July 2004 — SETDA
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South Dakota: Linking Data Collection & Professional Learning at the Britton-Hecla SD
Britton Hecla District ILTP Study Data
In this comparison of Britton-Hecla teachers to a statewide sample of teachers, district teachers scored higher than the sample in three categories:
1. Amount of technology skill-building training they received2. The amount of training in classroom methods;
3. The amount of training on teaching with technology.
They performed slightly higher than the statewide sample in three additional categories:
1. The amount of training in classroom assessment;
2. The availability of computers for classroom instruction; and
3. The frequency of computer use for instruction.
They scored lower than the sample in the amount of training in distance education. 100% of district teachers say computers are available to them in the school.
How did the district use the 'Teaching With Technology Survey' results? The survey results gave the district LOFTI team important data to use as the basis for new professional development offerings. They could use the data to identify areas of strength and weakness for planning professional development activities. It also served as one indicator for validating their project work during the first three years of LOFTI and helped them see how district teachers compare to teachers throughout the state. The online survey data and district report was one source of data contributing to a larger data collection portfolio for policy and planning decisions.
In her reflections, Linda Richter identifies two things which stood out for LOFTI team members in the Britton-Hecla School District. First, they were pleased with the comfort level and expertise of district teachers in performing a wide range of technology skills; second, the teachers listed the training opportunities that had been offered to them. They cited an extensive amount of training on technical skills, a moderate amount of training in classroom methods - except in the area of distance instruction - and little training in classroom assessment.
'Our LOFTI team really felt good about the technology skills of teachers in our district and we recognized the need to continue and expand our training in classroom assessment,' says Richter. Although the Britton-Hecla School District administered a teacher-needs assessment early in the LOFTI project implementation, the data provided by their ILTP district report gave a more targeted and current picture of teacher needs. One of the specific activities undertaken by the district in response to this report was the implementation of a teacher competency initiative in which three levels of teacher technology proficiency were identified based on the 2000 ISTE standards. LOFTI team members served as peer reviewers during the 'testing out' phase of the initiative, and teachers who successfully met the criteria for the three levels received monetary compensation provided through LOFTI project funds
Interview and artifact collection processes. In preparation for the interview and artifact collection portion of the ILTP study, a list of 10 classroom teacher candidates from the Britton-Hecla School District were entered into a statewide pool. From these candidates, three were selected for interviews and teacher and student artifact analysis.
