Although I use technology everyday, I use it in different ways than teachers. Instead of using technology to teach, I use it to administer workstations, servers, and network hardware, among many other devices. My BlackBerry, which has transformed me into a junkie, is very effective in maintaining my proximity to the office and district staff (even when I’m on vacation).
Within my district, teachers are eagerly engaging in classroom technology use. Each building recently received a Promethean Board, which allows teachers to engage students in ways previously unavailable to them. There are dozens of teachers who attended Promethean training and are enthusiastic about integrating this technology in their classrooms. Our high school AP chemistry classes are using Vernier software and technology to collect data for labs on titrations, voltage measurements, thermodynamics, gas pressure, freezing point depression, volumetric measurements, and color density. After the data is collected, it is manipulated with laptops from a COW.
Like many districts, our new technology purchases are sparse and under funded. Our school board recently approved a new technology plan, which allowed us to purchase over 180 new classroom computers and the Promethean technology I’ve written about. Approximately $150,000 has been allocated for new technology purchases every year for the next three years. To some, this may seem like a large sum of money, but to wealthy districts it’s no more than a drop in the bucket.
I look forward to watching teachers integrate technology in their classrooms. It’s always a great pleasure when I see a teacher using technology to reinforce lessons and spark interest in students. Many teachers embrace technology in my district, but I still hunger to see more. I want to see teachers continue with their integration of the Promethean technology, Discovery Streaming, blogging, podcasting, etc. The possibilities of classroom technology integration are endless with the support of teachers, administrators, board members and the community.
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Wow, You do a lot for your district. What district do you work for? Do you have an administrative position?
ReplyDeleteI am looking forward to your comments and advice through out the semester. You are way ahead of me when it comes to using technology in education.
Brian,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment. I am the newly appointed Director of Technology for Hazel Park Schools. Although my district is not wealthy, nor do we have many advantages, we try to provide our students with the best technology possible. This is very difficult to do with limited resources and a very limited budget.
I will do my very best to bring helpful information and ideas to this class. If you have any questions that I might be able to help you with, please don't hesitate to ask.
I does sound like you have both support for technology and a direction you wish to take. What was the process to create this direction? Our academy technology team has just created a wish list of classroom technology needs along with current problems with existing technology. We now need to outline ways we hope to integrate technology into our curriculum. This must occur before we can approach our current board to release funds. How long had your district been researching ways of using technology and what went into the decision of what to purchase? Training the teachers to use the new technology is also important. Had these teachers indicated an interest in training or did the district choose who to send? Did you have to spend time proto-typing a classroom before you could make purchases? You are so much farther along!
ReplyDeleteGreat job all of you. From a teaching perspective this is a perfect example of why I want you to blog. Sharing this info, creating networks, asking questions, learning from each other -- these are my goals for blogging.
ReplyDeleteThank you for already demonstrating great technology use!!
One lesson I learned from my mentor when I was student teaching was always be extra nice to the secretaries, the custodians, and the tech people, because they are the ones who can really make the difference in how smoothly things go for you. I have taken that to heart, and I am always especially nice to our computer techs. As your post shows, you do a lot of work for us teachers, and last time I checked, there was no computer tech appreciation day. Kudos to you for everything you do for your discricts teachers and students!
ReplyDeleteYou mentioned on my blog about the math teachers wanting to use the new promethian board with the grapgin calcs. Is there a way to hook this board directly to the calc or are they planning to use TI-smartview or some other software with the board? We have some hardware thing that let's us disply the TI screen on the TV (I can't remember what it's called), maybe they will be using something like that?
Also when taking about the scince classes you mentioned hooking up something to a COW? I know alot of acronyms, but not that one. What is it?
Interesting read. I was surprised to read that your AP Chemistry classroom is using software to record and organize data from classroom experiments. One of my interests includes teaching chemistry to students who are visually impaired or blind. While at Western Michigan University I designed the first General Chemistry laboratory experiences offered to the blind. At the time I did not think I would ever see a day when similar computer based data collection techniques would be available to high school students.
ReplyDeleteIt is great to see you sharing and asking questions!! And to hear about the things you do that are related and so different!
ReplyDeleteThanx for sharing.
Jen - as for COWS - Computers On Wheels - laptop carts
Hi Gail,
ReplyDeleteI do have a ton of support! The teaching staff and school board have been extremely supportive of all my requests and needs. I find that communication is the most effective way to gain support.
Our direction comes from our school district technology plan, which can be found here: http://www.hazelpark.k12.mi.us/pdf/technologyplan.pdf
This plan was created as a five-year plan and is valid through June 2013. We are required to file this plan with the federal government in order to secure E-Rate funding.
Jenny,
ReplyDeleteI can vouch; there are certain people that receive preferential treatment in their repairs. Don’t expect me to come running if you’ve been rude to me!
I haven’t seen the board in action with a graphing calculator yet, but one of my math teachers has just bought a board for her classroom. I’m 100% certain she will be using this with a graphing calculator or graphing software. As soon as I know how she is doing this and what she is using, I’ll definitely share it with you.
Dan,
ReplyDeleteI can’t wipe the smile from our chemistry teacher’s face. She is extremely excited to utilize the laptops, along with the probes and science equipment. The kids love it too!