technology center analysis activity.pdf

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Technology Center Analysis Activity| 4/9/2013 1

Glennville Elementary School Media Center Analysis

Rachel Stewart

FRIT 7738 Practicum


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Part A: Technology Center Analysis

Executive Summary

Glennville Elementary School Media Center is a very active center supporting over 800

students and teachers. The Media Specialist, Ellen Kingery supervises one part-time volunteer

clerk and provides support to the teachers in curriculum needs and teaching tools and supplies.

Mrs. Kingery reports to the Principal and to the Technology Director at the Board of Education

Central Office. There is one technology specialist that provides support to Kingery and teachers

at Glennville Elementary School.

The method of the evaluation was conducted through a 3 month observation of the

centers activities. This included an interview with Mrs. Ellen Kingery, Media Specialist, a

review of the GES Media Center Website, and a review of the GES Media Center Handbook.

Interview questions and checklist for the observation is provided in the appendices. The

observation proves to be very beneficial in evaluating the center with the many activities

throughout the day.

The Media Center should serve as an extension of the classroom and is a resource area

that houses materials of all types of media and equipment. The mission statement, The role of

the school library media program is to ensure that students and staff are effective users of ideas

and information. The library media program supports the curriculum by providing adequate

resources, personnel and training so that both students and teachers become independent users of

information shows the dedication of the media center. Goals for the media center change with

the different needs of the students and teachers but one is the same throughout. It is to grow and

enhance the reading comprehension for each student at GES and to encourage a love for reading


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and learning. The stakeholders for the GES Media Center are a combination of Teachers,

Administrators, Students, and Parents. All have a hand in the success of the center.

Center activities range from the tradition of book check out and return to conducting

technology trainings, storytelling for younger students, and the 21st

Century Learning Center.

The center offers a facility for group work, relaxing reading areas, and staff resource areas.

Media Center also acts as a holding area for other technology equipment to support staff.

The evaluation of the GES Media Center proves to be very positive with the number of

support activities taking place. The center was found to be in need of expansion. The center

supports over 800 students and teachers and is in need of some renovations. The diagrams in the

report shows how more efficient the media center could be with some additional areas and

computer equipment. The center manages very well with the media specialist conducting the use

of computer labs down the hall.

GES Media Center facilitates training for teachers and students. It supports over 4,081

book check outs a month with an average of 3 class size visits a day. The GES Media Center is

the place to be for all of your media needs traditional or nontraditional. The staff is dedicated to

seeing their students become lifelong readers and supporting the 21st

Century Learner.


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Organizational Chart

Dr. Gina Williams,

TCBOESuperintendent

Lisa Trim, GES

Principal

Lynna Hilliard,

Technology Director,

Central Office

Ellen Kingery, GES

Media Specialist

GES Teachers

Jay Brown,

Technology

Specialist

Wesley Waters,

Technology

Specialist

Media Center

Volunteer, 3

days/week


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Methods

The analysis of Glennville Elementary School Media Center was conducted through a

variety of sources. An interview was conducted with Mrs. Ellen Kingery, Media Specialist at

Glennville Elementary School. Evaluation of the center was also taken from observation of

activity in the center. The observation was taken throughout the work day at various times over

the course of a three-month period. Evaluation evidence was also taken from the Glennville

Elementary School Media Center Website which is manned by Mrs. Kingery. Mrs. Kingery also

provided the GES Handbook as a resource. The website is updated with information for parents

and students on tips for the Accelerated Reader program and other research tips. The handbook

is a source for rules, guidelines, mission, and function of the Media Center. This handbook is

given to students at the first of every school year.

Center Context and Goals

Glennville Elementary School Media Center used to be known as the School Library.

With the advancement of technology, the school found that the library was more of a Media

Center for the school. According to the handbook, the Media Center should serve as an

extension of the classroom. The Media Center is a resource area housing materials of all types of

media and equipment. The Media Center is a resource to, not only students checking out books

for the AR program, but also a resource for teachers with equipment, curriculum, and teaching

tools and supplies. The mission statement of the media center is The role of the school library

media program is to ensure that students and staff are effective users of ideas and information.

The library media program supports the curriculum by providing adequate resources, personnel


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and training so that both students and teachers become independent users of information.

(Kingery, 2013)

The goals of the Media Center are different with each type of program. With the AR

program, the goals are to grow and enhance reading comprehension for each student at GES.

The AR program encourages independent reading and increases vocabulary. The goal of the

Media Center is to keep each student progressing through the program. (Kingery, 2013)

The goals for the technology side of the Media Center changes every year. According to

Kingery, the technology team, that consists of one teacher from each grade level, principal, and

herself, meets in May to go over the needs/wish list of the school. The team sets goals for the

coming year. The goal for this year was to replace the 05 laptops with newer models in the

school. Another goal was to have all teachers with a minimum of two modern desktop

computers in each classroom. These goals and needs list are sent to the central office for

approval for funding.

The stakeholders of the media center are several groups of people including

administrators, teachers, parents, and students. Administrators have a responsibility to the school

community to make sure the Media Center is effective in its goals and mission. Students are also

stakeholders in that the service of the Media Center has a big hand in the quality of education the

students receive. Parents serve as stakeholders to the media center due to the parents working

with the school system to assist their child in the educational process. Parents are the at home

educator and may need the assistance of the media center resources to guide the educational

process at home.

Ellen Kingery is the Media Specialist in the Glennville Elementary School Media Center.

Kingerys Media Center handbookof 2013 states, the Media Specialist is responsible for


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operating and supervising Media Center, scheduling use of facilities. The Media Specialist helps

coordinate classroom work with the school library program. The Media Specialist plans and

provides support for the Accelerated Reading program, assists teachers and staff with computer

and equipment issues, orients students to the media center, and plans and conducts programs of

instruction in research techniques. The Media Specialist is expected to be knowledgeable in the

area of media and related equipment. The Media Center has a volunteer to come in on Tuesdays

and Thursdays to assist with book check outs and book returns.

Since the day the Glennville Elementary School opened its doors, the Media Center has

been up and running for business. The Media Center operates on a flexible schedule. The Media

Center is open every school day from 7:30AM to 3:00PM.

Center Activities

There are many activities that are coordinated through the Media Center at Glennville

Elementary School. The Media Center has a flexible scheduling system. The Media Center is

open for teachers and students during school hours. The Media Specialist is available to students

during these hours. The next activity is the coordination of the Accelerated Reading program.

The students are assessed and placed on a reading level. Students check out books on their level

and complete an AR test to earn points for reading the book. This program is coordinated in the

Media Center. Students come to the Media Center and complete the AR test at the computer

stations in the Media Center. The Media Specialist keeps up with a points system and rewards

students at the end of the 9 weeks for reaching their goal. The Media Specialist and Teachers set

a goal for each grade level. The Media Specialist plans the reward celebration at the end of each


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nine-weeks for the students. The audience for the AR Program is the students at Glennville

Elementary School.

In the center, there are a lot of standard activities that develop throughout the course of a

day. Teachers will bring in their classes for reading time, technology lessons, research lessons,

and even individualized test taking. The center is set up with a quiet reading area, storytelling

area, computer lab area, tables for group work, and a teacher resource area. Throughout the day,

all of these areas are busy. The Media Specialist will coordinate all of these activities. With the

class sizes around 25 students, the center is unable to facilitate the number so the Media

Specialist has to set up the class in one of the computer lab rooms down the hall. The Media

Specialist will have the center volunteer to cover the center while she goes to the computer lab to

teach the large class. She teaches different lessons on how to use the Galileo system to research,

how to use internet to research, and other technology related workshops. The storytelling area is

often used with the younger of the students at GES. The Pre-K and Kindergarten classes come to

the center for some special programs like storytelling. These activities get them excited about

books and reading.

In addition to the Media Center, the Media Specialist is in charge of inventory of

computer equipment for the school. This involves troubleshooting computer equipment

problems, service orders, and maintenance. The Media Specialist also works with the

Technology Specialist at the Central Office for on site evaluation of equipment. The purpose of

this activity is to keep the classroom teachers up and running with the tools they need to provide

education to the students. The audience in this activity is directly the staff but indirectly the

students of the school.


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The Media Specialist also coordinates staff development training in the area of

technology. The Media Specialist provides training to teachers on new software, new

equipment, and any other new programs that can enhance the educational experience of the

students. The Media Specialist provides group and individualized training when it is needed.

Another duty of the Media Specialist is to serve as a curriculum resource to the teachers.

The Media Specialist assists teachers with gathering educational tools and supplies for the

classroom. According to Kingery, the Media Specialist is a resource center for the staff and

students of the school. The resources could range from helping a student with his/her reading

level to developing a technology unit to teach new staff members. Most of the activities

coordinated by the Media Specialist are conducted on site at the school. Most are in the Media

Center or in one of the other four computer labs.

Evaluation

Through my observations, interview with Mrs. Kingery, and review of the handbook and

website of the Glennville Elementary School Media Center, I feel it is fulfilling its mission and

accomplishing its goals. The goals in the handbook state that the Media Center will be a

resource to students and teachers. This is evident in my observation of the efficiency the staff

shows for students as they work in the AR program. It is evident that the teachers see Mrs.

Kingery as a resource for media and equipment. Mrs. Kingery is assisting teachers with

teaching supplies and availability to assist in the classroom. Throughout the day observing the

Media Center, it is consistent with a flow of students and teachers reading, learning, and

collaborating.

My recommendation for the Glennville Elementary School Media Center to improve the

operation of the center is by increasing the footage of the center. The Media Specialist could


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function in more supportive roles to the teachers if they have a bigger computer lab area within

the Media Center. The center also needs a quiet reading area and an area for collaboration

learning or group learning. The center could expand into a large area for storytelling time to

accommodate Pre-K and Kindergarten classes. These all are services that the Media Center

performs now. The programs would run smoother with a larger area to separate different

functions and different areas for programs.

The following diagram shows the center as it is now before my recommendations. The

center is limited in the areas of computer work with just six computer station for students. The

center could be more effective with a computer lab classroom close by. The storytelling center is

very small and closed off.


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The following diagram is my recommendation for a new media Center that will encourage the

21st

Century learner. Classroom to the left will be equipped with computer stations.


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Part B: Monthly Report

Glennville Elementary School Media Center is as busy as ever with the end of the school

year coming. With around 800 patrients visiting the center every month, we have a huge

circulation of books moving in and out of the media center with over 4,081 books being checked

out monthly. Our Media Specialist, Mrs. Kingery is on fire with the technology learning centers.

Our teachers and staff are on the cutting edge of Technology as they complete five Technology-

Learning trainings a month through our 21stCentury Learning Center. Thats right; our Media

Center encourages and accommodates the 21st

Century Learner with areas for collaborating

learning or group learning, computer stations for our AR program, and a quiet relaxing reading

area for our recreational readers. Our Media Center also incorporates a storytelling area for our

younger creative minds.

The quiet reading area is located in the back of the center next to a group of windows to

enjoy the sun light. The two level loft provides comfortable setting for the recreational reader to

enjoy their time. The area is home to a lot of the older students in 4th

and 5th

grade.

The storytelling area is a highlight for our Pre-K and Kindergarten classes. Teachers will

bring these two age groups for the adventure and excitement of a good story. Our staff does an

excellent job telling stories in the center. This activity gets young students excited about reading

and eager to start checking out books.

The computer stations are a popular area as well. The students come and take AR test at

the computer stations available in the Media Center. This is how the students can earn their

points in AR. Students work toward a goal in AR each nine-week. If students reach their AR

goal, they will enjoy a reward day like water games outside, trip to the GSU Wildlife Center, or a


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movie day at school. Students at Glennville Elementary School work hard to earn these AR

points for the many prizes, trips, and activities they will receive.

The Media Center is also where the students of GES first learn how to use the wonderful

world of the internet to help them with research. Our Media Specialist, Mrs. Kingery is an

excellent teacher that will help students learn how to research and find all of the information they

need to be successful. In addition to the computer station in the center, Mrs. Kingery has four

labs set up for classes to enjoy the use of technology.

Glennville Elementary School Media Center is the place to be. Join in on the exciting

world of reading and technology. Come by and get start with your next adventure!


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References

Glennville Elementary School Media Center (2013). Retreived on April 3, 2013, from

http://ges.tattnallschools.org/site_res_view_folder.aspx?id=42232f14-d4fd-44b7-8a7e-

c5c448135d3e

Kingery, E. (April 3, 2013). Personal Interview

Kingery, E. (2013). Glennville Elementary School Media Center Handbook. Glennville, GA:

Author.

Kingery, E. (2013). Media Center Observation
http://ges.tattnallschools.org/site_res_view_folder.aspx?id=42232f14-d4fd-44b7-8a7e-c5c448135d3ehttp://ges.tattnallschools.org/site_res_view_folder.aspx?id=42232f14-d4fd-44b7-8a7e-c5c448135d3ehttp://ges.tattnallschools.org/site_res_view_folder.aspx?id=42232f14-d4fd-44b7-8a7e-c5c448135d3ehttp://ges.tattnallschools.org/site_res_view_folder.aspx?id=42232f14-d4fd-44b7-8a7e-c5c448135d3ehttp://ges.tattnallschools.org/site_res_view_folder.aspx?id=42232f14-d4fd-44b7-8a7e-c5c448135d3e


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Appendices 1

Interview Questions

1. Do you have an organizational chart? _______________________________________________________________________________________

2. What is the organization of the center?_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. What are the different functions and activities for the center? Identify the purpose andaudience?______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

4. Who is the stakeholders for the center?______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. What are the goals of the center?__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

6. Who are the staff in the center including titles and job descriptions?______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

7. Do you have a handbook or publication on the media Center?______________________________________________________________________________________________


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8. Tell me about a typical day in the Media Center?_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

9. How many books are checked out in a months time?_____________________________10.How many students come through in a given month?_____________________________11.How does the different areas of the center work with all of the students coming in and

out?____________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________


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Appendices 2

Observation Sheet

Book Checkout/Return

AR Test Taking/Computer Station

Quiet Reading Area

Teacher Resources

Equipment Troubleshooting

Research Workshops

Class in Computer Lab

Inventory

Books

DVD/Teacher Resources

Technology Equipment

Student Assistance

Teacher Assistance

AR Program Reward Planning

AR Program Mentoring

Comments:__________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

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