Technology Assessment

Technology is very important in the overall development of students and teachers in a school district. Assessing educators’ technology leadership knowledge and skills, as well as student technology skill levels and their perceived needs provide all the basic information to create an individualized technology development plan. Standard judgment is the foundation for assessment, and the assessment sets the layout for standard expectations of skills. Assessments are valuable in providing a reasonably accurate account of what is known. The information found in a technology assessment is imperative in designing a plan of skills and knowledge that may need improvement.  Once all information is gathered from the assessment, the process of planning a thorough and beneficial plan can begin.  However, as with any assessment, there is the possibility of error in measurement, validity and reliability. Nevertheless, a good assessment will have multiple methods to help balance any possible underestimation of measurement.  Not only is assessment a valuable tool for designing a development plan, but it is also a great way for teachers to assess themselves and feel urgency for growth and change. Assessment has a tremendous amount of influence on motivation and learning. Technology assessments are also great at pointing out areas that are commendable so that are can be minimized in the technology development plan instead of becoming repetitive knowledge. If a school is classified as target technology in educator preparation and development, or has high scores in the area of leadership support in online learning on the assessment, then more attention can be given for upgrading another area.