Technology Planning: National Collections
Each of these sites is maintained by very experienced telecommunications experts...
Links
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/os/technology/plan/2004/site/edlite-default.html
http://129.71.174.252/tcov2/
http://www.iaete.org/tcov1/
Each of these sites is maintained by very experienced telecommunications experts. The Claremont guide includes issues, such as security and ethics, and sample projects as well as technical options(39pps). At MSState the faculty and students add their experience from participation in national forums, while PacificRim is unique. Pacificrim also includes a display of online school museums. The Switched On Classroom also includes a compilation of FAQ's. The Coled guide focuses, among other tasks, on Web site production and local area networks, one cost effective option often overlooked. Coled has added a new service (Mustang) to illustrate models for integrating curriculum in most subject matters with Web capabilities and evaluating learning outcomes and then publishing the results, such as inventors and inventing (add inventing to above URL). The director at Coled has added a guide to Windows NT, especially for teachers (NT is easier to use than Windows 95.). A summary of the KickStart Initiative: Connecting America's Communities to the Information Superhighway can be found at the Benton Foundation. This document analyzes costs and offers case studies and Internet resource lists and a forum for public institutions to showcase their use of telecommunications. "A Nation of Opportunity:Realizing the Promise of the Information Superhighway", also available from the Benton Foundation, provides uptodate data about the development of technology projects in the schools for policy-makers.Connect for Kids, an outgrowth of earlier Benton confabs, focuses on building strong communities by profiling achievers. It is sponsored also by AT&T and the Packard Foundations.
NCSA, NCRTEC and ITEG are alpha-testing an exiting site, Building the 21st Century School. Using the latest tools, such as Netscape Communicator, integrated with 3D graphics and Quicktime, and information, about the E-rate for instance, this school diagram shows cost-effective plans. Technology and overall school maintenance are integrated--of great concern now that many of America's schools are badly in need of physical refurbishing just as this wave of technology has struck.
The National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities, part of ERIC, also addresses the complexities of modern school design and its impact upon learning, including technology. Since decisions in this domain are so costly and often taken for granted by the public, learn from others' efforts!
The Association of Computing Machinery, the largest umbrella association for computer professionals, has put a policy and curriculum on the table. It also includes criteria for teacher preparation.
The WestEd Regional Technology Education Consortium (RTEC) has released a new tool for creating technology plans. Originally developed for California, it has been extended for applications across the US.
The new National Educational Technology Plan (NETP)tries to provide uptodate information about planning from the point of view in the Bush education department.
Determining the total cost of ownership of a school technology plan can be made on the K12 TCO Calculator, available from the Appalachia Educational Laboratory.
Annotation
Although many districts and schools publish their own guides, perusing these sites will provide fuel for garnering support of policy-making groups. President Clinton has declared a special day for volunteers to assist schools with "wiring". These guides offer good tips for bridging the knowledge of technical wizards and the needs of schools.
