Go Wireless Community of Practice

The ten commandments of school tech support Thou shalt test the fix. Thou shalt talk to actual students and teachers and make time to watch how  technology works during actual class time, not just when it’s quiet. Thou shalt not make fun of the tech skills of teachers or students, nor allow anyone else in the tech department to make disparaging remarks about them. Closing trouble tickets shalt not be thine highest calling; thou shalt strive to  continually make the learning environment better. Thou shalt not elevate the system above the users. The network will be never be perfect. Learning is messy. Get thyself over it. When teaching someone a new skill, keep thy hands off the mouse. Thou shalt listen to requests with an open mind and respond in plain English. Blocking shall be controlled by educators, not filtering companies. Thy job is to enable learning, not enforce behavior. Thou shalt include students and teachers in decision-making about technology purchases and policy. Their interest is not an affront to your professionalism.

So what should children be able to do by age 12, or the time they leave elementary school? They should be able to read a chapter book, write a story and a compelling essay; know how to add, subtract, divide and multiply numbers; detect patterns in complex phenomena; use evidence to support an opinion; be part of a group of people who are not their family; and engage in an exchange of ideas in conversation. If all elementary school students mastered these abilities, they would be prepared to learn almost anything in high school and college.

Bebell said that across all of the studies contained in the journal, one common link is clear: the value of teachers committed to making 1:1 computing work. "One of the most salient findings was the critical role that teachers played in the success of each 1:1 program," Bebell said. Additional factors critical to student success across 1:1 technology settings included: Having a strong commitment from school leadership Developing consistent and supportive administrative policies Creating professional development opportunities for teachers, particularly the sharing of best practices