Tech Contract and Tech Letter

Tech Contract

Technology Contract For a Fake School

Teachers, Students, Administrators and Parents are expected to understand and/or follow the parameters laid out in the following document and are subject to punishments and repercussions if these parameters are not followed and/or understood. Please read through and sign the following document and return this to Mr. Boyd by no later than tomorrow.

[  ] Students understand Tech is a privilege

[  ] Guided use is a must

[  ] Understanding not to tamper with soft/hard ware of School Devices.

[  ] No food or drink near tech

[  ] Stay on your own account do not tamper with others.

[  ] Only visiting teacher approved sites

[  ] Headphones and personal devices are only to be used by teacher’s discretion.

[  ] Not sharing personal identification information

[  ] Understand damage forgiveness

[  ] Understand what level of ownership of a device you have     

[  ] I forfeit the rights to have a computer issued by the school.

[  ] Respecting privacy (i.e. not sharing photos of others without permission)

I understand and agree to all of the following, and submit to the consequences if any or all of these are broken.

Student's name.                                     Student's signature.                              Date

_________________________.       ___________________________.    _________

Parent/guardian name.                          Parent/guardian signature.                    Date

_________________________.       ___________________________.    _________

Technology Letter

Fake Union High School

Technology Agreement letter

2016/2017 School Year

Dear Parent or Guardian of a Fake Union High School student, During this transitional period in our school year, our administration has deemed necessary for our students to be allocated the means to interconnectivity through “One to One” technology. Our one to one program is intended to allow students to be immersed in the world of technology through educational formats, in order to propagate interests and proficiency in academic areas whilst allowing educators to further personalize learning in order to better reach and react to their interests.

Leading up to this administrative decision, students have been slowly weaned into the concept and application of technology in the classroom. Many classes already incorporate technology in their classes in the forms of smartphone apps and classroom laptops which students can rent out of our high school library. We believe that this early immersion will act as a broad base for students to expand upon in order for them to greater understand the use and responsibility in accordance with our expectations of this one to one initiative.  

The one to one initiative in our school has a lot to offer your children and we foresee tremendous growth with them through the tools a laptop has to offer. There are many free to download programs that we can use to thoroughly engage our students in nearly every class; other programs that cost money the school is willing to/has purchased for use on the laptops they will be receiving. The laptops offer more opportunity to individualize projects, and also gives them their own time to do their work when at home. When every student has their own computer, they can share information quicker and easier, as well as collaborate more efficiently.

Students are expected to care and maintain for their laptops for the course of the school year. Students are expected to bring their laptop charged to class. If any issues arise with the technology it is imperative that students bring their laptop to the IT department to resolve the issue. Outside of system and program updates students are expected to have school faculty perform maintenance on their tech. Since students are allowed to bring their tech home they can use the computer for personal use as well. Students are allowed to download programs and store data on their laptops. Be aware though at the end of the year the laptops are factory reset so make sure any personal data that you want to keep is saved externally!

        

It is very clear that this will be new to many of you, and you may be uncomfortable with your child having a large responsibility and tool at their disposal. You may be worried, for instance, that your child may not be able to properly take care of such a large responsibility and that they may break it. The school has implemented an insurance policy, wherein an initial fee of 25$ and a deductible of 25$ will cover any accidental damage done to the laptop just in case. You may also be worried that they will be distracted by their computer in school, but we have installed an app that monitors their laptops during and only during school hours, to make sure they are not doing inappropriate tasks. At home, the distractions may be useful to teach your child how to manage time between fun and work. During school, your students will also be taught how to use their laptop and surf the web safely, as well as shape an appropriate online identity.

Attached to this letter is the Fake Union High School Technology Contract which will require you and your child’s careful review and signature. We ask that the content of the contract and the contents of this letter is diligently assessed and that any questions that you or your child may have about the contents are posed to our administration at

FakeUnionHS@gmail.com.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely, Administrative Staff of Fake Union High School.

Tech Contract and Technology Letter

The Both the technology contract and the technology letter were  group endeavors by myself and other students in the secondary education program. The technology contract is a list of explicit expectations of the students with regards to technological integration in the classroom. Outlining what is permitted and proper conduct in the classroom. An agreement between teacher, student and parent as to how the technology will be implicated in the classroom. The technology letter states the reasoning and offers a more in depth description of the pseudo tech program. Its purpose being to inform students and parents in depth the use and application of tech in our school’s classroom.

Performance Criterion 4.2: Candidates accurately address common misconceptions of the discipline.

I believe through the process of creating both a technology contract and a pseudo letter to parents regarding how technology would be used in the classroom, allowed us as future educators to consider the misconceptions that are often associated with tech implication in a classroom. I feel as though oftentimes tech integration is seen as a cure all for improving a school's educational practices. I believe that going through this exercise really allowed us to consider multiple dimensions that result from the implication of a 1 to 1 technology initiative. That, while technology has the potential to enhance the learning experience of students; its effectiveness relies on the best judgement of the educator. The potential of tech in the classroom is not only limited by its availability but also how effectively it is implicated by the instructor.

Reflection

As a future educator I hope that the use of technology in the classroom can provide the opportunities for a more in depth and complete learning experience for students in the modern age. That with technology comes not only more accessible and more diverse assessment and learning tools but also more pathways for students to accumulate knowledge and engage as citizens in a global community. I believe that technology has the power to empower students by providing more opportunities for students to convey learning and original ideas. I also believe that technology has the potential to create more globally literate individuals, that it has the power to inform provide future generations with the wherewithal to create positive change in the world. I genuinely believe we are at the tip of the iceberg with regards to the way technology will change and reshape the way we interact with each other and the rest of the world. With that being said, the ever increasing complexity of technology and its implications in our world also spearheads my biggest concerns with tech and tech in the classroom. I worry that as a future educator the tech skills I teach the students in my classroom will prove useless or outdated after a short period as tech evolves into new forms and formats.

I think my biggest takeaway from this lesson was the value of clear expectations with regards to tech and the use of technology in the classroom. That explicit and clear understanding between the instructor and their pupils on how they will use tech in the classroom is crucial. Having a set list of boundaries and expectations to refer to create a solid foundation for how technology will be used in the classroom. This lesson also allowed me to further consider the different dimensions of tech integration as well. That the student, teacher and parent/legal guardian each have their own realm of concerns and perspectives on technology in the classroom. Technology is its own wide encompassing dimension that has many implications both in and inside the classroom and like any tool has its own strengths and limitations. When used properly it can enhance the quality of learning but, without proper implication tech can be as effective as hammering a nail with a screwdriver.

El Deafo Panel

El Deafo Panel

The El Deafo panel involved 5 panelists of different experiences with/of deafness and in the deaf community. The panelists responded to questions from a moderator and then opened up to the audience for additional questions. Honestly, prior to this event I had never seen American Sign Language used in person and I was blown away with both how expressive and efficient it was as a language. Generally thinking I don’t think I have done much thought as to what challenges and obstacles deafness in any form could create, or how deafness is a different experience between those with severe hearing loss.

Connection to PC

Performance Criterion 2.2: Candidates use an understanding of diverse cultures and communities to design inclusive learning experiences.

After attending this event I can say without a doubt I have a better understanding of the experience and difficulties that revolve around deafness and hearing loss. Having a better knowledge of the deaf experience will help me to cater to provide better accommodations and approaches to teaching learners with hearing loss. Knowing how hearing loss affects a learner and changes their experience in a classroom makes allows me to be more informed on one of the many diverse learning needs of students. Knowing more about the deaf community also will help me to be more informed on the cultural implications of deafness as well. Allowing for me to be able to have a better understanding of students that may be part of deaf culture, as well as being able to better inform my own students about deaf culture.

Reflection

I think first both from the graphic novel “El Deafo” and the panel I attended I learned a fair amount more about the deaf experience than I had before. As I stated previously this new knowledge will help me to better understand how to inform students about the deaf experience and how better form my approaches to teaching students with hearing loss. Attending this event also made me realize that deafness constitutes for only one of the many diversifying factors of students and that only one factor can be enough to create a diverse spectrum of needs. Each student's brings their own skills and weaknesses to the classroom and to provide the best education possible one must know how to approach the unique needs of each student.

One line that stuck with me from the night was “Don’t make a big deal about it”. Often times I feel when in education when a student with a disability is taken into account they are taken from a disability first standpoint. Meaning that educators and educational institutions focus on addressing the needs of the disability in the classroom but forget about the needs of the student. If the student’s disability becomes the central part of the approach the student may feel singled out from his or her peers. This may lead to the student feeling uncomfortable in the classroom making it even harder to address the student’s needs as they may feel demotivated or stressed. My biggest takeaway from that is what comes first is creating a comfortable learning environment that doesn’t single out students or create exclusivity. That students regardless of their capabilities each have their own realm of concerns and require a safe learning environment.