One of the greatest challenges facing educators with a desire for integrating technology into their curriculum is: How can I do it without the stuff? In this context stuff refers to all manner of technology tools and their related software applications. Most of us have in our minds a model of a technology rich classroom, outfitted with a raft of computers and software. We think, with such an array of equipment,we could finally get down to really integrating technology into our curriculum. But what do we do in the meantime while waiting for our technology ship to come in? This section of Teaching with Technology will try to address some solutions for making the most of what we have in the Denver Public Schools. It will also venture into the area of how to get more by spending a little.

One computer for group instruction	Software applications	Student Technicians
One computer as an information station	Intelligent keyboards	Educational Links
One computer as a learning center	Buying used equipment
One computer as a teacher's secretary	Equipment donations

Much has been written on the One Computer Classroom as it has become the nationwide catch-phrase for the under equipped classroom. Teachers everywhere are scrambling to put this one machine (or two or three) to the best use with their students.

Here are the four most prevalent uses of the one computer in a classroom. Following each category are some application possibilities to consider.

1. One computer for large group instruction

Perhaps the most effective means for using the computer with a whole class are in the arenas of group problem solving and collaborative learning. The software company that has most prominently focused their resources to filling this niche is Tom Snyder Productions http://www.teachtsp.com/index.html. They continue to produce excellent interactive group software that covers many K-12 curriculum areas. Their Decisions, Decisions series is widely used and appreciated by teachers nationwide.

Using the computer as a smart chalkboard can be a very effective means of instruction. When paired with a presentation system, your computer screen becomes the visual aid that you use to present to your class. Used in this way the computer can replace what a teacher might normally do with an overhead projector, or a white board, or a chalk board. If used for a presentation, the teacher can also print copies of the visuals for students to refer to later. The Slideshow feature in ClarisWorks is a natural for this sort of usage. Other more sophisticated presentation software packages also exist, Microsoft's PowerPoint http://www.microsoft.com/powerpoint/ being just one.

To best use a computer with a large group, some form of a presentation system is very helpful. At present there are three main types of presentation devices:

• LCD Projection Palettes- These are units that connect to your computer and, when placed on the bed of an overhead projector, project the computer's image to a screen. Color palettes are expensive (prices begin at @$3000) and black and white units, though cheaper, are probably not worth the investment due to their limitations.
• LCD Projectors- Movie or slide projector-like in appearance, these color units can provide high definition clarity in a projected image. Like the palettes, they connect directly to the computer, but no additional items (i.e., an overhead projector) are needed. Many can also be used to project a video image when connected to a VCR. Price? Expensive. Low end units begin at @$3,000.
• TV Projection Systems- Great advances have been made over the past several years in improving the image quality capabilities for TV projection systems. There are many possibilities on the market and some can be purchased for as little as $100. Depending on the computer to be used for projection, they work in a variety of ways. Most of the units currently have a "black box" that, when connected to both the computer and the TV set, translates the computer's signal to a format readable by the TV monitor. For many, an additional video connector card must also be installed in the computer to allow the computer to connect to the translator box. Other models of systems have done away with the "black box" and are simply operated by a card that fits into the computer providing a connection to the TV monitor. Companion software allows you to change image settings, etc., through the computer itself. Another feature of the TV projection systems is: when a VCR is also connected to the TV you can record to videotape the images that appear on the screen. This can be a useful tool for recording student multimedia presentations as they can then take the tapes home to share with their families.

For specific purchasing advice on any of the above mentioned projection systems, contact the Ed Tech staff person assigned to your school.

2. One computer as an information station

With the advent of the Internet in the DPS, the flow of information into our schools and classrooms has increased a thousand fold. Hence, the use of the computer as a classroom information station has become an even more powerful possibility than ever before. Aside from the Internet and its related electronic resources, a wide variety of other opportunities exist for using the computer for information gathering. CD ROMs are a fine alternative to print reference tools and can often be purchased for a fraction of the cost of their print counterparts.

Electronic encyclopedias- Virtually every encyclopedia publisher has come out with a CD version of their product. Personal preference and target age groups should determine which one you purchase for your class.

• Microsoft Encarta (grades 4-12): encarta.msn.com/ee98/eehome.asp
• Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia (grades 5-12): www.learningco.com/
• Ultimate Children's Encyclopedia (grades 2-5): www.learningco.com/
• Encyclopedia Brittanica (grades 4-12): www.eb.com
• WorldBook Multimedia Encyclopedia (grades 4-12): www.worldbook.com/usa/indexUS.html

3. One computer as a learning center

The most obvious method for using a computer in the classroom is as a learning center. With that said, some methods for how to provide equitable time on one or two computers for a class of 25 students must be addressed. Unfortunately, in many classrooms, the students who receive the greatest amount of time on the class computer(s) are the ones who finish their other work first. This method of computer scheduling, though perhaps easiest for the teacher, has only one guaranteed result: the students who can most benefit from computer resources will probably be the ones who get there the least. Using computers as a reward for successful students ignores the fact that technology can be an excellent motivator and tutor for students who are not as academically adept. With this in mind, an equity of technology access time needs to be of paramount importance to the classroom teacher.

Here are some tried and true ideas (from Scholastic's Instructor magazine) on managing student computer time in your classroom.

• Pocket Wall Chart- Students self monitor whose turn it is on the computer by moving a clothes pin from one person's name to the next on the class pocket wall chart. Computer time is regulated by a timer set for twenty or thirty minute increments.
• Numbered Cups- Divide the school day into numbered blocks. Label plastic cups with corresponding numbers, Then, using the a class list to keep track, place the cups on students' desks to show who will be using the computer that day and at what times. When turns are completed, the cups are stacked to be used the next day.
• Desk Clocks- Placing reuseable paper clocks that specify beginning computer time on students' desks alerts them to their time on the machine.
• Clothespin Chart- Draw a vertical line down the middle of a large cardboard sign-- label one side Waiting and the other side Completed. Hang the chart near the computer. Using a permanent marker, write each student's name on a clothespin and clip it to the Waiting side of the chart. As students complete their turns, they move the clothespins to the Completed side.

If the computer's role as a learning center is mainly focused on drill and practice software, its real powers as a learning tool are being overlooked. There are many excellent software programs that support and augment the DPS curriculum. Computer limitations (no CD ROM drive, limited memory) may partly determine what software is utilized. But even the most basic computer (a Mac Classic II) can be put to good and productive use.

Programs and projects that are open-ended in their design are especially well suited to the learning center model. Some of the traditional best selling titles and formats (Reader Rabbit series, Edmark's StickyBear and Bailey's BookHouse series, Math Blaster, etc.) have their place in a classroom, but are not open-ended by nature. These, and the majority of educational software titles currently available, fall mainly into the category of "electronic tutorial". But software that extends beyond this electronic tutorial model allows technology to be an integral and interwoven part of all curricular areas. Roger Wagner's HyperStudio, MECC's Storybook Weaver, and Edmark's Imagination Express series are just a few of the titles that fall into the category of "authoring software", and are open-ended by design. ClarisWorks, as explored in detail in the Making the Most of ClarisWorks section, can provide many curriculum integration opportunities as well.

LINKS

http://place.scholastic.com/instructor/hot/software.htm

Housed here are some software reviews from Scholastic (former publishers of Instructor and Electronic Learning) aimed primarily at the elementary classroom.

http://tic.stan-co.k12.ca.us/

A fine source for finding software reviews comes from the California Instructional Technology Clearinghouse. They've put together a searchable database of educational software reviews that assitst educators by providing a "look before you leap" means for gathering information prior to making a purchase.

www.shareware.com

Another good source of software, shareware.com is a searchable and downloadable database of shareware software. Many educational programs exist that can be had for very little money. Caveat Emptor: with shareware you often get what you pay for, which is to say that shareware can be buggy and problematic. However, there are some simple gems that exist that can augment your curriculum quite nicely.

4. One computer as the teacher's secretary

Before teachers can use computers well with their students, it is imperative that they have a good working knowledge of how this powerful tool can assist them personally in their professional lives. The best place for the novice computer-using-teacher to begin is in using the computer as a personal secretary. Taking some basic classes on computer applications is a very good idea. (Go here to visit the DPS Technology Academy) But if you've made it this far into the DPS web pages to be able to read this, one can assume that you're probably beyond the beginner ranks. Nonetheless, here is but a partial list of some of the ways teachers can use a computer to make the paperwork portions of their lives easier and less time consuming:

• Electronic Grade Book- Making the Grade
• Email (for connecting with colleagues, DPS departments, and subscribing to relevant professional ListServs)
• Internet (for gathering lesson plans, class resources, and professional development resources)
• Class Newsletters
• Worksheet and Test generation
• Crossword Puzzles (Many software programs exist that create crosswords)
• Student Databases
• Calendar Makers
• Mail Merge letters
• Banners and Bulletin Boards
• Certificates
• Formatiing and printing business cards
• Spreadsheets for classroom budgets
• I.E.P.s

As every classroom in the DPS is wired for cable television, the means for connecting our students to the myriad of resources available over cable TV are close at hand. Granted, scheduling the TV monitor, rolling it into the classroom, and hooking it up for viewing (or for taping to view at a later date) requires some perseverance. However, the quality and curriculum possibilities of some of the available programming makes it worth the effort. A classroom teacher who begins to tap in to some of the programs available via Cable in the Classroom may soon decide that a full time TV set is needed for his/her classroom. High quality TV sets can be purchased through the district for @$500 which, when paired with a $200 VCR, provides the teacher a wealth of possibilities.

Cable in the Classroom- http://www.ciconline.org/

This is the homepage for Cable in the Classroom. It contains programming guides for upcoming cable broadcasts and offers ideas and lesson plans for connecting the broadcasts to course curriculum. Print versions of their magazine are available on a subscription basis.

Web Pages for Cable in the Classroom Programmers. Many of these programmers offer teacher's guides and related educational resources for classroom use.

• ESPNET SportsZone
• Family Channel
• Lifetime
• MTV
• ODYSSEY Channel
• PBS ONLINE¨
• History Channel
• Weather Channel
• Bravo Channel
• Arts and Entertainment (A&E)
• Learning Channel
• Animal Planet
• CNN Newsroom
• C-Span
• Court TV
• CNBC

Alphasmart Keyboards

Manufacturer: Intelligent Peripherals www.alphasmart.com

The AlphaSmart keyboards first made their appearance in the DPS several years ago. These inexpensive mini laptops (current models sell for less than $200) can be leveraged to extend the computer writing possibilities for individual students and whole classes. Their small screens allow only four lines, with a total of 40 characters, to be viewed at a time. But their portability, ease of use, and relative low cost can make them a valuable classroom addition. Many DPS schools have purchased them in quantity and then stored them centrally in the building for class check out. Other schools have purchased a few (or many, in some cases) for each classroom where they're used to augment the classroom's desktop computer(s).

Briefly, AlphaSmarts operate in this way: The user turns on the power switch, opens one of eight files by pressing a file button on the keyboard, and then begins writing. The text will automatically be saved in the selected file until it's deleted. When finished, the user simply connects it to the keyboard cord of a Mac or PC, opens a blank word processing document on the computer, and hits the send button. The text from the AlphaSmart is then dumped directly into the word processing document for editing, saving, printing, etc. Easy.

AlphaSmarts are a great way to get more technology into the hands of more kids for less money than most other alternatives. The most current model (AlphaSmart 2000) also comes equipped with a built-in spell checker for on-the-fly editing as well as the capability to hook directly to a printer.

Apple eMates

Manufacturer: Apple Computer http://ed.info.apple.com/education/products/emate.html

Apple Computer started making their version of the lower cost laptop. They've based it on the technology they developed for their Newton hand held computer and have geared their eMate laptop specifically at the education market. The eMate has some appealing features&emdash; size, portability, full featured software applications, drawing and note taking with a stylus pen, handwriting recognition, and add on capabilities. The cost, @$750, puts it in a different class from the AlphaSmart but it compensates for this by providing a wealth of additional uses beyond just word processing. The eMate is truly a full featured mini computer, though at this writing it appears that the future of the eMate is in dire question. As Apple restructures its product line, they've announced (February 1998) that the eMate will no longer be manufactured. We'll see.

As a means for leveraging limited funds towards achieving their greatest purchasing power, buying used equipment is something a school may wish to consider. It is possible for a DPS school to purchase used equipment. Similar to buying a used car, one can't know for sure what kind of treatment it has received by its previous owners. But if a relatively low end computer is needed for a specific purpose, such as just word processing, a used computer can fill these needs quite well.

For information on buying used equipment in the DPS, contact Helen Jackson in the Purchasing Dept., 764-3423.

Many pieces of very functional used computer equipment have been kindly donated to DPS schools by a variety of businesses and individuals. Many older IBM clone 286 and 386 computers have been donated as these machines are expendable when businesses and homes upgrade to new machines. Some of this equipment is quickly put to good use in classroom and computer lab settings. Conversely, there is a lot of donated equipment that sits gathering dust in cabinets and storerooms. Many of these items require a greater degree of investment, both financial and human, on the part of the receiving school than the school is willing to expend. Looking a gift horse in the mouth is a wise approach for a school to take prior to accepting donated equipment. Here are some items to ask the donor before accepting their gift. Most of these items deal directly with 286 and 386 computers, as these comprise the bulk of donated machines, but should be considered for other items as well.

Before considering a donation, it's important to know that in order to receive support and service from DoTS it is recommended that computer equipment being offered to DPS have the following minimum configurations:

Windows Platform:

• Processor: 486 DX66

• RAM: 16 mb

• Hard Drive: 500 mb

• System Software: Windows 95 (or upgradable to Windows 95)

Macintosh Platform:

• Processor: 68040

• RAM: 16 mb

• Hard Drive: 240 mb

• System Software: System 7.01

* All donated equipment should be in working order at the time of receipt.

* In order for donated computer equipment to be connected to the existing network it must have an ethernet card.

* Any equipment donors wishing to receive a tax write-off for items valued at over $500 must first have their donations approved by the DPS School Board.

Questions to ask the donor:

• Does the equipment currently work? An obvious question but one that often gets overlooked in the thrill of receiving free stuff.
• How much memory does the computer have? Both ROM (hard drive) and RAM (the memory used to run the programs and the operating system).
• Does it have an operating system installed? Many donated computers have had their hard drives completely erased, such that even DOS is no longer installed.

Hidden costs with donated machines:

• If it doesn't work, what will it take to fix it? Non-functional equipment should raise a red flag unless the school or donor can specifically identify what will be required to repair the machine.
• What operating system and/or software will be needed to make the machine functional in a school environment? As mentioned, if the hard drive has been wiped clean, a new operating system will need to be installed. Legally, all operating system software, including DOS, Windows, and the various versions of the Mac OS, need to be purchased for the machine in question. Schools should also consider the additional software applications that will need to be purchased for the computer in order to make it useful in an educational environment. District and site licenses for Macintosh software don't necessarily transfer to DOS or Windows machines.
• Is additional RAM needed? Most donated machines come with only minimal RAM installed. It may therefore require that the school purchase additional RAM for the computer in order to run an updated version of Windows or to simply use newer application programs. Call Marco Electronics, 449-9191, for a quote on upgrading RAM.
• What networking hardware is installed on the computer? In order for any PC to run on the DPS network, an Ethernet card must be installed. These cost @$100 for each computer. Some donated computers have been used in their former lives as "dumb terminals" connected to a server. These machines may come paired with a server computer that will require the additional purchase of server software (i.e. Novell) in order for them to operate.

The Human Element:

Does the school have people with the expertise and time to get the computers up and running and to keep them working? Forgive the used car analogy but using donated older equipment is much like keeping an older car running. A person with the time and expertise for maintaining such machines is invaluable and, unfortunately, a scarce commodity in most schools. The cost of purchasing outside mechanics can often be prohibitive. In a school's parent community there often exists a resource pool of individuals with the expertise to set up and assist in the ongoing maintenance of such equipment. Connecting with some of these people may well be a school's best solution for finding ongoing expertise and support.

For technical advice, who should be contacted within the DPS prior to accepting an equipment donation? Contact the DoTS Hotline and they will connect you with a technician who can advise you on some of the technical specifics.

As the final part of this section on Doing the Most with the Least, it's probably appropriate to address the issue of how to go about nurturing and maintaining a talent pool of on-site technicians. Many schools throughout the DPS are making good use of the most overlooked resource in our district. Students. Let's face it, they have the aptitude (how many adults can program a VCR without a manual?). And, if planned well, they can have the time to assist in maintaining a school's technology equipment. The DPS Department of Educational Technology has assisted several schools in establishing a Student Technician program. Contact your ET representative to begin a discussion in this regard.

Here are some ideas for how Student Technicians can be utilized in schools so that such an endeavor furthers the students' education while assisting the school in maintaining and troubleshooting equipment.

Selecting

• Having the students go through a formal application and interview process is a recommended method of selection. Such a process reflects the importance that the school places on the positions. It also provides the student applicants with the opportunity to practice a real world job interview experience. Create a job description for the positions and work with the students on creating a professional looking resume.
• A balanced hiring is also important. This may require that some students are recruited to apply for the positions in order to achieve an equitable mix of gender and race that reflects the school's poplulation.

Training

Training of the student technicians can, and should, take place using a variety of methods:

• Formal instruction- Utilizing a hands on approach as much as possible, work with the students in a classroom or lab setting to train them in troubleshooting techniques.
• Practical instruction- Compile a list of building computers needing attention and then work with the student techs, in small groups, towards troubleshooting solutions.
• Shadowing- Have individual student technicians shadow you (or some other technically proficient person) when loading software, troubleshooting technology, or whenever the opportunity arises for them to learn something by looking over a shoulder.

Assigning

In dividing the work of maintaining your building's technologies you may wish to consider a "divide and conquer" approach. Utilizing a division of labor, assign each technician to a certain group of teachers and have them check in periodically to see if the teacher needs any assistance with their machines. The student would also then become the first line of defense when the teacher encounters a technical problem.

Record Keeping

It can be helpful to have a log book that stays with each computer, or additional pieces of technology. In the log book the student technicians, or teachers, can keep a record of problems and attempted solutions. In this way ongoing problems can be tracked and, in so doing, better educated guesses can be made towards finding the right solution. The log book is also a good place for the student to record preventative maintenance tasks that they've completed: rebuilding the desktop, zapping the PRAM, etc.

Supporting and Compensating

Schools should be mindful that when utilizing the services of their students as technicians, that the students should be rewarded for their time and efforts. This does not refer to monetary compensation but something more in the nature of perks and recognition.

An occassional Student Tech pizza party is a nice reward (warning: order twice as much as you think you'll need... they'll eat it). Student Tech T-Shirts, printed and personalized, also provides the Techs with a form of recognition and an opportunity for pride. Ongoing training classes for the student techs in advanced software applications is also a good way to compensate the kids by feeding their hunger for more knowledge.

The effective integration of technology into K-12 schools and classrooms is a process being undertaken nationwide. The links below offer some excellent resources on a variety of topics pertinent to educators seeking to utilize the powers of technology with their students.

1.To give K12 educators a management model for integrating the World Wide Web into their curriculum.

2.To help K12 educators design and implement Internet projects for their curriculum and graduation standards.

3.To provide an on-line staff development program for teachers who wish to integrate the Internet into their classroom.

This site includes links to sample projects, management tools, web resources, curriculum integration and other resources.
http://mustang.coled.umn.edu/

AskERIC is...
...a personalized Internet-based service providing education information to teachers, librarians, counselors, administrators, parents, and others throughout the United States and the World. It began in 1992 as a project of the ERIC Clearinghouse on Information & Technology at Syracuse University. AskERIC is a Sun SITE repository, which enables it to expand the quality and quantity of its resources and services to the education community.
http://ericir.syr.edu

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