Copyright 1997 Miguel Guhlin

A British political scientist said once that, "We must plan our civilization or we must perish." And, many Texas school districts will do just that if they fail to plan for technology integration. But, as another saying goes, education is plagued by fads. While technology isn't a fad, many may continue to treat it as such. The Excellence and Equity through Technology (EETNet) Institute was designed to build technology planning endurance, to help school districts plan this new networked, Internet civilization which our children will have to learn in and build.

Let me share some of the important things the EETNet planners and facilitators learned, as well as the comments EETNet participants via an online discussion group. This is the first in a two part series of articles. My goal is to share my understanding of what EETNet is, as well as talk a little about the participants in the first EETNet Institute. The second article will focus on facilitating an institute like EETNet, what was involved, and how to avoid some of the natural pitfalls one encounters in planning an institute that focuses on technology planning. First, a little background on the Excellence and Equity through Technology Network.

WHAT IS EXCELLENCE AND EQUITY THROUGH TECHNOLOGY NETWORK (EETNET)?

Title I school-wide campuses in Texas had and will continue to have the opportunity to participate in a joint project facilitated by a regional education service center, the Intercultural Development Research Association (IDRA) and STAR Center (http://198.213.2.23/) . This collaborative supports the schools selected for EETNet inclusion in a multi-year effort designed to increase achievement for all students through innovative instruction that is technology-enhanced.

Activities include an on-line needs assessment (www.ncrtec.org/capacity/profile/profwww.htm) to provide immediate electronic feedback to each campus team, hands-on introductions to cutting-edge instructional technologies, individual consultations with experts in the areas of instructional technology and school reform, and the opportunity to engage in long-range technology planning supported by a network of colleagues and technical assistance providers.

Schools are selected from the applicants based on certain criteria. Participating school teams receive a notebook full of materials integral to successful technology planning. In addition to this web site, teams are able to share their experiences via online discussion groups.

WHAT WERE SCHOOL SELECTION CRITERIA?

1. Have Title I Schoolwide programs

2. Be represenative of the diversity of Region 20, e.g.,

•District and campus size

•Educational level (elementary, middle/junior high, high school) •Geographic diversity (urban and rural) •Linguistic, cultural, racial, and ethnic diversity

Provide evidence of a pro-active interest in using technology to improve instruction, e.g.,

•A technology committee that is looked to for leadership •A vision/mission statement for technology that guides campus decision- making

•Several staff members who are at inter

mediate or advanced levels of knowledge about technology and several others interested in increasing their knowledge base •Above average student and teacher access to technology

Express a commitment to a long-term pursuit of excellence and equity through technology by agreeing to:

•Send a campus team of at least four members to the institute on August 28 and 29, 1997 (dates are based on the first EETNet Institute held in San Antonio at ESC-20). •Create (or refine) a five-year campus plan for technology

and submit it for review to other EETNet participants •Return for a two-day follow-up institute in the spring of 1998 •Participate in on-line discussions with other institute participants via the Internet through the 1997-1998 school year.

WHERE CAN I ACCESS EETNET MATERIALS?

EETNet Web Page:  HYPERLINK

http://www.esc20.k12.tx.us/techserv/eetnet/
http://www.esc20.k12.tx.us/techserv/eetnet/

The Education Service Center, Region 20 agreed to host the EETNet web page. Featuring an online discussion g roup, online materials with PowerPoint slide shows and handouts, web resources of the month, legislative actions, and a variety of suggested, proven strategies to use in the technology planning process, the EETNet web site offers its state-wide members a "home base." But, more than that, it offers anyone who is involved in technology planning a model to follow, from a myriad of approaches to a people centered process of planning for technology integration.

HOW CAN EETNET PARTICIPANTS CONTINUE THEIR TECHNOLOGY PLANNING?

Earlier this year, you read about the Internet Learning Institute discussion group. However, the EETNet discussion group differs from the ILI discussion group. The EETNet discussion focuses on achieving the following goals:

Maintaining the high level of interaction between EETNet participants online.

In this first example, an EETNet member is asking a question regarding TIE Grants. Blanca Hemann, an education specialist for Technology Services, ESC-20, responds following the query:

From: Jay Fulton, Kennedy HS

Date: 9/1/97

Time: 3:11:35 PM

Remote Name: 204.31.238.138

Comments

Blanca,

Hi, this is Jay Fulton from Kennedy HS. Yesterday I met with Javier Uribe and we were discussing the TIE grant. Can you give us some clarification on a point? We know that we need to join with a private school. They need to be within our district, correct? Do they need to be directly within our school's boundaries? (Ex: Holy Cross HS is really closer to Memorial HS, which apparently has no tech focus--could we team up with them, or do we need to team up with St. John Berchmann's, which is just at the end of our block). Secondly, do we need to have the school assess the number of Title 1 students that they have which would attend our school? (Ex: the number of their students, who, if attending JFK, would be considered Title 1 w/free lunch, etc...). Third--do we need to have the schools determine how many of their students actually live in our district boundaries? Or do we just count the # of students that they have and go on from there? Any assistance that you can offer regarding these answers would be GREATLY appreciated. Thank y'all for an enjoyable and informative workshop! :)

Sincerely,

Jay Fulton, Kennedy HS

432-4092 Fax# at JFK HS

jwfulton@ix.netcom.com (Home)

jfulton@solutions.kennedyhs.emg.com (School)

Re: For Blanca--Q on TIE Grant

From: Blanca Hemann, ESC20- barizpe@tenet.edu Date: 9/3/97

Time: 5:49:02 PM

Remote Name: 168.37.171.61

Comments

Kennedy HS posted the following questions concer ning the TIE grant. What follows is the list of questions and responses. Hopefully, this message will give some guidance and clarification.

Question #1: Does the private school need to be within your school boundaries?

NO, the private school needs to be within your school DISTRICT boundaries. However, we would recommend that you make an attempt to contact both Memorial HS and Holy Cross HS to show you tried to extend the offer to all parties.

Question #2 Do we need to have the private school assess the Title 1 student enrollment?

YES. Look at Part I, Appendix Three in your TIE Request for Application booklet.

Question #3 Do we need to have the private school assess the number of students that live within the district boundaries or count the private school's total enrollment? Use the private school's total enrollment

Let us know if we can be of further help. Good Luck!

This is only one of the many types of interaction that EETNet Institute organizers hope will occur.

Allow teams of teachers/adminis

trators to post information as a group, rather than as specific individuals. The web-based discussion group does not require an email address, although participants are encouraged to get an email account. For example, the following message was posted by Bellaire Elementary EETNET Team from Harlandale ISD in San Antonio, Texas.

Bellaire Smarts

From: the bobcats

Date: 8/29/97

Time: 3:16:49 PM

Remote Name: 168.37.171.15

Comments

1. We learned what Bellaire needs to improve the technology status.

2. We th

ought out of the box and developed a community center project. 3. We developed a vision statement to drive the work ahead.

Follow-up: The committee will meet on a regular basis. The committee will meet with Jo McCollum our district supervisor to devise a training plan.

The team will develop a standard operating procedures manual for the school.

We will upgrade the current technology and by May of 1998 have all teachers on internet.

In addition to posting, respond to regular assignments related to tec

hnology planning to that request that participants share how they are continuing the process of technology planning at their campus.

First Assignment

From: moderator

Date: 8/29/97

Time: 3:32:09 PM

Remote Name: 168.37.171.125

Comments

Region 20 EETNET campus teams:

On Friday, August 29, you developed the first two pieces of your campus technology plan, that is the vision statement and some goals/objectives for the four Long Range Plan areas (Teaching and Learning, Educator Preparation and Development, A dministration and Support Services, and Infrastructure for Technology). You also engaged in some activities that helped you assess your technology needs (the Learning with Technology Profile Tool and the first Blue Skies picture).

We are sure that you have gone forward with the planning process at your schools and may have even begun implementing some new things.

To bring us up to date, by Sept 20 please post the following to the discussion group:

Needs Assessment - A summary statement of what your team

found to be the key strengths and needs of your current technology situation.

Vision Statement - As you created it at Region 20 Goals/Objectives - Your Region 20 set plus whatever new ones you have added.

Action Plan Timeline

REFLECTIONS ON EETNET VIA THE DISCUSSION GROUP EETNet Discussion Group:  HYPERLINK

http://www.esc20.k12.tx.us/techserv/eetnet/discussion/eetnet_toc. htm

http://www.esc20.k12.tx.us/techserv/eetnet/discussion/eetnet_to c.htm

The first EETNet Institute received many comments via the Discussion Group. Some are shown below:

I've enjoyed sharing and learning about tech. at different schools. Having a mission statement and goals and objectives makes me feel much more secure about our future progress. I'm anxious to return this spring and see how we've all progressed.

I learned that as educators from several different districts we share many common concerns and problems. As follow-up, I will arrange and provide staff development in using our computers as educational tools.

We have j

ust completed the most exciting training ever. These presenters must have escaped from a circus act. They are all such hams. We can't wait for them to come and inflict this training on all at Brackett ISD. See ya (that's short for you if you're a Yankee) soon!!!

This has been a exciting experience. I was introduced to the potential of techonolgy assisted instruction. I plan to use technology in my future workshops and becomne computer literate.

It's clear that participants and facilitators were very excit ed about what they learned at the EETNet Institute. Perhaps, the reason for that wasn't that we spent so much time on using technology as focusing on sharing and discussing very real people concerns. As Aurelio Montemayor, IDRA staff member and EETNet facilitator, stated, "Remember that we began together without all the technology. . .and, now, in this circle, we end without all the technology. That's important."

THE SPRING EETNET INSTITUTE

Some of the topics being considered for the Spring Institute in clude the following:

1. Revisit Budget development. Refining, how to spend money, etc.

2. Grant writing in greater detail.

3. Samples of funded program proposals

4. How to deal with vendors...separating the wheat from the chaff. Support? Small issues such as buying a software vs. hardware infrastructure.

5. Dealing with techno-phobia among teachers.

6. Conversations about software from other users...Recommendations and cautions Show and Tell ...top ten picks...software. and particular companies/ manufacturers

Models from schools that are using technology successfully...teams to showcase a campus that is using a variety of technologies successfully.

One of the key points that we need to consider as educators who use technology is that we must plan for the future, whether that future be tomorrow or the next century. Jeanne Martinez, one of the EETNet planners and Region 20 Technology Services Coordinator, highlighted this point when she shared the following proverb at the end of her presentation on The Ideal Plan for Texas Schools: Dig a well before you are thirsty.

If you think it's time to start digging, contact Dr. Chris Green (cgreen@idra.org) at IDRA to find out how to get involved in this free technology planning institute being hosted around Texas.