Instructional Technology Committee

January 14, 2008

ESC, Room 351

4:00-6:00 p.m.

Minutes

 

Committee Members: Hilly Curda, April Johns, Betsy O'Connell, Melanie Meidel, Renee Zabel, Manuel Martinez, Janice Such, Patricia Makishima, Cindy Blakely, Janine Shelley

 

Visitors: Rae Duncan, Jeff Lake

• I. Jeff Lake , new Director of Information Services, summarized his background and met Instructional Technology members. He will be regularly attending Instructional Technology meetings in the future.

• II. Janine Shelley announced that Gifford Street High School was approved to pilot a project that will provide seven 21 st Century classroom. Each classroom will be equipped with a Smartboard with a short-throw projection system, Airliner wireless slate, and Senteo interactive response system. This project that will be completed at the end of the 2008-09 school year will enable the district to study the following:

•  Effect of a technology rich learning environment on student learning (test scores/grades, attendance, attitude toward school)

•  Issues of adding additional technology equipment to classrooms (electricity, maintenance, technical support, amount of technology needed)

•  Amount and type professional development required to use technology to support student learning (initial and on-going training)

•  Examples for our schools to visit as they plan to expand technology.

• III. Rae Duncan and Jeff Lake reported on the following Information Services initiatives and issues:

•  The district is experiencing serious bandwidth issues due to the high demand from Internet use and the new digital telephone system. The lack of bandwidth capacity is the reason for everyone's difficulty in connecting to the Internet during peak times. Information Services is working on this problem and will share progress in future meetings.

•  ITC members also recommended to IS that they consider expanding technology support services after hours.

• IV. The committee agreed that the first step for U-46 student technology curriculum discussion is gather information from teachers, students, and parents. The committee will review questionnaire items for discussion at the next meeting.

• V. April Johns shared proposal developed by librarians that expressed concerns with the rigidity of the current U-46 Internet filtering process and ability to access sites that support instruction. The committee will revisit the proposal at the next meeting.

• VI. The committee will also review the district technology plan and begin to make recommendations for revisions to direct work for the 2008-09 school year.