Response to Professional Article:

I am responding to an article out of a magazine called Technology & Learning, April 1998 volume 18, Number 8, written by Michael N. Milone Jr. and Judy Salpeter.

The article is called "Aiming High." It discusses programs that some different parts of the country are using to incorporate technology into both homes and schools as a means of helping students do better in school as well as preparing them for productive careers. It discusses how these communities have developed innovative programs that targets underchallanged students, their families, their teachers, and their community. Some of the services provided include loner programs that put computers in the homes of low-income families, on-line tutoring, and summer technology camps. The program also insures that teachers are keeping up with technology by freeing time for inservice training.

Sounds like a wonderful idea. Just wonder who is footing the bill. The programs I discussed were in Indiana and Virginia. Has anyone ever heard of anything like this is Minnesota?

er

in school

-- Anonymous, November 19, 1998

Answers

Cherese - I too wonder who is footing the bill for this. Receiving the actual equipment (computers, printers, etc.) is one major goal. Who does the technology support (helps people with their application questions, provides troubleshooting and maintenance)? Also, what about wear and tear? The only thing I have heard like this is Edison placing computers in the home -- I am not overly familiar with what type and the amount of training they provided to students and parents.

I do like the idea of specialized technology camps. A well- coordinated camp over the summer would be a lot of fun and very productive for students. It would also be an indicator of how committed a district is to educating their students in technology.

-- Anonymous, December 09, 1998

Indeed, who is footing the bill? Our district has recently received a large grant from the "Teach ______(Something, I cannot recall)" Unfortunately, the board office is revamping their technology as well as the support staff in the high school. Then what is left over plus the old computers will go to teachers and classrooms. I can't believe that I work in a school of 2000 students and each teacher is not equipped with a computer for record keeping let alone one for students to use. The idea sounds fabulous, especially about the summer workshops/camp and the extra time for trainging teachers. Why am I not in a school like that????

-- Anonymous, January 05, 1999

My 2nd Professional Reading.

I am responding to an article from a Technology & Learning publication (August 1998 volume 19 #1) written by an elementary teacher from Alief, Texas. She is committed to getting technology into the hands of her fourth-graders by integrating techology into everything they do. Her challange however is making enough time for 30 students to use one of two computers in all subjects during the day. She says she is willing to tolerate some chaos. She rotates children every 10 minutes. I can't imagine getting 4th graders to be finished with all assignments in 10 minutes. I almost wonder if rushing them is in their benefit. I incorporate computers for alot of things in my highschool Spanish classes but we are fortunate to have a computer lab as well as a computer in my room. Students still have to share and organize their time but I don't see them as being rushed or hurried in any way. Don't get me wrong but wouldn't it be hard to concentrate on the other disicplines if people were constantly shuffling around throughout the entire day? Would you sacrifice the basics for complete technology integration, and if so at what expense?

-- Anonymous, February 03, 1999