Assignment 2: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) Analysis on Emerging Technologies

Due Week 7 and worth 300 points

Refer to the Scenario for the Assignments.

Assignment Scenario:

You will be using this scenario as the guide for your assignments in this class for the quarter.

Assume that your supervisor has appointed you to lead a committee tasked with providing a research-based proposal for integrating emerging technologies into an educational need for your organization (i.e. K12, higher education, corporate or military training). You will develop the proposal in stages, which will culminate in a final project that is due in Week 10. Keep in mind that the proposal must be focused on education or training with an emphasis on new technologies. You will need to include a sample outline of how these technologies will be applied in your institution.

Using the list provided here, you must propose the integration of at least two (2) emerging technologies into the educational need you have selected for your organization. You are welcome to select two (2) from this list or select one (1) from here and research one (1) additional technology of your choosing. The two technologies combined must help to support your learning goals and create an engaging environment for your learners.

1. Etale      – Digital Age Learning is located at www.etale.org and      provides access to educational documentaries across a wide range of      topics.
2. Edmodo,      located at www.edmodo.com. Similar to what Facebook and      Twitter do for social media, Edumodo is designed specifically for      educators to trade materials, connections, and keep all members of the      school community in touch.
3. Twiddla,      located at www.twiddla.com, can be integrated into a      training session or lesson for K-12 students. (Twiddla is an online tool      that allows students to set up a Web-based meeting playground. Students      have the ability to set up conference calls, too. )
4. Evernote,      located at www.evernote.com, helps to organize different      kinds of media in one place. With everything in one place, this tool is      especially useful for sharing ideas for team teaching and collaboration      across districts or locations.
5. Softchalk,      located at www.softchalk.com, provides a cloud based      solution for collaboration and lesson planning, as well as a way to link      content from multiple courses in one place in the cloud.
6. Blogger,      located at www.blogger.com, or KidsBlog, located      at http://kidzblog.en.softonic.com/, both      provide user-friendly tools to create blogs.
7. SocialMention,      located at http://socialmention.com/, is a social media      search engine that highlights content useful for many different kinds of      instruction and topics.
8. KhanAcademy,      located at www.khanacademy.org, provides videos for      math, science, computer programming, history, art, and more. These videos      are suitable for both K-12 and self-study for adult learners.

Write a six to eight (6-8) page (or 900-1200 word) paper in which you perform a SWOT analysis: 

Note: A SWOT analysis provides a clear baseline of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of your chosen technology. There are many templates available online that you might wish to research before beginning your analysis work. 

review on how to complete a SWOT analysis.

Analyzing a Situation: SWOT Analysis SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. SWOT analysis is a tool for analyzing the current situation both internally (strengths and weaknesses) and externally (opportunities and threats). It provides helpful baseline information for a group that wants to vision the future or analyze a problem. For example, the math team in your school might do a SWOT analysis to look for ways it can grow and become more competitive. To accomplish this, start by drawing a large square on a white board or paper. Divide the square into quadrants. Label the upper left quadrant “Strengths,” the lower left “Weaknesses,” the upper right “Opportunities,” and the lower right “Threats.” Remind the group that strengths and weaknesses are what the team has internal to itself and opportunities and threats are external factors. When it comes time to list strengths, ask group members to look at activities it does very well, at skills and experience within the group, at leadership Strengths might include a long history of regional wins, a balance of boys and girls, and so on. For weaknesses, ask the reverse of the questions above. You might hear that weaknesses include a lack of interest from students in younger grades, irregular attendance at practices, and so on. Next, ask group members to identify opportunities — external factors that could be used to benefit the group. Perhaps a local high-tech company is willing to sponsor the team at regional meets. Maybe the principal will count math team towards receiving a school letter. What other opportunities are there to grow math team involvement? Finally, identify threats — things that might be tripping up the group or getting in the way of success. These threats might be competing extra September 03, 2015 Teachers Administrators Lesson Plans Technology Prof. Development More 9/3/2015 Education World: Doing a SWOT Analysis http://www.educationworld.com/a_admin/greatmeetings/greatmeetings018.shtml 2/3 curricular activities, the negative social pressure that comes with being on the math team, budget cuts that will eliminate bus transportation, and so on. After filling in the quadrants, talk about what stands out from this analysis. Is it clear where the math team needs to focus its attention? What is surprising? What are the next steps? For more information about the SWOT technique and other ways to analyze a problem, order your copy of Great Meetings! Great Results today. NEXT WEEK IN GREAT MEETINGS: When the group is bogged down by negatives, use the Wish, Want, Wonder technique to get them to create an ideal vision. Pam Plumb and Dee Kelsey are your facilitators in charge of Education World’s Great Meetings series. They are also authors of the popular guide to meeting facilitation, Great Meetings! Great Results. Together, Pam and Dee have more than 40 years’ experience facilitating change and training meeting leaders. Learn more by clicking the links below: * Read biographies Learn about Pam and Dee. * Read a “backgrounder” What will you learn from this series? * See the Great Meetings Archive See past articles in the series. * Visit the Great Meetings Web Site Learn about the book, training workshops Pam and Dee offer, and more.

1. Provide an Introduction in which you present the scope of your analysis and explain how the two (2) technologies you have selected work together to enhance the learning environment. (Note: Place this at the beginning the paper as the Introduction.)

2. Provide a short description in one or two (1 or 2) paragraphs, of the educational need you outlined to frame your SWOT Analysis. As you move through the analysis, keep in mind that your selected technologies must help to support instructional goals and learning outcomes.

3. Using each portion of your SWOT analysis, include three to five (3-5) examples of how your technologies provide strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, or threats. You must support these examples with clear rationale and research. These are not to be written as simple bullet points without detailed information.

4. Provide a hypothetical timeline for the project development and implementation, including resources, training and testing.

5. Provide a summary of the main points of your analysis and at least three (3) recommendations for the implementation of the new technologies in a summary paragraph.

6. Provide at least five (5) academic references, including at least (1) reference from EdWeek. All references should be published within the last three (3) years.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

· Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.

· Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length. In addition, you should only have 10% quotes in your paper.

· Include these Key Sections

·  

o Title page

o Introduction

o SWOT Analysis

o Proposed Timeline for Implementation

o Summary

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

· Examine the foundations on which integration strategies are based.

· Identify the many types of software and media tutors and tools, and the potential benefits and integration strategies.

· Determine the various ways to integrate technology across the curriculum.

· Evaluate how technology can change the content and methods of education.

· Analyze how technology can support the learning of diverse students.

· Use the curriculum to integrate technology.

· Use technology and information resources to research issues in integrating technology into education.

· Write clearly and concisely about integrating technology into education using proper writing mechanics.

· Points: 300

· Assignment 2: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) Analysis on Emerging Technologies

· Criteria

· Unacceptable

· Below 70% F

· Fair

· 70-79% C

· Proficient

· 80-89% B

· Exemplary

· 90-100% A

· 1. Provide an Introduction in which you present the scope of your analysis and explain how the two (2) technologies you have selected work together to enhance the learning environment. 

· Weight: 10%

· Did not submit or incompletely provided an introduction in which you presented the scope of your analysis and explained how the two (2) technologies you have selected work together to enhance the learning environment.

· Partially provided an introduction in which you presented the scope of your analysis and explained how the two (2) technologies you have selected work together to enhance the learning environment.

· Satisfactorily provided an introduction in which you presented the scope of your analysis and explained how the two (2) technologies you have selected work together to enhance the learning environment.

· Thoroughly provided an introduction in which you presented the scope of your analysis and explained how the two (2) technologies you have selected work together to enhance the learning environment.

· 2. Provide a short description in one or two (1 or 2) paragraphs, of the educational need you outlined to frame your SWOT Analysis. As you move through the analysis, keep in mind that your selected technologies must help to support instructional goals and learning outcomes.
Weight: 10%

· Did not submit or incompletely provided a short description in one or two (1 or 2) paragraphs, of the educational need you outlined to frame your SWOT Analysis.

· Partially provided a short description in one or two (1 or 2) paragraphs, of the educational need you outlined to frame your SWOT Analysis.

· Satisfactorily provided a short description in one or two (1 or 2) paragraphs, of the educational need you outlined to frame your SWOT Analysis.

· Thoroughly provided a short description in one or two (1 or 2) paragraphs, of the educational need you outlined to frame your SWOT Analysis.

· 3. Using each portion of your SWOT analysis, include three to five (3-5) examples of how your technologies provide strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, or threats. You must support these examples with clear rationale and research. These are not to be written as simple bullet points without detailed information.

· Weight: 20%

· Did not submit or incompletely included three to five (3-5) examples of how your technologies provide strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, or threats. Did not submit or incompletely supported these examples with clear rationale and research.

· Partially included three to five (3-5) examples of how your technologies provide strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, or threats. Partially supported these examples with clear rationale and research.

· Satisfactorily included three to five (3-5) examples of how your technologies provide strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, or threats. Satisfactorily supported these examples with clear rationale and research.

· Thoroughly included three to five (3-5) examples of how your technologies provide strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, or threats. Thoroughly supported these examples with clear rationale and research.

· 4. Provide a hypothetical timeline for the project development and implementation, including resources, training and testing. 

· Weight: 20%

· Did not submit or incompletely provided a hypothetical timeline for the project development and implementation, including resources, training and testing.

· Partially provided a hypothetical timeline for the project development and implementation, including resources, training and testing.

· Satisfactorily provided a hypothetical timeline for the project development and implementation, including resources, training and testing.

· Thoroughly provided a hypothetical timeline for the project development and implementation, including resources, training and testing.

· 5. Provide a summary of the main points of your analysis and at least three (3) recommendations for the implementation of the new technologies in a summary paragraph. 

· Weight: 10%

· Did not submit or incompletely provided a summary of the main points of your analysis and at least three (3) recommendations for the implementation of the new technologies in a summary paragraph.

· Partially provided a summary of the main points of your analysis and at least three (3) recommendations for the implementation of the new technologies in a summary paragraph.

· Satisfactorily provided a summary of the main points of your analysis and at least three (3) recommendations for the implementation of the new technologies in a summary paragraph.

· Thoroughly provided a summary of the main points of your analysis and at least three (3) recommendations for the implementation of the new technologies in a summary paragraph.

· 6. Provide at least five (5) academic references, including at least (1) reference from EdWeek. All references should be published within the last three (3) years. 

· Weight: 10%

· No references provided.

· Does not meet the required number of references; some or all references poor quality choices.

· Meets number of required references; most references high quality choices.

· Meets number of required references; all references high quality choices.

· 7. Writing Mechanics, Grammar, and Formatting 

· Weight: 5%

· Serious and persistent errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, or formatting.

· Partially free of errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, or formatting.

· Mostly free of errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, or formatting.

· Error free or almost error free grammar, spelling, punctuation, or formatting.

· 8. Appropriate use of APA in-text citations and reference section 

· Weight: 5%

· Lack of in-text citations and / or lack of reference section.

· In-text citations and references are provided, but they are only partially formatted correctly in APA style.

· Most in-text citations and references are provided, and they are generally formatted correctly in APA style.

· In-text citations and references are error free or almost error free and consistently formatted correctly in APA style.

· 9. Information Literacy / Integration of Sources 

· Weight: 5%

· Serious errors in the integration of sources, such as intentional or accidental plagiarism, or failure to use in-text citations.

· Sources are partially integrated using effective techniques of quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing.

· Sources are mostly integrated using effective techniques of quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing.

· Sources are consistently integrated using effective techniques of quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing.

· 10. Clarity and Coherence of Writing 

· Weight: 5%

· Information is confusing to the reader and fails to include reasons and evidence that logically support ideas.

· Information is partially clear with minimal reasons and evidence that logically support ideas.

· Information is mostly clear and generally supported with reasons and evidence that logically support ideas.

· Information is provided in a clear, coherent, and consistent manner with reasons and evidence that logically support ideas.