F+-+Staff+Tech+Support+Plan

**Supporting Staff**
"However, when coaching, the fifth component, was part of the staff development process, up to 95% of the participants transferred the skill into classroom practice. In a word, the coaching component was a critical one in effecting a change in the skills of an exceedingly large number of persons." – (Bush, 1994)

Coaching is critical to move from discussion to implementation to transfer of skills. What is coaching as it relates to technology? Coaching happens when a qualified individual (mentor technology teacher, technology specialist, or media coordinator, for example) partners with an individual for the purpose of one to one training on an ongoing basis. The subject matter is determined by the individual. The job of the teacher-coach includes training, support, and guidance, without changing the personality and style of the individual. The ultimate goal of the teacher-coach is to leave the individual in a state of technological confidence to use equipment and applications that will allow the individual to impart that knowledge to their students. Because this component of the support system is so critical, it is given priority in all of the support structure.
 * Teacher-Coach**

How will teacher-coaches be determined? The partnering of two individuals can be a delicate process, as fruitful mentorships may be made or broken by personality issues, teaching techniques, common interests, and coaching style. There is no perfect match, but technology leadership should be aware of major differences that could impair learning. Based on the results from the Needs Assessment survey and short interviews, if necessary, individuals will be grouped into two categories: teacher and teacher-coach. Once the partnerships are formed, pairs will be given instruction to meet on a weekly basis to begin the process.

The computer lab instructor, a tech team leader, will create a Google Wave formatted similar to a discussion board and open to school staff. This will be a place for questions to be freely asked and all staff can contribute answers. The computer lab instructor's job will be to follow-up on questions, group answers into related categories, and create a FAQ page with a variety of answers from various sources.
 * Computer Lab Wave**

"The interventions and their categorization came from studies **__focused particularly on the actions of principals and other change facilitators__** who were working to support the implementation of new programs and practices for school improvement ." (Joyce and Showers from http://www.sedl.org/change/issues/issues42.html ) The administration, primarily the principal and secondarily the tech team leadership consisting of the computer lab instructor and the 6th grade technology leader, will meet monthly to discuss ongoing training sessions and other technology needs. The principal's support is important to keep the technology integration effort moving forward. The principal's belief as to the importance of technology integration into the curriculum will be a lead factor in the success of the Staff Development Plan. The computer lab instructor and ideally, the principal, will also make weekly rounds to each classroom to gather quick verbal feedback regarding the staff development progress. This will be combined with written assessment to determine the overall effectiveness of the staff development plan.
 * Administrator Input**

 The district technology staff are very supportive of our schools. Their process for technical assistance and repair has worked well in years past. If repairs need to be made, a request is made through an online district technical site, confirmation of the receipt of the request is acknowledged and the 6th grade technology leader is notified of the problem. The 6th grade tech leader determines if the repair or request is valid and forwards the information to the district technical staff. If she feels it can be handled by a member of the technology team, the district request would be denied, but staff would be assisted by someone directly on the school site. If the problem continues, another request can be made by the 6th technology leadership directly to the district for assistance.
 * Email Support**

With teacher-coaching at its core, the school's support system should yield excellent results. Evaluation is mandatory on a regular basis to ensure that training is meeting its goals to improve confidence in technology and in turn, its integration into the student curriculum.
 * Conclusions**