The possibilities for tablet and application use for teachers is virtually endless.  The very act of designing and delivering instruction lends itself to the integration of technology, but for many former classroom educators now in administrative and support roles this does not always seem the case.   For an administrator, technology almost entirely becomes about efficiency and preservation of valuable time.  Between teacher observations, disciplinary referrals, finance, and the other infinite responsibilities placed on them, administrators never seem to have enough time.  I will endeavor this month and in the upcoming months to provide resources targeted to helping administrators beat the clock. 

One of the largest and most necessary time drains on an administrator are teacher evaluations and observations.  While nothing can be done to shorten the amount of time administrators are physically required to be present in the classroom, observational data and feedback can certainly be kept much more effectively than simply using a clipboard and a pen.  I have started utilizing Google Forms to collect observational data and ensure that I am evaluating domains required by my district.  Linked of course to my Google Drive, Google Forms provides me with a cloud-based system to: develop, complete, store and collaborate/share my observations and evaluations.

It works like this.  While observing a teacher at work, I keep my Sony Xperia Z tablet open and simply complete a series of check boxes and comments regarding  all of my points of interest such as lesson plan availability, differentiation, time management, objective coverage, etcetera.  My input is saved in real time and submitted upon completion, and I can return to the form after the evaluation and add to or edit my original input.  When the observational data is complete, I simply share the form with the teacher.  Often my notes and input submitted into the form along with email correspondence are sufficient to complete the post-observation conference.  What's more I don't have to worry about manilla folders and file cabinet drawers.  Google Forms saves it all for me to my Drive, so I am able to access it anytime I want from virtually anywhere I want.  I can even customize additional forms to evaluate more specific domains.  For example below is a self-contained special education form derived from my original form.  Give it a try and let me know what you think!  If you need some help getting started with forms here is a good video resource: https://support.google.com/drive/answer/87809?hl=en