TF-VII A.5 (installation, maintenance, inventory)TF-VII A. 6(Troubleshooting techniques)TF-VII A.7 (Operate the network)TH-VII A. 8 (Maximize the use of tech by teachers)TF-VII B. 3 (Procedures for troubleshooting & preventative maintenance)

Technology Procedures, Planning, & BudgetingGOAL: To learn more about how your school plans and budgets for technology. How is technology used and maintained in your building?

TASK: Interview a school technology facilitator or any person within your building that can provide you with the answers you require.

Requirements:1. You can video or audio record your interview. If you choose this method,

please identify the parties you are interviewing at the start of the recording. 2. You may instead choose to type out the responses of your interviewee. If you

choose this method, be sure to obtain a picture of your interviewee along with the information in the table below.

3. If the interviewee gives a vague response, ask additional questions to prompt them to elaborate on the topic. If they are lacking knowledge on certain questions, find a 2nd interviewee that can provide an adequate answer.

INTERVIEWEES – Identify the parties that have been interviewedNAME: Chris Connelly JOB TITLE: Computer teacher, STC

taken with my phone

Years in current position: 2nd year

Once being a homeroom teacher, Mr. Chris Connelly is now a second year Computer Education teacher at Price Elementary. Prior to his current position, Mr. Connelly used technology for its basic needs. It wasn’t until he became the technology teacher that his eyes were opened to a field of ways to use technology in education. He uses a variety of programs, MS Office tools, web searching for research, technology games that integrate core subjects and many more with students. While introducing his primary students to technology, he is also working diligently with his intermediate students, and preparing the fifth grade students to take the end of the year assessment. Mr. Connelly is passionate about integrating technology beyond his class and into the homeroom classes as well. His biggest goal is to be able to assist his students with developing their own blogs.

TF-VII A.5 (installation, maintenance, inventory)TF-VII A. 6(Troubleshooting techniques)TF-VII A.7 (Operate the network)TH-VII A. 8 (Maximize the use of tech by teachers)TF-VII B. 3 (Procedures for troubleshooting & preventative maintenance)

Questions to ask:1. Explain your procedures for technology inventory maintenance. (How do you

take inventory? When and how often do you take inventory? With whom do you share the data? How is the data used for future technology decisions?)

a. At Price Elementary, we take inventory by doing a school walk-through at least once a year. Every Spring the STC is required to turn in a complete inventory of our school. He sends out a questionnaire to staff members to gather data about needs of the school. This method is not always reliable because not everyone sends back the data. The STC then shares the data with CES and sends a copy to the principal.

b. Data is used to look at the quantity of technology, and how it is being used. It is also used to see how often technology is being used and the age of the devices in the building. The programmatic needs are decided by checking to see what best supports the core academic goals (Robots vs. iPads).

2. Explain the procedures and guidelines that are used in planning and purchasing technology resources for the school.

a. Mr. Connelly states that he collects the opinion of teachers in relations to their specific needs, which is usually informal or using a questionnaire. The technology committee discusses these needs and develops a prioritized lists. The list is then given to the principal and we look at the budget and discuss short term and long term needs versus wants based on programmatic needs to impact student learning the most.

3. What techniques are used to maintain your current technology? (How often do you update software? What techniques are used to keep older computers running properly? )

a. Routine maintenance is done by the STC. Any problems that can be fixed within the building, the STC facilitates. Anything above his ability needs an HEAT ticket to be sent to the district level. Updates are usually sent by the district automatically every Thursday. Teachers should plug their laptop to an Ethernet cable in order to receive the updates. To keep older computers running, sometimes they are re-imaged when they start to act funny. If they break down beyond repair, someone comes to get it from the district.

4. How do you manage software installation for all of the computers in the building? (Do you manually install software on each machine? Do you have individual staff members install software? Is software installed remotely?)

a. We mostly use web hosted programs, rather than purchasing individual licenses. Some district software is installed remotely. In general, we do not have school-based software that we need to install.

5. Describe some of your troubleshooting techniques when working with the technology issues in the building? (Do you use technology forums? Do you reinstall software or reimage the computers? Do you obtain advise from colleagues?)

a. In general, Mr. Connelly handles very common issues that arise in the building. For support, there is an STC binder of professional development and training. He looks through his emails to see if

TF-VII A.5 (installation, maintenance, inventory)TF-VII A. 6(Troubleshooting techniques)TF-VII A.7 (Operate the network)TH-VII A. 8 (Maximize the use of tech by teachers)TF-VII B. 3 (Procedures for troubleshooting & preventative maintenance)

someone else has had the problem and how they solved it. He also sends emails to his STC colleagues for support. He can call the help desk or create a HEAT ticket. As a last resort due to data loss, a computer will be re-imaged.

6. Describe your school’s network? (How does it operate?)a. There are several wireless access points in almost every room. In

general there is good connectivity and speed of the internet. Servers in the building that are in the closet are being phased out. Most data is hosted off-site, which is pushing staff to save in the cloud storage.

7. What strategies are employed to maximize the use of technology by the teachers? (Do you offer PD? Has the admin set technology goals for the staff? Do the teacher have access to the latest in technology?)

a. There is generally no PDs offered due to individual needs, so he works with classroom teachers one-on-one by request. All classrooms are equipped with a mounted SmartBoard, document camera, and media projector. All homeroom classes also have: laptops, 3-4 computer stations, wireless access, iPads, clickers, etc. As of right now, there are no technology goals for the staff.