1. Any ideas for our district with information on how it would increase student achievement.
2. If you have evaluated our Technology Plan for a graduate class or created a technology plan for a graduate class, please bring it.
Now I have lots of opinions on where I would like to see our district go. The top items for me are
- 1:1 or as many computers in student hands as possible
- Opening up the filter as much as possible for students
- Consider Google Apps
- Student email accounts
- Teacher training for student-centered PD
- Wireless and student owned devices including cellphones, netbooks, and ipods.
- Buy less software and use open source instead
It would be very helpful for me if I had some excellent examples of schools already using these tools effectively and/or example technology plans from your school/district. That way I will not look like a radical loner, but have "evidence" to show that these ideas are successful. Please share your thoughts (anything I forgot that you would add to my list?) and links to any "ammunition" to help me with my case in the comments. Thanks, I do not want to waste this excellent opportunity.
I am going to push the limits on this expecting them not to go as far as I would like (i.e. blocking only porn and truly harmful sites, but opening up social media sites for students) but hopeful that they will continue to move in a continuum toward openness and student-centered learning through technology.