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Grant Award Winner: Maryland Apple Corps., Inc.
Connecting Teachers: Technology to Go
Proposal
To make available to teachers, on a take-home basis, 3 laptop computers with modem
capability (Apple iBooks). Teachers who would otherwise not have a computer at home
could, with a provided Internet Service Provider (ISP), use the same to create web
pages, to provide e-mail access with students, to create presentations and to communicate
more effectively with students and parents.
__ To improve the general computer literacy of the teachers
at Dulaney High School.
There is a full story about how Dulaney is doing with
their new iBooks.
Rationale
It is often erroneously assumed that large numbers of teachers have computers at
home and are proficient in their use. In reality, at Dulaney, 43 of 125 teachers
replied on a survey that they had a home computer that they regularly use. The staff
at Dulaney may be proficient in word processing uses and grade book programs; however,
the use in daily instruction is limited, in part because the building is only now
realizing a large-scale technological capability. Many teachers are not sophisticated
in personal computing skills to take significant advantage of the new technology.
__ At grading time, many teachers will stay at school
late to use the computers in order to use the gradebook program for which we have
a site license.
__ This proposal follows the concept that if computer
use/training can be made more convenient, more of the staff will be willing to interact
with the technology, see its advantages, and seek the training necessary to become
increasingly proficient in its use.
__ Thus, by supplying laptop computers (Apple iBooks)
on an individual sign-out basis with the caveat that some level of training with
the Computer Liaison or other certified trainer approved by the Computer Liaison
(e.g. User Group members) is required. It is posited that teacher use and proficiency
in computer use will increase. Efforts would follow to translate that increased use
to more interactive involvement by the staff with in-school computers and promote
the instruction of students in appropriate use of the technology.
III. Outcomes
- Teacher training will result in more general literacy.
- Laptop use will result in more teachers seeing the training and the use of computers
as more convenient.
- Teachers who are more technologically literate will use in-class technology when
instructing students.
IV. Management
The Computer Liaison will be responsible for managing the grant. The school bookkeeper,
along with central system auditing, will dispense funds, if granted. Should the equipment
be purchased by the Academy, the school liaison will assume responsibility for maintenance,
check-out by the staff, training, trainer certification and User Group liaison should
such participation occur.
V. Summary
The funding of the proposal will generally enhance the productivity/compatibility
level of the teaching staff. By doing so, the student body will benefit by the improved
levels of competency and confidence in technological use on the part of their teachers.
Additionally, teachers will incorporate the technological capability of the renovation
and the completion of the recent wiring of the building into their student instruction.
Maryland Apple Corps., Inc., Marie
I. Ponzillo
School Partner:
Dulaney High School
255 Padonia Road
Timonium, MD 21093
Lyle Patzkowsky, Principal
County/District Jurisdiction: Baltimore County, Maryland
What the Grants Board had to say:
It's too bad we cannot give all teachers, everywhere, a new iBook. If we could, you
probably would see a substantial jump in the computer literacy statistics in our
education system today. No computer manufacturer in their right mind would ever undertake
such a venture, so the challenge at hand is to make it happen for one teacher...
one school at a time.
__ While this is an uncomplicated proposal, it's one
that wil go a long way to helping the teachers of Dulaney High School embrace technology
into their teaching routine. Above all, it will lend not only a little help to these
teachers, it will provide some much needed enjoyment in computing, as well.
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