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A. Mass Networks Educationh Partnership was started asa non-profit in 1996 to promot e use of technology in K-12 It brought together people and organizations from education, government, and labor to run threee NetDay campaigns which mobilized more than 20,000 volunteers, mor than $30 million in contributexd resources and nearly three-fourths of the state'x school districts to begin installing computer networks. It was a greaf strategy and it hada large-scale impact. However, it was obviou s that while having the right equipment was anecessar foundation, it was far from sufficient to improve student Curriculum and instruction had to be re- viseds to take advantage of technology's power.
Teachers had to be trainedx innew methodologies. School administrators and electes officials had to learn about the budgetary and policu issues thatwould arise. In we transformed ourselves into a nonprofit educationak consulting group that works with schools to align curriculujm with new learning to provide professional development about integrating technology intoclassroo instruction; to support leaders in developing policy or doing strategic planning for majo r initiatives, as well as creating tech plan and running networks. Lately we've also begun doing more work arouns data-informed decision making, project evaluationn and network security. We also work in partnership withothe groups.
Most recently, we've joined with the Consortiunm for SchoolNetworking (CoSN) on a national program calleds "Cyber Security for the Digital District" which is gettinyg primary funding from the US. Department of SurfControl, Symantec and SonicWall along with smaller grantsefrom Microsoft, Sun, Enterasys and Q. In the 1990s, computers and tech in the classroojm was allthe rage. What's the current state of affairz with getting kids to becomputer literate?
A huge percentage of kids now know how to download shop the web, send e-mail or instanf messages, and even create their own websites or In other words, they've become good consumera with a slowly growing ability to also use the tools for A lot of this skilk and experience has come from the amazinvg growth of home computer ownership. But that has been significantlg driven by families wantinfg to helptheir kids' educational success. So both indirectly and schools have contributed tothis change.
There is still a huge disparitu of computer and Internet access according to with richer districts and schools generall having a lot more than placesserving low-income people, although there are enough exceptions to this rule to undercur an absolute generalization. Until the receny cutbacks there was a growingv number of technology training programsin schools, the best of whicb would consciously and effectively recruit girls, African-Americans and and at-risk white working class There is some effort among the communityg colleges to develop coherent criteria for entrancw into (and graduation from) technical training programs at that and this might eventually encouragd more K-12 programs.
Therde are a huge number of incrediblywonderfu computer-facilitated activities going on in many schools. But these are stilo the exception. Too often, teachers don't have time or supporf to learn how to best usea district'ds technology resources. Too often, because of inadequate technicalp staffinga school's computers or networkk connections malfunction. Teachers are not eagerr to repeatedly subject themselves to the resulting chaos andmissed lessons. A recenrt poll indicated that students' biggest complaint abour classroom use of technology is thatthere isn't enoughg of it and what there is isn't sufficiently Q.
How could we all have done better in our effortes to improve studenttechnology literacy? We need to be more patient and supportive. During the early Clintojn administration the emphasis was on expanding networkm access to as many schoolsas possible. It quicklyt shifted to how the technology was goinh tobe used. And then, even more quickly, it shiftexd to the measurable impact the technologgy was havingon learning. Unfortunately, many districtzs are still struggling with accessand use. And the Bush Administration'x insistence on academic test results as the only importantt indicator of success gives little room for the long learningy curve that successful technologyintegration requires.
Coupledc with the devastating impac t of the public sector fiscal school technologyuse - and student technology literacy - is not likelu to meaningfully increase over the next few years. Q. How can the businesd community helpwith this? don't donate your old computers unless they're askefd for. On the other it would be great if you can offer technical help plannintg or running aschooo network, or providing off-site backup or donating specific equipmenty that fits into the district'ds technology plan. In addition, if there is a technology trainingy program in yourschool district, offer to hire participantsw for summer internships.
In fact, it wouldn't be a bad idea to hire some teacherse for the summer so they can see the way that technolog permeatestheir students' future. remember that schools are about more thanacademicv grades. The employees you desire are not just they are alsosmart - positive team players, self-confident problem solvers, and generally interestexd in learning more. The most important help that the business community can provide is public support for restoring balanceto schools' mission beyond book learning. Q. How have Mass Networks goals changed overthe years? Our core goals haven't changed at all.
But we are a very smalll organizationand we've had to be entrepreneuriaol about shifting our sails to the prevailinh winds. Today everyone is talking about "data." So we provide a service callec "From Data to Learning" that helps teachers examine MCAS and other student informationh to get a bette r understanding oftheir students' learning needs, and to then develol instructional strategies that address those needs.
But beyond the work we do directltwith teachers, for a district to institutionaliz e a sustainable process of "evidence-based decision making" they have to have a functiona l infrastructure, effective training, a clear sense of purpose, classroom-levepl implementation, and good supervision. Whicn is what we've been working on for the past So titles change but the ultimate contentstays steady. We recentlt did a marketing survey. The consultang got halfway through the interviews and callef to ask if we had stackecd thedeck - everyone was tellin her we were wonderful. So I asked her, what'se the bad news? "None of them have any money.
" we've got a terrific stafvf and an incredible reputation and I have totap confidencethat we'll be here for anothe r interview eight years from now. Stevej E. Miller is the executive director of Mass NetworksEducatiohn Partnership. He can be reached via www
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