A Few Good Tech Coordinators

One of the email lists I belong to has a member that occasionally forgets that working with educators is vastly different than working in the business sector. He is the network manager of a K-12 district and is still learning the nuances of working with educators and how education works (or doesn't). His email signature ends with this: "CCNA/CCDA/CCDP/CCNP, MCSE 2003, CNE/CNI 5 and 6, LPI 1, CCA, and a few more."

At times, "foot in mouth" disease is rampant on his part. He was at it again last week, although this was a very mild case. One reply came from a fellow tech coordinator who said:

"Maybe you could just sugar coat things a little? I like to reflect on a quote from one of my favorite movies, A Few Good Tech Coordinators.

Kaffee: I want the truth!

Jessep: You can't handle the truth! Son, we live in a world that has firewalls. And those firewalls have to be guarded by routers with access lists an supported by Technology Coordinators and Network Administrators. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Wetech? I have a greater responsibility than you can possibly Wiki. You weep for Carmen Sandiego and you curse the Technology Coordinators. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know: that Sandiego being lost somewhere in the world, while tragic, will eventually be found. And my existence, while Open Source and incompatible with Vista, saves bytes...You don't want the truth. Because during deep system scanning, in places you don't talk about at WAN and LAN parties, you want me on that firewall. You need me on that firewall.

We use words like binary, HTML code, script...we use these words as the Internet backbone and to a life spent downloading something. You use 'em as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very network I provide, then questions the manner in which I provide it! I'd rather you just said thank you and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a flash drive and go blog yourself. Either way, I don't give a widget what you think you're entitled to!"

I thought this was a stitch. What do you think?

(Thanks to Jason Schenzel, Technology Coordinator at Newman Catholic Schools in Wausau, WI for the original post).

SETDA's "Bloggers Thinking Bold Challenge"

Welcome to SETDA's "Bloggers Thinking Bold Challenge"

At our annual Emerging Technologies Forum just prior to NECC, SETDA participants were treated to the "Ed-Tech Gladiator Challenge" featuring David Warlick and David Thornburg. 

Each gave a short presentation on the future of tech in schools and then challenged the participants to:

To come up with one action step per topic that crystallizes a solid, bold, action step that will help policy makers create district, state and national legislation.

SETDA wants your help -- help us identify some bold action steps!

Go to the "Bloggers Thinking Bold Challenge" -- BE BOLD!

Here are a couple of examples from or original SETDA Session -- 

STEM Education: Achievement and Innovation :  What is America’s next Moon shot? This group will develop a strategy to ignite the innovation in America’s students and identify effective approaches and tools to support an expanded Math & Science curriculum that is rich with technology integration to ensure America’s continued strength in the global marketplace.

RESPONSE: The Moon shot is sustaining/dealing energy, food and water shortages/issues.

• Require each state to develop a strategy (local, regional or state) to implement multiple STEM academies (ie. similar to Illinois Math and Science Academy) to support a minimum 5% of total state student population.
  

• Establish a real-world problems registry at regional, state or national level that describe current problems and solicit classes and educators to come in and collaborate with industry to develop solutions.

Technology Based Assessment Trends:  Assessment doesn’t always have to include a number 2 pencil and bubble sheets. Although there is a place for this approach, there are new assessment tools that can be alternatives to help teachers analyze “the whole student’s” progress in a timely and efficient manner in an effort to respond with appropriate interventions and/or enrichment activities tailored to each learner. Help SETDA identify some approaches that are working to increase student achievement through alternative assessments.

RESPONSE:

• Require each student to maintain a K-12 e-portfolio of their learning that MUST show evidence of accomplishing 21st century skills. ePortfolios will be scored using rubrics based on state standards that have been aligned to state or national content standards and are tied to ISTE NETS-S.