Technology Use Across Nebraska

[Beth Still]

This Ning is finally starting to grow! It seems like every week or so I am approving a few new members.

I would like to put a general question out to everyone who is a member of this Ning to start getting some discussions going. Please describe how technology is used in your district. Are teachers willing to integrate it into their lessons? Does your district support and encourage teachers to use the tools which are available? Do you have what you consider to be a fair AUP?

I think it will be interesting to see how the use and access to technology varies across the state.

[Judi]

Beth,
Hi! Our district does encourage teachers to use technology and I think that overall they are supportive. I should know what a AUP is but I don't. What is an AUP?
I would like to investigate where our district is going in the area of technology in regards to teaching students about Wiki's, technology tools and resources, etc. It seems that some students are exposed through electives, but not everyone has access to technology.
Judi

[Josh Allen]

Finally this year we are beginning to truly integrate by having example activities for our teachers in their curriculum guides. We've also increased the amount of technology by offering credit hour classes for our teachers. We've harped and harped and harped about the need to integrate and not add-on with technology, but I think teachers were a little skeptical. Slowly, things are starting to come around.

We do not have a specific Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) because we feel that our handbook outlines it "well enough." But it has crossed my mind. I do think we have a great relationship between the curriculum and technology department, which is key to having successful use of technology.

[Beth Still]

I work at an alternative school in Scottsbluff where I teach both face to face and online classes. I have always enjoyed finding ways to integrate technology into my classroom, but what I have enjoyed the most this year has been watching my ESU work to promote digital literacy. (I'm not crazy about the term "21st century" skills.) I have watched over the last year as the other teachers I work with have become increasingly comfortable with integrating technology into their lessons.

We have lots of encouragement to use technology and we have been able to travel to different conferences to learn more about how to successfully integrate it into our plans. I am also lucky to work in a place where professional networking is accepted. I can be on Twitter and Nings during the day without fear of getting in trouble. I wish more schools would trust their teachers enough to allow them access to networking sites. I am not exaggerating when I say that over 98% of the new things I have learned this year I have learned from my PLN.

Resources for AUP's:
School AUP 2.0
AUP Tips from Howie DiBlasi