December+2,+2009

=Tentative Agenda=

Chris introduced me to a very neat tool- Etherpad. I can see uses for it for group minutes, small group collaboration, class discussion (backchanneling?), etc. Perhaps the best way to see how it works is to keep the notes for this meeting on an Etherpad document like this one (created with the click of a button on the main page, no account needed). -Bill O'B

See an example of [|Etherpad in action] in my Web Design class as we are introduced to Etherpad and then brianstorm ideas for the upcoming CHRHS Alumni site. Watch the [|time slider] to see all edits played back. We do eventually get focused... -C W-S

We'll keep minutes [|here] today.

At the Parent Conferences, Steve Jordan and Judy Ottmann each had parents of freshmen speak to them about their children's "tech confusion." Steve suggested that this might be a topic for a Tech PLC meeting. -Bill O'B

On a related note, the Applied Academics department is examining the role of the Computer Applications course in the school. We are looking at redefining the course to meet school-wide technology needs. Ideas include shortening the course to one quarter, teaching it in a skinny block and making it a graduation requirement. What computer technology knowledge should students leave school with, and what technology do they need to know for our courses while in high school? -Janet Heath

From our minutes last meeting:

FUTURE Meeting ideas: How can attendance be better managed and stitched between classes and formats? Why no easy connections? Following up on methods of communicating with kids/parents.

Valerie had some samples of **//OWN YOUR SPACE//** by Linda McCarthy provided via Pop-Tech presenter. Is that a vehicle for kids to better be safe on the net? Chris wondered whether we could train students to assist others in the community in learning HOW to be more internet safe and savvy.

MINUTES by S. K. Present: Chris WS, Amy F, Lynne T, Faith V, Steve N, Margo M, Sue K, Bob I and the IT Crew posted 12/2/09   NEXT MEETING: Wed. January 6th  sharing information about copyright laws and sites like teachersdomain
 * 1) We started with ATTENDANCE. Several members shared frustrations/limitations of having to use PowerSchool for atendance - the new PowerGrade does not have an attendance feature. Key problems are not being able to access classes on "off color" days and difficulty of keeping track of total absences for each student.
 * 2)  Along the way it became clear that come teachers were downloading Powergrade every day instead of launching the web site from the download. This lead to the question: where can we put all the "Jings" and "help" emails on how to do technology? Can we put this in a folder on email? Should we put them on a page on this Technologyplc wiki? Bob will think about this and get back to us at the next meeting.
 * 3) The collecting of laptops for re-imaging over vacation seems to be causing undue stress for seniors in the middle of college applications: they have all their work on their school laptop and it isn't easily transferred to a home computer. The best solution seemed to be to work on them first, and have a pick up day/time during the holiday for seniors to get their computers back.
 * 4) "Computer confusion": there seems to be a group of students with surprisingly little computer-savvy (all the more surprising to staff who witness the high levels of tech know-how some students have). How do we address this? Should we redesign computer aps or make it mandatory for all students, or mandatory for students who don't pass an entry computer competency exam? Desgining such an exam seemed difficult do the constant changing of desired/expected computer skills. Should we add a computer aps guided study hall for students teachers identify as inept? The IT crew shares that K-8 computer instruction has moved to integrating skills within curriculum areas (language arts, math, science, etc.) rather than as a separate course. We need to be talking to sending schools to find out what programs students are using. This needs to be an ongoing dicussion, because it changes rapidly!
 * 5) This morphed into a more general discussion of mutliple programs, incompatibility between programs, and disconnect between programs students have and programs teachers have opr know how to use (Powerpoint vs. Keynote, Word vs. Open Office vs. Pages).Its not a new problem but its a real problem. There is a hope that at student ITEAM could help with this issue.