8/23/92 7:59:48 PM Opening "CHAT0823" for recording. AFL Gayle : OK. Since we've had our wrym, our topic tonight is Planning Technology. Our AFL Gayle : "guest" is none other than Bard Williams, known as AFA Bard around here. :) AFA Bard : (:::: bowing ::::) AFL Gayle : We have a free hour to give away this evening at the end of our chat. You must AFL Gayle : stay for the entire chat and use the secret word in context. AFL Gayle : Go ahead, Bard. :) AFA Bard : Thanks, Gayle! Great to see everyone! Well, here we are at the beginning of another year -- for some AFA Bard : it means another frustrating year with too many kids and too little technology... AFA Bard : so - what's the answer? How can you convince the local PTA/PTO that you mean business? How can AFA Bard : you get your school's administration to make technology a priority? Well --- AFA Bard : The first step is GET A PLAN! OK, OK... it sounds simple, but I wonder how many schools really go to AFA Bard : the trouble of producing a collaboratively developed, time-based, benchmarked technology plan AFA Bard : IN WRITING? Until our district of 75,000 students did that - we got absolutely nowhere - hitting and AFA Bard : missing with everything from Commodores to Timex Sinclairs. :) AFA Bard : Of course, NONE of you out there have been through that, right? AFL Gayle : Who, us, Bard? No, we have a plan. The state wouldn't give us any computers AFL Gayle : until we did. (Hmmm... right. The plan was written in 1983. Slightly out-dated. AFL Gayle : ;) AFA Bard : OK, Gayle. Some questions about your plan. First - is it updated yearly? AFA Bard : Did TEACHERS have input? AFL Gayle : no AFL Gayle : yes AFA Bard : Was the plan based upon both research and hunches by practitioners? AFL Gayle : Uh, how about largely based upon the sample plan the state sent us? :) AFA Bard : Did the board/state fully fund the plan? AFL Gayle : Certainly, SDPI would research. ;) AFL Gayle : At the time, yes, but then they quit after the 3 years were up. :( AFA Bard : LOL! I think your school/district is pretty typical. Imagine if a business operated that way - AFA Bard : they wouldn't stand still for a moment with SmithCorona's clinking away in a Word Processor AFA Bard : World. :) AFA Bard : OK... time for some input from YOU. First - what should be the GOAL of a good technology plan? AFA Bard : Anyone? AFL Gayle : Gee, a test already? AFA Bard : Oli, Toot? AFC Oli : Well... AFC Oli : To plan instruction for the needs of kids? AFA Bard : A great start - student centered, Oli. Can you also see technology needs for teachers? AFC Oli : My key has always been that the teachers MUST have input. AFL Gayle : Yes, Bard. Every teacher needs her AppleWorks. :) AFA Bard : So, Gayle, how might Oli's GOAL be restated to include the needs of teachers? AFC Oli : A corollary, therefore, is that teachers must be able to USE the technology themselves.. AFC Oli : before they help the kids to learn to use it. AFA Bard : ()()()()() Use -- computer comfort -- productivity. I like that, Oli! AFC Oli : Where was it that I read that these things called computers came into classrooms and passed the AFC Oli : teachers going 50 miles per hour and ended up at the back of the classroom? AFA Bard : Absolutely. Like getting a set of all new textbooks using a new method of doing math and not AFA Bard : teaching the teachers how to understand it, no? AFC Oli : yep. AFA Bard : OK. So how about this one for a goal -- based on what you've said... AFA Bard : GOAL: To incorporate technology into all aspects of the curriculum and support services. AFC Oli : OK AFA Bard : Gayle? AFL Gayle : Fine by me. :) AFA Bard : OK.. TEST #2. Who else might be included in the "technology loop" with the statement "and support AFA Bard : services..."? AFL Gayle : Librarians!!!!!!! AFC Oli : he he AFA Bard : yup... and? AFC Oli : Teachers, administrators, support staff.. AFA Bard : administrators? custodians? central office people? counselors? coaches? parents?? AFC Oli : who are we htinking of specifically? AFL Gayle : And? Gosh, he's going to make us share with the guidance counselors, and the AFL Gayle : principals. ;) AFA Bard : RIGHT ON TARGET! Jeez.. if only the students were this bright. :) AFA Bard : The idea, folks, is to write your GOAL statement to be INCLUSIVE, not EXCLUSIVE. Make sense? AFC Oli : right on AFL Gayle : Certainly. :) AFA Bard : OK.. work with me on this one... TEST #3. Now that you have a GOAL, WHO should be involved in putting AFA Bard : together a plan? AFL Gayle : Representation from each group that will use the computers. AFL Gayle : Or that can represent the needs of that group AFA Bard : So, Gayle, if you're shooting for a SCHOOL technology plan, should DISTRICT level personnel AFA Bard : be involved? AFL Gayle : Yes. They're the ones with the purse strings, anyway. :) ---- Note: OLI had a question -- topic delayed until later! Enjoy this relevent information about an Apple // alternative network... AFA Bard : OK..... Hold the bus... AFA Bard : Oli -- read your post -- can you elaborate on your question in the message boards? AFC Oli : Well, sort of. AFC Oli : There was an earlier post from Elliot MG last DEcember that was a help. AFC Oli : I logged that whole thread. AFC Oli : The principal of an elementary school has virtually no money to spend, has a lot of IIes, and AFC Oli : wants to give some sort of lab experience AFC Oli : to his kids. AFA Bard : Have you seen the network from Mastery Development? AFC Oli : That shold include keyboard training at an appropriate age, and other experiences at a younger age. AFC Oli : Nope.. tell me more. AFA Bard : These folks have a low-cost networking solution that's fabulous. It's in one of our schools now as AFA Bard : a pilot. Basically, the mastery dev. network consists of three parts - a dedicated IIe/IIgs + AFA Bard : a network card (proprietary)(about $90) in each station and a hard drive (supplied by M.D.) containing AFA Bard : network menuing software, ALL the MECC stuff, keyboarding programs and a bit of very flexible AFA Bard : courseware. The whole thing allows you to share printers (IWriters) and pre-load ANY title almost AFC Oli : I take it back... I may have seen this. What would be the total cost for a 15-18 machine lab? AFA Bard : INSTANTLY to all stations. Very impressive. AFA Bard : Total cost: $90/station + $600 for the hard disk & programs + shipping. AFA Bard : An alternative that's HALF the price of a IIe network with a Mac fileserver. AFA Bard : RE-HI Toot! AFL Gayle : WOW! That IS "cheap"! Uh, inexpensive, I mean. :) AFC Oli : address info would be great. I can pass it along. AFA Bard : It's also pretty quick - for a IIe network. :) AFA Bard : You caught me unprepared -- I'll e-mail it to you though. :)) (:: making a note ::) AFL Gayle : Does that include a site license for the MECC stuff? What is "very flexible AFC Tooter : Back, at last! AFL Gayle : courseware."? Can you add stuff? AFC Oli : We have an old MECC license... We might still have it,. AFL Gayle : Better yet, post it in the folder, Bard, so we all have the address, please. AFA Bard : Yes. But you must use their installation software and, for some programs, you must get the drivers AFA Bard : from the company. It takes some pre-planning, but seems to be worth it. AFA Bard : Will do, Gayle. DCBrower : Hi - I made it! AFL Gayle : Welcome, DC! :) AFA Bard : Hiya DC! AFL Gayle : MECC has to be renewed every year, Oli. AFC Oli : OK... AFA Bard : Right, Gayle. Technically, all old MECC stuff is supposed to be destroyed when the license runs out. AFL Gayle : OK, Bard. What are the problems with the system? AFC Oli : But this sounds like it might be in a range for the PTA to consider it. AFA Bard : I won't check your cabinets, though. ) AFL Gayle : Our license is good. :) AFA Bard : Problems? The fact that you have to install using THEIR software and you need custom drivers for the AFA Bard : printers might be a problem. Also - there is a YEARLY fee to keep the right to get the drivers at AFA Bard : no charge. I think it's about $300.00 AFC Oli : Our super probably wouldn't allow any money at all to be spent on any Apple II's. AFL Gayle : Is their software difficult or complicated? AFA Bard : Oli, this company sends a demo VIDEO TAPE that is really super - get your superintend. to see it & AFC Oli : You know those apple iis - not real machines, you know... NOT!!! AFL Gayle : Reliability? How many times does it break down? (Or did you just get it?) AFA Bard : he'll flip. Talk about getting the most out of your older equipment! AFA Bard : LOL! AFA Bard : No, Gayle. It's VERY easy & menu driven. (Text only, of course) DCBrower : If you can get an "old" Apple II in your classroom to keep -- do it! AFL Gayle : That's IT, Bard! You said the secret word! Video... I've got one here that AFL Gayle : came while I was on vacation. :) AFA Bard : We've been in the pilot process since the beginning of summer, Gayle (We're teaching summer school.) AFL Gayle : Address is Mastery Development AFL Gayle : P.O. Box 2136 AFL Gayle : Redmond, WA 98073 AFA Bard : See.. Gayle's wonderful, isn't she??? AFL Gayle : (206) 885-6927 AFC Oli : I'd be glad to give it to the principal and the PTA president. If they can afford it it would be reall AFC Oli : really worth it. AFA Bard : Absolutely... AND, the network's capable of working with up to 99 units with no appreciable AFA Bard : performance degredation (according to manufacturer, of course.) :) AFC Oli : $2500-$3000 might do it? AFL Gayle : They also have a free newsletter called Network News. AFA Bard : Oh yeah! And you're likely to have some money left over for some extra software. :) DCBrower : Does anyone use Apple IIs in their science labs for data acquisition? AFL Gayle : This brochure has a box for "Contact me ASAP for a FREE evaluation system" AFL Gayle : Oli. AFA Bard : Yup... right now every school uses Broderbund's Science ToolKit modules. AFA Bard : That's what we took advantage of, Gayle. DCBrower : They're good, I know that product AFA Bard : You have experience with others, DC? DCBrower : Vernier software makes a line of probes and good software AFL Gayle : Can test drive for one to two week evaluation period. DCBrower : But there's nothing special for the GS that I know of AFA Bard : Ah yes, DC, I've seen their stuff for the Mac. Really good. How would you rate Vernier's stuff AFA Bard : against the rest? DCBrower : TOPS the best in service and so on AFA Bard : Tell us more about TOPS, please. :) DCBrower : Well, actually I didn't mean that I meant at the very TOP DCBrower : Verier is TOPS, I mena AFA Bard : OIC! I agree! Have you checked out the probeware from Carolina Biological Supply? AFA Bard : Hiya MS! DCBrower : No -- and I'm in Carolina! TEACHER ms : Hi Bard :) AFC Tooter : Hi Murrey. AFA Bard : LOL! Check their catalog for some interesting stuff. TEACHER ms : Hi Toot :) TEACHER ms : Hello, Gayle :) AFL Gayle : Salisbury! A fellow Tar Heel! :) DCBrower : I'm sorry -- who's from Salisbury? AFC Tooter : How is software chosen in your district, Bard? AFL Gayle : You are from Salisbury, DC. I live in Wilmington. :) AFA Bard : Both by our district level "curriculum coordinators" (of which we have 2 per subject area) DCBrower : That's neat! But I've moved recently... Now I'm in Pittsboro, NC AFA Bard : and by local school "media/technology" committees. How about in your district, Toot? TEACHER ms : I live in Memphis :) DCBrower : A nice town AFC Tooter : All by individual teachers. No coordination, but we are much smaller. AFL Gayle : You need to change your online profile then, DC. :) TEACHER ms : Thanks, DC !! DCBrower : Howzat? AFC Tooter : I was wondering if there were opportunities for sharing good ideas from one school to another, but AFC Tooter : with district coordinators, you have answered my question.\ AFL Gayle : You can go to Customer Service and do that, DC, to make it say Pittsboro, NC. DCBrower : Ok AFA Bard : Toot, we have a person in each school (teacher or media specialist) known as the "local school AFA Bard : technology coordinator". We bring those folks together 4 times a year, both in one big (huge) AFA Bard : group and by school level (ES, MS, HS). We trade lots of software ideas there. AFC Tooter : That sounds excellent. How much filters into non-tech based classes (is there such a thing?) AFA Bard : Not as much as we'd like. We task the LSTC's with "evangelizing" at each school, since there's only AFA Bard : one of me and 65 of them. :) They do most of the staff-development across the curriculum along with AFA Bard : grade chairmen, librarians, etc. AFC Tooter : Do the LSTCs get to work with regular classroom teachers on special projects or do kids come in for AFC Tooter : a tech class separated from other curric? AFA Bard : It varies widely, depending on whether the LSTC is a full-time position or an additional responsi- AFA Bard : bility. In most schools, the LSTC also mans one or more computer labs. The labs are scheduled like AFA Bard : a media center, with decisions on scheduling based upon teacher need and curriculum -- not on the old AFA Bard : "if it's Tuesday, it's Mr. Johnson's turn.." I hate when they do THAT! AFA Bard : Curriculum drives technology... not visa versa. :) DCBrower : Hooray! AFC Tooter : Good. AFL Gayle : Even in your elementary schools, Bard? AFA Bard : Yup. We've even begun to replace our Writing to Read labs with "exploration" labs - using the new AFL Gayle : I LOVE the fact that you say "like a media center..." It SHOULD be that way in AFA Bard : Mac-based "Early Learning" series from Apple. AFL Gayle : all media centers, but we're a long way from that. AFA Bard : We LOVE our media specialists here, Gayle. :) AFL Gayle : Great, Bard! :) TEACHER ms : Media Centers in Memphis :) AFA Bard : Have you folks seen the Early Learning stuff? DCBrower : No AFL Gayle : I've seen the Apple // ones, Bard. AFA Bard : Blows the WTR stuff outta the water -- it's FLEXIBLE, CHALLENGING, ATTRACTIVE and we're already TEACHER ms : I have seen them AFL Gayle : VERY popular with primary and Exceptional Children's teachers and students. AFA Bard : seeing proof that it's going to produce some lasting gains. AFC Oli : My poor beleigered (sp) Media specialist. AFA Bard : Here too, Gayle. DCBrower : Who makes it, where do you get it, how much is it? AFA Bard : Apple makes it. Get it from your local Apple Education Sales Consultant dealer. AFA Bard : Cost varies by site. AFL Gayle : Hmmm... you said Apple. Actually, I was thinking about the Early Learning AFL Gayle : series from MECC. AFA Bard : Ahhh... THAT's pretty good stuff, too. DCBrower : It's Apple II based and Apple Inc is promoting it? AFL Gayle : All media specialists are beleaguered, Oli. ;) AFA Bard : Uhm.. unfortunately not, DC. It's strictly Mac-based right now. :(( AFA Bard : The MECC stuff is //e-based, though. AFL Gayle : My error, DC. There are 2 series called AFL Gayle : Early Learning, evidentally. DCBrower : Oh well...that's more Apple IIs for the science classrooms! AFA Bard : ()()()()()()() AFL Gayle : Now THAT's the right attitude, DC! :))) DCBrower : Apple IIs will be with us for a long time AFA Bard : Hopefully! DCBrower : Right now I'm working on sound frequency analysis software using HyperStudio's DCBrower : micropohone for digitizing DCBrower : Look out Physics labs! AFL Gayle : Sounds promising, DC! :) AFA Bard : Awesome! PLEASE upload that one when you're done! DCBrower : Ok! AFL Gayle : Now... the time everyone waits for each week. :) AFA Bard : ************* DRUM ROLL ************** AFL Gayle : The commercial from AED! ;) AFL Gayle : Next week our topic will be Staff Development! (Natural followup to this chat.) AFC Tooter : *DrumRollStart* AFL Gayle : And for our free winner... AFL Gayle : Tonight is... AFA Bard : ************* DRUM ROLL ************** AFC Tooter : *fanfare* AFL Gayle : DCBrower! for the word, science! AFA Bard : Yea!!!!!!!!! Go DC!!!!!!!!!!! A FREE HOUR from BROWER!!!!!!!!!!! AFC Tooter : *fanfare* AFA Bard : Yea! TEACHER ms : Yeah !! DCBrower : I'm overwhelmed...really...I don't know what to say AFC Tooter : *LookOut* AFL Gayle : A free nonprime time hour will be credited to your account later this week. :) AFA Bard : (Love that one, Toot!) AFC Tooter : *Zaaaap* AFL Gayle : Say thank you and that you'll be back next week, DC. :) DCBrower : First I'd like to thank my parents, and their parents, and their parents, and DCBrower : Thank you, too! AFL Gayle : (Drumroll didn't work on my GS, TooT. :( AFC Tooter : *SnackAttach* AFA Bard : You are MOST welcome -- visit NEXT week, DC!! AFC Tooter : Drum Roll or DrumRollStart, Gayle? AFL Gayle : And keep us posted on your HyperStudio project! :) DCBrower : Ok, Bye AFL Gayle : Both of them, TooT. AFC Tooter : Congrats, DC!!! 8/23/92 9:03:17 PM Closing Log file.