This assignment asks the question, "What is the culture of computer in the Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District?"
To answer this question required a lot of fun, interactive work. It required me to participate in the assignments and projects of the schools' (i.e., Schoenbar Middle School or SMS, and Ketchikan High School or Kayhi) students to find out what they know and think about their use of technology.
I also had to observe my mentor teacher and how she interacted via computer and e-mail with the administrators and ed tech leaders. I even participated by sending such e-mails and communicating with those people to get things done.
Finally, I had to interact with the ed tech leaders by meeting them and talking with them, not an easy task at all here in the KGBSD.
I learned that the students in our district aren't as far along as I thought they'd be. Although they certainly know more than me, they aren't as adept as many older people think kids are. Even I can keep up! There is still a lot of use of paper and pencil, and in the KGBSD this is still the preferred means of learning.
The trends are changing, however. In fact, the KGBSD is a 'tweener, being in between the technology-less schools I grew up in and the technology-filled schools some might be (and most colleges seem to be quickly becoming). We have a lot of potential but have a long ways to go to use the technology we have most effectively.
I also learned that the ed tech guys are biz-ee (that is, extremely busy). You only catch a glimpse of them as they whiz by from school to school, call to call, problem to problem.
Most importantly, I think that this project helped me in finding out who to go to for help and how to reach them. Also, I now know the technology policies for the school and how to get the right gear to supplement my teaching. Finally, I understand where we're going as a learning community in our use of technology.
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