March+7,+2012



Agenda:
 * Welcome
 * Wireless Access Information
 * Deployment of netbooks for small group collaboration (sign in information, etc.)
 * Update of BMS student technology survey
 * Break up into small groups to address specific district technology goals
 * Review and discussion of small group collaboration
 * Wrap-up

During our last Tech Committee meeting (Feb 1st) attendees identified the need to brainstorm in smaller group settings to address the following areas: To assist with this goal we turned to the[| International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE)] and their [|National Educational Technology Standards (NETS]) for both [|students] and[| teachers.]. We identified 2 student standards and 2 teacher standards to help guide groups when completing a chart posted on each group page. Below please find the links to the group pages for tonight's collaborative project.
 * Collaborative/small group projects**
 * 1) District needs/equipment
 * 2) Goals and Policy
 * 3) PD for teachers
 * 4) Possible fund raising ideas

NETS Group 1 NETS Group 2 NETS Group 3 NETS Group 4

Click here to view pictures from the March 7th meeting. There were approximately 25 people in attendance- including administrators, teachers, parents, students and 2 school committee members. The meeting began with Lorraine (Director of Technology) Each of the 4 groups had approximately 30 minutes to meet, discuss, collaborate and complete their chart. At the end of the 30 minutes everyone came back to the general group to share and disseminate information. Common trends within each of the groups:
 * introducing the Technology Committee wiki
 * inviting people who had BTOD to access the public wifi
 * invited others to use one of the classroom netbooks
 * discussed Digital Literacy by introducing the ISTE standards. "We need to prepare our students to be life long learners."
 * reviewed and discussed the implications of the BMS student technology survey
 * suggested that the survey be given to both high school and Vets Park students
 * attendees then broke up into separate groups to address specific ISTE standards (please refer to the information shared by clicking on the group links above and scrolling o the bottom of the page to access the chart).
 * Teacher PD is necessary and not optional. Teachers should be given the PD, followed by reasonable timelines to accomplish specific goals/skills
 * Teacher PD should be established with levels of abilities-- teachers should be tapped for their expertise to teach/mentor other teachers
 * Technology is not going away- teachers need to "let go of the leash and let students use technology to explore"
 * Develop strategies for teachers to be able to share with other teachers
 * Needs to be more equatable disbursement of technology in the district
 * Funding resources need to be identified


 * The next Technology Committee meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 4th at Veterans Park Elementary School at 7PM. ALL are welcome to join us!**