We are approaching the end of another school year. So I was reflecting to see what progress was made at my school with regards to instructional technology. Were there any “home runs” that could be used as bragging points? Was there any progress made?

Really, though, how does one measure instructional technology progress? I have anecdotal evidence and artifacts that I can site. But how about improved student test scores? We could measure those, but to be really accurate there would have to be control groups for comparison purposes.

How about professional development? We did have teachers attend professional development courses that addressed instructional technology. But is there a way to measure how this training impacted those teachers methods or lesson presentation. My sense is that the PD must have helped - the teachers agreed it was beneficial.

Still, I am wondering about real technological impact - The kind that changes class room environments and how a teacher conducts daily business. How do we determine if instructional technology is successful?

My school now is using 3 thin client setups using the   solution.  Two of the setups include a new PC with 2 nComputing adapters so that each computer is “transformed” into 7 computers.  These setups are used by students now on a daily basis and they have been in use for over a month now.

They are performing just great!   Students are using MS Office, Adobe CS3, internet access, and our local network as if they were working a individual computer stations.   This past week they were used to run the NWEA MAP test.  Again, they performed flawlessly.  The next and final hurdle to pass is the online SOL (Standards of Learning Tests for Virginia.)  This will occur in the next 30 days.  We do not anticipate any issues.

If you can share experiences - please do so.   These thin clients are looking more and more like a good solution to help drive down the cost associated with purchasing new and replacement computers.

I observed a teacher with a laptop in my school the other day. What made this unusual was not that the teacher was using the laptop and was connected to the world wide web - what made it unusual was the teacher was connected using Sprint internet connectivity via a wireless connection.

This commercially available service enables teachers (and students) to surf the internet without being connected to the school network. Currently, it is possible for students and teachers to access the internet via laptop or cell phones (Blackberry devices). It is not prevalent yet, but it might be just a matter of time.

So, as technology leaders should we be concerned?

It seems to me that these devices offer a way to bypass the current authorized user policies that school systems currently utilize. That means they can visit sites that educators might want blocked.  But I fear there may be a bigger issue that may manifest itself if school systems try to control access to these devices during the school day or while on school property - It may be impossible to police or to enforce policies.

So it seems that we might be better served if we embrace these tools. If we go at this correctly, an opportunity might be presenting itself.  It might be that schools could be unburdened from supplying computers and bandwidth in the future if the students are supplying the computers and network access. Wouldn’t that be something!?!

The video below is “must see” for all educators. This is the official update to the original “Shift Happens” video from Karl Fisch and Scott McLeod. This June 2007 update includes new and updated statistics, thought-provoking questions and a fresh design. The link is to the video on YouTube. For more information, or to join the conversation, please visit http://shifthappens.wikispaces.com — Content by Karl Fisch and Scott McLeod, design and development by XPLANE.

I would like to stir up some thoughts on having computers in a class room. So, here are my questions:

1. What is the right number of computers to have in a class room?
2. If your class size averages 20 or more students, is having 2 or 3 computers in the class room a good idea?
3. If you had money to buy a new set of books or one computer, which would you choose and why?

Hopefully, some of you will chime in and add input and maybe some new questions.

This document proposes and inventory plan based on available funding and bandwidth for a local school system. Click on the image to launch the PDF file.

(Click on my picture to hear the podcast.)
Many school divisions are writing their technology plans for the next 5 years. This iteration of the plan should be dramatically different than the ones written 5 years ago. This podcast examines some of the technology pillars that need to be included in the plan to insure the development of 21st century students.

The 21st Century Student is represented by the picture to the left. Facets that need attention are:

1. Improved basic skiils
2. Ability to Multi-task with depth of knowledge
3. Improved critical thinking skills
4. Able to work in collaborative environments

(Click on my picture for the podcast.)
This post is an audio podcast that furthers the discussion of using Thin Clients in the school environment.  In particular, the discussion focuses on licensing of Microsoft Office products and operating systems.  I spoke with Romelo Perez of nComputing on Monday, April 7.  He was very generous with his time and provided some insights that are discussed here.

Has the Virginia State Department of Education approved thin clients for use during SOL testing? This would be a big deal! Thin clients offer a cost effective alternative to purchasing and refreshing aging computer equipment.

We have two thin client setups at my school. The first is an old Dell machine driving three nComputing thin client workstations. The second is a new Dell desktop driving six nComputing workstations. Both are in daily use and both seem to be “passing with flying colors”.

We have not tested the SOL’s on them yet but it is our plan to use them during the next batch of SOL testing. We have tried the SOL training modules and they worked just fine.

Here’s what they can do - Microsoft Office, Internet Access, Adobe CS3, IGPRO, SASI, Groupwise, and file access. There is still one major unknown. “What is the software license policy really going to be when software vendors realize that schools are using thin clients?”

Stay tuned…or chime in with your observations and thoughts on thin clients.

I have been applying a business framework around computer purchases for educational purposes. I think that many schools have been in a purchase mode and have lost sight of the costs and challenges of keeping computer equipment up-to-date and relevant.

Take a look at this link to a presentation on Google Docs.

Feedback?