Technology and the Budget Crunch

Join Teachers.Net

Chatboards

Recent Groups

Whiteboards

MEMBERS

5 Members

+ Join Group

Pinned Posts

ALLAll Teachers

Teachers.Net LIVE CHAT Support group - Tues eve!

Featured Jobs

Full-timeMontessori Teacher

Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada

TemporaryTeachers, rural schools

Peace River North School District

Full-timeHead Teacher: 2nd/3rd Grades – Mills College Children’s School

Mills College

Teaching Jobs on Teachers.Net

Featured Job special only $39!

https://teachers.net/jobs

Become a Teachers.Net sponsor!

Electronic Whiteboards Chatboard

Technology and the Budget Crunch

by D. Calabro

Apr 9, 2010

With all of the budget cuts, how do we get more true technology into the classrooms (computers, smart boards, etc)? My elementary school has one computer lab and only one classroom has a smart board. Schools say they want to be "cutting edge" with technology, but where do we get the money? Any ideas?

Comment

(7)

report post

view previous comments

D. Calabro What are ARRA funds?

On 4/16/10, PW wrote: > My district used its ARRA funds to purchase SMART Boards for > 200 classrooms. It's the best thing the district has done for > teachers in a long while. > > > On 4/09/10, D. Calabro wrote: >> With all of the budget cuts, how do we get more true >> technology into t...See More

Apr 17, 2010

report post

PW ARRA funds (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) are Obama's federal stimulus funds. My district elected not to use those funds to hire extra personnel because once the funds are spent the district would have to figure out a way to keep paying them.

On 4/17/10, D. Calabro wrote: > What are ARRA funds? > > > > On 4/16/10,...See More

Apr 17, 2010

report post

Heath Carter One great way for schools to bring more "REAL" Technology into schools is to really start assessing the need for certain items like SMART boards. The SMART board is a great invention don't get me wrong but advances in technology have helped us move beyond that for a MUCH lower cost. Schools need to consider devices such as the AirSlate3 and the Mob...See MoreOne great way for schools to bring more "REAL" Technology into schools is to really start assessing the need for certain items like SMART boards. The SMART board is a great invention don't get me wrong but advances in technology have helped us move beyond that for a MUCH lower cost. Schools need to consider devices such as the AirSlate3 and the Mobie over SMART Boards. I have personally been servicing and teaching teachers about the AirSlate for years now. The device lets you do everything the SMART board does but allows the teacher 100% mobility in the classroom. The costs now are down to around $350 per slate!!! You can put 10 of these in your school for the price of ONE SMART board. Teachers and Tech's are ONLY buying what they have heard of in other schools. I have been to hundreds of schools and seen numerous SMART boards and Promethian boards that are not being used and lots of schools that have spent this huge sum to benefit one class when there are 9 more that need it. The solutions are out there and they ARE cost effective if people would just start looking around.

On 4/17/10, PW wrote: > ARRA funds (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) are Obama's > federal stimulus funds. My district elected not to use those funds > to hire extra personnel because once the funds are spent the > district would have to figure out a way to keep paying them. > > > On 4/17/10, D. Calabro wrote: >> What are ARRA funds? >> >> >> >> On 4/16/10, PW wrote: >>> My district used its ARRA funds to purchase SMART Boards for >>> 200 classrooms. It's the best thing the district has done for >>> teachers in a long while. >>> >>> >>> On 4/09/10, D. Calabro wrote: >>>> With all of the budget cuts, how do we get more true >>>> technology into the classrooms (computers, smart boards, >>>> etc)? My elementary school has one computer lab and only >>>> one classroom has a smart board. Schools say they want to >>>> be "cutting edge" with technology, but where do we get the >>>> money? Any ideas?

Apr 21, 2010

report post

response to Heath The only reason a teacher would not be 100% mobile with a Smart Board would be if he/she were the only one using it. However, one of the benefits of the Smart Board is to have the STUDENTS interact with the board, not just the teacher. In addition, when they interact with the board, they are given a chance to get up and move--if only to the board a...See MoreThe only reason a teacher would not be 100% mobile with a Smart Board would be if he/she were the only one using it. However, one of the benefits of the Smart Board is to have the STUDENTS interact with the board, not just the teacher. In addition, when they interact with the board, they are given a chance to get up and move--if only to the board and back--which is a huge benefit to students, especially in a block schedule.

Also, Smart does offer the Airliner (wireless slate) as an accessory, so even if the teacher was the primary user, he/she could still maintain mobility.

The Smart Board system also offers a sound system and a document camera (part of the package that my school bought) which add dimensions that the Airslate cannot offer.

On 4/21/10, Heath Carter wrote: > One great way for schools to bring more "REAL" Technology into schools > is to really start assessing the need for certain items like SMART > boards. The SMART board is a great invention don't get me wrong but > advances in technology have helped us move beyond that for a MUCH lower > cost. Schools need to consider devices such as the AirSlate3 and the > Mobie over SMART Boards. I have personally been servicing and teaching > teachers about the AirSlate for years now. The device lets you do > everything the SMART board does but allows the teacher 100% mobility in > the classroom. The costs now are down to around $350 per slate!!! You > can put 10 of these in your school for the price of ONE SMART board. > Teachers and Tech's are ONLY buying what they have heard of in other > schools. I have been to hundreds of schools and seen numerous SMART > boards and Promethian boards that are not being used and lots of schools > that have spent this huge sum to benefit one class when there are 9 more > that need it. The solutions are out there and they ARE cost effective > if people would just start looking around. > > On 4/17/10, PW wrote: >> ARRA funds (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) are Obama's >> federal stimulus funds. My district elected not to use those funds >> to hire extra personnel because once the funds are spent the >> district would have to figure out a way to keep paying them. >> >> >> On 4/17/10, D. Calabro wrote: >>> What are ARRA funds? >>> >>> >>> >>> On 4/16/10, PW wrote: >>>> My district used its ARRA funds to purchase SMART Boards for >>>> 200 classrooms. It's the best thing the district has done for >>>> teachers in a long while. >>>> >>>> >>>> On 4/09/10, D. Calabro wrote: >>>>> With all of the budget cuts, how do we get more true >>>>> technology into the classrooms (computers, smart boards, >>>>> etc)? My elementary school has one computer lab and only >>>>> one classroom has a smart board. Schools say they want to >>>>> be "cutting edge" with technology, but where do we get the >>>>> money? Any ideas?

Apr 22, 2010

report post

Heath This is true, SMART does offer the Airliner for a mobile annotation tool. I am not trying to discredit SMART at all just trying to open teachers up to new options. The main problem I encounter in schools with the Airliner is the bluetooth connection. If you are a technical person then bluetooth is not a bad option but for the average teacher this c...See MoreThis is true, SMART does offer the Airliner for a mobile annotation tool. I am not trying to discredit SMART at all just trying to open teachers up to new options. The main problem I encounter in schools with the Airliner is the bluetooth connection. If you are a technical person then bluetooth is not a bad option but for the average teacher this causes more problems than it fixes with connectivity issues. The sound system offered by SMART is nice but it is still just a sound system, there are many many less expensive options for bring sound, even surround sound, into the classroom. This topic is about bringing technology to the classroom when considering the BUDGET CRUNCH "key part of the topic" SMART does have a great setup if your school is comfortable investing three to four thousand dollars per room. With the combination of the AirSlate, a series 9000 doc camera (with built in mic for podcasting, Skype, etc), the 8755 projector (5 year warranty and built in sound system), plus the installation and training package you can do it all for around $1500.00 in each classroom. You can even add a 24 remote Student Response System and still be under the price for the SMART board. AirSlates use RF technology so if you had the need you can connect up to 40 Slates to one PC. The Slate can easily be handed off to any student so they can freely interact with anything on screen. Again these are just solutions for teachers that do have a looming budget crunch.

On 4/22/10, response to Heath wrote: > The only reason a teacher would not be 100% mobile with a Smart Board > would be if he/she were the only one using it. However, one of the > benefits of the Smart Board is to have the STUDENTS interact with the > board, not just the teacher. In addition, when they interact with the > board, they are given a chance to get up and move--if only to the board > and back--which is a huge benefit to students, especially in a block > schedule. > > Also, Smart does offer the Airliner (wireless slate) as an accessory, so > even if the teacher was the primary user, he/she could still maintain > mobility. > > The Smart Board system also offers a sound system and a document camera > (part of the package that my school bought) which add dimensions that the > Airslate cannot offer. > > On 4/21/10, Heath Carter wrote: >> One great way for schools to bring more "REAL" Technology into schools >> is to really start assessing the need for certain items like SMART >> boards. The SMART board is a great invention don't get me wrong but >> advances in technology have helped us move beyond that for a MUCH lower >> cost. Schools need to consider devices such as the AirSlate3 and the >> Mobie over SMART Boards. I have personally been servicing and teaching >> teachers about the AirSlate for years now. The device lets you do >> everything the SMART board does but allows the teacher 100% mobility in >> the classroom. The costs now are down to around $350 per slate!!! You >> can put 10 of these in your school for the price of ONE SMART board. >> Teachers and Tech's are ONLY buying what they have heard of in other >> schools. I have been to hundreds of schools and seen numerous SMART >> boards and Promethian boards that are not being used and lots of schools >> that have spent this huge sum to benefit one class when there are 9 more >> that need it. The solutions are out there and they ARE cost effective >> if people would just start looking around. >> >> On 4/17/10, PW wrote: >>> ARRA funds (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) are Obama's >>> federal stimulus funds. My district elected not to use those funds >>> to hire extra personnel because once the funds are spent the >>> district would have to figure out a way to keep paying them. >>> >>> >>> On 4/17/10, D. Calabro wrote: >>>> What are ARRA funds? >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> On 4/16/10, PW wrote: >>>>> My district used its ARRA funds to purchase SMART Boards for >>>>> 200 classrooms. It's the best thing the district has done for >>>>> teachers in a long while. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> On 4/09/10, D. Calabro wrote: >>>>>> With all of the budget cuts, how do we get more true >>>>>> technology into the classrooms (computers, smart boards, >>>>>> etc)? My elementary school has one computer lab and only >>>>>> one classroom has a smart board. Schools say they want to >>>>>> be "cutting edge" with technology, but where do we get the >>>>>> money? Any ideas?

Apr 22, 2010

report post