Create Targeted Professional Development for Teachers with Standards-Based Assessment Tool Schools in the United States are challenged by mandates of the No Child Left Behind act to meet adequate yearly progress goals. This has created a critical need for staff development tools and methods that produce verifiable results The Evaluating and Integrating Technology Tool (EIT2) is a powerful resource which has been developed to provide self-evaluation and assessment on technology use and integration. It was designed by the Pennsylvania Academy for the Profession of Teaching and Learning and a consortium of Pennsylvania educators. The tool is unique in four ways. It: 1. | Recognizes the technology integration behaviors of teachers | 2. | Incorporates standards | 3. | Targets specific technology integration needs of educators | 4. | Focuses on the professional development needs of educators |
Sandi Sheppeard, assistant director of the academy, explains that "No one had identified behaviors exhibited by technology-proficient teachers. Many had identified technology skills they needed, but not what technology integration looks like in the classroom. We felt this was critical, so we began a process to identify and measure technology integration behaviors." The goal was to develop a tool that would not only identify and measure technology behaviors, but would also encourage the continued growth of educators. The ISTE-NETS Standards for Teachers were used as the foundation of the process and Bloom's Taxonomy and the CEO Forum on Education and Technology levels of integration were used to integrate developmental levels within each standard. From these the following framework was developed for all project rubrics. Framework for Technology Integration Rubrics Minimal level of confidence using technology. Uses technology to enhance productivity and to deliver some content information. Technology use is teacher-centered. Experimental time to learn technology and try it out. | Increased comfort level. Regularly uses technology to deliver information, experiments with interactive technology with learners/or begins to require students to use technology in assignments. More teacher-centered, but some movement toward being student-centered. Discovery time for appropriate uses of technology in content area. | Very comfortable with practiced technology and begins to connect various technologies for increased student benefit. Combines Microsoft PowerPoint with the Internet, graphing calculator/electronic microscope with desktop. Recognizes appropriate use of technology in the content area. Technology use is student-centered. | Comfort level allows educator to "have no fear" in experimenting with various technologies and their uses. Uses multiple technologies consistently and student assignments allow learners to begin constructing their own meaning (constructivist model). Additionally, assignments allow students to choose the technology they need to complete an assignment (choice in process and delivery). | Comfort level allows educator to reach beyond traditional use of hardware and software, to create new uses/programs, to collaborate with others to solve learning challenges through technology, and to share experiences through publishing presenting at conferences |
The tool specifically measures teachers' progress in meeting national and state standards on technology use. EIT2 can be used to evaluate individual teachers, schools, or entire districts, to create professional development plans tailored to the needs of teachers in different ability groupings, and for post-testing of teacher development efforts. Reliability and validity analyses have been conducted for results from tests in large and small districts. The analyses concluded that the test yields very high validity and reliability levels. Specifically: | • | Descriptive statistics were created | | • | Elementary, middle school, and secondary teacher responses were reliable and demonstrated content validity | | • | Elementary, middle school, and secondary teacher responses demonstrated construct validity with two major constructs identified |
EIT2 is based upon the International Society for Technology in Education NETS for Teachers (ISTE NETS for Teachers). Because the Pennsylvania state standards, like many other state standards, are based on the ISTE NETS for teachers, the EIT2 is applicable to many local and state standards. The Pennsylvania Academy is making the EIT2 assessment rubric available free of charge to individuals, schools, or districts through June 30, 2005. Individual users will receive their results after completing the free trial on the Web site. Schools or districts wishing to use the tool should e-mail ssheppeard@passhe.edu. Your school or district's information will be entered into the system and you will be sent instructions for having your teachers complete the rubric. Upon notification that all your teachers have completed the rubric, you will receive a spreadsheet with the appropriate data. Analysis and recommendations of assessment results are available from the Pennsylvania Academy for a fee. Review the EIT to discover how it can help your school measure technology use and design a professional development plan targeted to your teachers' needs. The Pennsylvania Academy brings faculty from the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, in-service teachers, pre-service teachers, and technology experts together to share information and ideas. Visit the PT3 Educator Portal for outstanding resources on teaching and learning with technology. The Pennsylvania Academy is a Microsoft Innovative Teachers Grant recipient.
| 
