The information contained in the AASA web site has up to date and relevant information. There are 20 weblinks within the website that covers a variety of topics within the educational realm. All of the topics are valuable to a superintendent. I know several superintendents that use this web site or receive the journal and refer to it for current information.
The schooltechleadership web site contains a significant amount of information as well that would be productive for school leaders to get insight from. I specifically enjoyed the 4 options to access: Shift Happens which is an excellent video about globalization and the digital era, Tech Boot camp, School Data Tutorials, and E Archive. I have seen the Shift Happens video before and watched several of the versions again. Great tool to show my staff and plan on sharing that at our next staff meeting!
We have been exposed to many web sites and resources throughout this course. These two that are provided this week are a couple of my favorite and that I envision using more. School leadership is an interesting craft. One has to balance so many different areas and topics, that you have to use the people around you which help guide decisions. Like the saying goes, "Surround yourself with good people" and there is a lot of truth in that. I am not an expert in technology nor will I ever be so will use the people around me. Staying progressive is important and technology is an area that districts need to continue to find ways to improve the teaching and learning process.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Monday, November 8, 2010
Unit 9 Assignment
1. Did you find the CoSN website useful?
Yes. The initiatives provide a wealth of information to reflect upon regarding technology leadership.
2. What information on the website was most useful to you?
After review, the initiative that I spent the most time on and made the most sense to me dealt with Enpowering the 21st Century Supt. I watched the Jim Bosco video on the McArthur project on how to integrate WEb 2.0 tools into districts more effectively. The article called "Why Superintendents Need a Vision for Technology" was good as well. The article came from The School Administrator and talked about how many superintendents view the district's technology director as the main source of vision for the district in the technology arena. While that is important, I can see the value of the superintendent leading the charge and helping to set the tone. Obviously, as a superintendent the scope of the work you do becomes quite broad. Balancing all the issues is challenging for school leaders whether at the building level or district level. There is no question as a school district we have been progressive with technology, however, still have a ways to go.
3. How will information from this website help your technology committee?
As with any information, it is what you do with it. My recommendation would be to use something of value within the CoSN association website and bring to the table whatever it is that your district is looking at. The initiatives have something for everyone. There is value in the discussion and development of utilizing Web 2.0 tools to enhance the teaching and learning process. There is so much information that you have to narrow your focus which in education can be difficult to do. Districts can't spend money they don't have. I continually find that to be one of the most significant challenges when discussing on technology and the future. It changes so rapidly, it is a struggle if not impossible to keep up.
4. What implications does this information have for technology planning in your school?
Staying progressive with technology is expensive. A district needs to evaluate how they are spending their money and determine the most beneficial ways technology can impact achievement. There is no question we can use many technology tools more effectively than what we currently do. The Smartboard systems that staff use as interactive processes increase student engagement from my observations. Using the systems as a glorified overhead isn't worth the cost which then becomes the issue of the building leader/district to find the training that is needed. The professional development piece becomes a critical part of the disucssion because if staff are not trained adequately, the technology will not be used. Along with a vision, the technology support is critical. If all the components of the network are not operating efficiently, people will not waste their time with a classroom of 25 kids in front of them. I would like to see more application with 2.0 tools especially as the students get older which will involve training- into upper elementary, middle and high school. One thing I need to be more cognizant of are the challenges that our technology department faces. They are stretched too thin.
Yes. The initiatives provide a wealth of information to reflect upon regarding technology leadership.
2. What information on the website was most useful to you?
After review, the initiative that I spent the most time on and made the most sense to me dealt with Enpowering the 21st Century Supt. I watched the Jim Bosco video on the McArthur project on how to integrate WEb 2.0 tools into districts more effectively. The article called "Why Superintendents Need a Vision for Technology" was good as well. The article came from The School Administrator and talked about how many superintendents view the district's technology director as the main source of vision for the district in the technology arena. While that is important, I can see the value of the superintendent leading the charge and helping to set the tone. Obviously, as a superintendent the scope of the work you do becomes quite broad. Balancing all the issues is challenging for school leaders whether at the building level or district level. There is no question as a school district we have been progressive with technology, however, still have a ways to go.
3. How will information from this website help your technology committee?
As with any information, it is what you do with it. My recommendation would be to use something of value within the CoSN association website and bring to the table whatever it is that your district is looking at. The initiatives have something for everyone. There is value in the discussion and development of utilizing Web 2.0 tools to enhance the teaching and learning process. There is so much information that you have to narrow your focus which in education can be difficult to do. Districts can't spend money they don't have. I continually find that to be one of the most significant challenges when discussing on technology and the future. It changes so rapidly, it is a struggle if not impossible to keep up.
4. What implications does this information have for technology planning in your school?
Staying progressive with technology is expensive. A district needs to evaluate how they are spending their money and determine the most beneficial ways technology can impact achievement. There is no question we can use many technology tools more effectively than what we currently do. The Smartboard systems that staff use as interactive processes increase student engagement from my observations. Using the systems as a glorified overhead isn't worth the cost which then becomes the issue of the building leader/district to find the training that is needed. The professional development piece becomes a critical part of the disucssion because if staff are not trained adequately, the technology will not be used. Along with a vision, the technology support is critical. If all the components of the network are not operating efficiently, people will not waste their time with a classroom of 25 kids in front of them. I would like to see more application with 2.0 tools especially as the students get older which will involve training- into upper elementary, middle and high school. One thing I need to be more cognizant of are the challenges that our technology department faces. They are stretched too thin.
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Quiz #2
1. What school board approved Internet policies does your district currently have? Are these policies adequate for your district? What policies do you need to update or add?
The Pierre School District has the following policies: Internet Acceptable Use , Distance Learning, and Publishing. The copyright policy is vaguely mentioned within the Acceptable Use policy. These policies dealing with technology are in place to strive to ensure the school district stays out of litigation and to protect its students and staff. While the information seems up to date and relevant, it is important for our technology committee to continually discuss and analyze if any changes need to be made regarding these policies. The only policy that may need to currently be looked at more closely would be our copyright policy. As stated previously, it is a generic comment within the acceptable use policy and should be discussed with staff yearly.
2. How should a school district handle the issue of copyright, especially in regard to technology?
Districts should have a copyright policy which should include information sharing opportunity with staff yearly. While this issue is also written into law, which may bring up some good discussion, it would be valuable for districts to provide the information to all their copyright policy to help prevent any potential issues the district may incur. With technology advancing at a rapid rate, there are always shortcuts to take. The integrity of the school leader and district must be to respect the law. Since our district has its copyright policy lightly embedded in the acceptable use policy, an appropriate way to begin would be with the technology committee which would involve multiple staff and parents. The Bellingham District seems to have a plethora of information that is relevant on their web page in regards to technology policies and would be a resource as the copyright policy is explored.
3. Is the use of the Internet in schools worth the dangers involved? Why? If yes, what can schools do to minimize those dangers?
Thoughts on this topic probably depends on your perspective, experiences, and generation. As a school leader, at times it would be fair to certainly question the worth when dealing with challenging issues involving the Internet. The bottom line is that we have access to tons of information in the click of a button. Secondly, it isn't going away. Here are four ways to help minimize the dangers that accessibility to the Internet create in schools and for our students:
A) Policy: The appropriate policies need to be in place in regards to the Internet and its use that is signed by the parent and student.
B) Education: Informing students, staff, and parents of the good and bad of the Internet will help raise the awareness about its use. By providing a course to students on appropriate use of the Internet is a good way to reach kids.
C) Supervision: Adult supervision in the labs and appropriate monitoring by staff assist in minimizing risks on the Internet. Kids will find a way and test the waters a variety of ways - supervision and monitoring is important. That was one aspect at Riggs that went away with our new round of tablets for the 1:1 - the teachers cannot sync with a student's computer which they were able to do with the first round a few years ago.
D) Filter: An appropriate filter system such as FortiClient assists in managing not only where students cannot go on the Internet, but also a way to help protect the district's network. Even though there can be frustrations with the filtering system and at times the lack of being able to get to specific sites that would be beneficial to student learning, the need for the system is imperative when managing students/staff. The fine line is not having too harsh of filtering that frustrates educators use of positive learning sites and opportunities.
4. Why should school leaders utilize research when making technology purchases? What does the current research say about the effectiveness of educational technology?
Research and data can be made to look many ways depending on what you are looking for and want to convey. The primary reason to utilize research is to provide justification and information to the school board and patrons on its use and value for the district's students and educators. Anytime you can provide hard data to demonstrate the effectiveness of anything, it helps build support and momentum. Technology is not cheap and requires constant change to keep up with the times. Staying progressive means spending money which currently is a challenge because we aren't going to be getting much, if any increase. One selling point is the development of 21st Century learning and the importance of developing students to be prepared in our seemingly always changing world.
There is becoming more and more research on the effectiveness of technology. The positives in the studies we read for class demonstrate increased motivation, attitude, engagement, and may lower drop out rates. While those factors are certainly important, our current assessments do not engage our students in higher order skills that some technology tools can assist with. Federal stringencies passed down to local districts for accountability, we are faced with the challenges of teaching our state content standards and preparing all students for high stakes tests....... Dakota STEP. It is difficult, if not impossible to find research that is legitimate that would be statistically significant that technology improves student achievement. Those studies may come with continued advanced research over time.
5. Knowing that web 2.0 tools such as blogs, wikis, podcasts, and social networking tools engage and motivate students, why do many schools continue to block these powerful tools from students and teachers? How do school leaders balance safety with access to web 2.0 tools?
The unknown and at times the unwillingness to learn can create fear, loss of control, and uncertainty for districts. The scary part of technology many times is that the kids know more that the educators. Another concern educators have is they have a year's worth of content standards to cover in a time frame that doesn't allot for that. With time always a factor, districts and educators are thinking of getting students prepared the best they can for the test that gets media publicity. Bottom line, change and letting go of control along with all the issues that can be created cause districts to stay away from certain 2.0 tools. That will begin to change as the professional development and generation of educators changes.
The four main safety areas include: Policy, Education, Monitoring/Supervision, and Filter. Providing students the opportunities to be more engaged and motivated, these Web 2.0 tools such as wikis and social networking pages will pay off in the future when used as a tool to enhance learning. We know there will always be concerns and issues with technology - we must balance it all!
The Pierre School District has the following policies: Internet Acceptable Use , Distance Learning, and Publishing. The copyright policy is vaguely mentioned within the Acceptable Use policy. These policies dealing with technology are in place to strive to ensure the school district stays out of litigation and to protect its students and staff. While the information seems up to date and relevant, it is important for our technology committee to continually discuss and analyze if any changes need to be made regarding these policies. The only policy that may need to currently be looked at more closely would be our copyright policy. As stated previously, it is a generic comment within the acceptable use policy and should be discussed with staff yearly.
2. How should a school district handle the issue of copyright, especially in regard to technology?
Districts should have a copyright policy which should include information sharing opportunity with staff yearly. While this issue is also written into law, which may bring up some good discussion, it would be valuable for districts to provide the information to all their copyright policy to help prevent any potential issues the district may incur. With technology advancing at a rapid rate, there are always shortcuts to take. The integrity of the school leader and district must be to respect the law. Since our district has its copyright policy lightly embedded in the acceptable use policy, an appropriate way to begin would be with the technology committee which would involve multiple staff and parents. The Bellingham District seems to have a plethora of information that is relevant on their web page in regards to technology policies and would be a resource as the copyright policy is explored.
3. Is the use of the Internet in schools worth the dangers involved? Why? If yes, what can schools do to minimize those dangers?
Thoughts on this topic probably depends on your perspective, experiences, and generation. As a school leader, at times it would be fair to certainly question the worth when dealing with challenging issues involving the Internet. The bottom line is that we have access to tons of information in the click of a button. Secondly, it isn't going away. Here are four ways to help minimize the dangers that accessibility to the Internet create in schools and for our students:
A) Policy: The appropriate policies need to be in place in regards to the Internet and its use that is signed by the parent and student.
B) Education: Informing students, staff, and parents of the good and bad of the Internet will help raise the awareness about its use. By providing a course to students on appropriate use of the Internet is a good way to reach kids.
C) Supervision: Adult supervision in the labs and appropriate monitoring by staff assist in minimizing risks on the Internet. Kids will find a way and test the waters a variety of ways - supervision and monitoring is important. That was one aspect at Riggs that went away with our new round of tablets for the 1:1 - the teachers cannot sync with a student's computer which they were able to do with the first round a few years ago.
D) Filter: An appropriate filter system such as FortiClient assists in managing not only where students cannot go on the Internet, but also a way to help protect the district's network. Even though there can be frustrations with the filtering system and at times the lack of being able to get to specific sites that would be beneficial to student learning, the need for the system is imperative when managing students/staff. The fine line is not having too harsh of filtering that frustrates educators use of positive learning sites and opportunities.
4. Why should school leaders utilize research when making technology purchases? What does the current research say about the effectiveness of educational technology?
Research and data can be made to look many ways depending on what you are looking for and want to convey. The primary reason to utilize research is to provide justification and information to the school board and patrons on its use and value for the district's students and educators. Anytime you can provide hard data to demonstrate the effectiveness of anything, it helps build support and momentum. Technology is not cheap and requires constant change to keep up with the times. Staying progressive means spending money which currently is a challenge because we aren't going to be getting much, if any increase. One selling point is the development of 21st Century learning and the importance of developing students to be prepared in our seemingly always changing world.
There is becoming more and more research on the effectiveness of technology. The positives in the studies we read for class demonstrate increased motivation, attitude, engagement, and may lower drop out rates. While those factors are certainly important, our current assessments do not engage our students in higher order skills that some technology tools can assist with. Federal stringencies passed down to local districts for accountability, we are faced with the challenges of teaching our state content standards and preparing all students for high stakes tests....... Dakota STEP. It is difficult, if not impossible to find research that is legitimate that would be statistically significant that technology improves student achievement. Those studies may come with continued advanced research over time.
5. Knowing that web 2.0 tools such as blogs, wikis, podcasts, and social networking tools engage and motivate students, why do many schools continue to block these powerful tools from students and teachers? How do school leaders balance safety with access to web 2.0 tools?
The unknown and at times the unwillingness to learn can create fear, loss of control, and uncertainty for districts. The scary part of technology many times is that the kids know more that the educators. Another concern educators have is they have a year's worth of content standards to cover in a time frame that doesn't allot for that. With time always a factor, districts and educators are thinking of getting students prepared the best they can for the test that gets media publicity. Bottom line, change and letting go of control along with all the issues that can be created cause districts to stay away from certain 2.0 tools. That will begin to change as the professional development and generation of educators changes.
The four main safety areas include: Policy, Education, Monitoring/Supervision, and Filter. Providing students the opportunities to be more engaged and motivated, these Web 2.0 tools such as wikis and social networking pages will pay off in the future when used as a tool to enhance learning. We know there will always be concerns and issues with technology - we must balance it all!
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Research Review
A) Review................. Of all the reading and research I reviewed, I will focus on two articles in this response.
1) Schacter's article that focused on 7 studies. The first was a meta-analysis study with 500 individual studies. The second focused on reviewing hundreds of individual studies. Third was the partnership between Apple and five schools from across the nation. The fourth dealt with a West Virginia ten year state study of their technology initiative. The fifth study reviewed was a national sample with 4th and 8th grade students using newer technology stimulation and its impact on higher order thinking skills. The sixth and seventh study used two smaller scale studies with new technologies and their impact on learning. All of these studies had data that portrayed technology positively from a variety of angles.
2) The second article I found interesting was in the US Dept. of Education site regarding The Retrospective Twenty Years of Educational Technology Policy. This information presented two themes from their research. 1) The flow of practitioners needs and challenges as a guiding force in shaping where and how technology becomes a part of the educational system. 2) The need for a greater understanding among researchers and policymakers of the systematic nature of educational change in general and of educational technology integration.
This research was in-depth as any effective research must demonstrate. From a teaching and learning perspective, these articles and the others provide information and examples of how technology as a tool to enhance learning and achievement is possible. Demonstrating that technology is the reason student achievement increases is subjective and difficult to statistically show. There are many variables and one can make data appear how they want to portray it. The thoughts and feelings of kids who have teachers that use technology effectively as a tool is typically very positive. As I stated in the classroom post, student engagement is a critical factor in student achievement. If a child is motivated, as technology has a tendency to do with kids of today, there can be an increase in student engagement and learning will be enhanced.
B) Reactions to the research.............. Technology is here to stay. It isn't going anywhere so you either get on board or get off. However, it has been and will continue to be gradual in my opinion. Cost and changes in technology occur so fast it is difficult to keep up. Technology as a tool can also be implemented more easily for some content areas. Overall, my thoughts of the research are positive and much of what I read makes sense to me from what I see as a school leader. While there may be more research coming out in regards to technology and its impact on student achievement, there will always be flaws/variables which cannot measure its true impact.
C) Justification of use and cost.............. This is always the big question in my eyes. The gap within staffs can be significant with their expertise and willingness to utilize technology as a teaching tool. Not to mention, I evaluate quite a few teachers. Some use technology well and some don't. Many of our more recent college graduates have more experience utilizing technology both personally and in their undergraduate training. Teacher prep courses will need to continue to stay in front of the technology use as well. Everyone looks at their own situation and their experiences as a way to evaluate and make decisions. One challenge that I think is very legitimate is the staff that has strong performance and student achievement data is the best or among the best in our entire district and entire state. With that, we take small steps to integrate technology bit by bit and that becomes the responsibility of the school leader to cultivate. It may not be a teacher's mojo - but they can find great benefit with its use. Start small and look to build momentum. I have heard mixed feelings from parents and educators as well on the cost vs. benefit. The thinking that "this isn't how I learned" can be thwarting belief. While that is true, we have to get in sync with today's students! Motivation, vision/planning, and money are all critical in a district's continual development of technology and its use as a tool educating today's children.
1) Schacter's article that focused on 7 studies. The first was a meta-analysis study with 500 individual studies. The second focused on reviewing hundreds of individual studies. Third was the partnership between Apple and five schools from across the nation. The fourth dealt with a West Virginia ten year state study of their technology initiative. The fifth study reviewed was a national sample with 4th and 8th grade students using newer technology stimulation and its impact on higher order thinking skills. The sixth and seventh study used two smaller scale studies with new technologies and their impact on learning. All of these studies had data that portrayed technology positively from a variety of angles.
2) The second article I found interesting was in the US Dept. of Education site regarding The Retrospective Twenty Years of Educational Technology Policy. This information presented two themes from their research. 1) The flow of practitioners needs and challenges as a guiding force in shaping where and how technology becomes a part of the educational system. 2) The need for a greater understanding among researchers and policymakers of the systematic nature of educational change in general and of educational technology integration.
This research was in-depth as any effective research must demonstrate. From a teaching and learning perspective, these articles and the others provide information and examples of how technology as a tool to enhance learning and achievement is possible. Demonstrating that technology is the reason student achievement increases is subjective and difficult to statistically show. There are many variables and one can make data appear how they want to portray it. The thoughts and feelings of kids who have teachers that use technology effectively as a tool is typically very positive. As I stated in the classroom post, student engagement is a critical factor in student achievement. If a child is motivated, as technology has a tendency to do with kids of today, there can be an increase in student engagement and learning will be enhanced.
B) Reactions to the research.............. Technology is here to stay. It isn't going anywhere so you either get on board or get off. However, it has been and will continue to be gradual in my opinion. Cost and changes in technology occur so fast it is difficult to keep up. Technology as a tool can also be implemented more easily for some content areas. Overall, my thoughts of the research are positive and much of what I read makes sense to me from what I see as a school leader. While there may be more research coming out in regards to technology and its impact on student achievement, there will always be flaws/variables which cannot measure its true impact.
C) Justification of use and cost.............. This is always the big question in my eyes. The gap within staffs can be significant with their expertise and willingness to utilize technology as a teaching tool. Not to mention, I evaluate quite a few teachers. Some use technology well and some don't. Many of our more recent college graduates have more experience utilizing technology both personally and in their undergraduate training. Teacher prep courses will need to continue to stay in front of the technology use as well. Everyone looks at their own situation and their experiences as a way to evaluate and make decisions. One challenge that I think is very legitimate is the staff that has strong performance and student achievement data is the best or among the best in our entire district and entire state. With that, we take small steps to integrate technology bit by bit and that becomes the responsibility of the school leader to cultivate. It may not be a teacher's mojo - but they can find great benefit with its use. Start small and look to build momentum. I have heard mixed feelings from parents and educators as well on the cost vs. benefit. The thinking that "this isn't how I learned" can be thwarting belief. While that is true, we have to get in sync with today's students! Motivation, vision/planning, and money are all critical in a district's continual development of technology and its use as a tool educating today's children.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Internet Policies
The Bellingham District's policies are highly specific. The Pierre School District has the Acceptable Use of the Internet Policy , Internet Publishing Policy and a Distance Education Policy. I wouldn't say it is as in-depth as the one we reviewed but contains all the pertinent information. As technology changes rapidly, we must continue to evaluate and review our current policies to reflect current needs and issues. The technology committee is the starting place for policy review/updates and proceeds from that level.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Copyright Assignment
1. Our school district does not have a copyright policy in writing.
2. If we had a copyright policy in writing, it should include technology as part of it. The districts and web sites you presented are in depth. Probably a good place to start if looking to adopt a copyright policy.
3. Yes, to my knowledge the copyright laws are followed in our district.
4. Copyright laws are important. I am curious to know the implications even if a district does not have a specific policy but it is part of law. I am not sure it would matter if push came to shove regarding a copyright issue since it is what it is - by law.
2. If we had a copyright policy in writing, it should include technology as part of it. The districts and web sites you presented are in depth. Probably a good place to start if looking to adopt a copyright policy.
3. Yes, to my knowledge the copyright laws are followed in our district.
4. Copyright laws are important. I am curious to know the implications even if a district does not have a specific policy but it is part of law. I am not sure it would matter if push came to shove regarding a copyright issue since it is what it is - by law.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
EDU 615- Quiz #1
1. Why should a school district have a web site? What should be on that site?
School districts should have a website for one simple, yet critical word...... communication. Districts need to communicate and market/promote their school to all and the web site is a great way to make that happen.
There is a significant amount of information that should be included on a school district web site that communicates to the public. A few examples of potential links are: daily announcements, staff and their web sites/wikis, schedules, menus, achievement results, curriculum, and student handbooks.
The challenge is to keep up with the frequent changes that need to be made to the web site and who has the time/responsibility of making that happen. If it isn't updated and accurate, get rid of it.
2. How do administrators and school boards keep a current vision of technology and the future?
By communicating with a technology committee, administrators and boards have the opportunity to always keep thinking toward the future. Another manner that can assist in keeping a current vision for technology is to attend trainings and workshops that keep you thinking toward the future along with using resources like TIE to assist your district moving forward.
Technology changes so quickly that it is very difficult to keep up at such a rapid pace. Obviously, money is the key component to the limits you have with technology.
3. What information from the CEO Forum web site is most useful? How can that information be used?
The CEO forum provided good information. Some of the most useful is striving to provide building blocks for districts to use technology to improve student achievement. While student engagement and motivation factors are signficant variables with students, those two variables have a strong impact on the learning that is occuring or not occuring. In the end, the bottom line question regarding technology comes back to student achievement and how is technology enhancing instruction and improving student learing!
The STaR Report was also a useful tool to utilize and could be used as a baseline driving force in making decisions and creating a vision for what priorities need to take place in the technology plan. The STaR report could be used as a technology committee to get started and proceed through the necessary channels to create the vision and make your district's plan. The unexpected expenses that have immediate need always seem to come up and things get pushed back - if you need a new roof, HVAC, etc, the capital outlay budget will be impacted and certain items of "need" will take place over items of "want."
4. What are WEb 2.0 tools? How can these tools be used by schools to enhance classroom instruction?
Web 2.0 are interactive tools such as blogs, wiki spaces, and podcasts that are utilized in a variety of ways for convenience, motivation, and engagement. These tools have potential to enhance instruction which in turn will improve achievement.
Time is the biggest opponent of using these technology tools. There are a mulitude of rationales on why educators may or may not utilize Web 2.0 tools. One reason is time. It takes time to "play" with technology to see how it works. It also takes an educator who is willing to change and be a life long learner - albeit they may have had success doing it a different way for a variety of years. Providing the time and resources is the critical part of an educator making changes in their instructional practice along with their building leader being supportive of trying new things.
5. What is Cyber Bullying? What can schools do to help prevent Cyber Bullying?
Cyber Bullying is any form of mistreatment using technology on the Internet or via texting toward another person. This type of bullying can be done easily as you can be anywhere and say/do whatever one so chooses. Cyber Bullying has become more common all the time with the technology available to adults and kids.
One way to address Cyber Bullying is to offer a mandatory computer/technology course at the early middle school or late elementary level about what it is. Providing high school students this education in the technology curriculum is also important as the education of this issue needs to be continual. Teaching kids on what it is and the basic skills about the appropriate uses and the misuses are very important. Make sure the "acceptable use policy" is completed by the student/parent as well.
School districts should have a website for one simple, yet critical word...... communication. Districts need to communicate and market/promote their school to all and the web site is a great way to make that happen.
There is a significant amount of information that should be included on a school district web site that communicates to the public. A few examples of potential links are: daily announcements, staff and their web sites/wikis, schedules, menus, achievement results, curriculum, and student handbooks.
The challenge is to keep up with the frequent changes that need to be made to the web site and who has the time/responsibility of making that happen. If it isn't updated and accurate, get rid of it.
2. How do administrators and school boards keep a current vision of technology and the future?
By communicating with a technology committee, administrators and boards have the opportunity to always keep thinking toward the future. Another manner that can assist in keeping a current vision for technology is to attend trainings and workshops that keep you thinking toward the future along with using resources like TIE to assist your district moving forward.
Technology changes so quickly that it is very difficult to keep up at such a rapid pace. Obviously, money is the key component to the limits you have with technology.
3. What information from the CEO Forum web site is most useful? How can that information be used?
The CEO forum provided good information. Some of the most useful is striving to provide building blocks for districts to use technology to improve student achievement. While student engagement and motivation factors are signficant variables with students, those two variables have a strong impact on the learning that is occuring or not occuring. In the end, the bottom line question regarding technology comes back to student achievement and how is technology enhancing instruction and improving student learing!
The STaR Report was also a useful tool to utilize and could be used as a baseline driving force in making decisions and creating a vision for what priorities need to take place in the technology plan. The STaR report could be used as a technology committee to get started and proceed through the necessary channels to create the vision and make your district's plan. The unexpected expenses that have immediate need always seem to come up and things get pushed back - if you need a new roof, HVAC, etc, the capital outlay budget will be impacted and certain items of "need" will take place over items of "want."
4. What are WEb 2.0 tools? How can these tools be used by schools to enhance classroom instruction?
Web 2.0 are interactive tools such as blogs, wiki spaces, and podcasts that are utilized in a variety of ways for convenience, motivation, and engagement. These tools have potential to enhance instruction which in turn will improve achievement.
Time is the biggest opponent of using these technology tools. There are a mulitude of rationales on why educators may or may not utilize Web 2.0 tools. One reason is time. It takes time to "play" with technology to see how it works. It also takes an educator who is willing to change and be a life long learner - albeit they may have had success doing it a different way for a variety of years. Providing the time and resources is the critical part of an educator making changes in their instructional practice along with their building leader being supportive of trying new things.
5. What is Cyber Bullying? What can schools do to help prevent Cyber Bullying?
Cyber Bullying is any form of mistreatment using technology on the Internet or via texting toward another person. This type of bullying can be done easily as you can be anywhere and say/do whatever one so chooses. Cyber Bullying has become more common all the time with the technology available to adults and kids.
One way to address Cyber Bullying is to offer a mandatory computer/technology course at the early middle school or late elementary level about what it is. Providing high school students this education in the technology curriculum is also important as the education of this issue needs to be continual. Teaching kids on what it is and the basic skills about the appropriate uses and the misuses are very important. Make sure the "acceptable use policy" is completed by the student/parent as well.
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