz.
Last Updated: February 18, 2009