Explores technology planning possibilities via interviews with a district-level technology director, a state instructional technology director, and a state administrative technology director. Schools' biggest planning challenges are funding, professional development, and technology integration. The Web browser is becoming a "universal…

Although the E-Rate has been a catalyst for school technology purchases, there are no subsidies for hiring qualified technology support staff. District technology coordinators are relying on technology support systems and shoestring survival strategies, employing standardized equipment and hard-drive configurations, desktop lockdowns, anti-virus…

For most districts, the dream of arming their students and fellow educators with laptops--perhaps reaching the vaunted status of being a one-to-one school--holds a powerful appeal. Yet whether a district is making that push to get laptops into the hands of each student or simply considering upgrades to mobile carts, districts are facing no…

Discussion of technology planning in schools focuses on the total cost of ownership, a model from business that can be helpful in determining the real costs of educational technology. Highlights include learning resources; organizational impacts and management; computer network resources, including software; research and development; and spirit…

Kaestner is the TCO (total cost of ownership) project director for the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN), a national nonprofit group that helps K-12 schools effectively use technology to improve both teaching and learning. CoSN, in tandem with Gartner, a research and advisory firm, has developed a free, vendorneutral, online tool--in the…

Suggests ways for educational institutions to avoid wasting money on software, including: (1) training staff properly; (2) considering the total costs of owning and maintaining software before purchasing it; and (3) finding out if the software will run properly on the school's hardware and network. Asserts that all of the hardware, connections,…

Schools should anticipate unavoidable problems when implementing a technology plan, project, or program. Technology programs should be built around curricular needs, not gurus. Programs are costly, software remains problematic, and (large) size matters. Blending laptops and desktops is feasible. Faculty consensus helps, and upgrades are…

This book begins with an overview of computer technology concepts, including computer system configurations, computer communications, and software. Instructional computer applications are then discussed; topics include computer-assisted instruction, computer-managed instruction, computer-enhanced instruction, LOGO, authoring programs, presentation…

This handbook is intended to facilitate the assessment of technology used to support elementary and secondary education in the United States. It is designed to help decision makers and technology users prepare, collect and assess information about whether and how technology is being used in their school systems. To make assessments that will be…

This planning guide describes step-by-step procedures to assist school principals in integrating technology into the curriculum. It contains the following sections: (1) "Technology in the Catholic School"; (2) "Leadership and Decision Making"; (3) "Preassessment of Current Technology," including hardware, software, the physical plant, classroom…

In recent years, the widespread availability of networks and the flexibility of Web browsers have shifted the industry from a client-server model to a Web-based one. In the client-server model of computing, clients run applications locally, with the servers managing storage, printing functions, and network traffic. Because every client is…

This document provides guidelines for administrators related to instructional technology and planning. Chapter 1 discusses planning, including developing a technology plan, facility assessment, e-rate planning, formation of a technology committee, budget planning, and hardware/software replacement plan and costs. Chapter 2 addresses…

This document contains the instructional technology strategic plan for the Arlington Public Schools (APS) as developed by the Instructional Media & Technology (IMT) Department, which was established in 1992. The mission of this department is to support teachers, students, and related instructional staff in the effective use of instructional,…

This report provides guidelines for establishing a long-term technology plan for education, applicable to schools in all states. Advanced and emerging telecommunications and computer technologies have resulted in an ever increasing need for teachers and students to develop information processing and lifelong learning skills for gathering and…

This paper provides a snapshot of the computer network security industry and addresses specific issues related to network security in public education. The following topics are covered: (1) security policy, including reasons for establishing a policy, risk assessment, areas to consider, audit tools; (2) workstations, including physical security,…