April 2005 — SETDA

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Measuring Progress With Technology in Schools

SETDA’s PETI Framework and Suite of Tools Address State Assessment Needs

Today’s education policymakers are seeing technology through the lens of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, which is creating expectations for a “learning return” on all technology investments. Across the nation, schools see highly qualified teachers, differentiated instruction, and informed data-driven decision-making as highly effective strategies for improving the academic achievement of all students - all strategies highly dependent on smart, integrated uses of technology.

While states have established accountability systems to measure student achievement, they have not yet set up clear measures for effective integration of technology into teaching, learning and leadership in schools. Fortunately, SETDA has stepped up to fill that gap.

Over the last three years, SETDA has developed a framework for effective technology use, which is aligned to Title II D (Enhancing Education Through Technology) of NCLB, and a suite of tools that helps states, districts, schools and researchers profile both a school’s readiness to use technology and the condition of its current use of technology. These tools provide answers to the important question: “Why d'es technology work in some schools and not in others?” Only then can schools work toward establishing the type of learning environment that advances NCLB goals through technology.

This suite of Profiling Educational Technology Integration (PETI) tools includes:

  1. Survey instruments, including a teacher survey (20-25 minutes), a school administrator survey (30-40 minutes) and a district administrator survey (35-45 minutes);
  2. Site visitation protocols for classroom observations, focus groups with students and teachers, teacher and principal interviews, school walk-throughs, artifact reviews, sample communiqués, and strategies for ensuring interrater reliability;
  3. Recommended report structures; and
  4. Sampling strategies for reducing the data collection burden on schools.

The Development Process

The PETI tools are based on a framework SETDA developed in 2003, focusing on five essential conditions for schools to effectively, systemically and equitably use technology (see sidebar below).

SETDA, in conjunction with the Metiri Group, began with this framework, and then further described each condition with a set of indicators which collectively defined what successful attainment of that condition would look like in practice. For example, in the chart on Page 20, Condition 1 of the SETDA framework is listed with associated indicators of success.

After SETDA secured funding from the U.S. Department of Education, the association commissioned the Metiri Group to build the PETI suite of assessment tools. They systematically developed survey questions and site protocols that aligned to the set of SETDA conditions and indicators. Therefore, educators using the tools can have a high degree of confidence that the PETI profile of their school reliably and accurately portrays their progress in using technology effectively.

PETI in Action