So as I am nearing the end of my graduate program in administration one of the questions posed is how are you going to prepare your students for the 21st century. Although there are other components to preparing students for the 21st century one obvious topic is technology. This is where I get a bit frustrated at my district.
Last week I met with one of our technology directors for the district and he informed me that the building will be rewired and teachers will be getting new laptops. Then when the question was asked...what about a laptop lab or mobile unit for the school. The answer: the district does not support monies for students. WHAT????? Then he suggested we could go to our PTA...please the PTA is already providing enough for our students and often coming in the red. I then asked the question about grants, etc. and was encouraged NOT to go that route. Seriously.....and the reasoning being that when things go wrong then the district can't support the repairs, etc.
So essentially what I have come to conclude.....districts are expected to follow certain mandates...however they aren't doing about meeting those expectations of supplying the equipment necessary to meet those needs. Can we say frustrating!
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This is quite frustrating -- spending money should be all about supporting students!! If the district does not support monies for student use - how are other districts providing 1:1 access. This is all about VISION! Where does your district want to be in relationship to student technology use and information literacy in 5 years? 10 years? etc.
ReplyDeleteVery frustrating. It's good that you're at least asking questions and getting ideas out there, but to be met with such closed-minds, Ugh! Perhaps it would be worthwhile to mention to the PTO as something for them to keep in mind for a future project? One of the schools I student taught at had both a mobile unit (mac laptops) and a computer lab (with out-of-date desktops that barely worked) and it was remarkable how much more motivated and excited students were about working when it involved using modern technology. They dreaded going to the computer lab and wasted time when we were there, but when they got to use the mobile unit, they were so productive and so engaged.
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