Dangerously Irrelevant: It’s the first day of school (again)! has a great check list for how well prepared your site/district is for using technology. Here are are my “answers”…

1. Equipment: We have a computer lab, about four computers in each classroom, and a class set of alpha smart keyboards for each upper grade level (4-6). I know we need more, and I’m trying to let the administration know what priorities should be.
   – Digital projectors and laptops for each teacher to get technology in the regular classroom
   – A plan for integrating technology in regular classroom
   – A plan for making sure what I do in the lab is embeded in what they are learning in the regular classroom
2. Teacher training: The teachers have some knowledge about technology, but know they need to learn more and want to learn more. I did a survey, and the second highest request was for PowerPoints (not great) but the biggest training request was for blogs (YEAH). They want to learn more and want to learn about the right tools.
3. Subject Specific training: I plan on including subject matter when I’m doing the training; either resources or examples that feature subject matter, and they want to have what I’m doing support their instruction, etc.
4. Tech Support: Support, well at this point, ISET folks are running around putting out fires. That is par for the course at the beginning of the year. In our district there is one tech assigned for one day at week to an elementary site. They come in, and deal with problems. That’s not a great turnaround, but reasonable. They will come out sooner (that day/next day) if the entire site network or lab is down. Biggest problem is with broken equipment. Usually we have outside vendor doing repair, and they like to “reject” fixes based on breakage from excessively hard use. HELLO! It’s a school! I’d like them to switch to doing repairs in house. Since we’re mandated to buy only certain makes and models, this would be relatively vanilla to support.
5. Daily access to computers/technology in class for students: Not at daily access, but they will get two-45 minute periods with me, and center time in most of their classes. I’d guess they will have access at least three or more times a week in grade 2-6.
6. Daily access to computers/technology outside school for students: Outside the school day will depend on me, and since I have to catch up on classes to get right with my credentialing, I’m not going to commit to that yet.
7. Site admin tech knowledge: I’m trying to educate my admins about this, and they are open. I have had interesting conversations, but they appreciate that the instruction needs to be embeded. I did have one suggest one-to-one laptops so the kids could do test prep on skills at home. I briefly told him that one-to-one does not work without a really good comprehensive plan and computers for test prep were…meh. I am constantly talking about higher level thinking, etc. when I discuss computers and the lab with them.
8. District tech plan: I’m not sure about how the tech plan integrates both in theory and reality so I won’t touch that.
9. District tech funding: Seems pretty well funded, but I’ve heard some of the money may be tenous and grant based.
10. District and site tech leaders: They do have district and building level leaders. I’m supposed to be one, so I’ll try to act like one.