Re: Requests to Legislature
Kathy Westbrook,Loyola Univ. (KWESTBR@cpua.it.luc.edu)
Mon, 8 Jan 1996 19:15:26 EST
I would stress (in this order):
1) Training, training, training...without it all the hardware and
connections do little good. Teachers must feel not only comfortable
but have opportunities to develop lessons before they introduce and
use technology in the classroom.
2) Hardware Upgrades...too often schools follow the F.I.S.H. syndrom-
"First In, Still Here"...we purchase it once and then move on to
some other priority...technology needs $$$ for both ongoing
maintenance and upgrade to keep already owned equipment current
with technology innovations.
3) Clarity on how it will integrate with the current Supervision
and Evaluation process so that teachers clearly understand how
use (or lack, thereof) will affect yearly performance reviews.
4) Finally, purchase of additional hardware to increase the dispersion
of technology through out the curriculum (broadly) as well as
to maintain equity of provision across various groups of students.
The most recent Fed.Budget cut disolved the Office of Technology
Assessment in Congress. Their own meta-research study over the last
10 years showed that teachers first desired training, then how to
plan, then equipment.
K.C.Westbrook, Ph.D.
Listowner/Moderator: FIPEFS-L (Fiscal Issues, Policy, & Education
Finance SIG of Am.Ed.Research Assn, President FIPEF 1994-6)
WebMaster, Am.Ed.Finance Assn (http://info.pitt.edu/~aefa/aefa-wel.htm)
KWESTBR@luccpua.it.luc.edu
John Brosnan <brosnan@mncs.k12,mn.us> wrote:
> I will have the opportunity to speak before a panel of Minnesota State
> legislators this coming week about what our state's legislature can do to
> promote the thoughtful use of technology in our public schools. I would
> like to take the thoughts others on this list with me. Should the state
> stress more $ for training, for equipment, for training prospective
> teachers, for recertification, what? I look forward to some thoughts on
> this.