2. PLANNING METHODLOGY


2.1 Study Approach
2.2 Data Collection Methods and Instruments
2.3 Statewide Master Plan Process
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This section outlines the overall study approach, data collection methods and instruments, and the overall planning process employed to produce the initial version of the Mississippi Master Plan for Education Technology.

2.1 Study Approach

The study approach is based on the belief that a successful education technology Master Plan must take into account existing systems and resources (public and private), incorporate promising emerging technologies, lay groundwork for future technologies, and address physical and financial constraints realistically. Further, the approach recognizes the importance of involvement of the stakeholders themselves in the crafting of a plan that will guide their own future initiatives in all matters pertaining to the use of technologies to enhance the educational opportunities for students in Mississippi.

The process of developing an education technology Master Plan provides an opportunity to examine educational goals and incorporate the best information available currently from educational research and curriculum reform efforts while remaining sensitive to the prime objective of giving teachers the tools to assist learning and increase achievement for students with diverse needs and learning styles. Technology should be a tool to improve education and not an end in itself. Technology must be focused clearly on the fundamental goal of improving and enhancing the educational enterprise. While a variety of exciting technologies employing voice, video, and data systems exist, care should be taken to focus on the integration of all these resources to form both a complete instructional delivery system and an educational information system.

Several characteristics of twenty-first Century schools impact the design and development of technology-supported education management. The pace and complexity of change place enormous demands on educators at all levels to access, interpret, and communicate information more rapidly than in the past. Moreover, within a shared decision-making environment, information needs to be available to teachers, principals, central office persons, and state agency personnel, in order for the optimum use of human and instructional resources to be realized. Education management systems must also assist decision makers in focusing the organization and in responding to increasing demands for accountability and communication by various stakeholders in the educational community. The education management system resulting from the Master Plan must be designed to address both the needed organizational strategies and structures as well as the support roles played by various individuals.

The framework provided by the technology support system design is only one component of the overall design for education management. The proposed technology applications must accommodate a future in which rapid and substantial changes in learning outcomes, teaching/learning environments, and organizational patterns are the norm. Such areas as student management, performance assessment, and instructional environments and resources are changing rapidly and need to be accommodated by a state-of-the-art education management system.

2.2 Data Collection Methods and Instruments

Recognizing that input from Mississippi educators at all levels is critical to a careful assessment of existing initiatives, the evaluation team used a variety of methods to collect educator assessments and feedback. Five evaluation methods were used during the first three phases of this study to collect the data required for production of the Master Plan:


Each method is described in more detail below and a complete summary of the results obtained from these efforts may be found in the Mississippi Master Plan for Education Technology Interim Report document and appendices presented to the Council for Education Technology for approval on June 21, 1995.

2.2.1 Key Stakeholder Interviews

Key stakeholder interviews were conducted with Mississippi Department of Education staff and other key informants to enhance CELT's understanding of Mississippi's current education technology initiatives and identify any new or related programs that should be included in the study. During the study orientation meetings a list of key informants was developed jointly by the Mississippi Department of Education and CELT. A complete listing of the key stakeholders and the interview results may be found in Section 2 of the Interim Report.

2.2.2 Document Reviews

Document reviews included materials describing the current technology efforts, plans, and issues relating to future technology use. Documents were collected from the Mississippi Department of Education, the Governor's office, individual Institutions of Higher Learning, and other sources. Approximately fifty documents were reviewed by the study team. Information obtained from these documents is included in the discussion of study findings and recommendations in Section 3 of the Interim Report.

2.2.3 Surveys

A major data collection strategy was to survey all schools in Mississippi to determine the existing availability and use of technology. The survey contained 149 items organized into the following twelve sections: Results of the survey along with a complete analysis are available in Section 2 of the Interim Report and appendices of that report.

2.2.4 On-Site Visits and Focus Group Interviews

Focus group interviews were conducted in 11 school districts chosen in cooperation with the Project Advisory Committee and the Office of Leadership & Professional Development. These districts represent small, medium, and large districts and are geographically dispersed across the state with at least one district found in each of the five congressional districts. One day was spent for each on-site visit with a team of CELT staff and, at times, staff from the Office of Leadership & Professional Development. During these on-site visits, the team interviewed teachers, principals, district staff, community members and parents, and students. The team also visited selected schools and classrooms. Findings from site visits and focus group interviews are included in Section 3 of the Interim Report.

The focus group strategy was also employed during the process of composing the Master Plan. At this stage, eight focus groups were convened to provide opportunities for input from a broad cross-section of interested citizens on specific elements of the Master Plan including:


The results of these focus groups were provided to the writing teams and are reflected in the various sections of this document.

2.3 Statewide Master Plan Process

As noted in the previous sections, the master technology planning process has involved several research methodologies and activities interacting with the Mississippi Department of Education leaders and the Council for Education Technology. Inherent in the CELT approach to the study of statewide education technology programs is the development of a consensus and commitment to a plan for implementing a comprehensive education technology system to enhance the delivery of instructional services. In Mississippi, the Project Advisory Committee and membership of the Council for Education Technology have assumed vital roles in the composition of the final plan as authors of individual sections with input from the CELT team assigned to the project. The Master Plan is thus truly a Mississippi technology plan with input from experienced Mississippi educators and a team of CELT planners.

As individual planning study activities have been completed, the key findings have been presented systematically to the MDE study managers and the Project Advisory Committee. Findings and identified needs have been employed to fashion recommendations and plan specific strategies for developing an education technology system to support education reform in Mississippi schools.

In order to complete development of the Mississippi Master Plan for Education Technology, the study team has concentrated efforts through a process which consistently focuses the content of the plan on learners. This process requires the direct input of Mississippi educators who will bear ultimate responsibility for implementing the plan. The steps in this process include:

The CELT planning team applauds the educators of Mississippi for their overwhelming input during this process and their dedication to preparation of the Mississippi Master Plan for Education Technology which reflects realistically a statewide commitment to educational improvement.

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