Rachael McGaha

Technology Program Administrator

Executive Summary
The Media/Technology Center at Ola High School serves as the resource and information
center for literary and technology resources. It consist of a technology/media specialist,
paraprofessional support, part time/shared technician, and a part time/shared Instructional
Technology Specialist. It serves students, teachers, and administration during school
hours. The center offers the use of resources, references, books, computer labs, and
laptops to its stakeholders. However, through analyzing the data collected through the
structure of the organization, the mission of the school system, the goals of the media
center, and the activities performed by the center, the center is only accomplishing some
of their goals. The center does not structure learning experiences that encourage users to
organize, evaluate, and use information effectively and the center does not provide
support instruction through leadership and assistance in information technologies.
Suggestions have been made to implement programs to promote digital citizenship, teach
copyright laws, and provide professional development in the area of instructional
technology.
Organizational Chart

Methods
The methods used to obtain the data and information for this report was gathered from a
variety of sources. Interviews were conducted with the Media/Technology Specialist and
other stakeholders such as administrators, teachers, students, and media center committee
(Appendix A). A checklist was used to obtain information during observations of the
Technology Center and evidence gathered through the interviews (Appendix B). The Ola
High School website was used as a method to support evidence as well (Appendix C).
Information was also obtained through the Henry County Media Specialist Manual.
Center Context and Goals
Ola High School opened in the year 2006. With the opening of a brand new school, the
Ola High School Media Center was created. In the first year, the Ola High School Media
Center had limited resources and funding. Through out the years the Ola High School
Media Center has increased its resources and activities. In the first few years of operation
only desktop computers were available. Now the center has desktop computers and
laptop carts for teacher and student use. The Media Specialist has noticed a trend of
decreased use of literary print resources in recent years and is looking into purchasing
electronic books as well.
The Henry County Board of Education believes that each student is entitled to a quality,
optimum education, and wants to provide a broad spectrum of learning opportunities that
will enable each student to become intellectually and socially competent.
The mission of the Ola High School Media Program is to provide students and teachers
with resources and services necessary to become effective users of information and ideas.
The media program list the following as their goals:

To promote comprehensive involvement and cooperative planning in the media

program development.
To facilitate physical and intellectual access to information.
To structure learning experiences that encourage users to organize, evaluate, and
use information effectively.
To support instruction through leadership and assistance in information
technologies.
To provide resource materials, equipment, and learning activities to support and
extend the instructional program.
To develop environments, personnel, and facilities that function as the
information center of the school.

The current stakeholders of the center are students, teachers, and administration. The
center is open to students and teachers from 7:45 am to 3:45 pm Monday thru Friday.
The Media Specialist has a variety of roles and responsibilities that are currently stated in
the Henry County Media Specialist Manuel. She is responsible for providing

instructional leadership in the use of information resources and literature by planning

collaboratively with teachers to integrate literature, resources, and information literacy
skills into the curriculum. She also is responsible for developing, administering, and
managing programs and facilitating for the use of information resources and
technologies. The Media Center also has two support personal or paraprofessionals that
share a part-time position. The paraprofessionals assume responsibilities given by the
Media Specialist to help with media center operations and services which should allow
the Media Specialist to devote more time to professional service roles and
responsibilities.
Center Activities
The centers current activities and the technology specialist current responsibilities
includes the following:

Providing student assistance on site to locate resources, photo copy, use

technology within the center
Provide teacher assistance on site to locate resources, use technology within the
center, and to use other tools such as laminating, die cuts, and other resources
such as DVD players and cameras
Coordinates 4 Computer Labs/ 13 Laptop Cart use on site for teachers and
administrators to use for activities involving technology
Facilitates school store on site where students and teachers may purchase items
Helps to facilitate and maintain school website including uploading pictures and
updated information
Serves as the contact and coordinator for student/teacher photographs taken each
year
Serves as the Senior Sponsor which includes many duties and responsibilities to
maintain through out the year
Facilitates and maintains daily announcements for the school to provide
information for students/teachers/staff
Maintains cataloging books and equipment that are provide on site for students
and teachers
Completes equipment inventory for entire school
Maintains records for all equipment for entire school
Prepares and develops reports for state

Evaluation
In analyzing the data collected through the structure of the organization, the mission of
the school system, the goals of the media center, and the activities performed by the
center, the center is accomplishing some of their goals. The center is currently
facilitating physical and intellectual access to information through books, references,
media, technology, and online resources that are provided daily to students and teachers.
The center has a goal of moving towards using funds for e-books and other digital

resources due to books sitting on shelves and not being checked out. The center currently
promotes comprehensive involvement and cooperative planning in the media program
development through having a Media Committee that consist of the Media Specialist,
teachers, and administration that help guide the goals and direction of the center. The
center provides resource materials and equipment to support and extend the instructional
program for teachers and students. Also, environments, personnel, and facilities have
been developed that function as the information center of the school.
However, in analyzing the data collected through the structure of the organization, the
mission of the school system, the goals of the media center, and the activities performed
by the center, the center is not accomplishing all of their goals. The center does not
structure learning experiences that encourage users to organize, evaluate, and use
information effectively. Students come and use the centers resources, but he center does
not currently provide students with learning experiences within the center. There are no
learning experiences regarding use of resources, plagiarism, copyright, or digital
citizenship. The center also does not provide support instruction through leadership and
assistance in information technologies. Professional Learning for teachers is not evident
in any of the areas above or in instructional technology. Teachers and students have
access to technology, but no instruction or guidance in using it.
There are a few recommendations to improve the operation and of the center. Even
though there are Computer Labs and Laptops available, a few things need to be
implemented to ensure proper and effective use of technology. First, a program should
be developed to teach students and teachers Digital Citizenship. Many professionals are
not aware of the rules of etiquette that exists with technology use. Digital Etiquette needs
to be taught and used by all members of a school community with teachers leading the
way as role models. Teachers also need to be aware that inappropriate use of technology
(poor digital etiquette) by students is a pressing problem. Teachers and students need to
be sensitized to the emerging rules of etiquette that govern technology use. In addition, a
copyright/plagiarism learning experience should be available to guide students. Even
though teachers are provided with available resources to copyright laws on the website, it
would be beneficial to have a professional learning opportunity about copyright laws.
Also, teachers need professional development opportunities in the area of instructional
technology. Professional Learning needs to be developed and implemented that will help
teachers integrate technology to support face-to- face learning and that promotes best
practices in teaching, learning, and assessment. The county provides a part time/shared
Instructional Technology Specialist, but they only provide information and instruction on
how to use software programs to upload grades and data and not how to use technology
in instruction.
In closing it appears that the list of center activities does not completely match the goals
of the center and that the duties and responsibilities of the Media/Technology Specialist
does not match the intended responsibilities set forth by the county. Instead of providing
instructional leadership in the use of information resources and literature by planning
collaboratively with teachers to integrate literature, resources, and information literacy
skills into the curriculum, the Media Specialist is busy with other tasks such as Senior

Sponsor duties and coordinating photographing for yearbook. It appears she does not
have time to develop, administer, and manage programs and facilitate for the use of
information resources and technologies due to other duties. It is recommended that her
duties be reallocated to others so that her intended duties and responsibilities may be
better accomplished.

Appendices
Appendix A: Interview Questions
Program Administration Interview Questions
Technology Specialist
1. Do you have an Organizational Chart-Standard Org Charts typically are used
to show people the intended structure of the organization.
2. What is the mission of the center?
3. What are the goals of the center?
4. Who are the stakeholders?
5. What are the job titles and brief position descriptions for key personnel who
staff the center?
6. What is the current status of the center?
7. Provide a description of the activities or programs carried out by the center.
a. What is the purpose of the activity?
b. Who is the audience?
c. Where is it conducted?
Administration/Media Committee
1. How does the Technology Center/Media Center serve you?
2. What are the centers strengths?
3. What are the centers weaknesses?
4. What do you think the focus of the center currently is?

5. What do you think the focus of the center should be?

Teachers/Students
1. How does the Technology Center/Media Center serve you?
2. What are the centers strengths?
3. What are the centers weaknesses?
4. What do you think the center needs to change to better meet your needs?

Appendix B: Observation Checklist

Technology Center Observation Checklist
Updated Technology
Updated Resources
Promotion of Copyright Laws for Teachers
Promotion of Copyright Laws for Students
Promotion of Digital Citizenship
Evidence of BYOT document
Participation in Media Festivals
Evidence of a Technology Plan (County)
Evidence of a Technology Plan (Center)
Evidence of a budget plan
Electronic Books
Evidence of lab usage by students
Evidence of lab usage by teachers
Instructional Technology support for teachers
Instructional Technology support for administrators
Technology support for students

Yes

No

Appendix C: Ola High School Website

Ola High School