Executive Summary and Recommendations

The Governor’s Advisory Council on Education Technology was formed with the passage of Senate Bill No. 248 and tasked with developing a strategic plan to improve West Virginia’s integration of technology and education.  As stated within the legislation,

The Governor's Advisory Council for Educational Technology shall develop a unified educational technology strategic plan and submit the plan to the Legislative Oversight Commission on Education Accountability for approval on or before the first day of October, two thousand five.  (W.VA. code 18-2J-5 a)

Based on the initial meetings and discussions of the Advisory Council members, more information regarding the present conditions of state’s educational and technological resources is needed before a thorough and accurate strategic plan can be formulated.  Therefore, the Advisory Council recommends:

1. The agencies allocate and expend their FY06 appropriations for technology as they determine necessary to maximize the efficient and effective use of educational technology within their respective systems.
   
2. Year one of its mandate be used to focus on data gathering and research regarding the current state of educational technology programs in place throughout West Virginia.  This information will be used to develop a unified educational technology strategic plan during the second year of its term.  This plan will be ready for presentation to the Legislative Oversight Commission on Education Accountability on or before October 1 of 2006.

Activities and Findings of the Advisory Council to Date

Advisory Council Mission Statement

During the Advisory Council’s first planning retreat (July 22-23, 2005) the members discussed and adopted a mission statement delineating their purpose and goals:

In order to actively participate in a growing global environment, West Virginia will embrace, value and utilize technology to stimulate a robust educational, economic, and community climate that enhances the lives of all its citizens.

Further discussions identified several significant areas within West Virginia’s educational technology infrastructure upon which attention needs to focus.  Because of the diverse composition of the Advisory Council, its members have expressed varying perspectives and opinions regarding these needs.  The Council has recognized the necessity of further information gathering and research before it can make the appropriate decisions involved with the creation of a new strategic plan.

Strategic Imperatives for Educational Technology

The foundation of the Advisory Council’s strategic imperatives is based upon information collected through the West Virginia Speak-Up Day survey, an educational technology survey of teachers, administrators, and students throughout West Virginia taken in the spring of 2005.  Analysis of the survey’s results, conducted by Marshall University, has highlighted three (3) major areas in the state that require improvement identified in the above chart. 

Recognizing the widespread demand for improvements in these areas, the Advisory Council has made the results of this survey the foundation upon which it will base inquiries and ultimate recommendations. 

While the implementation of the strategic imperatives will build a strong foundation for educational technology, a comprehensive strategic plan will include initiatives that are more difficult to implement.  Drawing from the U.S. Department of Education’s “National Education Technology Plan 2004”

“To help states and districts prepare today's students for the opportunities and challenges of tomorrow, a set of seven action steps and accompanying recommendations have been developed.”

The Council members have reviewed this report and agree that inclusion of some or all of these steps will be considered in the creation of its strategic plan.  These steps include:

1. Strengthen Leadership
2. Consider Innovative Budgeting
3. Improve Teacher Training
4. Support E-Learning and Virtual Schools
5. Encourage Broadband Access
6. Move Toward Digital Content
7. Integrate Data Systems

A careful review of these steps elicits the issue that cultural change is as important as funding.  A copy of the plan is available on CD.

Advisory Council Committees

Through the initial discussions of the Advisory Council, the members have identified six (6) major areas of interest concerning educational resources and educational technology within the state.  The Council has subsequently formed six (6) corresponding committees based on these areas of interest.

1. Professional Development
2. Infrastructure/Hardware/Software
3. Economic Development
4. 21^st Century Learning/Curriculum
5. Higher Education/Research
6. State Agency Support

Each committee has begun to address six (6) key questions regarding the current status and effectiveness of educational technology programs throughout the state:

1. What are the current programs in place related to this topic?
2. What is working and what is not working?
3. Are there any quick hits/solutions?
4. What should the goals of this committee be?
5. What are the risks or barriers?
6. How do we measure success?

As part of the Advisory Council’s effort to gather as much information as possible, the members have asked that the Governor formally request information from each state agency regarding their use and/or development of educational technology programs and/or resources.  This information, along with the individual activities and inquiries of each committee, shall provide the Council with the requisite information required to complete its mission.

Educational Technology Strategic Plan Process

Long Term Initiatives

Each Advisory Council committee has generated a preliminary list of long-term initiatives to be researched and developed over the next year.

1.  Professional Development

• To identify and prioritize staff development needs of educators  
• To address the need of staffing schools with Technology Information Specialists (TIS)s who provide daily and timely support of educators using technology in the classroom
• To identify what staff development programs are currently available and which programs address relevancy to best practices in technology integration
• To identify solutions to better prepare educators with the integration of technology into the curriculum (i.e. allocation of time, providing substitutes, monitoring and accountability)
• To identify minimum technology integration staff development requirements needed for higher education teacher programs as well as substitutes working in our schools
• To identify a cadre of technology savvy educators in each RESA who can become the catalysts of true, meaningful and relevant technology integratio
• To provide Technology Information Specialists (TIS)s who deliver daily and timely support to educators in the use of technology

2.  Infrastructure/Hardware/Software

• To eliminate obsolete hardware and software from the schools, and replace with current technology.
• Examine state contracts to leverage buying power.
• Work with public and private companies and organizations to help financially support equipment to schools

3.  Economic Development

• Build a state website to publicize Advisory Council activities and educational technology resources
• Establish websites for all K-12 schools in West Virginia
• Establish websites for libraries across the state including interlibrary lending services and online reference material
• Evaluate synergies of offering an adult learning curriculum to be used among community colleges statewide
• Examine “best practices” statewide and nationwide and encourage submissions from technology proponents within the education system

4.  21^st Century Learning/Curriculum

• To provide 21^st Century Learning Environment information to teachers and administrators
• To identify classroom needs for the adoption of a 21^st Century Learning Environment and provide necessary resources
• To provide 21^st Century Learning Seminars to administrators in WV
• To identify requirements for a 21^st Century School Designation that can be shared with schools across the state
• Look at Professional Development for Administration personnel in schools to get leadership for technology

5.  Higher Education/Research

• To provide research to determine the extent of integration of technology in the teacher preparation programs of West Virginia higher education teacher prep courses
• Provide research to determine the extent of professional development courses being provided to K-12 by WVU and Marshall University
• Provide research components to determine the degree of implementation of professional development
• Provide research to determine the number of new teachers hired by West Virginia counties from West Virginia higher education institutions
• Provide research to determine the number of substitutes currently being utilized by West Virginia counties
• Provide research to determine the extent of unified regional professional development planning within each RES

6.  State Agency Support

• To Identify other state agencies providing education and training relating to technology to identify synergistic opportunities and forge partnerships