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My school division accepts applications from interested teachers in the spring. The applications are judged by a panel of Technology Resource Teachers based on teacher current use of technology and the proposed use of the new technology. After the applications are rank ordered by score the awards are made. As part of the application process, teachers agree to do a minimum of 12 hours of technology professional development in order to learn best practice use of the technology. It seems to work well as long as principals leave the teachers who win the grant in the room where the equipment is installed... Ruth Okoye Technology Resource Teacher Portsmouth Public Schools amaoge.okoye@pps.k12.va.us Check out my blog http://ppsblogs.net/ruthokoye/ The majority of people on this earth die after working at a job they hated all their life. I'm blessed. - Spike Lee > From: "Paolozzi, Helena" <HPaolozzi@darienps.org> > > > > I'm not sure that giving them to teachers that "earn" it is a good idea. In > > my district, the SmartBoards were phased in over a few years by grade level. > > Some teachers who really want to use them have had to wait just based on the > > grade they teach. > > There are different levels of being tech savvy and it's difficult to > > determine each teacher's level of that. If a teacher is completely resistant > > to using the technology and that teacher is not using it, then that should be > > addressed. However, someone who is legitimately trying and is just not as > > quick to learn should not be penalized. > > Again, from any angle, this is a difficult topic and just another area that, > > in my opinion, is underfunded and understaffed. Why is there just 1 tech > > person for 18 schools? Perhaps when the districts spend this amount of money > > on technology, they can also allocate more funds toward hiring more people to > > be available to teachers and staff as support. One person can't possibly do > > it all and that could be another reason teachers shy away from it--they are > > afraid that if they need help, the support people won't be able to get to > > them anyway. > > > > Helena Paolozzi > > > >> From: Steven Anderson <steven.anderson@stokes.k12.nc.us> > >> > >> I agree with several of you who believe we should only give the technology >> to > >> teachers that earn it. And if I were in charge of my district's technology > >> program that is what I would do. However my Director disagrees and leaves >> the > >> decision up to principals that use their own methods of deciding. We also > >> have what we call "Tech Savvy" teachers at each school. Because there is >> only > >> one Instructional Technologist (me) for 18 schools these are supposed to be > >> the go to people at each school for issues that arise around technology. > >> These teachers get extras for their classrooms like laptops and handheld > >> computers. > >> However, they are chosen, once again, by principals who use their own > >> methods. > >> I want to change that. > >> > >> So here are my questions: > >> 1) What criteria should principals use to hand out technology like CPS > >> systems and Smartboards? > >> 2) What criteria should Tech Savvy Teachers meet in order to get the extras > >> like laptops, for example. (Keep in mind we don't pay these teachers. Most >> do > >> it because they want to but it is extra so most of the time their position >> is > >> forgotten about.) Also, should these teachers have to meet criteria every > >> year to keep the goodies or once they are Tech Savvy they are forever and >> no > >> more questions asked? > >> > >> Steven W. Anderson > >> Instructional Technologist > >> Department of Media and Technology > >> Stokes County Schools > >> 336-591-4021 Ext. 217 --- Edtech Archives, posting guidelines and other information are at: http://www.h-net.msu.edu/~edweb Please include your name, email address, and school or professional affiliation in each posting. To unsubscribe send the following command to: LISTSERV@H-NET.MSU.EDU SIGNOFF EDTECH
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