Journal+Question+Starters


 * Is there a difference in the Literacy of Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants and Digital Emmigrants, Non-reisdent Digitarians?
 * If Everything is Free, What is of Value?
 * Wesch the Web is changing to becoming something we create. We therefore need to help them 'see' what they might otherwise miss.

Thanks for agreeing to host our visit to your school. We have made a few visits to schools already and have found the information we have gathered most helpful as we try to support student learning. Here are some things you may want to know before we arrive. First of all, I would like to clarify that we do __not__ expect you to prepare anything for our meeting. Second, we would like to meet with you and your vice-principal (s), if that is possible. If you have a lead teacher(s) that would like to join us for this "learning conversation" and is willing to do so, that is fine with us as well. At one school, the tech contact joined us as they were anxious to give us some important feedback. Who is in the room is up to you. And, if you want us to see a class in action, you are welcome to set that up for our time at your school (if it works).
 * __[|**From Evernote:**]__ ||
 * **Site Visit** ||

We will ask some questions (they could be different but here are some samples):

〈 Where is the integration of technology working well (e.g. Particular class, subject, etc.) in your school?

〈 Do you have any evidence that it is impacting student engagement? Student learning?

〈 Is the use of technology transformative at your school or merely an electronic version of the same worksheet practice? Is it changing classroom practice?

〈 How comfortable are your teachers in using technology with their students?

〈 Are you, your staff and/or students taking advantage of social media?

〈 Is technology being used by your LST or integration teacher?

〈 In what ways are you providing support to encourage staff development (at the school level) with the use of technology?

〈 Giving the current context (and obvious obstacles it represents), what ways are you finding to work around job action (while respecting your teachers) in order to move digital integration and teacher practice forward?

〈 Do you have a tech plan that guides your decision-making around the purchase and implementation of technology in your school?

〈 Did you apply for a variance in learning resource funding? If so, for how much? If not, any particular reason why?

〈 Have you purchased any other technology out of your current budget? And, have you looked at the ability to raise funding from your PAC?

〈 Are there other sources to help finance any of your technology needs?

〈 What about the fiscal planning side of things – want to ask about the schools ability to raise/allocate funding to sustain tech? Utilize LRS exemption, PAC, fund raise, etc.

〈 As a district, we are hoping to encourage the notion of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD). Is that happening at your school? If not, help us understand what the barriers might be to encouraging this practice. And, how can you move it forward at your own school?

〈 Some schools in North American have already started a move to go paperless. Is this something that might be a consideration for your school? Or for some of your classroom teachers?

〈 Is there any use of e-texts at your school? Have any teachers indicated an interest to move to the use of e-texts? Where could you move forward with this?

〈 As an administrative team, how would you rate your own use and integration of technology? How can we support you in this area?

〈 How are you finding the use of your iPad? Are you able to use it to accelerate your own learning?

〈 How are you leveraging your own use of technology to impact your staff?

〈 Within the next few months, both ICT/TF contacts and T-Ls will be provided a four hour iPad boot camp opportunity along with a district iPad. This will create a potential cadre of digital coaches at every school in Surrey. How can you use this cadre (of which you are a member), to help push practice forward?

〈 Are there ways you can informally share your learning together while still respecting the boundaries of job action? Are there strategic ways to make this work?

〈 What are the challenges, if any, you face from a technical point of view (equipment maintenance, wireless, internet speed, technical support)

〈 What do you see as your current hardware needs?

〈 What do you see as your current software needs?

〈 How are the District computer catalogue(s) working for you? Are there any teaching/learning practices that are not supported these catalogues (hardware or software)?