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Technology Grants for Supporting Education?
citking asks: "I work as one of 12 micro computer technicians for the Madison School District, the second-largest in the state of Wisconsin, and we have a problem: Our support equipment, namely laptops and diagnostic hardware, is falling dangerously behind the times even as our schools receive top of the line technology sponsored mostly by private grants and donations. Our technology budget is small and is being cut back every year, so having the district buy us new laptops is out of the question. I wouldn't mind applying for a grant to cover most, if not all, of the cost of new equipment, but any grants I see directed at education are all directed toward teachers' projects. Are there any grant programs available for support positions in the public sector? If not, how do other support people in the public sector struggle to keep up with low budgets and outdated equipment?"
I for one think computers are over-rated as teachers. I also think computers are over-rated as teaching tools. Computers are fantastic as internet search tools, and great for teaching computer programming. Computers are also great for teaching typing, and other computer skills. Teaching someone to be a mouse driver is about as beneficial as teaching them to be a truck driver. Meaning that if your computer is not working for you, you are working for the computer.
Flame away.
- High Tech workers, please say NO to Union Carpenters, their Union sees fit to control our compensation.
I once worked IT at a university. The usual tactic there was to talk to the grant writers and ensure that part of technology grants was earmarked to SUPPORT the technology. If they are ordering 10 computers for a grant project, then they need to include one more to support those ten. Also make sure the grant includes infrastucture (network hardware, etc.) for that project so that the new router needed to put those computers on the net does not come out of your budget.
Is it weird in here, or is it just me?
No, raw turnips are actually very good, sort of like mild radishes. Cut them in sticks like carrot sticks and serve them chilled.
Actually, once I'd had raw turnips, I couldn't figure why people bother to cook them.
Agreed, raw turnips are superior in taste and texture. And while I will agree with grandparent about cooking turnip greens, spinach is best consumed raw.
So write the grant proposal to play up the educational aspects. Need diagnostic tools? Stress that they'll be used to keep student and teacher systems running, and also to teach students state of the art tools for keeping systems running. Same with infrastructure items - ask for two routers, and stress that one will be used to give students real-world, hands-on experience.
Envy my 5 digit Slashdot User ID!
Well, I like spinach sauteed quickly with good olive oil and lots of garlic, but certainly not the usual greeen pudding that's made of it.
Now, I suppliment my omlette with spinich. In CA, that's called "Frisco Joe's omlette".
- High Tech workers, please say NO to Union Carpenters, their Union sees fit to control our compensation.
Of course you could always write to a computer corporation. Cisco runs the "Cisco Acad" at my college. The networking courses are no longer taught with an in house curriculum. In exchange wwe seem to get a pretty decent price cut on the cost of the dozens of routers and switches we have from Cisco. Although it's one more way for your school to be branded. Good luck.
piss off
Fresh spinach, feta cheese, onions.
Slashdot needs a recipes section.
Also check out the K12 Linux Terminal Server Project. It's a great way get more good out of your current equipment.
What, me worry?
you mean the one who just accepts having no budget to support the technology and provides a poor service?
/bin/fortune | slashdotsig.sh
Fire one technician. Allocate the money formerly used for his salary to buy new diagnostic tools.
You question whether computers are effective learning tools. Perhaps you should also question if they are cost effective.
A grade school, junior high, or senior high math textbook can be valid for decades. Grammar books can also be valid for decades. Chemistry and Physics books also tend to be good for many, many years. Even with scientific advances and new research, political science, geography, and biology books tend to be good for a decade and a half.
A cheap computer costs as much as several textbooks, not including additional manpower and resources needed to keep them maintained. Yet a cheap wintel computer only lasts a few years until its out of date.
Yes, there are a few skills that should be learned through hands-on use of a computer. Computerized document presentation and typing are probably the most useful to most students. As a preperation for some careers, an introduction to programming is also needed. Although, lets be honest -- a lot of good programming is more textbook related than computer related. Hell, a lot of computer basics is more textbook related than computer related: while a computer may aide in learning the applications of a technology, it won't easily aide in learning the basics of a technology. For even a high school level, most of the above can be done on outdated computers.
Funds are not an unlimited resource. There are schools out there spending money to needlessly upgrade their computers and networks with little benefit to our students because the public perception is that computers are needed in the classroom. Bullshit. For the most part, its not cost effective. A smaller, older computer department will work about as well, and will leave money for other causes.
Just my $.02.
...for the suggestions. I'll certainly try to get the grants to incorporate the required materials to support the gifts they give us. I think most people will be understanding when they look at what we need and why we need it. Thanks again for the suggestions, and by all means, keep 'em coming if you get any more ideas.
"This food is problematic."
...from a STUDENT POV (and not in any specific order).
1. Teachers (really) are underpaid for what must be put up with.
2. Those outside of education do not have a grasp for what happens in the educational system.
3. Students that don't care to be educated hinder the education process and cannot be removed from the environment.
4. Technology courses are being cut, not limited to but including, automotive technologies, shop technologies, computer technologies.
5. Very poor system for student feedback to those who make decisions.
6. FUCKING TESTS SHOULD BE LIMITED. There are too many tests for accountability making education oriented for passing tests, ranking higher on TESTS. Education is detrimented and narrowed to these tests.
7. Parents are not involved enough with education.
8. Punishment systems have become moot, MOOT I SAY! (Tardy == lunch detention, and again detention, and again in school suspension, and again suspension. Suspension for being late...)
9. High school diplomas are worthless.
10. College tuition is constantly rising, putting college graduates in more debt.
Education needs to be destroyed, and rebuilt from the ground up. There is no salvaging the current system. A nation-wide education system and qualification system MUST be established.
Karma: Good, or bust!
You say most of the grant money goes to teachers' projects. Can you combine what you do into a course offered to students with advanced technical computer skills - sort of an Honors Class in Support? Request the new equipment you need as part of a grant to support the new course.
Yeah, I know. It's clear I don't have any experience in the administration requirements of a public school district, and there are probably any number of hurdles to doing this (a teaching certificate might be one of them). But I thought I'd bring the idea up anyway.
Bureaucracy loves company.
Leave the IT industry. Quit and become a Chef - everyone needs to eat.
For what it is worth, look outside the "school district" for donations. I work in an IT department in a school with a hefty yearly budget, and a clearly defined replacement schedule for ALL equipment. We have donated all of our old and slow computers( by our standards) to other schools less fortunate. Look to the universities and colleges in the area for donations. Another route would be corperate sponsorship. Propose a pilot program, they supply the gear, you make it work, they show it off, it is a win win situation. Or you can read a few of the BOFH on the Reg, and learn how to be in control, and not controlled. good luck
Sig Hansen?
Thanks,
I've never tried that... I may live in a very small box.
- High Tech workers, please say NO to Union Carpenters, their Union sees fit to control our compensation.
I wouldn't mod you as a troll on this, as you ask a great question: The facts are, we can't do our jobs efficiently. What should take (and what administrators budget time for) 10 minutes sometimes takes an hour, such as uploading an image or popping open ConsoleOne to do some pass resets or allocate disk space. As for diagnostic equip., we don't have enough toners, loopbacks, or handheld wire testers to go around, creating a "check-out" system where 9 of these kits (2 are decent, the rest are fairly useless) are divided among the 12 of us. We each average around 5 schools each to support, the exception being those who maintain the high schools. So in short, no, they are not letting us do our jobs properly. We can get by, but we waste more taxpayer money sitting around wishing we could be doing work when the tools we use can't keep up.
"This food is problematic."
MMSD has a bigger problem than not having enough testing equipment, or at least it did when I was there as a Micro Tech I/II and Specialist ('94-'98)...and that's that a dozen people just isn't enough to cover the school district properly. Although at least when I was there we all had our own cable continuity testers; you've probably gotten a lot more equipment since then.
Have you asked the District grant coordinator? I realize that that's probably a dumb question, but they should be able to point you somewhere, too.
This next thing is based on a suggestion I saw elsewhere in the comments, namely...turn it into a teaching project. When I was there, I taught a few workshops for some teachers. Maybe you can stretch a grant over a framework like that: "We need this equipment to effectively teach teachers how to make use of technology," or something. That it has other uses is a win for you.
Also, I hope the stress level at MMSD has gone down. Just thinking about those days has kind of gotten me off-kilter. Very strange.
As the parent of a former Madison schools student, I would have to say I'm glad the technology budgets are being cut. Way too much money has been spent on ubiquitous computing without any benefit to the majority of the students.
My son used to tell me that in the classes that used computers the most, at least 50% of his and his classmates time was spent downloading music, playing games or chatting. In the 'regular' classes (the old-fashioned kind that used books and real teaching) he and his classmates spent the majority of their time learning.
Speaking as a professional programmer, I see the benefit of computers in the school, but limited to a computer lab, where specific skills are taught. In my opinion, PowerPoint is not something to be taught in high school.