Connecting Teachers
to Technology
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Technology Coordinator Forum
Alameda County Office of
Education
January 30, 1998
Afternoon Session:
Funding Sources: The ACOE has a Grant Center, which
is a wonderful resource for grants (on first floor of ACOE.) It
doesn't matter what county you're from; they are open to people from
everywhere. They have websites, grant application material, will
preview grants before you submit them. Ideas: don't write a grant for
some piece of equipment or software without going to the
manufacturer/publisher first. You can also usually get demos or
samplers, especially if you're doing trainings.
Staff Development: DELEGATE. Find teachers who are comfortable
with using technology. Do needs assessment, a plan to get everybody
involved based on your goals. Idea to adopt an advisory statement
that lab time should be supervised by teachers, so they have the
opportunity to learn and become familiar with the software. Meeting
with each grade level at the beginning of the year to identify the
technology curriculum/philosophy, month by month. Allocate 10 minutes
in every staff meeting for something tech. Set up model classrooms to
serve as (default) trainers/examples to other teachers, in exchange
for more resources. Bring students in to do troubleshooting, on the
spot training. Do not teach "computers", teach "kids" and "teachers."
Staff Development--Train the Trainers. Can be at least 3
different forms: county level (bring in people from districts),
district level (liaisons at every site), site level (teachers and/or
students). Characteristics of people: not just techies; have to have
people skills. Technology built into school program. Where do the
resources for the incentives come from? Release time? Stipends? Prof.
Dev. Workshops? Where will trainings take place? Not all teachers
know how to teach adults. To teach adults, have to let them buy into
it, find out what their needs are, keep them comfortable. You also
have to identify the right people to be the trainers in the first
place, make sure they understand what their position is. Make sure
it's fun. Software/hardware raffle. Problem of isolation that a lot
of coordinators feel; reinventing the wheel. Listserv for tech
coordinators.Mary Buckman mentioned that she has a beautiful training
lab at her district with FREE classes. Only 6-8 people sign up. How
can she draw more people in? What are some incentives? People
mentioned ideas ranging from offering CEUs, district credit, charging
a fee, raffling software, etc.
Networking: Doug Prouty. Everyone agreed that educational
technology professionals really shouldn't get into the business of
networking. But unfortunately, reality deems it necessary in lots of
cases. The folks in the group ranged from beginners to people from
communities with bond measures that have run out to high school
students hacking the system.
- Allocations of funds for network support: hire in-house
people, use consultants or do it ourselves?
- Macs & PCs together on a network: it's getting
simpler
- Administration of the operating system: passwords, accounts,
email etc.
- Fiber vs. wireless: what do you do about portables?
- Design & components (routers vs. hubs): how much do I need
to know if an outside company is setting it up for us? Companies
are seeing dollar signs, so they're available & willing, but
some districts are starting to be upset with results when they
hand it off to a company.
- Lots of companies actually make their money on the "back
side" on service contracts
- Many times you don't even end up needng the service
contract, and they're really expensive. SSFUSD wrote into their
service contract that if they don't need troubleshooting,
they'll provide training.
- District understanding: school boards used to be burnt out on
tech in schools, and now they are swinging toward being interested
in helping with funding for networks & computers
- Other service providers for intenet: redundancy sometimes gets
built into that
- Smart Valley has some good resources http:/www.svi.org
- JDL puts on good workshops, sometimes at CUE http://www.jdltech.com
Troubleshooting
- Tim described how to subscribe to his listserv and distributed
a handout about it.
- Doug Prouty has an AWESOME web site in progress for tech
coordinators.. take a look at: http://www.cccoe.k12.ca.us/snorkel/
- Have other great resources we should know about? Send email to
bbray@compstrategies.com
- Well-Connected Educator: Barbara is going to moderate a forum
for Tech Coordinators; she requested help from others in helping
with specific forums.
- There's a great Mac troubleshooting site: http://www.macfixit.com
- Get most up-to-date versions of things at http://www.versiontracker.com
- Tim showed us his wonderful technician kit. Items include:
MacTCP Watcher; Norton Utilities; tools: screwdriver, wrist strap
static guard, electric screwdrivers, other networking tools, cable
tester,. Lawrence Livermore Lab will loan them, rumour has
it!
- Back up your stuff! Barbara told about Mac OS 8 problems she's
been having
- Always make sure you know what equipment you'll need...don't
depend on the "kindness of strangers."
- Put on web site Peggy Southwick's list of troubleshooting
tips
Resource Management
- Copyright
- Site licenses
- Getting teachers to follow policies
- Creating a system
Things for Kit
Technologist
- Troubleshooting
- Network Management
- Purchases
- Upgrading
- Inventories
-
Manager
- Develop Team
- Train the Trainers
- Liaison
- between school & parents
- Board
- Partners
- District
- Students
- Chair Tech Committee
- Licensing
Educator
- Staying Current
- Review & learn software
- read
- attend conferences
- Curriculum Technology Integration Resources
- model lessons
- resources for teachers
- coaching teachers
- Teaching Kids technology
- Communication
- Futurist/Visionary
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