5.1 Needs Assessment
Candidates conduct needs 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.
Needs Assessment
The Needs Assessment Artifact was created in the Professional Learning and Technology Innovations course. The purpose of the artifact was to determine faculty, grade-level, and subject area strengths and weaknesses as it relates to technology integration. Through the Needs Assessment, I determined what type of technology-related professional learning is needed by the faculty within the school and, using the results of the Needs Assessment, I informed the development of the professional learning session I implemented with the staff. For the assessment, I adapted the TAGLIT Teacher Assessment to create a survey using Google Documents. The survey contained 25 multiple choice questions and one open response question. There were a total of 18 survey responses collected. I analyzed the results of the survey to determine what type of technology-based training they may need, and, ultimately, I decided to focus on using technology to assess students. The survey that was implemented can be found by clicking here.
The Needs Assessment demonstrates mastery of Standard 5.1 because I conducted a needs assessment survey to determine school wide strengths and weaknesses to inform the content and delivery of a technology-based professional learning program. The analysis of the survey results allowed me to determine the topic of the professional learning program that I implemented. The Needs Assessment also gave me insight to the technology use and integration at my school.
From completing the Needs Assessment, I realized the importance of conducting an assessment to determine the types of professional learning that need to take place with a staff. Many teachers have probably participated in required professional learning sessions that they felt were unnecessary or a waste of their time, but, by completing a needs assessment, the professional learning becomes more meaningful and valuable. I gained quite a bit of knowledge in using Google Documents to create surveys and analyze survey results as well. This was beneficial because my professional learning session ended up being about using technology to assess students. I was able to share my new knowledge about Google Forms with my coworkers. To improve the quality of the Needs Assessment, I think I would have included less questions that were more focused to what I wanted to know. The time of a teacher is very valuable and I think I would have gotten more responses if my survey would have been shorter and more to the point.
The Needs Assessment impacts faculty development because I used the results from the Needs Assessment to develop a professional learning session for the teachers at my school. The analysis of the results also helped me see what types of faculty development should be implemented in the future. The impact of the Needs Assessment could be assessed by analyzing the results from the post survey that teachers completed after I facilitated the professional learning session.
The Needs Assessment demonstrates mastery of Standard 5.1 because I conducted a needs assessment survey to determine school wide strengths and weaknesses to inform the content and delivery of a technology-based professional learning program. The analysis of the survey results allowed me to determine the topic of the professional learning program that I implemented. The Needs Assessment also gave me insight to the technology use and integration at my school.
From completing the Needs Assessment, I realized the importance of conducting an assessment to determine the types of professional learning that need to take place with a staff. Many teachers have probably participated in required professional learning sessions that they felt were unnecessary or a waste of their time, but, by completing a needs assessment, the professional learning becomes more meaningful and valuable. I gained quite a bit of knowledge in using Google Documents to create surveys and analyze survey results as well. This was beneficial because my professional learning session ended up being about using technology to assess students. I was able to share my new knowledge about Google Forms with my coworkers. To improve the quality of the Needs Assessment, I think I would have included less questions that were more focused to what I wanted to know. The time of a teacher is very valuable and I think I would have gotten more responses if my survey would have been shorter and more to the point.
The Needs Assessment impacts faculty development because I used the results from the Needs Assessment to develop a professional learning session for the teachers at my school. The analysis of the results also helped me see what types of faculty development should be implemented in the future. The impact of the Needs Assessment could be assessed by analyzing the results from the post survey that teachers completed after I facilitated the professional learning session.