Technology Needs Assessment

In this assignment, you will determine what resources are available to you and
your students. You will have to contact people to get the information you need.
People that may be helpful can include your media specialist, technology
integration specialist, resource teachers, special education teachers, or
department heads. It may be beneficial to create a survey using Google Forms
and distribute it to your staff. We are working to determine what your school
currently has and to assess its needs for future technology. This needs
assessment will help us in creating our technology plan which will layout the
technology goals for our school over the next few years.
SCHOOL POPULATION
Location: Green Valley Elementary School
Enrollment: 372
Staff & Administration: 32
TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES AVAILABLE
What does your school have available to students to further

Current Need

their learning?

Include computers, tablets, cameras, e-readers, calculators,

etc.
Put each item on its own row. To add more rows hover over
the line and hit the plus sign or right click and choose insert.
Desktop

22

Laptops

35

iPads

30

90

Hover Cam

20

Smart Boards

18

Smart Response PE

Cameras

60

11

Projectors

20

Smart Slate

12

Calculators
Letters Alive Camera

Color Copier

Regular Copier

Computer Lab computers

30

30

Printers

12

Adaptive/Assistive Technology List all adaptive/assistive technology available at

your school. You may need to contact someone within the school or district that
is an expert in this area. After listing what you have and your
recommendations, you must address all 7 types of learning disabilities listed in
this site. Please identify the disabilities.
Devices/software/applications/websites

Disability

Cost

WHAT YOU CURRENTLY HAVE:

DEVICES
Neo by Alphasmart
Allows students to be able to type notes or
assignments easily. It can store up to 12 pages and

Dyslexia &

holds 12 files at a time. It can easily transferable to a

Dysgraphia

$50.00

desktop computer that has a word processing

application.
Big and Little Mac

Non Verbal

Communication devices that assist students with

learning

recording responses or receiving step by step

disorders

instructions from the teacher.

And

$130.00

Autism
Alternative Keyboards
Allows the students to be able to type or utilize the
computer with specialized keys. Some come in
different sizes to meet the needs of larger or smaller
hands.

Visual
Impairment

$50.00-

and

$200.00

Dyspraxia

IPAD APPS
Speak It
Allows students the capability to write what they

Multiple

want to say and it will say for them. It is great for oral

learning

presentations foe students that have a hard time

speaking in front of others.

disabilities

$1.99

Virtual Manipulatives
Allows students to use visuals to manipulate math
concepts using the iPad. They can take a picture of

Dyscalculia

free

items being measure with the manipulative in the

shot.
Talking Calculator
Allows students to hear and see the information
input and output. Students can record their answers

Visual
impairment

$1.99

as well.
SOFTWARE
BoardMaker
Allows you to create visual materials for
communication boards and activity boards.
Auto-correct

Multiple

$400.00

Disabilities
Visual

This is a function on the iPad that will generate a list

processing

of words that it thinks you might me trying to spell.

disorder

Free

WEBSITES
Waterford Early Learning
Online early learning program that designs lessons in

Multiple

reading, math, and science based on the needs of the

Disabilities

$1,000 +

student.
RECOMMENDATIONS (10 minimum )
DEVICES
Digital Pens

Central

This tool is great for students to get notes that they

Auditory

$150.00-

hear and write. It captures scribbles and diagrams.

processing

$200.00

disorder
Intellikeys
It has interchangeable overlays for the needs of the
student and curriculum content it is also completely

All

$395.00

flat for flexible use.

HearIt
This is a handheld device with a microphone that the

Auditory
Processing

$500.0 +

student wears along with a headset to help students

Disorder

focus on the word sounds form a text.

IPAD APPS
Read and Write
This app doesnt need to be connected to the
internet. It gives the student the ability to have text
read to them, it has a built in phonetic spell checker
and word predictor. Students can import, share and

Dysgraphia
and

$19.99

Dyslexia

print documents with this application.

Smart Ears:
Reading comprehension app that can be read to them
and provides questions that are also read to them.
They can also record their own voices to practice

Multiple
(Autism)

$19.99

fluency.
Touch Math
These apps help students complete math concepts by
allowing them to draw and move numbers and

All

Price
varies

objects on the iPad.

SOFTWARE
Phonetic Spelling Software

Dyslexia,

This program provides students with tools to check

Language

their spelling grammar, punctuation, and it will read

Processing

it out loud to them. It will also proofread the

information for them.

Disorder,

$199.00

and
Dysgraphia

KidWorks
Students can use this to create projects that build
math, science, reading, and writing skills. They can

Multiple

$90.00$900.00

voice record their stories.

WEBSITES
Raz Kids:
Online reading program that reads and records
books for students as they work on fluency and

All

$69.00

All

Free

comprehension skills.
Khan Academy
Website that has instructional videos and check for

(dyscalculia)

understanding lessons that can reinforce what is

being taught in the classroom. It also offers step by
step tutorials and discussion rooms.

Distance Learning
School Website:
LINK: http://greenvalley.nafcs.k12.in.us/
The school Website contains basic contact information, teacher and staff
contact information, links to different programs at the school and in the
district, there are links to a Parent, Student, Community, and Staff pages for
easy access to information. It also list current events, the parent-student
handbook, and school policies.
School Website recommended additions or changes:
I think we should have a link to online learning websites and apps that we use
at school so the parents can have easy access to them at home.
Teacher Websites:
0% of teachers have a website that they use for school.
0% update it because none of them have one created.
They dont use any webpage builders.
Teacher Website Recommendations:
What goals would you like to set for your staff in regards to their classroom
websites?
I would like to see the staff take an interest in creating a grade level website at
first to make it easier to maintain and keep the parents update on whats going
on as a grade level. Then as they began to get comfortable with it and have
the proper training on how to create one, I would suggest that they build one
for their individual classrooms if they choose to have it. I would like to see all
the staff using a classroom site because it would bring us up to speed with the
21st Century learning initiative. They could easily have one with basic
information about who they are, weekly announcements and news, birthdays,
standards and content being covered for the quarter, and student Achievement
celebration pages. I also think it should be updated weekly or bi-weekly and I
would give them a year to get this into place and functioning efficiently. They
can use the easiest one to build a website with which is www.weebly.com

Learning Management Systems

CURRENT

COST

TOOL: Class DoJo

Teachers: 5
Class Dojo is a classroom management system that provides
instant feedback for students based on their behavior and

Free

academic achievement. It is also used as a parent communicator

with a new messaging feature that lets you send instant messages
to the parent or guardian.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
TOOL: My Big Campus

Free

I like this tool because we currently do not have one and some of

For

my colleagues from other schools seem to like this program. I like

schools

it because it allows the parents, students, and teachers to all be

that use

connected and it easy to use. It has mobile app capabilities so

Lightspeed

youre always connected. It also provides away to host safe and

as a

monitored classroom discussions outside or inside the classroom.

filtering

It has a lot of features that can be used by students and teachers.

company
in Indiana

Software Available
SOFTWARE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE (20 MINIMUM)
PRODUCTIVITY/INSTRUCTION
Microsoft Office 2013
Word- used to create documents for students and teachers
Excel- used to collect and calculate data based on student success and for
the Smart Response clickers
PowerPoint- used to create interactive presentations for lesson plans and
student presentations
Publisher- Used to create newsletters, flyers, anchor charts for students.
Students use it to publish their writing projects
Outlook- Used to communicate with Staff and parents via E-mail.
Drobox- used to share and transfer files among staff
Doceri- used to connect the desktop to the iPad for mobile use of the
Smartboard without standing in the front of the classroom.

Reflector- used to teach students about new apps or lesson in the iPad that
they can use. Teachers can use interactive activities during a lesson with this.
Smart Notebook- used along with the smartboard to display interactive
lessons or to scaffold a lesson using animated tools on a blank page similar
to using a dry erase board.
Photostory3- allows students to use pictures and create a story that can be
printed or upload
Rosetta Stone- Foreign Language program used to teach students and
teacher multiple languages. We current use it to teach Spanish to all students.
Letters Alive- Augmented Reality Program that brings 2- dimensional images
to life with stories, sounds and animation.
Type to Learn 4- This is a typing teacher program that teaches the students
how to type.
ASSESSMENT
DIBELS: Used to assess students reading fluency level. It is used by the
Reading interventionist and the reading team for K-2 grade students.
Exam View Test Manager- Teachers can create multiple choice test to use
with the Smart Response clickers as an alternative way to give assessments.
WEB BROWERS
Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer
MULTIMEDIA
Roxie Creator- edit pictures and videos, import music and share it on just
about anything.
Windows Media Player- plays movies related to content and videos created by
students
iTunes- used to update programs on the iPads and download music for
teacher and student use.
MANAGEMENT
INOW- Used to manage student grades, attendance and behavior.
SCHOOL MANAGEMENT/SECURITY
We currently do not have a computer surveillance system in place. We use a
swipe card entry system and the Secretaries in the main office.
Software Recommendations (A survey asking staff this question

would be helpful)
We are up to date with our Microsoft suite and the staff is pleased
with the version of Windows.

Cost $

I would like to recommend a school wide reading program like MyON

Varies

or RazKids to help our students achieve their reading goals and

by

assist teachers with accurate data on the progress of their students. I

school

would also like to have a work

need

Online Resources
CURRENT ONLINE RESOURCES AVAILABLE: (15 minimum)
Collaboration between students or staff:
Google Drive - staff can create documents, slide shows, or spreadsheets and
share them on the drive.
Email- staff send and receive information and announcements.
Disseminate Information:
We currently only use Google Drive.
Research:
History: YouTube, Google Earth, History channel, and PBS- Provides
information and interactive content
Math: Interactive games, Person SuccessNet, and Coolmath- provide interactive
activities on math concepts
Science: National Geographic kids
English: learn360, Abcmouse, abcya, starfall
Art: Kidsclick helps students find information about the arts and YouTubevideos about famous artist and their collections.
All Subjects: Destiny Library gives a teacher and students a way to look up
texts on topics in our school library and Groiler Online- A collection of
informational content used by teachers to find non-fiction materials for
projects and in class assignments.
Assessment:
Plickers- creates multiple choice or true a false assessments and generates
student data instantly.
Multimedia:
YouTube- for educational videos related to content
PBSkids- for Educational videos and printable resources
Recommendations: (10 minimum)
Collaboration between students or staff:
Google Hangouts- staff can share and discuss information
through instant messaging, video conferencing, and discussion

COST
Free

post.
Voicethread- staff can create this and address ideas on a topic
with a video to text.
Linoit- staff can post their thoughts for all to see on here and
get feedback

Free
Free

Disseminate Information:
Weebly- Staff can create individualized or grade level webpages
so that information can be delivered and communicated between
the parents and staff.

Free

Research:
Math: http://www.k-5mathteachingresources.com/
Provides a variety resources for K-5

Free

Reading: http://www.readwritethink.org/
Provides interactive activities, lesson plans and printable

Free

resources
Science: http://www.nsta.org/elementaryschool/
Provides a variety of resources that can be integrated into math,
writing, and reading lessons.
For Research of all subject areas: http://www.encyclopedia.com/
Provides non-fiction information all in one place.

$35-100
membership
Free

Assessment:
Kahoot- staff can create their own assessments with multimedia
to check for understanding of concepts.

Free
Free

Multimedia:
Blendspace- Staff can create an interactive lesson where
students will have to complete stage of the lesson and be
assessed. Students can build their projects and add a variety of

Free

media in them using this.

INNOVATIVE USE OF TECHNOLOGY

As technology changes and advances over time, we as teachers need to stay
current with the changes to best reach our learners. In this part of the needs
assessment we need to evaluate our current use of technology and offer

recommendations for improvement.

TECHNOLOGY USED FOR INSTRUCTION
CURRENT

RECOMENDATION

Teacher stand in front of the

Use Doceri to teach lesson on the

Smartboard to teach and model

smartboard to give students a chance

content

to interact with the activities. Continue

Students complete worksheets to

to use the iPads for reading but

check for understanding

incorporate a school wide online

Teachers print out worksheets for

reading program like RazKids or

students.

MyON. Have students create activities

Students read books on the

for enrichment on the computer with

computers and iPads.

programs like blendspace rather than

Students interact with enrichment

using them to play learning games.

activities on the computers and the

Have students use apps like Shadow

iPads

Puppet to create their writing projects.

Students hand write stories

COLLABORATION OR COMMUNICATION
Email is used by all staff members.

Instead of having to go to a classroom

Google Drive is used by all staff

or conference room to conduct staff

members.

meetings or collaboration, I think

using Google Hangouts would be a
better alternative because teachers
can still get work done while listening
in on discussions. To share
information I think Google Drive is
very beneficial to our school at this
time and I would not change that.

STUDENT PRODUCTS THAT DISPLAY UNDERSTANDING OF COURSE CONTENT

Students complete an exit ticket

. Use online assessment programs like

Students take a paper multiple

Plickers, Kahoot, or Edcannon to

choice test.

assess students learning and collect

Students complete a work sheet.

data quickly. Students can post a

video response to a question using an
iPad in class and posting it on
Voicethread.

TEACHER PRODUCTIVITY AND ORGANIZATION

Teachers are still hand writing lesson

Teachers can save and share lesson on

plans.

the Google Drive or Dropbox. They

Making multiple copies of

can type, edit and share information

newsletters and worksheet pages.

using Google Docs, Slides, and

All student information is filed in a

Spreadsheets. Grades can be reported

file cabinet

quickly using My Big Campus. Using

Grades are still hand written in a

Google Forms can cut down on the

grade book

paper usage and provide a quick way

to check for understand of students
on a particular concept. You can also
provide instant feedback once the
assignment has been submitted.