Salient Features of India constitution especially power and functions
Summerhil unified school district technology plan2
1. Fall
08
Summer 2010
Summerhil Unified School District Technology Plan
Technology Committee:
Joshua Redin • Christian Nguyen • Stephani John-Hines • Madeline Logan-Davis • Steve van
[Type the company address]
2. Table of Contents
Task1: Making the Connection.......................................................................4
Task2: Forming the Committee......................................................................5
Communication: ................................................................................................8
Defining our Vision and Mission............................................................................8
VISION STATEMENT ........................................................................................8
MISSION STATEMENT......................................................................................8
......................................................................................................................8
Task 4: Planning the Technology Program......................................................8
Task 5 Planning the Technology System: An Overview....................................10
Task 6 Planning the Infrastructure................................................................ 11
Security Groups & Permissions..............................................................................13
Task 8: Planning the Network......................................................................14
Administration Building in Server Closet..............................................................14
Print Server located in the Administration Building...............................................14
Task 9 Planning for Administration .............................................................15
HARDWARE PURCHASE SPECIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:..........................16
ADMINISTRATIVE SOFTWARE............................................................................17
Licensed software...................................................................................................17
Laptop Print Client: Windows - Web-based printing ...............................................17
VPN Client Software: Software for establishing secure connections to SUSD
network services.....................................................................................................17
Free software ........................................................................................................17
Microsoft Windows Media Player: Windows Media Player is an integrated digital
media player that plays movie and music files. Windows Media Player 11 can also
3. display photos. You can also link to fee-based online music stores to download
movies and music. Windows Media Player can also copy (burn) information to and
from CDs................................................................................................................17
QuickTime: Quick Time version 7 uses the latest streaming technology to access
instant content on the Web. This viewer plays clips in almost every movie format,
and is the only player that will work with some exclusive Apple formats (*.mov).....17
VLC Media Player: Free, open-source, all around media player that supports many
formats...................................................................................................................18
SPECIALIZED SOFTWARE:..................................................................................18
SISK12: For is used for Grade book and attendance..............................................18
Licenses for OS and productivity for each school site:............................................18
Task 10 Planning for the Classroom..............................................................18
Computers in the classrooms and offices at each site will have the following:............18
ESL and Special Education classes will use the following:.......................................19
Task 11: Engaged Learning ......................................................................... 21
Task 12: Ensuring Equitable Access to Technology ........................................22
Task 13: Planning a Successful Staff Development Program.............................24
The Development Plan will provide for the following:.............................................25
Task 13: Planning a Successful Staff Development Program.............................26
.......................................................................................................................27
The Development Plan will provide for the following:.............................................27
Task 14: Planning Technology Costs.............................................................28
Task 15: Evaluating Your School or District's Technology Plan........................30
Goals................................................................................................................30
References.........................................................................................................34
Appendices........................................................................................................35
4. _______________________________________________________________________
_
Task1: Making the Connection
Technology will always change the landscape of our educational system. Students of this
generation are exposed to more technology and media than the generations before them.
Technology is constantly changing the dynamics of how educators teach and how
students learn. According to the US Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, we are
currently drafting a technology plan to improve assessments and to connect teachers with
teachers so they can learn from each other. A technology plan will not only improve
student achievement, but will also have the potential to improve and transform education.
A journalist once stated, “…the further backward [we] look, the further forward [we] can
see. In 1949, Popular Mechanics predicted that computers in the future could weigh
more than 1.5 tons; now, they’re light enough to rest in the palm of our hand. In 1981,
Bill Gates proudly announced that, “… 640K(Kilobytes) ought to be enough for anyone”,
now they come in Gigabytes. With computer processing expanding from Kilobytes to
Gigabytes, this translate into a tremendous increase in accessibility and operability in
visual and audio content for the learning experience for students and new innovative
ways to present content for professional development training for faculty. From LP
record players-to-compact MP3 players, from 35mm film projectors-to-LCD projectors,
from stationary microfiche reel players-to-portable mobile devices, technological change
is occurring at an exponential rate. Students, teachers, and administrators are using
technology media daily for leisure; now it’s time to seize the opportunity to develop a
technology plan to integrate technology for education. This will enhance collaboration,
assessments, and communication for all stakeholders. With a newly designed networking
infrastructure, equipment, and software, students and staff alike can collaborate with
other classrooms at their school site, across different states or countries all around globe
to learn and study in depth in core academic areas. A students can be immersed and
engaged in different times in history via live video presentations, share science related
theories and dialogues by subject area experts, and learn about various global cultures
using real video conference, and participate in hands-on virtual simulations for interactive
leaning. The aim of this technology plan for Summerhill Unified School District is to
provide opportunities for students to learn 21st Century technology skills; provide
multiple communication tools for stakeholders (e-mails, video conference, webinars,
etc.); and a new opportunity for educators to use a variety of multi-media for instructional
delivery, learning, and assessment.
5. Task2: Forming the Committee
STAKEHOLDER WHY INVOLVE THEM?
District Board of Trustees Technology may not be a priority issue but showing how
(Board of Education) technology will help them meet their highest objective–higher
Committee Chair graduation rates, for example–will gain plan support.
IT Department Head Knowledge and experience are crucial.
Technology Trainer
High School Principal They can propel or stop any project in their school. Often, it is
valuable to seek support from them before presenting the plan to
the superintendent, as their opinions will be considered closely.
Middle School Principal
Elementary Principal
Department Heads Connection to teachers and administration, easing or impeding
(English, Science, World flow of dialogue.
Language, Fine Arts, and Math)
Media Specialist Expertise in implementation and technical support. Provide
graphical design / formatting and documentation. Must also hold
appropriate IT credentials.
High School Teacher As with administrators, teacher acceptance (buy-in) is essential
to implementing a technology plan that offers meaningful
improvement.
Middle School Teacher
6. Elementary School Teacher
Librarian(s) Implementation and technical support and possibly provide
training on research on database / catalog searching.
Commercial Investor(s) Can provide valuable financial support.
Local business(s)
Parent and student support can be instrumental in gaining
Parent/Teacher organization “popular” acceptance, and their written support to administration
representative(s) can be influential. Can provide valuable financial support and
technical expertise.
Student(s)
TECH. PLANNING
COMMITTEE
Joshua Redin
Christian Nguyen
Stephani Johns-Hines
Madeline Logan-Davis
Steve Vander-Ploeg
7. LETTER OF INVITATION TO STAKEHOLDERS
June 9th, 2010
TO: Stakeholder
FROM: The SUSD Educational Technology Planning Committee
SUBJECT: Invitation to Participate in Technology Plan Stakeholder meetings
Dear Stakeholder,
This letter is to announce an exciting new project for Summerhill Unified School District,
coordinated by graduate students from National University. This project known as the
SUSD Technology Plan, requires a planning committee involving a select group of
administrators, educators, parents, students and citizens who represent various areas of
our district community and will be taking part in open, non-partisan discussions about
technology and its role in the education of our students.
Goals are achieved by planning. For Summerhill Unified School District, planning means
dialogue with those who have a stake in this process. We view your role and perspective
as invaluable to this process. We invite you to join your fellow stakeholders in this series
of local dialogues. Our first meeting will take place on June 9, 2010, at 6:00 pm in the
SUSD District Offices. If the physical location of the meeting is in any way problematic,
let us know, as we have the capability of establishing a video link via your personal
computer. These meetings will also be archived for future reference. By having a diverse
and representative group working together, we are sure we will not only achieve our
goals, but also make a distinct and measurable impact upon the learning and teaching
environment of SUSD for years to come.
Looking forward to seeing you on June 9th, 2010
Technology Planning Committee
Joshua Redin
Christian Nguyen
Stephani Johns-Hines
Madeline Logan-Davis
Steve Vander-Ploeg
8. Communication:
It is important that the activities of the committee are easily accessible to the rest of the
organization. Most people today get their information from the Internet. People can
check sports, stocks, news, and much more in just the click of a button. With that in mind
our new website is an interactive feature that allows the committee to not only see the
activities, but also see the progress that is being made. Weekly e-mails and updates on the
project will also be sent out with new information or to simply remind people to check
the website for updated events. We would like to be as green as possible, but if you
would like a hard copy of the weekly update please sign up on our mailing list.
Defining our Vision and Mission
VISION STATEMENT
Equipping for excellence in the global workplace by providing technology, tools, and
instruction.
MISSION STATEMENT
Meet current and future challenges in technology based learning by. . .
• Inspire optimism and excitement for knowledge.
• Provide an inventive Learning environment for the community.
• Create a learning environment that promotes learning as a lifelong process.
• Equip students with 21st Century Skills by the time they graduate from high
school.
Task 4: Planning the Technology Program
SUSD is committed to using technology as a means for supporting and enriching the
learning process, by employing developmentally appropriate hardware and software
throughout the K-12 spectrum. The pursuit of our mission occurs in the midst of a rapidly
changing world, where the shift to global economies and societies is taking place, thereby
placing greater demands on education systems worldwide. "The challenge facing schools
worldwide is to empower all students to function effectively now and in a future marked
by increasing change, evolving technologies, and the phenomenal growth of
9. information." (NETS for Students) The demands placed on our students are no longer
confined to traditional literacy skills, but also include a host of new skills to function
effectively and live productively in our global society. Among these are (NETS for
Students, 2007) communication and collaboration, research and information fluency, and
digital citizenship. SUSD's technology environment encourages and supports the
development of these skills.
We are committed to facilitating an environment which enables our students to develop
the skills needed in order to actively participate in our global society, while
demonstrating a character of integrity and respect that reflects the overall mission of
SUSD. At SUSD, we believe that technology should support the learning process. It
should not inhibit, distract, or hinder it. Therefore, technology is employed on a light-
weight infrastructure with centrally managed hardware and software. Students, faculty,
and staff connect to our network using thin-client technologies, thereby reducing efforts
in maintenance, software installation, and upgrades, while maintaining consistency and
usability across the entire network. Thin-client technologies also allow our network users
to boot up from a choice of operating systems, depending on assignment/project
requirements or the classroom context. This configuration teaches students to adapt to
multiple operating environments, and detect common patterns across differing systems. It
also encourages students to assess their current needs, and choose the appropriate
environment for accomplishing the task at hand. These are skills that students can take
beyond the classroom and into the global society.
SUSD recognizes the importance of effectively managing technology, while protecting
children and teenagers from potential misuse. This is accomplished through the use of
group policies and access restrictions that are geared towards the maximization of
learning. For example, age-appropriate search engines are made available to students for
conducting research while filtering out irrelevant content. SUSD believes that learning
should be exploratory, while existing within specific boundaries and guidelines. SUSD is
aware of the potential misuses of technology including cyber-bullying and non-
educational communications through email, and social networking sites. For this reason,
SUSD enables monitoring and management of students and network resources at the
classroom, department, and school-wide levels. This is to ensure that our students are
protected, and that the network is being used for educational purposes. The technology
department makes every effort to maximize learning while protecting our students.
Technology is essential for tracking each and every student's journey through SUSD, in
order to report on progress, identify intervention measures, and for improving instruction.
Therefore, data is constantly collected, analyzed, and reported on at SUSD. Since we
believe that technology should not get in the way of the benefits it provides, reporting
tools are made available to administration and faculty that use "one-click" design patterns
through a single interface. This puts important information at that finger-tips of every
SUSD staff member, in order to make effective decisions that directly affect student-
learning and the overall operations of the district.
10. Task 5 Planning the Technology System: An Overview
The Summerhill Unified School District has three campuses and one district
office. The diagram below is shows how the network infrastructure and
illustrates how classrooms, department offices, and administrative offices will
be connected to the network. The Main Distribution Facility and the router(s)
will be located in the Administrative building at each school site. All school
site will have a T-1 phone for high-speed connectivity. The Intermediate
Distribution Facilities will be located in department offices. Each IDFs will be
equipped with a 24-port switch to connect a maximum of 24 computer stations
in each department and/or the classrooms nearby. The drops will be placed
based on teachers' preference for best instructional presentations. The IT
department at each school site will generate a map and specify where drops will
be placed based on teachers' specifications. All facilities will have at a least
one-to-two computerlabs with 32 computers at each site. The high school will
have an additional computer lab at accommodate the student body. This will
provide students the opportunity to work on visual design or conduct academic
research. All computers labs will have a LAN wireless access point for students
who wish to bring their own laptop.
Diagram 1.0
11. Task 6 Planning the Infrastructure
All classrooms will be fitted together with a standard Ethernet LAN connection on a
100BASE-FX system that uses a fiber optic cable. Each classroom will include a
computer for the teacher, a computer for the student, and an active Smart board. A
computer for the teacher is required since all schools switched over to an online grading
and attendance system in previous years. Parents are a crucial part of our students'
educational process: with a state-of-the-art network infrastructure, this enables parents to
keep up-to-date information on their student’s academic progress and performance by
using the online gradebook. Teachers will update web pages to keep parents in the loop
of what's going on in the classroom. The Smart board replaces the whiteboard and
chalkboard. Additionally, the Smart board can be connected to the computer where
teachers will be able to present PowerPoint presentations, flipcharts, instructional movies,
play songs, and show articles or pictures to the class. The Smart board can be used like a
TV and a radio in the classroom. The Smart board also allows teachers to accommodate
to a variety of learning styles; flipcharts are more kinesthetic and visual, whereas, reading
from a textbook foster to mainly the linguistic learning style. Last, the classroom will be
connected to a switch in the Intermediate Distribution Facility (IDF).
Diagram 2.0
13. Diagram 4.0
Diagram 5.0
Security Groups & Permissions
Lower Upper Middle
Office High School
IT Staff Administration Teachers Elementary Elementary School
Staff Students
Students Students Students
Install
X
applications
Save files to
X X X X X X X X
personal folders
Access SIS
(student
information X X X X X
systems)
database
Personalize
X X X X X X X
desktop
Email access X X X X X X X
Internet
X X X X X X
restrictions
File/Folder
X X X X X X X X
restrictions
Printing quotas X X X X
14. Scanner access X X X X X X X X
USB port access X X X X
Task 8: Planning the Network
Administration Building in Server Closet
• File/Print Server #1* - the main server, runs MS Internet Security and
Acceleration Server. This provides district firewall services and secure
routing services for the district. This server also runs DNS (Domain
Name Service) DHCP, and Remote Access for the district. All Internet
traffic in the district passes through this server.
• SQL Server** -school administration database for our district. This
server shares a smart UPS in case of power failure. A virtual drive is
used to make nightly back-ups. This server also runs administrative
software for record keeping, including daily and period student
attendance; student contact, medical, and legal information; student
scheduling; report cards; and transcripts. It is used to maintain student
health records, including immunization records and nurse visits. It also
houses the Library catalog system.
• Proxy Server - hosts the district web site, manages LMS (Moodle) and
also runs a certificate server to provide secure access to district email
from home computers. A mirrored hard drive provides additional
protection. (District email provided by third party such as Google.)
Print Server located in the Administration Building
Elementary File/Print Server #2* - provides for shared
School resources, stores all the user files and software
applications.
Middle School File/Print Server #3*- provides for shared
resources, stores all the user files and software
applications.
15. High School File/Print Server #4* - provides for shared
resources, stores all the user files and software
applications.
* It is recommended that Windows Server 2008 be used as Hyper-V (or
hypervisor) is a no-cost addition to Windows Server 2008 that allows you to
optimize a single server so that it is able to do the work of multiple server
computers, virtually. It is an astonishing software technology that can cut data
center power consumption up to 80%. It can also automatically move virtual
servers from one host to another in the event of a physical server failure.
** It recommended that Windows SQL Server 2008 be used due to the
following:
• SQL Server 2008 includes support for structured and semi-structured
data, including digital media formats for pictures, audio, video and other
multimedia data.
• SQL Server 2008 can be a data storage backend for different varieties of
data: XML, email, time/calendar, file, document, spatial, etc as well as
perform search, query, analysis sharing, and synchronization across all
data types.
Task 9 Planning for Administration
Administrative computers are defined as all computers that are not used for
classroom purposes. This includes all computer workstations at the district
office and Facilities Department as well as those used by the school front office
administration and library clerks. Computers in the libraries designated for
student use do not fall under this category.
The district will establish a hardware/software replacement policy based on
standards established at the beginning of each school year. For the immediate
purpose of this proposal, all administrative computers that do not meet the
minimum hardware specifications to run Microsoft XP Professional will be
replaced. The district will provide minimum specifications and projections for
computer purchases over the next three years. Once an initial upgrade to each
administrative computer is completed, a hardware compatibility list will be
provided that will indicate when computers meeting the minimum requirements
will be replaced.
16. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
· Must use an Intel Core Duo E5300 2.6 processor or
greater
· Intel processor only.
· Must have, audio input and output ports, EIGHT USB2
Ports
· 1 Ethernet 10/100/1000 port
· 2 GB RAM
· 80 Gig HD or greater
· CD/DVD RW Drive
· Intel Motherboard
· Windows XP Pro
· 3year warranty
HARDWARE PURCHASE SPECIFICATION
REQUIREMENTS:
Administration: Dell Latitude D530 with Accessories
· 15 inch XGA LCD monitor- there are two monitors
listed is that right?- steve
· 2Ghz dual core processor
· 2GB RAM
· 128MB Nvidia video card
· 80GB hard drive
· Floppy Drive
· 8X DVD+/-RW burner
· Dell wireless 802.11a/g card
· 90W AC adapter
· large nylon carrying case
· 17 in Dell Ultrasharp 1708 LCD monitor
· monitor stand & replicator
· USB optical mouse & keyboard
· 3 year warranty
Administrative Staff (Services): Dell Optiplex 755
· 17 inch LCD monitor
· 2 GB RAM
· 80GB hard drive
· CD burner/ DVD player
· USB keyboard and mouse
17. · 3 year warranty
ADMINISTRATIVE SOFTWARE
Licensed software
Laptop Print Client: Windows - Web-based printing
VPN Client Software: Software for establishing secure connections to SUSD network
services.
• Windows NT/2000/XP: VPN Client 4.8
• Windows Vista: VPN Client 5.0
• Windows NT/2000/XP: VPN Client 4.8
• Windows Vista: VPN Client 5.0
Free software
AVG AntiVirus
Adobe Acrobat Reader: Acrobat Reader is a free program designed only to view PDF
files; Acrobat allows you to create and edit PDF files. Other programs, such as Word and
WordPerfect, can also save documents as PDF files with the "print as PDF" option
FileZilla FTP Client (replaces SSH Secure Shell): FileZilla is an FTP client, which
allows one to connect to an FTP server. More specifically, authorized users can use it to
connect to and modify the HLS website.
Internet Explorer: Internet Explorer (IE) is Microsoft's internet browser, used for
viewing and interacting with sites on the Web.
Microsoft Windows Media Player: Windows Media Player is an integrated digital
media player that plays movie and music files. Windows Media Player 11 can also
display photos. You can also link to fee-based online music stores to download movies
and music. Windows Media Player can also copy (burn) information to and from CDs.
QuickTime: Quick Time version 7 uses the latest streaming technology to access instant
content on the Web. This viewer plays clips in almost every movie format, and is the only
player that will work with some exclusive Apple formats (*.mov).
18. VLC Media Player: Free, open-source, all around media player that supports many
formats.
SPECIALIZED SOFTWARE:
• SISK12: For is used for Grade book and attendance
Licenses for OS and productivity for each school site:
There will be a site licenses for Windows server 2008 R2 Hyper-V as well as
specified productivity software. It is important that the technology that is
bought to further advance the productivity of the students and the staff is spread
to everyone and is easily accessible. This spreading of the wealth will promote
the use of the technology throughout the school. Also, as SUSD could grow.
We may need more computers in the succeeding years, so we would want to
put all the software onto the new computers. It is best practice for us to have
the proper amount of site licenses to cover SUSD's computers.
Task 10 Planning for the Classroom
Its important to purchase software or install freeware on each computer in order
for students, staff, and faculty to efficiently conduct daily operations and
provide the most effectively learning environments for the classroom. The list
below is a propose list of software applications we need to best serve
stakeholders at each school site:
Computers in the classrooms and offices at each site will have
the following:
• Microsoft Suite: Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, and
Publisher.
• Windows Movie Maker- for capturing, editing, and
publishing videos for staff, faculty, teachers, and students
• Microsoft Outlook- for sending and receiving e-mails
• Adobe Illustrator Photoshop- these software will be used
create to create print media and for instructional use in the
Visual Art Department
• CSS Dreamweaver- faculty and students will be able to use
19. software to generate department websites and/ or teach
future web design courses at the high school or middle
school
ESL and Special Education classes will use the following:
• Tell me More® network software. This comes with 600
hours of instructional material: multimedia videos, sounds,
and state-of-the art voice recognition program. The
software is designed to recognize speech, correct errors,
and help student with pronunciation
• Teachers will use the following software to assist with
instructional delivery and curriculum assessment
• Grade book -SUSD will continue to use sisk12. It is a
fairly simple grade book that would take limited time to
train teachers on how to use the software. Parents and
students can see how they are doing in the classroom, and
get real time grades by accessing the grade book online for
their grades only. This is a nice way for parents to stay on
top of their child's performance. It allows for the teacher to
write in what the assignment is as well as give detailed
notes to go along with what the assignment is about. The
grade book makes report cards simple as teachers can just
import their class grades. There is no extra form to fill out,
teachers would have to click to import student grades, and
they're sent to the district office and to print out the report
cards. The SISK-12 system also does attendance, so the
office can monitor who is at school and who is absent.
Once a teacher marks a student absence that will show up
on the class roster of any teacher that has that student. This
gives teachers an excellent quick check to make sure all
students are present and accounted for. This technology is
provided by Tyler Technologies. link www.sisk12.com
• Skype is something that can be downloaded for free and
will help the classrooms connect with one another. (A
teacher and I Skype during class when our students can not
come up with the answer to a question, we have also done a
debate over Skype as well. It is a fun way to interact with
other classroooms.)
20. • iTunes is another wonderful tool that teachers can use for
having the students listen to music while working during
class or for downloading and using podcasts to enhance the
curriculum.
• GarageBand is a great tool for creating podcasts.
• Microsoft office 2010 home and student: is a tool that
teachers will need for creating Powerpoints, organizing
data with excel, and working with word. Word, Excel,
PowerPoint, and OneNote are more than enough and it
keeps the cost down.
• Promethean software Active Inspire 1.4 - this is software
that works with the Interactive Smartboard. Here is a video
link to their website.
http://www.prometheanworld.com/server.php?
show=nav.16874
• RealPlayer 11: Use RealPlayer 10 (basic player is free) to
play RealAudio and RealVideo files as well as streaming
audio and video. You can purchase RealPlayer 10
SuperPass for enhanced features.
• Adobe Acrobat Reader: Acrobat Reader is a free program
designed only to view PDF files; Acrobat allows you to
create and edit PDF files. Other programs, such as Word
and WordPerfect, can also save documents as PDF files.
• FileZilla FTP Client (replaces SSH Secure Shell):
FileZilla is an FTP client, which allows one to connect to
an FTP server. More specifically, authorized users can use
it to connect to and modify the HLS website.
• Internet Explorer: Internet Explorer (IE) is Microsoft's
internet browser, used for viewing and interacting with
sites on the Web.
• Microsoft Windows Media Player: Windows Media
Player is an integrated digital media player that plays
movie and music files. Windows Media Player 11 can also
display photos. You can also link to fee-based online music
21. stores to download movies and music. Windows Media
Player can also copy (burn) information to and from CDs.
• QuickTime: Quick Time version 7 uses the latest
streaming technology to access instant content on the Web.
This viewer plays clips in almost every movie format, and
is the only player that will work with some exclusive Apple
formats (mov.).
Task 11: Engaged Learning
Technology is an integral part of the 21st century workplace and classroom.
Daily eLearning classes in business and schools connect clients and students
from all parts of the globe via virtual classrooms. A fee can be paid for an
online eLearning environment such as WebEx or use the free eLearning
classrooms of WiZiQ. The online classrooms include live video, audio, white
board sharing, and text chat. Virtual classrooms can enhance the learning
environment for everyone regardless of their location. Cooperative distance
learning is becoming common place and has many benefits. For example,
instructors can link innovative example of real life events right into the
classroom via the internet. Recent examples include live streams of the
inauguration of our new President, underwater camera views of the oil leak in
the gulf, and a local web camera in a neighbor’s backyard as baby owls hatch
(maybe make the last example a general statement: "and amateur video
capturing nature or news events"). A variety of topics are available at moment’s
notice from general information to linking your facility or classroom with
researchers or classrooms worldwide. Web connected boardrooms and
classrooms allow the sharing of ideas via web conferencing with the distinct
advantage of different viewpoints. This new learning environment could make
our world community more understanding and sympathetic towards different
groups of business associates and students in other parts of the world.
Training will be provided by vendors both onsite and online creating
enthusiasm for the teachers and profession staff on how to utilize the new
technology. For the first six months twice per month, vendors and instructors
will provide onsite and online training which will be mandatory to attend at
least six sessions. These dedicated training sessions will give everyone hands
on practice with the new technology in a user-friendly peer atmosphere.
22. As educators we stand on the threshold of the new era in learning. Business
and educational institutions are seeking creative minds to produce technology
driven training material. Learning has reached a new pinnacle with multimedia,
web conferences, and Internet as part of the daily lives of most citizens. We are
way past the power point driven media presentation or “Shovelware” a industry
coined term from Fraser; “… [T]aking information and shoveling it onto the
Web in the form of a page-turner which is “warmed over, insipid, [and]
pedagogically pointless (Fraser 1999)?” As educators of the future we owe
nothing less to our students and business associates than to present the material
in informative and creative manner.
Task 12: Ensuring Equitable Access to Technology
SUSD strives to accommodate and exceed the expectations and needs of our
students by providing assistive technologies for individuals with special needs,
and by supporting the various learning styles of our entire student body through
the use of multimedia initiatives and a variety of input/output devices.
Our goal is to be in full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of
1990, which is "An Act to establish a clear and comprehensive prohibition of
discrimination on the basis of disability." (Americans with Disabilities Act of
1990) Furthermore, ADA's definition of a disability is "a physical or mental
impairment that substantially limits a major life activity." (Americans with
Disabilities Act of 1990) In the context of education, The United States
Department of Education has specific ADA responsibilities to carry out. Their
mission is "to ensure equal access to education and to promote educational
excellence throughout the nation through vigorous enforcement of civil rights".
(Office for Civil Rights) The implications of this for our students at SUSD, are
that every student is treated with equal respect, and every effort will be made to
create a supportive environment to enable learning that is accommodating and
enjoyable. One way this is accomplished is through the use of assistive
technologies.
Assistive technologies are beneficial to students with visual, audial, dexterity,
and mobility impairments, among other disabilities that offer extra challenges
to the learning process. Assistive technologies come in many forms, however
this section will focus primarily on hardware and software. Software examples
include the American Sign Language Browser, simple utilities for magnifying
23. portions of a computer screen, and text-to-speech/speech-to-text word
processors. On the hardware side of assistive technologies, devices include:
braille embossers and translators, screen readers, and touch screens.
Since new students enroll at SUSD throughout the year, the requirements for
assistive technologies vary according to each student with special needs. For
this reason, our technology staff has a plan to stay abreast of the available
assistive technologies, and to utilize or purchase software and devices in a
responsive manner.
Another major focus for the IT department and technology integrationists at
SUSD is in the support of various learning styles and learning disabilities of
our students. Many of the technologies that are used to benefit students'
learning disabilities such as dyslexia, are shared with students who have
physical disabilities such as blindness, and are shared with students who favor
that particular learning style. For example, Talking Books can be shared across
this spectrum of students. Sharing of resources fosters a greater sense of
community within the school, since it is common for a range of devices to be
employed throughout every classroom. The same piece of technology that
enables a blind child to hear a story, can help an audio learner to better grasp
and retain the story. The usage of these technologies throughout the school also
fosters peer-to-peer learning, in that students are actively engaging each other
by demonstrating the usage of the technologies and sharing their experiences
with each other.
SUSD employs various teaching frameworks to enable all learners to excel.
One of these is Universal Design for Learning (UDL). UDL is "a framework
for designing curricula that enable all individuals to gain knowledge, skills, and
enthusiasm for learning". (Universal Design for Learning) Included in this
framework are tools that support reading, literacy, and research for students,
and lesson-planning/curriculum tools for teachers. SUSD makes full use of
these tools to enable richer learning experiences for every student.
The following is a table of ADA requirements, and how SUSD is addressing
each item.
ADA Compliance SUSD's Compliance Efforts
Include all students in the classroom. Quarterly review of SIS database
24. reports to identify the needs of our
students and respond accordingly.
As part of the quarterly review of the
Perform a non discriminatory SIS database, the type and extent of
evaluation. each individual's disabilities will be
evaluated.
Appropriate technology resources will
Provide students with the least
be provided and/or made easily
restrictive environment for learning at
accessible throughout each division and
all times.
classroom.
This is evaluated at the school, division,
Make available to students a tailored and classroom levels to ensure that our
education that fits their specific needs. resources are efficiently utilized and
individuals are given specific attention.
Work with the student and parent to Effective communication channels are
come up with an education plan that instituted that allow for continuous
makes them comfortable. querying and feedback.
Conduct interviews and surveys with
Be conscious of the parents' and
parents of special needs students to
student's rights to sue the school if they
proactively support the students and
feel they are treated unfairly.
deal with issues that may arise.
Task 13: Planning a Successful Staff Development
Program
An effective professional development plan is crucial to ensuring the successful
implementation and integration of any technology project. Our goal is to help
the SUSD district administration, educators and staff become more efficient
and effective in task completion and establish new instructional strategies
utilizing updated technology. Professional development activities are designed
25. to offer the knowledge and skills necessary to increase productivity and to
integrate technology into the educational environment and process. The SUSD
Technology Team will produce a wide variety of instructional technology
training opportunities for SUSD schools and departments. Technology
workshops shall be available at times and locations that best meet the needs of
the participants. Professional development opportunities, including Summer
Technology Workshops, will be provided throughout the year. For the
convenience of personnel, workshops will be available after school, on
Saturdays and during the summer. In addition, the SUSD Technology Team
members will offer on-line training opportunities to allow administration,
educators and staff to access inservice training at their convenience.
Instructional technology staff development activities have been designed to
meet both curriculum and technical needs, and emphasize the importance for
participants to assimilate new technology into the curriculum instead of
interacting and presenting the technology as an add on or isolated item.
Workshops will also coincide with updated hardware and software installations
to provide JIT (just in time) training. Development activities have been
structured to make use of SUSD expertise for delivery of instruction and to
create new SUSD based “experts” who will also be able to provide training and
support. In addition, instruction-based technology projects and future training
shall be developed as a collaboration between SUSD educational divisions and
IT.
The Development Plan will provide for the following:
• ongoing staff development opportunities for both teachers,
administration and staff.
• coordination of in-service opportunities among all educational divisions
to ensure that technology integration into curriculum is well aligned with
State Standards.
• inclusion of entire district in training opportunities provided for standard
instructional technology tools
• staff development on the use of adaptive/assistive devices and
appropriate special-needs software
• staff development opportunities that meets both technical and curriculum
needs
• staff development opportunities that enable appropriate personnel to
access
• utilize both administrative and instructional software staff development
training for technologies that enhance the instructional process and the
delivery of the District’s curriculum
• focus on the integration of technology into classroom instruction in a
26. manner consistent with the State Standards.
• staff training on SUSD core technologies including, but not limited to:
email, grade book, word processing, electronic spreadsheets, databases,
web design, digital video production, presentation software and
hardware devices, CD-ROM and Internet-based research, desktop
publishing, and the use of multimedia hardware and software
• staff development training on the appropriate and ethical use of
electronic resources, electronic communications, and
telecommunications.
• workshops to coincide with updated hardware and software installations
to provide JIT (just in time) training
• flexible scheduling of ongoing staff development training opportunities
through the use of online courseware and learning management systems.
• comprehensive on-going technology workshops for administration,
teachers and staff
• development activities structured to make use of SUSD expertise for
delivery of instruction and to create new SUSD based “experts” who will
also be able to provide training and support.
• assistance to schools in forming school technology committees and
student technology teams to support teacher training and equipment
maintenance
• access to relevant literature and publications for all SUSD staff
• incentive based program for participation in training opportunities
• incentive based program for the effective implementation of instructional
technologies into the classroom
• training for family and community members that supports their use of
school-based technology resources
• ongoing assessment, evaluation, and revision of staff development
training needs and activities
• ongoing follow-up opportunities developed to reinforce skills and assess
the long-term impact of previous staff training activities
Task 13: Planning a Successful Staff Development
Program
An effective professional development plan is crucial to ensuring the successful
implementation and integration of any technology project. Our goal is to help
the SUSD district administration, educators and staff become more efficient
27. and effective in task completion and establish new instructional strategies
utilizing updated technology. Professional development activities are designed
to offer the knowledge and skills necessary to increase productivity and to
integrate technology into the educational environment and process. The SUSD
Technology Team will produce a wide variety of instructional technology
training opportunities for SUSD schools and departments. Technology
workshops shall be available at times and locations that best meet the needs of
the participants. Professional development opportunities, including Summer
Technology Workshops, will be provided throughout the year. For the
convenience of personnel, workshops will be available after school, on
Saturdays and during the summer. In addition, the SUSD Technology Team
members will offer on-line training opportunities to allow administration,
educators and staff to access inservice training at their convenience.
Instructional technology staff development activities have been designed to
meet both curriculum and technical needs, and emphasize the importance for
participants to assimilate new technology into the curriculum instead of
interacting and presenting the technology as an add on or isolated item.
Workshops will also coincide with updated hardware and software installations
to provide JIT (just in time) training. Development activities have been
structured to make use of SUSD expertise for delivery of instruction and to
create new SUSD based “experts” who will also be able to provide training and
support. In addition, instruction-based technology projects and future training
shall be developed as a collaboration between SUSD educational divisions and
IT.
The Development Plan will provide for the following:
• ongoing staff development opportunities for both teachers,
administration and staff.
• coordination of inservice opportunities among all educational divisions
to ensure that technology integration into curriculum is well aligned with
State Standards.
• inclusion of entire district in training opportunities provided for standard
instructional technology tools
• staff development on the use of adaptive/assistive devices and
appropriate special-needs software
• staff development opportunities that meets both technical and curriculum
needs
• staff development opportunities that enable appropriate personnel to
access
• utilize both administrative and instructional software staff development
28. training for technologies that enhance the instructional process and the
delivery of the District’s curriculum
• focus on the integration of technology into classroom instruction in a
manner consistent with the State Standards.
• staff training on SUSD core technologies including, but not limited to:
email, grade book, word processing, electronic spreadsheets, databases,
web design, digital video production, presentation software and
hardware devices, CD-ROM and Internet-based research, desktop
publishing, and the use of multimedia hardware and software
• staff development training on the appropriate and ethical use of
electronic resources, electronic communications, and
telecommunications.
• workshops to coincide with updated hardware and software installations
to provide JIT (just in time) training
• flexible scheduling of ongoing staff development training opportunities
through the use of online courseware and learning management systems.
• comprehensive on-going technology workshops for administration,
teachers and staff
• development activities structured to make use of SUSD expertise for
delivery of instruction and to create new SUSD based “experts” who will
also be able to provide training and support.
• assistance to schools in forming school technology committees and
student technology teams to support teacher training and equipment
maintenance
• access to relevant literature and publications for all SUSD staff
• incentive based program for participation in training opportunities
• incentive based program for the effective implementation of instructional
technologies into the classroom
• training for family and community members that supports their use of
school-based technology resources
• ongoing assessment, evaluation, and revision of staff development
training needs and activities
• ongoing follow-up opportunities developed to reinforce skills and assess
the long-term impact of previous staff training activities
Task 14: Planning Technology Costs
Student achievement is our district’s number one priority. In order for us to
29. effectively implement this technology plan, planning to acquire finances is a
critical process. A technology fund will be set aside each year to acquire funds to
complete three phases of the development. The district will set aside a
percentage money provide by allocated by the state for two fiscal two years and
place the fund into a money market account to accumulate interest. At the end of
the second year, the first phase of will be implemented. The three phases are:
• Phase One- The network infrastructure will be in place (Completed in year
1)
• Phase Two- Computer Purchases for each school site (Completed in first
half of year two)
• Phase Three- Software and license purchases will be made and installed
at ever computer station at server at each school site (Completed in the
second half of year two)
Once the network infrastructure is in place, the computers and software
applications will be installed. It will be each school site’s IT Administrator
responsibility to install applications align with the number of licenses purchased.
The table below shows the software, hardware, and equipment we need to
modernize our technology to best serve students, faculty, staff, administrators,
and members of the SUSD community.
Appendix 1.0
30. Task 15: Evaluating Your School or District's
Technology Plan
Goals
1. Using technology to support and enrich the learning process
2. Improving students twenty-first century skills
3. Manage appropriate access to the Internet
4. Improve student progress monitoring for teachers and Administrators
To ensure that SUSD continues to be a leader in using technology to enrich the learning
process of the students, it is important that we reflect on the use, implementation, and
additions of the technology available. To make certain that this happens the team will be
holding meetings with the administration and technology employees of the school, as
well as a meeting early in the year with the staff. Within SISK12 there will also be a
drop box for suggestions about new technology and areas in which people would like
31. more training. This is something that can be tracked and used for creating professional
development opportunities.
Meetings:
Teachers: After the first two weeks of school there will be a short meeting with the staff
to discuss which pieces of technology they are comfortable with and which pieces they
would like to see more training on. It is extremely important that the staff is comfortable
with the online grade book and email system within SISK12. These are tools the staff will
need to use daily to keep track of events going on in school, grades, and submitting
attendance. There will also be a short survey at the end of the year for teachers to take so
that we can continue to meet their needs.
Administration: The administration will be met with four times a year to check and see if
the technology is being used effectively. Is the technology being used appropriately in the
classroom and is it supporting the learning process? Also is it making it easier to track
student progress for them, the teachers, and the parents? Another issue that will be
discussed is do the teachers have the proper amount of training on the technology? These
meetings will allow us to find areas of improvement to make the technology more useful
and easier to use.
Technical support: There will be a monthly meeting with the tech support employees to
discuss what they see going on in the classrooms, but also how our technology is holding
up. Is there new software we need? Have any of our technology needs changed? What are
the common problems teachers are having? Where do you see area for improvement?
Teachers will complete an online end of the year Technology Implementation Survey to
measure the overall success of the Technology Plan and to gather data to make improves
for the succeeding year.
Teacher end of the year survey
Appendix 2.0
32.
33.
34. References
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. (2010, June 17). In Wikipedia, the free
encyclopedia. Retrieved June 19, 2010, from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Americans_with_Disabilities_Act_of_1990
eLearning Magazine, June 2010
http://www.learningsolutionsmag.com/articles/474/overcoming-obstacles-to-
avoid-shovelware-e-learning-strategies
Fraser, Alistair B. (1999) Colleges Should Tap the Pedagogical Potential of the
World-Wide Web
Miller, Brian Overcoming Obstacles To Avoid “Shovelware” E-Learning
Strategies. Learning Solutions
NETS for Students: National Educational Technology Standards for Students,
Second Edition. (2007). ISTE® (International Society for Technology in
Education). Retrieved on June 6, 2010, from www.iste.org.
Office for Civil Rights. (2007). U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved on June
19, 2010, from http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/index.html
Universal Design for Learning. (2010). CAST Transforming education through
Universal Design for Learning. Retrieved on June 19, 2010, from
http://www.cast.org/
WebEx Meet online with WebEx www.webex.com
WiZiQ, The Free Virtual Classroom of WiZiQ. http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=EVln4C4_hXo