Week 3: The Plan

Purpose and Rationale:

According to the percentages, the numbers of children who are economically disadvantaged are increasing throughout our nation.  I want to look into information to help districts who have at least 70 percent of students who are economically disadvantaged. This information can be found through the Texas Education Agency AEIS yearly reports.  After looking throughout the year span of the year 2000 unto the present, I realize that the numbers are not decreasing. We are also seeing an increase in the technology of society as new ideas are continuously being expanded.  Technology is currently being studied and courses designed on how teachers can incorporate new technology into their classrooms.  Technology is not cheap. The study of this program is to find available and free resources that are cost efficient.  Technology can be anything such as the use of manipulatives. Children tend to enjoy working with technology and having virtual and hands-on experience. Recent research has shown that the technology helps bridges the gaps in achievement and our goal as educators to help increase student performance and prepare them for what is out there.  Administrators and educators want to give children who are economically disadvantaged an equal opportunity to success. The purpose of this research to find programs, partnerships, current grants, and free programs that enlighten the path of those economically disadvantaged students who may not have access to home resources.  The study will involve the research and effectiveness of current technology programs, interviews of parents and students, faculty and staff surveys, and interviews from those at the front of technology communications and programs. My study will take into account a rural area of Southeast Texas.

Action Planning Template
Goal: To seek and compose a list of at least 5000 technology programs and ideas that can benefit economically disadvantaged students in various subject areas and help increase student performance.  In what ways is technology being used to benefit our elementary students who are economically disadvantaged? What type of technology is currently being used? How do teachers feel about technology? What are free technology programs that may benefit economically disadvantaged students? How to use technology to increase student performance?
Action Steps(s):	Person(s) Responsible:	Timeline: Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
Faculty and staff will have all the needed information of how to access the technology currently used in their school	Faculty ahead of the technology department and computer services	May 2012-December 2012	Interviews with technology department leaders, technology reports, principal, and curriculum coordinator	A follow-up survey will be given on the effectiveness of now being able to access current technology and feedback given to any additional questions
The campus will know various benefits of the current technology programs	Principal, Curriculum Coordinator	May 2012- December 2012	Books, Internet Research, Lamar Resource folder, blogs, journals, surveys, and interviews	A follow-up presentation will be given with benefits including a feedback session. I will use a checklist to evaluate.
A list of 5000 technology programs and resources will be complied for economically disadvantaged students. This list will be given to faculty and staff.	Websites, various teachers of things that they use in their classrooms (even from other districts), principal, and curriculum coordinator	May 2012- December 2012	Texas Bureau, Orange &Beaumont Public Library, Blogs, Books, and Internet References	A follow-up survey will be given on the effectiveness of the list and plan.
Recommendations of what can be added to improve student performance will be given according to the research	Interviews and quotes of various teachers of what is already being done in their classrooms and what data seems to be beneficial for their students/grade level	May 2012- December 2012	Teacher and Faculty Surveys, Quotes, Books, and Internet Research	A follow-up newsletter will be sent given based on the study as well as a recommendation box