We determined that the best possible choice at this time is a business grade netbook or a laptop. Compared to mobile devices, they have more versatility and durability:

Connects seamlessly to projectors

Accepts USB peripherals, including memory

Displays webpages that are not customized to fit on mobile devices

Currently, it is a basic need for college students

It is less expensive than iPad or Droid

No need to purchase apps to get maximum benefit

A lengthy discussion of wireless networking resulted in the following considerations:

A wireless network at best, allows users to download/upload and/or surf at 56 megabytes per second (for laymen, pretend that is miles per hour)

A hard-wired network allows users to download/upload and/or surf at 1000 megabytes per second (think mph)

When supporting multiple users, a hard-wired network is faster.

A combination of wireless and hardwire are the best choice until wireless networks become faster for multiple users.

Things change quickly

It was decided that our district is in need of a Learning Management System (LMS). A popular LMS is Moodle. Sarah Kucbel, Lynn Gagnon and Joe Phillips will be exploring the cost, networking and set up of a Learning Management System to launch in the fall of next year.

http://moodle.org/ We decided that the Barnes and Noble Color Nook was the best eReader, but the non-color Nook has an anti-glare screen that some of us just can’t do without.

Keystone Local School District Technology Committee makes the following recommendations: We have three plans for technology integration into the new middle school. The items in each plan are listed in order of importance to teaching and learning. Consider:

Speed of student computer or device

Hardwired desktops currently require almost no maintenance

Laptop lab requires daily maintenance

Order of Technology Integration

Purpose of Lesson or Unit

Place in Curriculum

Tool for Facilitation

Members (in alphabetical order): Jay Arbaugh, Tom Clary, Lynn Gagnon, Joshua Hayes, Sarah Kucbel, David Miller Phil Lombardo, Paula Perhot, Joseph Phillips, Michael Smith, Kim Sturgill, Dan White

Plan A consists of

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Plan A

Upgrade current “G” network to “N” network as described by Joe Phillips – make high school compatible

In every classroom + art, music, media, phys. ed. o 5 hardwired student desktops with

microphones, cameras and headphones

o 1 Teacher computer connected to projector with camera and microphone

o 1 projector o 1 SMARTboard o 2 wireless access points o 1 cart of 30 wireless laptops or

netbooks with printer

In every grade level & media center o 1 cart of wireless “Smart” devices

such as the Android or iPad – re-evaluate when closer to purchase time

In building o Multiple wireless access points

grid to cover all areas o Hardwired computer lab of 35

desktops with microphones, cameras and headphones

Plan B

Upgrade current “G” network to “N” network as described by Joe Phillips – make high school compatible

In every classroom + art, music, media, phys. ed. o 5 hardwired student desktops with

microphones, cameras and headphones

o 1 teacher computer connected to projector with camera and microphone

o 1 projector o 1 SMARTboard o 1 wireless access point

In every grade level & media center o 1 wireless cart of 30 netbooks (4

total)

In building o Hardwired computer lab of 35

desktops with microphones, cameras and headphones

Plan C

Upgrade current “G” network to “N” network as described by Joe Phillips – make high school compatible

In every classroom + art, music, media, phys. ed. o 1 teacher computer connected to

projector with microphone and camera

o 1 projector o 1 whiteboard o 5 hardwired student desktops with

microphones, cameras and headphones

In building o Hardwired computer lab of 35

desktops with microphones, cameras and headphones

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The following list was created to be a reference for teachers. These are tools that other people in the district have used and found helpful. They are recommended because they can be set up to use with students. They are tagged with labels from Blooms Taxonomy for Web2.0

1. Wikis – Wikispaces - http://www.wikispaces.com/ a. Creating -- for classroom management & student creation

2. Blog - Edublog- http://edublogs.org/ a. Creating – for classroom management & communication

3. Presentation -Prezi- http://prezi.com/ a. Creating – for classroom presentation by teacher or student

i. We have a subscription to this online tool – see Lynn. 4. Images -Voice Thread- http://voicethread.com/

a. Creating – for presentation and interactive commenting i. We have a subscription to this online tool – see Lynn.

5. Communicate -Skype- http://www.skype.com/intl/en-us/home a. Understanding – for contacting experts in your content area &

allowing one to one discussion with class 6. Google Images – http://www.google.com/imghp?hl=en&tab=wi

a. Creating – use advanced search to set strict search filter, designate “labeled for reuse” for copyright free images

This is a list of “Hey, did you see this?” sites:

1. Wolframalpha - http://www.wolframalpha.com/ a. Search Engine – computational knowledge search – look up

“apple” or “pi” 2. Photosynth - http://photosynth.net/

a. Panoramic .tiff images stitched together. . .amazing zoom 3. Sputtr - http://www.sputtr.com/

a. Search Engine – categorizes your search: video, news, images, social networks, shopping, etc.

Mr. Hartwell’s Math Blog http://mrhartwell.blogspot.com/

iSchool Intitiative https://www.ischoolinitiative.com/Videos.html

Digital Games Social Networking Simulations

http://education.mit.edu/papers/GamesSimsSocNets_EdArcade.pdf

The Digital Curriculum http://tinyurl.com/6z4zjgv

iPad cart management http://technology.wgschools.org/teachers/ipad

Overdrive http://www.overdrive.com/Resources/DRC/Default.aspx

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