PENDER COUNTY SCHOOLS Closing the Digital Divide Establishing Access to Technology Resources to All Schools Martin Howes, Ian Jones, Newman Lanier, Kara Lee – MIT 512 – UNCW 9/28/2007 This proposal outlines the technology access divide at district schools and interventions designed to narrow the gap between the “have’s” and “have-not’s.” Schools include both federally and locally funded schools, each with their own set of issues in dealing with access to technology.I. Introduction “While not every student has a computer and the Internet at her fingertips, it's clear that the problem of access is on its way to being solved. But there remain other areas of concern: the quality of hardware and connections, what students do with technology, what their teachers know and can do, the influence of strong leaders, and reaching those populations of students out of the educational mainstream.” (Solomon, 2002) Within the Pender County School district, this divide is evident in the difference between those schools receiving Title I funding and those who are not. Although schools that qualify for the funding are deemed to be economically deficient, these schools are often better equipped with technology than those who do not receive the funding. Although funding is a key contributor to bridging the divide, it does not stand alone. There are several other contributors that need to interweave simultaneously in order to bridge this divide successfully. This proposal outlines those contributing issues of the digital divide in the Pender County district schools. These schools include both federally and locally funded schools, each with their own set of issues in dealing with access to technology. The areas where issues have been identified are: Technology Integration, Professional Development, Hardware/Software Procurement, Instructional Environment, and Community. Along with outlining the problems within these areas, this proposal also suggests goals and interventions designed to narrow the gap between the technology “have's” and “have-not’s” who stand on either side of the divide. These suggested interventions form the basis for the Proposed Action Plan, identifying those responsible for each intervention's implementation, the target time frame, and evidence of implementation. Key district stakeholders should utilize this proposal as a guide for developing an implementation schedule that will not only align with district strategic goals but ensure its ultimate success. II. Content (The Digital Divide and Solutions) Technology Integration Problem: Administrators do not see technology integration as a critical issue or do not know what true integration looks like. Problem: At both ends, computer integration is limited. Much of the access that students have to computers is through a “computer class” instead of using technology as a tool to achieve core curriculum goals.Problem: Focus has traditionally been on the use of office applications (word processing especially) and internet research. Students are not being fully introduced to practical functions of spreadsheets, databases, collaborative web applications and multimedia creation. Goal: Administrators understand technology integration as a critical issue and can describe what it might look like in their school by citing examples. Goal: Based on the National Educational Technology Standards (NETS), students should learn to use technology as an aid to the core courses which focus on media production, communication, and collaboration. • Suggested Intervention: Administrative exposure and instruction on how to integrate technology standards into the curriculum must be a priority. The focus must be on using technology as a tool and not a stand-alone subject through a full understanding the NETS. • Suggested Intervention: Teacher exposure and instruction on how to integrate technology standards into the curriculum must be a priority. The focus must be on using technology as a tool and not a stand-alone subject through a full understanding of NETS. Professional Development Problem: Low income schools – receiving federal funding, much of it spent on technology (hardware and software), but little is being spent on technology integration professional development for teachers, therefore access is limited based on lack of teacher knowledge. Currently, the district is requiring 3 CEU’s (30 hours) of technology professional development, but is only implementing training at the district level. Teachers are completing a self-assessment of technology integration skills. Problem: Many experienced teachers, although displaying experience and ambition within their own content areas, seem content having only basic technology skills. They do not see themselves as a resource for their students in the area of technology. Students’ access to relevant and emerging tools is limited due to their teachers’ lack of comfort with them. Goal: A systematic plan is in place to spend federal money that includes long range plans for hardware and software, technology integration professional development for teachers and all stakeholders (including parents and administration), and updating and maintenance. • Suggested Intervention: Focus at Title I schools on professional development for teachers in the use of technology for teaching the core curriculum (Math, Science, Social Studies, Language Arts). • Suggested Intervention: District should implement an administrative requirement that teachers will be evaluated on their technology usage. This evaluation should be based on teachers’ use of appropriate technology to teach the curriculum. • Suggested Intervention: Additional school-level positions funded to assist these schools in providing professional development for its teachers.• Suggested Intervention: Technology staff development must focus on tools that are relevant in today’s world and emerging technologies must be taught to teachers with suggestions for use in the classroom. • Suggested Intervention: District publication highlighting emerging technologies and recommendations for teaching these skills. • Suggested Intervention: Summer institute for teachers who would like to learn more skills dealing with the integration of technology and the issues that accompany their students’ access to these tools. Hardware/Software Procurement Problem: Higher income schools – do not