Week+4+Journal

As a team we investigated the use of our School Fusion website as a delivery method for the student needs assessment. We soon discovered that compiling the data using this tool would not be very efficient. So we decided to use our Remark Office OMR software to conduct the survey. All of the teachers on our team are familiar with this tool and have used it to conduct classroom assessments.

The survey form was created using Excel and the OMR Bubble Font which can be downloaded from the Remark website. After scanning the forms, the data will be compiled in a spreadsheet similar to the Google Forms program. The Remark software will create charts and graphs from the data that will be useful in determining the needs of our student population.



I am interested in the results of this survey. Our student population is over 60% low-income. According to Ruby Payne's Framework for Understanding Poverty, www.ahaprocess.com, many families in generational poverty value entertainment as an escape mechanism. Therefore, I do not expect financial situation to be a predictor of computer access at home. If we discover that many of our low-income families have internet access at home, we can use this to help engage these students in further learning at home.

Also, there will be another benefit to the survey results. Once we discover which families have internet at home, we can use e-mail to connect with these parents. Many low-income families are resistant to come to parent nights or parent conferences. @http://www.nova.edu/ssss/QR/QR5-3/mcdermott.html If we can reach out to these parents electronically, perhaps we can build more positive relationships and share important information with them about their child. Once this relationship is created, we may have a better shot at getting them to actually come to the school for more traditional parent activities.