Students and Staff Assessment of Technology Skills, Knowledge, and Attitudes

The assessment of current technology in the Chicopee Public Schools can be best described as encompassing all levels from early tech to advanced tech use of telecommunications.  The STaR chart for reference (Massachusetts School Technology and Readiness Chart)

According to the surveys we administered, between 75-100% of staff feels that they have access to classroom computers to enhance student learning.  No one on staff felt that they had over 90% access to multimedia resources, school telecommunications resources or district-wide electronic information networks.

 Our surveys indicated that 75-100% of staff surveyed indicated that student and teacher access to up to date technology in the areas of:  Computer Assisted Instruction, creativity technologies, data manipulation, design technologies, telecommunication, presentation technologies, publishing and productivity technologies, research technologies and learning management technologies could all improve the teaching and learning process

Staff Technology Skills and Knowledge

In the Staff Technology Access area of creativity technologies and publishing and productivity technologies 50-75% of staff felt that they have some computer skills, a small group including TPD’s have begun teaching these skills in their buildings.  Computer Assisted Instruction, data manipulation and research technologies faired higher with 75-90% of staff having awareness, again a small group including TPD’s have begun teaching with this technology.  Design technologies, presentation technologies and publication and productivity technologies scored the highest with 76-100% of faculty having awareness, and have begun to teaching with this technology.

When we moved to the area of staff who had beginning level of skills (Early Tech- StaR Chart) and interest in teaching with these technologies, we were entirely in the 25-50% rating. 

The entire school system staff felt that they were in the 25-50% range concerning skills of staff who have (Developing Tech STaR chart) or stronger skills in teaching others with this technology. The area of publishing and productivity technologies scored at 50-75% level.

Administrative

Administrative functions have been carried out using computers for a number of years by office staff in administration and all city schools.  All administrative duties for the Chicopee Public Schools are supervised by the Chicopee Public Schools Acting Business Manager (JoAnn Kupiec) 

-  iPASS our Web based student information system is capable of meeting standards for the Department of Education IMS (Information Management Systems) initiatives. 

-          District Administration and all public schools are switching over to MUNIS as schools are moved over to the Fiber Optic WAN.  This is a major upgrade and will greatly improve and speed up the financial system for the district.

-          The Business department is considering moving to a new web personnel system, which will integrate with the current iPASS database that IMG, is developing.

-          IMG (Information Marketing Group) is the service provider for this service to the Chicopee Public Schools business department.  Currently the Chicopee Public Schools is under contract to IMG for the iPASS student information system. The contract is up for renewal July 2005 for the next four years including service and maintenance of the data base servers that provide web based access to district personnel.

-          The Special Education Department utilizes ESPED a web based database for their data management purposes.  It is in the planning stages to have ESPED and iPASS update each other electronically.

-          The School Lunch Department is starting to utilize the COMALEX (Café Terminal, point-of-sale software)  system to track free and reduced lunch status.  They started with in the 2004-2005 school year with 2 schools on the computerized system.  It is in the planning stages to have the new Comprehensive High School utilizing this same system. 

Staff

The greatest area of computer usage is in the classrooms, computer labs, mobile wireless lap top labs and libraries of the Chicopee Public Schools.  Staffing consists of teachers and/or teacher aids.  The middle school labs are staffed with a teacher and a teacher’s aid.  The elementary schools are staffed with either teachers or teacher aids with varying computer knowledge and teaching skills.  Staff efforts are sometimes hampered by aging hardware and software.  These factors can limit the quality of computer integration into the curriculum that can be offered to students at all levels in the Chicopee Public Schools.  The unavailability of funds to update the older hardware to operate the most current software is a common problem throughout the city.

Staff Development

Extensive staff development has been done in the City of Chicopee to bring the technology level of city teachers up to the current multimedia and telecommunications level.  Through our continued employment of TPD’s, trained under Project MEET, our schools are continuing to train and work with instructional staff in the integration of technology into the curriculum.  The monthly district Technology Committee Meetings, which is composed of technology stakeholders, provides the catalyst for the TPD’s to work with the instructional staff.

Besides continuing our Masters Degree program in Administration Technology with Framingham State College specialized courses were offered to 42 teachers in a Multimedia approach to educators through the use of Smart boards.  Other on line school sponsored courses in Windows XP operating system, PowerPoint, Excel and computer graphics were provided to the staff of our new Chicopee High School which was scheduled to open in late August of 2004.

Middle School technology teacher trained their school staff in Assistive technologies while specialists were hired to assist with the implementation of new technology based software with student data components, allowing for student progress analysis and NCLB reporting requirements.  These programs consist of Read 180, SRI, Houghton Mifflin math (Ways to Success), Reading First and Scholastic Red which provides two online courses for credit or PDP’s.