ED 629 Blog Collaboration

Covid 19, has been an eye opener for educators around the world. We have noticed how Common Core isn't so common. Teachers and districts around the world struggled to find ways for their kids to work so that they would have equitable access. In a recent E-Panel interview,done by my professor in EDL 621, I noted that certain school systems such as Hoover and Auburn were able to pull 1:1 and have all students work online. Other districts, such as Jefferson County and Birmingham City, just did not have the funding for such. So, what is a solution to the budgeting problem? One to One devices! It is no longer in the best interest of our students to all have to use the same type of device. Using multiple devices challenge teachers to really think about their lessons and how they are using technology.  Teachers are free to explore innovative and engaging ways to reach ALL students ( Paquette, 2012).  Here are some reasons we should consider BYOD for 1:1 access: Immediate Feedbac...

E valuating Technology Purchases I nstructional Technologist and Tech Team Leaders have a very important job in front of them. One of their jobs is to help determine what technology should be purchased. This can be very touchy, because some teachers will have ideas about technology purchases, but your infrastructure may not allow for what they want to purchase. So how does one properly evaluate and make a decision about what is a probable purchase? How do you say no to eager teachers who don’t know the ropes of choosing technology? According to Pusey (2019) there are four essential questions that schools should use when determining which equipment to purchase.  1. H o w d o you approach purchasing education technology tools? The very first step I would take is to meet with the Budget Committee from the school to find out how much money was allotted for technology purchases. “Keeping a close eye on the budget will help you clearly picture what technologies are ne...