Date: 10/2/94 Start Time: 7:55:34 PM End Time: 9:05:28 PM Participants: ACOT KEITH, AFA Bard, BCS Frank, DenSand, Dfarren, GoldR1, JeanetteT, Jenny01, MaristR, MCOAN, PiersonB, Ri35370111, Susan G2 FREE HOUR WINNER: MCOAN AFA Bard : OK... let's get rolling! It's with GREAT pleasure that I introduct Keith Yocam (ACOT KEITH). He's one of a group of folks working with ACOT. ACOT stands for "Apple Classrooms of Tomorrow" and is a very innovative research-based program. Tonight, he'll answer questions relating to ACOT, or whatever else is on your mind. :) Remember.. at the end of the conference, a FREE ONLINE HOUR will be awarded to some lucky online user... so be sure to ask LOTS of questions! :) To help our guest out... please signal with a "!" if you have a comment and a "?" if you have a question.. this'll help us to make sure everyone has a chance to talk to Keith!!! :) Without any more commercials, then... heeerrrreee's Keith! Keith- WELCOME! Can you tell us a bit about your involvement with ACOT? \ga ACOT KEITH : Certainly...I manage the ACOT project. ACOT has been investigating the impact of technology on teaching and learning for nine years. It's amazing to me that we have been at this for this long...during all of Apple's reorganizations. Cuurently, much of ACOT's work is developing a better understanding of staff development and what kinds of programs/experiences can help teachers better integrated technology into their classrooms. ACOT KEITH : Two years ago we got a grant from the National science foundation to create and study a new model of staff development. frank BCS Frank : What is the investment of equipment and whatnot that goes into an ACOT school? ACOT KEITH : It varies with each school and the kind of project we are working on - for instance we are working with schools that are parnters with a project called the National Alliance for restructuring education. The equipment that we have granted them is in alignment with what is being recommedned by Goals 2000. Here's what you would find in a classroom. A couple of Mac 520s or 575s ACOT KEITH : A multimedia presentation/composition system, on a cart - usually a quadra or 660AV with overhead projection system. A duoDoc for the teacher, and a cache of PowerBooks, usually ten to be shared by four classrooms. Our goal here is to align work work with the 3 students: one compiter ratio in Goals 2000. Four classrooms have this configuration and share the PowerBooks. Dfarren ga Dfarren : I do not know about some of this equipment.? ACOT KEITH : Which ones? Dfarren : How can we apply for funding to learn about this and get more equip? Mac 520 and 575 ACOT KEITH : There are serveral ways available for funding emerging. Much of the reauthorization legislation at both the federal and state levels have include resources for schools and districts to not only put plans and write other grants but to get technology and suppo support staff development activities. Dfarren : I came in this summer and strung a phone lne down the hall (over the ceiling) so I could connect AOL ACOT KEITH : It's always good to check with you district for what's available for grants. Dfarren : We need more of this going on We are participating in PALMS ACOT KEITH : Alos local foundations and businessess are starting to get in to picture. Dfarren : Partnership for advanced learning of math and science . But no money! ACOT KEITH : As to our information: Our research reports are posted here on AOL in the ACOT section. AFA Bard : (KEYWORD: ACOT gets you to the research!) ACOT KEITH : What does PALMS mean? AFA Bard : Partnership for Advanced Learning of Math and Science, Keith. ACOT KEITH : By the way Mac 520s and Mac 575 are Apple's classroom computers. BCS Frank : ACOT direct grants and involvement is only for a few schools, right? ACOT KEITH : Yes, that's right. It's the partner schools where we do our research. Our labs so to speak. There are other programs at Apple in the Corporate Affairs group that give out grants to schools. ACOT KEITH : They are called "Partners in Education" grants. Dfarren, ga Dfarren : We have LC III as our most up to date How sie that stack up to yours? ACOT KEITH : Since many of our partner schools have been with use for a while, there is just about every kind of computer in the classrooms, from Apple IIe to Quadras. We don't advocate replication of these ACOT classrooms. These are the place where we try new things out and see if they have any place in education. Bard. Ga did you have ? AFA Bard : Yes, Keith. I remember that the beginning ACOT programs were focused on what might happened if the barrier of not having access were broken. Weren't there Apple computers given to all students and MCOAN : does anyone know how to remedy an error 1 prompt when trying to ron a screen saver?/ AFA Bard : staff or something? What are the major findings that came from that study? (hang on Mccoan--- I'll send you an instant message with your answer!) ACOT KEITH : Yes, we started out wanting to know what would happen when students and teachers had 24 hour access to computers. All we had to use in those days were the Apple line (IIes and Cs) and the Mac 512s. ACOT KEITH : What we learned very quickly was that interesting things happen in classrooms when students and teachers have constant access. For instance gender as an issue goes away. But we also learned that it's not a question of every student having a computer on their desk - ACOT KEITH : What is needed is that students need access (routine access) to technology we they need it for the tas task they are working on. ACOT KEITH : This is to say that sometimes kids need a computer for their wordprocessing but other times ACOT KEITH : two or three kids will collaborate on a multimedia compostition and need a more powerful computer. They dont' all need to be the samew machine and shouldn't. We also believe that access needs to be in classrooms, not labs. AFA Bard : Or maybe BOTH, Keith? BCS Frank : Why the reservation with labs? ACOT KEITH : Well, labs are the places most schools get started and that's okay but what we found is that labs are usually pretty limiting. BCS Frank : How so? ACOT KEITH : Think of it this way - would you put 30 pencils in a room and have students come twice a week to use t them - what would they be learning? About the pencil and in a restricted way. they wouldn't for the most part be learning about the pencil as a tool for many differnt kinds of task and also labs tend to remove teachers from getting invoolved with the computers. I know this is an economic issue - we have found if you really what computers to make a difference - spread them out, learn the teachers who are really interested become the vanguards for the school - let them experiment and lead the way. Interesting things will happen and it disperses the control of the technology to kids and teachers. Susan, ga Susan G2 : Wouldn't a combination be better? A few in the classroom for collaborative work and a lab for individu al work /end ACOT KEITH : Sure, That's a good place to be - probably right now. If I could design a school. they would be everywhere. ACOT KEITH : In the media center, classrooms - the whole school becomes a "lab" - with students carrying around the thier Powerbooks plugging them into networks anywhere in the school, museums, at home. AFA Bard : Keith, what about personnel to support the instructional/productivity technology- has your research AFA Bard : told you anything about the need for personnel? ACOT KEITH : Well, certainly this is something that district's and school's need to plan for and allocate funds for - personnel to suppot support ACOT KEITH : Teachers don't have the time to do all the troubleshoot. ACOT KEITH : There will need to be folks to help - it's the state of technology at this time that it still breaks done and is not well understood by most how to fix it. Teachers are best becoming more creative with integrating it into their instruction and curric. ACOT KEITH : By Suuport we have aides in our schools that keep the networks running for instance, The teachers do some troubleshooting and fixing but if it's going to take away from class time and they have planned for it's use then they may need some help. Also computers break down, even ours:) - so the distrcit should have a few folks who can repari them and get them back inservice quickly The disticts should have some folks to repair them and get them back into service quickly. BCS Frank : I've heard comments that the ACOT classes are great, but not reproducable in the "real world" without Apple's budget. AFA Bard : Frank said.."I've heard comments that the ACOT classes are great, but not reproducable in the "real world" without Apple's budget." ACOT KEITH : The last part, I beleive was the districts need to have some staff to repair technology and get it back into service as quickly as possible. Districts seem in many cases to be hard to change with regard to technology. Well, I think the biggest challenge for education/districts is how to sustain new programs How do district reprioritize and provide a 21st century education for students - that means have kids and teachers take advance of the learning potential with technology - whatever that will bec become. It's hard to imagine hiring someone in the future, even know at Apple that doesn't know how to use a computer. I think the ACOt classrooms are pretty terrific. But it's not because we had a lot to do with them - it's because we work with some terrifically talented and imaginativce teachers, studetns, principals, paren parents. MaristR : We had to hire someone just this year to handle the technical aspects of our network. ACOT KEITH : They think of what would be great and we try to help them use it, maybe we build to try it out. MaristR : We were very lucky to find some on that would work for education wages. ACOT KEITH : Yes, networks are tricky "animals." Can you share a couple of those ways, I'm interested. Soory - miss read you sentence. Yes it is tough to get folks to work for ed wages - AFA Bard : Keith, what's next for ACOT? ACOT KEITH : Well, this is the final year of the ACOT Teacher Developmet Center Porject. ACOT KEITH : For the past two years and this coming year - teachers come from all over the country to ACOT KEITH : spend a week in an ACOT classroom learning about intgrating technology in their classrooms. It's been very exciting research - we have learned a lot about staff development We hope to get an addition grant to continue the development of the model. AFA Bard : When will those research reports be available? ACOT KEITH : After technology - staff development is the next most requested service that educators ask of Apple. We have five new reports, two about the teacher development centers, that will be available - hopefully - mid October. they are in final editting now. AFA Bard : Ok, folks, before we give away our FREE HOUR, let's give MAJOR applause for our terrific online guest- Keith Yocum, from ACOT!!!!! Yea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PiersonB : Way to go Keith! AFA Bard : ()()()()()()()()()() BCS Frank : Thanks, Keith! MaristR : *YEE-HA!* BCS Frank : I'll be looking forward to those reports. AFA Bard : Thanks, Keith for all the great information! If you'd like to find out more about ACOT, visit their area here on America Online (KEYWORD: ACOT). And now.... the free hour giveaway... (drumroll, Frank?) MaristR : *DRUMROLL* AFA Bard : (::::: spinning the wheel ::::) BCS Frank : Onlinehost rolls drum..... AFA Bard : Tonight, the Apple // Education Forum awards a FREE ONLINE HOUR to.... MCOAN (from Orlando, FL!) MaristR : *FIREWORK* AFA Bard : Let's give 'em a REAL BIG AOL hand!!!!! PiersonB : Congratulations MCOAN! BCS Frank : MCOAN, way to Go!!! :) PiersonB : ()()()()()()()( AFA Bard : Mcoan, your FREE HOUR will be posted to your AOL account within 72 hours. Check KEYWORD: BILLING then to see that it's posted!) MCOAN : hey how 'bout that begginers luck, hey i'm all choked up I don't know what to say. AFA Bard : Folks.. please join us EVERY Sunday nite from 8-9 Eastern for another education-related topic and free hour giveaway!!! :) G'night folks!!!!!!! MaristR : What is the topic next week? AFA Bard : Roger.. it's "Stupid Apple // Tricks". Believe it or not! A FLASHBACK topic! AFA Bard : An edited copy of tonight's CHAT LOG will be posted in the AED education forum later tonight. :)