Technology Assessment and SETDA Reflection

I found the Technology Applications Inventory very helpful in assessing my own technology strengths and weaknesses; however, the SETDA Teacher Survey was somewhat difficult to complete because some of the information requested is not shared with teachers on a regular basis at my school. As teachers, our exposure to technology and knowledge about its use in the school is based on what we do with our own students or observe others doing with their students.

Due to my prior experience as a Systems Analyst, one of my strengths is my proficiency with computer hardware and software. I am also a Microsoft Certified Application Specialist in all Office applications, including Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Access, and Outlook. Therefore, I have the ability to utilize these applications to increase my own efficiency and effectiveness as well as incorporate them into my lessons to enhance student achievement.

Some areas of weakness that the surveys identified were my lack of knowledge regarding audio/video files and virtual reality applications, as well as my nonuse of telecommunications and project management tools. Due to our ever-changing technological environment, I believe it is extremely important for me to become well-versed in the use of audio/video files and virtual reality. This is especially true in my teaching field of marketing because audio/video and virtual reality uses are endless in the realm of marketing and could be easily incorporated into my lessons. Unfortunately, because I do not directly teach classes that revolve around these applications, my district will not support my attendance at workshops that address these areas. Additionally, although I have a large knowledge base regarding telecommunications and project managment tools as a result of my previous work experience, I do not readily incoporate these tools into my classroom or professional life. My school does not offer opportunities for students or teachers for engage in telecommunications activities, such as video conferencing or distance learning, and although I know the benefit of telecommunications activities, I have not pressed our district leadership to implement these types of programs. With the recent implementation of applications, such as Microsoft Outlook, teachers are beginning to use project management tools, but most people still believe it's easier to use a manual calendar or timeline, rather than incorporating an online, realtime version of the same information. Thus, when I attempt to use project management applications, there are not enough people, who understand how to use them, which creates additional work and/or misunderstandings; thus, I have returned to the paper and pen method of recording information.