Running Head: TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR 1

Emily Horan

FRIT 7739

Technology Program Administrator

Thomson High School

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I. Executive Summary

The Thomson High School Media Center is efficiently meeting its mission in providing a

collaborative learning environment between stakeholders where independent learning, critical

thinking, and important information literacy skills are prioritized. The media center, which is led

by one media specialist and one media clerk, has undergone many changes since its opening, all

of which were designed to create a more welcoming learning environment that encourages

independent, small group, and large group/classroom learning with and without technology. The

media specialist, who also serves as the instructional technology leader of the school, aims to

provide the necessary tools and resources for both teachers and students to engage in 21st

century learning. The technology use throughout the school is a strong characteristic of the

teaching environment, however some recommendations have been made to improve the

effectiveness of the technology use. After reviewing multiple sources of data collection, an

evaluation of the individual components, activities, and effectiveness of the media center has

been made.
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II. Organizational Chart

created using bubbl.us

III. Methods

Data was collected from a variety of sources while conducting this evaluation report.

Most of the information was collected from over fifty hours of observation in the media center.

Information was also collected from an interview with the media specialist (Appendix A) and

review of several related documents and resources, including:

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● 2014 - 2017 McDuffie County Schools Technology Plan

○ This document contains information about the district’s technology status as of

2014; goals for future improvement and development that include specific details

on qualifying data, estimated timeline, and persons responsible; and plans for

communication of goals and professional development.

● 2017-2018 Thomson High School Consideration for Technology Needs

○ This document contains current technology resource status at Thomson High

School, information relating to replacement of technology, and description of

technology needs at the school-level.

● Results from a Levels of Teaching Innovation (LoTi) Digital Age Survey

○ This 46-page document contains the results of the LoTi Digital Age Survey in

which the media specialist of Thomson High School sent data to be measured by a

committee against the LoTi rubric. The results illustrate Thomson High School’s

profile in the five categories of LoTi: (1) Levels of Teaching Innovation, (2)

H.E.A.T. Framework, (3) Other Technology and Instructional Frameworks, (4)

Digital Age Best Practices, and (5) ISTE Standards.

● Thomson High School Media Webpage

○ This webpage provides information relating to how the media center helps

teachers and students, both at school and at home. Web and library resources,

instructions, and other media is located on the site.

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IV. Center Context and Goals

History: ​The Thomson High School Media Center was built with the high school in 1992.

Originally, the media center contained only shelves and limited seating arrangements. The media

center has undergone many updates throughout the years, including technology upgrades,

rearrangement of furniture to provide more seating for students and classes, and major cosmetic

upgrades including repainting of the walls to a neutral color and replacement of carpeting.

Mission and Goals: ​The mission of the Thomson High School Media Center is that it “seeks to

create an environment that promotes learning for all students by providing equitable access to

information, teaching information literacy skills, and encouraging lifelong learning. The library

media center strives to be a center of collaborative learning that produces creative students who

have an appreciation of literature, critical thinking skills, and a respect for others and self” (THS

Media Center Webpage). In addition, the McDuffie County vision for district technology

describes it’s goals as to “provide all students, regardless of their physical or mental limitations,

a safe environment that maximizes learning potential.

● Technology will provide the tools that will hone students’ higher order thinking skills,

allow for collaborative learning, and foster teamwork that will be essential in the

workplace.

● Technology will play a key role to provide teachers with the tools, skills, and the

motivation necessary to ensure students will be productive citizens of tomorrow.

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● Technology will assist teachers to provide direction and guidance through this

continuously changing process, allowing them to become facilitators of learning in the

information age.

● Technology will allow teachers to differentiate instruction.

● Technology will play a key role in providing administrators and teachers data to drive

instruction.

● Technology will expose students and teachers to alternative methods of problem solving”

(2014-2017 McDuffie County Technology Plan)

Stakeholders: ​Stakeholders include parents, teachers, students, administration, and community

members. The media center is the center of technology resources for the school and for many

students, teachers, parents, and faculty members. The media center also hosts several events

throughout the year to promote community and school communication and relationships.

Personnel: ​The media center is currently staffed by one media specialist and one media clerk.

The media specialist primarily focuses on collaboration with teachers, delivering professional

development related to instructional technology, meeting with teachers, leadership, and

administration, development and management of media resources and Makerspaces,

troubleshooting PowerSchool, gradebook, or other instructional technology issues, and managing

the school’s social media and webpages. The media clerk is primarily responsible for circulation

transactions, upkeep of media center facility, student requests (IDs and supply purchases), and

assisting the media specialist.

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V. Center Activities

Activity Purpose Audience Location

Techno Tuesday To promote instructional Teachers Media Center

technology in the classroom (volunteer)

Hosting To foster relationships between the Community Media Center

Community community and school members,
Events Events include: (Signing Day, students, faculty
Honors Breakfast, Business
Leaders Luncheon)

Media Center To communicate expectations and Freshman, new Media Center,

Orientation uses of the media center students classroom (if
needed)

Student Digital To promote student achievement Students Media Center,

Media Festival in digital media online

Mini-Technology To encourage professional District-wide Thomson High

Conference learning in the school and district teachers, faculty, School
admin

Research/Galileo To promote effective research English classes Media Center,

Presentation practices and use of media (other classes as classroom (if
resources requested) needed)

Makerspace To encourage independent studies Students Media Center

and interests

Tome Society To promote reading and academic Students Media Center,

achievement Conference at
UNG

New Teacher To communicate information New teachers Varies

Orientation relating to PowerSchool,
gradebook management, and
technology resources available

GaETC To participate in professional Media Specialist Atlanta, GA

learning in the field of
instructional technology

Author To encourage reading and Students, Media Center,

Visits/Skype authentic learning experiences teachers classroom
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Sessions

RESA Media To participate in professional Media Specialists RESA Office

Consortium learning and collaborate with other in Richmond,
media specialists/instructional Columbia,
technology specialists McDuffie
Counties

VI. Evaluation

After comparing my collected data with the media center’s mission, I believe that the

media center is currently fulfilling its mission with minor improvement necessary. The media

specialists prioritizes teaching information literacy skills through her implementation of research

and Galileo presentations and workshops with all English classrooms. The media specialist also

encourages lifelong learning and reading through multiple means: Tome Society participation,

Makerspace-designated areas, and the Student Digital Media Festival. Each of these

opportunities encourage students to pursue their individual passions and interests while

cultivating a learning environment.

After comparing my collected data with the district’s technology goals, I have concluded

that Thomson High School’s technology use is on its way to meeting the goals, but is not quite

there yet. The district’s technology goal emphasize use of technology as a facilitator for engaged

and higher-order learning. Based on my observations, review of transaction logs, and LoTi

survey results which show that 93% of teachers are at or above target for technology use, I can

conclude that technology use at Thomson High School has become a mostly pervasive practice,

which is a step in the right direction to using it in effective ways; afterall, technology could not

be used effectively if it is not used at all. It is also evident that the media specialist prioritizes
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instructional technology use through monthly professional development opportunities provided

to teachers on a variety of Web 2.0 tools and resources. The goals also emphasize use of

technology to push students to be productive citizens once they leave high school. According to

the LoTi survey results, Thomson High School again is a step in the right direction with 62% of

students identified as at or above target level for understanding Digital Citizenship and

Responsibility.

My recommendations for Thomson High School are outlined below:

● Improve student and teacher attendance to media center events/opportunities.​ This will

take the opportunities in place, like Makerspaces, training workshops, and Tome Society,

a step further and create more of an impact on the school community.

● Incorporate more professional development in technology as a tool for authentic learning

experiences and higher-order thinking. ​While the data shows that technology is being

used to a great extent at Thomson High School, more work could be done to improve the

effectiveness of the use of technology. According to the LoTi results, 40% of classrooms

showed teacher-directed and low-engagement learning, even with high technology use.

This recommendation could be in the form of the media specialist providing more

professional development herself, bringing in an outside professional development

leader, sending teachers to conferences such as GaETC, or making the professional

development sessions offered by the media specialist mandatory.

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Appendix A - Media Specialist Interview Questions

● What are the media center’s primary goals and mission?

● How do you fulfill the media center’s goals? District goals?

● What are your primary duties and responsibilities?

● How do you fulfill the role of instructional technology leader in the school?

● What activities does the media center lead? How do these activities impact the school

community?

● What do you believe are the weaknesses of the current media center?

● What are your personal goals for improving the media center’s effectiveness?