Re: Requests to Legislature

Duane Hagen (hagen@informns.k12.mn.us)
Thu, 11 Jan 1996 11:02:14 EST

John,
Just a couple of comments regarding your recent posting.
1. In Minnesota, where the concept of local control of everything from
school boards to what kind of soda goes in the soda machines in the
teachers lounge is sacred, it puts those of us who want to move forward in
technology in a difficult position, since all districts, schools,
departments, grade levels and individuals want to do it their way.
We have no common goals in technology in the state nor do we have a
mechanism to accomplish them if we did. Everyone basically is going it
alone. What's happening in the area of graduation standards in the state
is a prime example. Outcome based education has been proposed, rehashed,
renamed for many years, but we are no closer to accomplishing it than we
were 5 years ago.
.
2. More specifically, as a tech coordinator, I have always expressed the
need to our board for more and better basic computers to be placed in areas
where they receive the most use(i.e. media centers and labs). The people
who are interested in technology always seem to get what or nearly what
they want but the masses(students) usually get the short end of the
technology dollars. It is interesting to follow all the hype surrounding
internet, which I agree has much potential for education, but until you can
put enough PC's in front of kids at the times when they need them, all the
exotic forms of technology are of little value.

3. Last year the legislature allocated 9 dollars per pupil exclusively for
technology. In a district of 2000 students that translates to 18k. OK
legislators, what can you do with that amount per year. Not too much. The
rest of the capital budget has to cover everything from floor scrubbers and
desks to dishwashers and furniture.

My message to legislators would be to equip media centers and computer
labs(areas that have the potential for the most use by students). Forget
staff development dollars unless you specifically tell people what to do
with it. The last round of staff development money was esentially wasted
in our district on so-called experts who came in to deliver a one day pep
talk and teachers opting for "planning days" where not too much was
accomplished except to put an extra day of pay into their pockets.

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.

Duane Hagen
Technology Coordinator
Litchfield Public Schools
Litchfield MN 55355
VOICE: (612) 693-2441
FAX: (612) 693-6528
Internet: hagen@InforMNs.k12.mn.us