Comments on: How Do We Ensure Our Schools Are Staffed with Technologically Savvy Teachers

By: Todd Ritter

Todd Ritter — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 01:19:36 +0000

I found this post via a Google search, and I must say I’m flattered at the response! Thank you for posting my points to an educational crowd. As background, I’m an IT systems administrator at a K12 school district in central PA (we did not apply for Classrooms of the Future due to the many strings attached). My supervisor, and former teacher, recently brought on an instructional technology staff member (former teacher as well) to be an ambassador for all of our lovely technology. It’s worthless for me to support equipment if it won’t benefit the students, so having staff with educational backgrounds helps.

Thanks again!
Todd

By: Donna

Donna — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 16:57:48 +0000

From my perspective the problem isn’t just educating teachers, but supporting teachers doing this kind of work. In Pennsylvania schools can apply for the “Classrooms of the Future” grants. When they get the money, it can only go to core curriculum teachers (English/LA, Math, Science and Social Studies. As a Family and Consumer Science teacher in a building that received the grant, I can go observe what the students and teachers are doing. I received a memo that I am not to touch the equipment. I have been using wikis and blogs in my class, I introduces colleagues to google documents, I teach technology courses for the district and for the local writing project site. When I have put in requests on my department’s budget for technology, it gets shot down. There is a digital divide opening up between teachers that have equipment and access and those that aren’t aloud.

By: Digital Writing, Digital Teaching » Blog Archive » Reconsidering the “Grammar of Schooling” in a Digital Age

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 04:44:01 +0000

[...] How Do We Ensure Our Schools Are Staffed with Technologically Savvy Teachers — Open Education Unfortunately, in many schools and for many teachers, the above five suggestions simply are not happening on a regular basis. But the reason that most teachers are not up-to-date on technology is that they are simply too overwhelmed by the day-to-day responsibilities of their existing schedule to be able to stay up with the technological advances that are occurring… [...]

By: Teaching on The Finance World For News and Information Around The World On Finance » How Do We Ensure Our Schools Are Staffed with Technologically Savvy…

Sun, 17 Feb 2008 13:32:35 +0000

[...] How Do We Ensure Our Schools Are Staffed with Technologically Savvy… But it must be noted that a technologically out-of-date teaching staff is not a function of a lack of interest or effort. [...]

By: Teaching on The Finance World For News and Information Around The World On Finance » How Do We Ensure Our Schools Are Staffed with Technologically Savvy Teachers

Sun, 17 Feb 2008 13:31:54 +0000

[...] How Do We Ensure Our Schools Are Staffed with Technologically Savvy Teachers Todd Ritter has authored an excellent piece over at DownLoadSquad.com entitled Five Ways to Improve Technology in Education. Ritter begins by describing the response of teachers during the David Pogue keynote tat the Pennsylvania Educational Technology Expo and Conference. He writes about the many ooohs and aaahs emanating from the audience and rightfully comes to the realization that many educators are not up on all the groundbreaking developments occurring in technology these days. He then w [...]

By: Mathman6293

Mathman6293 — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 06:17:57 +0000

I wish we could use more technology because it is more engaging if used well. I feel like my deparment has made progress this year alone. This year we constructed a 30 computer lab for the math department, bought 10 ehlmo doc cameras, and 3 sets of 30 TI84 calculators.

We are in a pretty good position tech wise. But we need more time to collaborate and learn. Our Admin is making a real effort to allow us to consume professional development that is suited to our personal needs. That means they are differentiating for us. Wow.

On the other hand we are on our second year of corrective action so all those goodies keep us bogged down in more than our share of punative monthly meetings. Hopefully, we’ll hit our AYP mark and get off the list at the end of the year.

As far as Skype goes we are locked out from using it at school. Which keeps me from showing it to teachers. Districts are terrified of technology, too.

By: Chris Wilson

Chris Wilson — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 13:02:21 +0000

We need a serious revamping of our system if we intend to make serious changes. Sixty five hours a week is a lot. Hard to keep up on new movements if you are bogged down in the daily grind.