SWOT Analysis

A SWOT is an analysis of the Strengths,

Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats to an
organization or entity. In this case, the entity is
educational technology at our school. Please
keep in mind that Strengths and Weaknesses
are internal--things which we control within our
program. Opportunities and Threats are
external or outside of our control.

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Strengths: Resources and capabilities that can be used for developing a competitive
advantage.

Guiding Questions:
What are the departments advantages?
What does the department do well?
What relevant resources do you have access to?
What do other people see as your strengths?
What would you want to boast about to someone
who knows nothing about this organization and its
work?
Please enter what you find to be the Strengths of educational technology at our school.
*Our campus has a full-time technical support specialist (TSS) who offers support and assistance to
teachers, staff, and students throughout the day. He makes sure the technology is working so that we
may use it without difficulty.
* Our district assigns a technology coach to each campus. Our coach supports five schools, but she
comes to our campus upon request to help teachers plan and execute lessons that utilize technology. She
also provides us with any training necessary as new technological tools are rolled out to us.
* Our district also has technology ISTs or instructional support teachers for each department or subject
area. They create and maintain technology resource websites for core department subject areas. These
websites contain useful apps, videos, text sets, websites, and other web tools for each curricular unit.
* Each department has an iPad cart and a Chrome book cart. We have three computer labs on our
campus and each classroom has at least two student computers.
* Teachers are willing to try new tools
* Teachers often seek out ways to create innovative and engaging lessons for their students through the
use of technology

* Technology is being used to differentiate learning for special education students

* Support of the administration
* Collaboration
* Communication with parents

Weaknesses: Internal force that could serve as a barrier to maintain or achieve a

competitive advantage; a limitation, fault or defect; OR absence of certain strengths.

Guiding Questions:
What can be improved?
What is done poorly?
What should be avoided?
What are you doing as an organization that you
feel could be done more effectively/efficiently?
If you could change one thing that would help
this department function more effectively, what would you change?
Please enter what you find to be the Weaknesses of educational technology at our school.

* Time, time, time

* A lot of training is provided by our district but the teachers do not have time to reflect on
effective use of technology in the classroom
* Most of the training this year has taken place during teacher conference periods which further
restricts the teachers time to get work done and thus creates negative attitudes toward
implementation
* More time is needed to plan innovative lessons
* More time needed to collaborate with peers from other departments in order to design projectbased lessons that combine disciplines
* Need better access to devices/because we are not a 1:1 campus, it is often frustrating to wait
for access, this creates roadblocks to integration
* At times, technology is being used for the sake of it and not used to support mastery of the
TEKS

Opportunities: Any favorable situation present now or in the future in the external
environment; Or new external opportunities for profit and/or growth.
Guiding Questions:
What are the good opportunities facing you?
What are the interesting trends you are aware of?

Please enter what you find to be the Opportunities for educational technology at our school.

* District support/ providing technology staff and trainings

* Administrative support of technology integration
* Companies moving toward creating more technology-driven programs for education
* Technology conferences
* Technology offers choice to teachers/ they are not limited to traditional teaching methods
* Technology lends itself to innovative lesson planning
* Most students have devices and access at home
* Student-driven/ student-centered learning can be more of a norm because they have grown up
with technology and can have valuable input

Threats: External force that could inhibit a competitive advantage; any unfavorable
situation in the external environment that is potentially damaging.
Guiding Questions:

 What obstacles do you face?

What is your competition doing?
Are the required specifications for your
job/services changing?
Is changing technology threatening your
position?
Do you have financial problems?
Could any of your weaknesses seriously threaten your department?
Please enter what you find to be the Threats to educational technology at our school.

* Lack of student training

* Lack of funding for larger number of devices / we need to be a 1:1 campus to remain
competitive with other schools in the state
* More technology staff/ coaches are needed as they are spread too thin (one to every five
campuses)
* Some reluctant teachers who keep us from full integration
* New teacher evaluation tool for the district with a heavier emphasis on technology integration