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The purpose of the survey is to evaluate administrators' use of technology in order to guide professional development for administrators in the next (2012 – 2013) school year.
 * Assessing Administrators’ Use of Technology**

Before designing a needs assessment of the administrative team, it is important to review the goals for administrators in Southern Lehigh’s Educational Technology Report. One of these goals is having highly qualified staff as measured by “engagement in professional development experiences” (SLSD, 2011, p. 18). The report adds that the district has installed “standardized, consistent software packages [Microsoft Office, iWorks, iLife, Follett, and Sapphire] … on every computer in the district, in order to maintain consistency and ease of administration and training” (SLSD, 2011, p. 6). These goals show the important of administrators being able to use technology hardware and software to ensure they can effectively fulfill their administrative duties. To develop and maintain these skills the district provides opportunities for professional development.

The NET Standards for Administrators stress the importance modeling and promoting frequent and effective technology use. The second NET Standard states that administrators will promote a digital-age learning culture by modeling and promoting “frequent and effective use of technology” (ISTE, 2009b, p. 1). The third standard notes that administrators will promote excellence in professional practice by modeling “effective communication and collaboration among stakeholders using digital age tools” (ISTE, 2009b, p. 1). Finally, the fourth standard adds that administrators will provide systemic improvement in leadership and management by using “technology effectively and proficiently to advance academic and operational goals” (ISTE, 2009b, p. 2). The final purpose of the needs assessment is to analyze the administrative team’s proficiency in National Educational Technology Standards for Administrators (NETS-A). The Educational Technology Report states the district will “develop a differentiated plan for all … administrators to develop a personal professional growth plan to demonstrate proficiency in the NET Standards” (SLSD, 2011, p. 18). The challenge was to devise a survey that would assess these NET Standards for Administrators.

I generated a survey using Google Docs that is based upon the Education Technology Report’s goals for the administrative team’s effective and proficient use of technology and NETS-A. In addition, I used ISTEs Essential Conditions document to generate questions for the survey. The link for the Google Docs survey “Assessing Administrators’ Use of Technology” is []

**Reflections**

This activity fulfills the requirements for
 * I.A. Identification, selection, installation and maintenance of technology infrastructure, and hardware and software applications for school administration and instruction including:**
 * **Assessment of educational and administrative technological needs**
 * I.C. Management and administration of technology programs at the building, district and regional levels including:**
 * **Monitoring and evaluating technology plans**

The activity was to “design a needs assessment of our Administrative team to guide [their] Professional Development for the 12-13 school year.” The activity fulfills PDE requirements by assessing administrative technological needs (IA) and evaluating if they fulfill the goals of the technology plan (IC).

The process of creating this survey was much like the Administrators Evaluating Teacher Use of Technology. The difference here was evaluating administrators’ use of technology so make sure they are modeling technology use to teachers. An additional challenge was to devise a survey that would assess these NET Standards for Administrators. Since I had already completed one survey, this new survey was easier to complete.

As I searched for some sample administrative assessment tools, I discovered some useful websites and observation tools. [|LoTi], Levels of Technology Innovation, offers online assessments that are aligned to ISTE’s NETS for Teachers and Administrators and Partnership for 21st Century Skills. In order to see LoTi’s assessments one must belong to an organization with an account with LoTi. However, Partnership for 21st Century Skills offers a free assessment tool called [|MILE Guide Self-Assessment Survey]. It allows administrators assess how their schools implement 21st Century Skills. A wiki called Admin Learning offers additional tools for Administrators.

**References** ISTE. (2009a). //Essential Conditions.// Retrieved from []

ISTE. (2009b). //ISTE NETS-A.// Retrieved from []

P21. (2011). //Mile guide self-assessment survey.// Retrieved from []

Southern Lehigh School District. (2011). //Educational technology report//. Retrieved from http://www.slsd.org/files/filesystem/Ed%20Tech%20Plan.pdf