For this week’s assignment we had to examine the district’s devices to determine if they met all the requirements for the upcoming SBAC testing. The district I am analyzing has participated in SBAC testing for the last two years so they are familiar with the process and have had devices in place for a while. In order to find out the exact specifications for the devices that the district has, I met with one computer support technician to ask questions. I was worried some of the questions would be too difficult for her to answer, but she knew all the answers right away. I had to ask about the device model type, screen size, resolution, network connectivity, security and operating systems. She did not have to ask anyone else for the answers. She knew them all. This impressed me. I know it is her job to be familiar with the devices, operating systems and networks but the fact that she could answer all my questions quickly shows me that the IT department functions very well and has some amazing people working for the district.
Another discovery I made was that some sites have different supplemental devices. All sites have 1:1 chromebooks for all students. However, it turns out other sites have iPods and iPads as well. These devices cannot be used for testing, but it was good information to learn. It made me wonder why and how they received those additional devices and how other sites could receive the same thing.
Overall, my research this week showed me that the district I am examining has met all requirements for SBAC readiness. This has been refreshing to learn because most of the other areas I have examined in this class so far have shown me that the district has many areas for improvement and gaps. Although the areas for improvement and gaps are important to identify, it is equally important to identify the strengths of a district. This would be one strength of the district. They have an extremely strong IT department with knowledgeable staff who have prepared school sites for the upcoming SBAC test. This is no easy task either. The SBAC test is still very new for students and teachers so making the testing experience easier for all users is extremely beneficial.
Another discovery I made was that some sites have different supplemental devices. All sites have 1:1 chromebooks for all students. However, it turns out other sites have iPods and iPads as well. These devices cannot be used for testing, but it was good information to learn. It made me wonder why and how they received those additional devices and how other sites could receive the same thing.
Overall, my research this week showed me that the district I am examining has met all requirements for SBAC readiness. This has been refreshing to learn because most of the other areas I have examined in this class so far have shown me that the district has many areas for improvement and gaps. Although the areas for improvement and gaps are important to identify, it is equally important to identify the strengths of a district. This would be one strength of the district. They have an extremely strong IT department with knowledgeable staff who have prepared school sites for the upcoming SBAC test. This is no easy task either. The SBAC test is still very new for students and teachers so making the testing experience easier for all users is extremely beneficial.