Mission

To increase the use of current and future technologies with the intent of enhancing learning as well as teaching.

Vision

For Kansas to be an education leader, with world-class learning opportunities, providing all Kansans with the knowledge and skills necessary to exercise the rights and responsibilities of citizenship, and with the ability to thrive in an international contemporary economy.

A. All Kansans will have equal and adequate access to comprehensive information resources.

B. All educators will have the technology, tools and resources they need to provide students with superior knowledge and job skills.

C. All segments of the Kansas educational community will work together with a common sense of purpose to achieve this vision.

Objectives

To achieve this vision, the following objectives were identified by the task force:

A. Provide educational entities a planning guide to assist them in developing their own technology plan.

B. Promote higher student achievement through the use of technology in education.

C. Ensure participation of all educational entities in the state, especially those schools and districts with a high percentage of disadvantaged students.

D. Support the development and implementation of a cost-effective, high-speed, statewide, interoperable, communications technology support system for all Kansas educational entities.

E. Promote shared use of equipment, facilities and other technology resources during after-school hours.

F. Provide educators a planning model to enable them to develop their own local plans for effectively using technology in education.

G. Assess the status of technology integration within the educational entities and make recommendations on resource allocation.

H. Develop alliances with community agencies, institutions of higher education, business, industry and the public to help our state become a leader in education.

Technology Outcomes

These seven technology outcomes should not restrict educational entities as they develop their specific technology outcomes for each level and academic area. Rather, by their general nature, local control and flexibility are maintained.

* Students will understand the role of technology in human development and the economy.

* Students will understand the importance of developing future technologies.

* Students will compare and contrast technologies and decide appropriateness for any given task.

* Students will apply and assess a vast array of technologies (scientific, material and human processes) used to achieve academic goals.

* As consumers, students will make prudent decisions regarding the purchase of technology software and hardware.

* Students will be prepared to implement technology in the workplace.

* As citizens, students will use technology to improve their quality of life.

This section was adapted from Planning for Technology: A Guidebook for School Administrators by Dan Lumley & Gerald D. Bailey. Copyright 1993 by Scholastic, Inc. Reproduced by Permission of Scholastic Inc.

Experts in technology, as well as futurists, contend that we are standing on the brink of an information revolution that will rival the industrial revolution by its impact and intensity. However, one stumbling block remains--the lack of planning. This void can be compared to sailing a rudderless ship into the twenty-first century. If educational entities continue to navigate without a technology rudder in the 1990s, educational programs will either run aground or float aimlessly into the next century. Simply put, without a comprehensive technology plan, money can be wasted, staff time will not be used efficiently and goals may never be met. A plan should be developed to pull all these pieces together rather than approaching technology in a piecemeal fashion.

The challenge of the new technology plan is to define new teaching strategies using technology to enable educators and students to respond to academic and economic changes and to ensure that resources are available, used effectively, and equitably distributed.

Planning for technology should:

1. Maintain focus on student needs by keeping technology projects on task.

2. Allow for integration of technology within school restructuring efforts.

3. Allow for site-based control in the planning and implementation of technology.

4. Provide for the coordination of all technology efforts including funding and budget decisions.

5. Assist in the identification of the infrastructure and available resources.

6. Involve all stakeholders.

7. Provide equity by addressing the needs of the different student populations, avoiding pockets of neglect.

8. Provide opportunities to explore emerging technologies and determine what is appropriate for each educational program.

9. Provide a tool for the ongoing, self-monitoring of progress--a means of developing and tracking milestones.

10. Provide not only short-term goals for immediate application, but long-term goals for achieving the district's educational vision.

Problems relating to the lack of technology planning can be categorized into five broad areas:

1. Purpose and Vision. There is no clear purpose of focus for the use of technology in teaching and learning.

2. Technical Proficiency. There is a wide disparity of technical capabilities among education staff.

3. Accountability. There is no centralized procedure for cataloging technology.

4. Staff Development. Too much emphasis is placed on equipment and software purchases at the expense of staff development.

5. Budget. There is no established budget for technology.⁹

Many documents are available to assist in developing technology plans. Some of these are listed in Appendix C. Benchmarking is also a valuable tool and can save teacher and staff planning time. Educational entities are encouraged to share information with each other and with their service center.

Using building blocks of the best practice, field testing and related-research, gradual and systematic technology integration in educational programs can best be accomplished by using a model called the Administrative Leadership for Information-Age Schools (ALIS). This model is divided into three distinct stages: planning, implementing and institutionalizing (Figure 1).¹⁰ Stage I focuses exclusively on empowering a planning team to create a long-range technology plan. Stage II involves the implementation of the plan. Stage III deals with integrating technology into the culture of the educational program. This guide will address only Stage I, developing a technology plan.

Figure 1

Administrative Leadership for Information-Age Schools¹¹

          Stage I                                    Stage II  
Develop a Three- to Five-Year              Implement the Technology Plan    
Long-Range Technology Plan*

* Organize and empower a technology team.  * Integrate curriculum & instruction.
  team.                                    * Conduct staff development.
* Prepare the team for a detailed study.   * Engage in supervision.
* Access the current state of technology   * Create management applications.
  programs.                                * Involve parents, business, teachers
* Develop a guiding document to support      and community
  the development of a comprehensive
  program. 
* Develop short- and long-range technology
  plans. 
* Special considerations.                                                            
                                    Stage III 
                             Institutionalize Technology   
  
                            * Create a technology culture.  
                            * Monitor, evaluate and revise.

*NOTE: The model uses a five- to 10-year range. The task force believes a three- to five-year long-range technology plan is most appropriate. The short-range plan should begin with the current and subsequent school year. This includes both years in the budgeting process. It is very difficult to accurately predict the emerging technologies, their applications, as well as enrollment and tax revenues, more than five years into the future.

Now let's look at the six steps of Stage I in some detail. These steps can provide a solid foundation for building a plan.

Step 1: Organize and Empower a Technology Team.

Identifying and training the technology planning team is the first major responsibility.*

Once this has been done, a chairperson needs to be appointed from the group or selected by central administration. This person should provide a structure for group tasks within the framework of the program outcomes as well as provide guidance to the group for achieving milestones. Follow these steps:

a. Identify the chairperson. Criteria should be:

* Willingness to "champion" a technology program.

* Leadership qualities and strong character.

* Interest and experience in emerging technologies.

* Competence in teaching and learning.

* Respected by peers.

b. Identify team membership. Membership may include:

* A student representative from each program (middle and high school, community college, vocational education, and adult education).

* Teachers from all grade levels.

* Program administrators (e.g., science, math, foreign language and arts).

* School and central office administrators.

* Support staff.

* Library-media specialists.

* Computer lab instructors.

* Information systems manager.

* Board members.

* Parents.

* Lay citizens.

________________________

* A general rule-of-thumb is a planning team of fifteen to twenty-five members. A group larger than that becomes unwieldy for consensus-building and decision-making. Large school districts may need to operate with one planning committee and several subcommittees. Another approach is to have a small technology council/committee of five-eight members and a much larger technology steering group made up of fifteen to twenty members from the community.

c. Develop the planning group details:

* Determine resources (meeting location, supporting equipment and materials, and funds).

* Determine documentation requirements.

* Determine meeting time, duration and frequency of meetings.

* Determine who is responsible for preparing the agenda, setting up each meeting, providing the creature comforts, reminding attendees, etc.

* Determine consultant requirements.

* Determine the planning milestones. This is not to be confused with the milestones for events that will be developed later.

Step 2: Prepare the Team for a Detailed Study

For a technology planning team to make informed and wise decisions, specific data should be collected. The data includes:

* Computer technology identification and review (e.g., microcomputers, desktop and laptop computers and networking).

* Telecommunications technology (e.g., on-line services and databases, Internet resources, facsimile transmission, distance learning programs via interactive video, satellite and cable TV, wide area networking, microwave, etc.).

* Videodisc technology (e.g., videodisk and CD-ROM).

* Instructional and administrative technology (e.g., electronic card catalog, hypermedia/multimedia, integrated learning systems, etc.).

The following steps should be taken:

a. Conduct an orientation session(s) to familiarize the technology team with various technologies appro-priate for each program using demonstrations, sample lesson plans, projects and benchmarking from other educational entities, and state and national programs.

Board involvement is also essential. Although not all board members may be on the technology team, all members should be invited to technology demonstrations and see sample lesson plans and units developed using various information technology resources. Educating board members is essential since all policy decisions will be made by the local board. These orientation initiatives will get the group to "think technology" and to understand the possibilities of it in teaching and learning. There should be a common understanding of:

* The capabilities of current technology in education and business.

* Information resources available through state or local governments, commercial service providers, libraries and higher education institutions.

* Inservice and continuing training requirements.

* The need for lay citizen, teacher and student mentoring programs to draw on and apply local technology expertise.

* The benefit to students, administration, staff and faculty and the community.

* The three dominant skills needed in the twenty-first century (reading, communications and computation).

* How technology can help the teacher in developing higher-order thinking skills and collaborative and heterogeneous learning.

To assist in this orientation process, several initiatives are possible. Define responsibilities for each orientation initiative and set realistic timelines for this "study period." Encourage knowledge and awareness for team members but avoid losing momentum. A series of well-organized initiatives with maximum attendance over a short period (one or two months) is far better than a longer study period. These initiatives may include the following:

* Send committee members to national, regional and local technology conferences and workshops to increase their awareness of new and emerging technologies.

* Bring vendors into the district to demonstrate technologies on a one-on-one environment which encourages hands-on learning.

* Invite local business and industry representatives to demonstrate and explain technologies used in the workplace. This promotes awareness of worksite technology requirements.

* Provide committee members with professional articles on educational technology to build their knowledge base.

* Provide building tours to review the existing use of technology.

* Visit other educational entities, as well as local or regional businesses and industries, to further explore uses of technology.

b. Develop the foundation for your technology plan.

* Write a technology mission statement (who, what, when, where and why).

* Write a vision of technology intent statement.

* Determine technology needs (e.g., basic curricula, technical education, vocational education, special education, adult education, etc.).

* Write the general learning outcomes.

* Develop a template or method for specific learning outcomes.

NOTE: One of the most common questions is, "What does a comprehensive written technology plan look like?" Dr. Larry Anderson, Founder and Director of the National Center for Technology Planning, just completed the "First National Technology Planning Competition." School districts send him their plans for competitive analysis and he archives the "winning technology plans" on his World Wide Web (WWW) server. Appendix C provides information on how you can download these plans to your computer if you have access to the WWW. Two plans available at the time of this publication's release that are available for review are Madison (CT) School District (152K) and Bethlehem (PA) area School District (52K).

Step 3: Assess the Current State of Technology Programs.

This step involves gathering facts and developing technology planning assumptions. In gathering facts, assess seven areas:

* The community attitude toward technology change.

* Current status of technology planning and infrastructure.

* Telecommunications connectivity options.

* Availability of technology-related assistance.

* Current and projected technology budget.

* Curricula development.

* Staff training and development.

Before assessment can begin, a methodology for data collection should be developed. This includes who will collect the data, in what format, and what will be done with the data. Here are the eight areas of assessment:

a. Gather facts about the community attitude toward technology change.

This includes the attitude of the public, administration and teachers toward integrating technology into education. Find the barriers inhibiting change in the past. Determine the computer literacy level of students, parents, staff (district and school level) and faculty, local government and the community. This may include getting economic information from the local economic development counsel (EDC), the chamber of commerce and some state agencies. A survey could be used to assess attitudes and computer literacy.

b. Gather facts about the status of current technology planning, assuming at least some part of a plan is in effect, and the technology infrastructure. This includes:

* Authority of the technology planning team and the achievement of current technology plan objectives and upcoming milestones.

* Hardware, software, systems and processes currently available and where are they located. This includes telecommunications capabilities, operational environment, and physical layout of technology hardware and software. A matrix or database could be developed as a management tool for non-expendable hardware that is not part of the physical plant. Software can also be included. Information such as the user, location, date placed in service, serial number and/or inventory number, make, model, technical specifications, upgrade capability or potential, and service contract or service point-of-contact can all be useful.

* Types of computer platforms (DOS/Windows versus Apple/Macintosh). this also includes any assistive technology for students with disabilities.

* Applications that are being used in support of curricula (core subjects, Title I, special education, adult education, etc.)

* Local-area network (LAN) and wide-area network (WAN) architecture for administration, staff, faculty and students. Expandability and compatibility are important concerns. (Review Connecting to the Future, Appendix 1-A: IETF K-12 Internet Working Guidelines.)

* Existing contracts and service agreements.

* Existing facilities to include workspace, furnishings, lighting, power sources, telecommunications terminals, cabling, LAN/WAN/Internet connectivity, environmental controls and physical security.

* Operational protocols and procedures such as accountability, data storage and back-up, data security, password protection and acceptable use policies.

c. Gather facts about telecommuni-cations connectivity options.

This includes:

* Information technology resources available, their capabilities and advantages or disadvantages, the cost, and the types of information they provide. Research the potential use of commercial on-line service providers, local and regional Internet service providers, and dial-up information resources such as free nets and BBSs. Develop a matrix to lay out the options and to keep breast of changing costs and services.

* Connectivity options from dial-up terminals, ITV services, LANs and/or the district WAN. This is usually based on telecommunication services, hardware, software and staff development limitations.

* an estimate of short- and long-term needs in bandwidth. This equates to the capacity of the system or the number and speed of the required telecommunications lines. Work the connections from the workstation and office/classroom/lab/ library up to the district level. Understand LAN server capabilities and LAN/WAN connectivity requirements.

d. Gather facts about technology-related assistance and any instructional programs from outside the area and the potential cost. This should include:

* Federally-funded and/or operated training programs.

* State-funded and/or operated training programs.

* Commercially operated programs.

* Consulting and/or training.

e. Gather facts about the technology budget. This includes:

* Current status of the technology budget (appropriated, obligated and spent).

* Proportion of investment in technology, personnel and material costs, with respect to the total general outlay and capital outlay.

* Proportion of yearly investment in technology hardware and software compared to staff development.

* Possible funding sources, internal and external to the community.

f. Gather facts about technology curricula development. This includes:

* Curricular framework for technology.

* Current curricula and outcomes for each educational level. Determine what processes, hardware and software applications are used at each level as well as the desired outcomes.

* Use of technology in teaching and learning, curricula development, classroom management and professional development.

g. Gather facts about inservice training and staff development. This includes:

* Obtaining a list of the desired teacher technology competencies based on current hardware and software within the district.

* Obtaining a list of the known technology competencies for teachers, special staff and administration.

* Conducting a review of the written technology training and staff development plan to include the inservice and staff development technology budget.

h. Develop planning assumptions. Assumptions replace necessary but missing or unknown facts.

For example, assumptions should be developed concerning projected growth and tax revenues, the technology budget as a percentage of the total budget, technology staffing requirements, and anticipated telecommunications services. Assumptions are reviewed and updated or replaced by facts as information changes. An assumption is appropriate if it meets the tests of both validity and necessity.

* Validity defines whether or not an assumption is likely to occur. "Assuming away" potential problems (e.g., funds will be available to implement the plan) is an example of assuming away a problem. However, a projection of capital outlay funds earmarked for technology is a valid assumption if it is based on historical data. Student enrollment projections and demographics would also be valid assumptions as they are essential to the plan and likely to occur.

* Necessity defines whether or not the assumption is absolutely essential for the development of a plan. If planning can continue without making the assumption, the assumption fails the test of necessity and is consequently inappropriate.

Planning assumptions will assist in developing contingency plans. They force planners to address issues that are normally overlooked or considered unimportant. They add flexibility to the plan, making it easier to adjust if the situation changes.

Step 4: Develop a Guiding Document to Support the Development of a Comprehensive Program.

At this point, the technology planning team is ready to prepare the rough draft of the technology plan. This document is written by a few of the key players on the team, based on information provided by other members and includes the information in Steps 1-3. It provides the baseline reference material from which the short- and long-range plans will be developed. As a minimum, the plan should include:

* A mission statement.

* A vision of technology intent statement or statement of philosophy toward integrating technology into the curriculum.

* Technology goals, objectives and milestones based on priorities established by administrators.

* Broad responsibilities for technology team members and the technology tasks and associated milestones for achieving these tasks.

A matrix can be used to simplify understanding the objectives, tasks for team members, the implementor, and the milestone date. The document could also list all stakeholders and how they can be contacted. Appendices of definitions and a list of references are also recommended.

Step 5: Develop Short- and Long-Range Technology Plans.

The short-range plan is the plan for the current and budgeted fiscal year. If a short-range plan has not been developed it should be done at this time. The long-range plan is normally for a period of three to five years beyond the upcoming fiscal year. Predicting the capabilities and costs of technology beyond five years is very difficult. Only broad changes in strategies can be expected. The long-range technology plan lays out the strategy and the associated action plan for

for technology to include objectives and the milestones for achieving them. Sections of the plan may be tasked out to special committees for development. There are several principles that should be applied. They are:

* Use the team approach to accomplish tasks and prepare documentation. Team members may be on several committees.

Recommended committees are:

* Curricula development.

* Library and multimedia.

* Facilities planning.

* Software and hardware purchasing.

* Inservice training or staff development.

* Budgeting.

* Fund raising.

* Assessment.

* Public relations and economic development.

* Documentation.

* Build a plan that allows you to start small and add capabilities and upgrade each year. This includes computers that can be easily upgraded.

* Plan for smaller equipment purchases once a year rather than one major purchase every four or five years. This ensures equipment does not become obsolete all at once, takes advantage of emerging technologies, provides for easier accountability and is less of a budget shock.

* Plan for ongoing support such as administration of the network(s) and telecommunications traffic monitoring. This includes staff or contractors to maintain equipment and systems.

Be prepared to market the plans to the administrators, board and community. The purchase of new hardware, software and services should be tied to specific outcomes. Prepare to discuss why alternative and traditional methods of teaching are not available or cannot be used to achieve the outcomes.

There are five areas that should be addressed in the long-range plan. They are leadership, budget, curricula, staff development and technology infrastructure and information architecture.

a. Leadership. The chairperson of the technology team should exercise leadership throughout all steps of the planning process. Leadership is also needed by committee members with the most difficult objectives (e.g., assessment, budgeting, staff development, fund raising, public relations and documentation).

b. Budget. There are many costs associated with planning and implementing a technology plan. All costs should be anticipated and estimates included in the technology plan. Technology expenditures should be tracked over time. Five recommended categories are: infrastructure, staff development, research and development, information and video services, and maintenance/maintenance contracts. Graphing these expenses over time will help in budgeting for technology. Expenditures in the five categories should include, but not necessarily be limited to:

* Infrastructure:

* LAN and WAN building.

* Xomputers and peripherals.

* ITV and peripherals.

* Software.

* Supplies.

* Staff development:

* Inservice training (teacher compensation).

* Consulting (use of outside training resources).

* Research and development:

* Attending technology conferences, seminars, and vendor fairs.

* Curriculum development (teacher compensation).

* Information architecture/infrastructure consulting.

* Information and video services:

* ITV services

* Internet access provider

* Commercial on-line services.

* Cable TV

* Dedicated telephone lines installation and maintenance.

* Maintenance and maintenance contracts.

A more general approach may be taken by budgeting for capital improvements, developmental and operational costs, and staff curricula development. Consider the following:

* Capital improvements (major items, facilities, and furnishings).

* Developmental costs (hardware, software, staffing and furnishings). It is a good idea to develop a prioritized "wish list" of hardware and software needed. Define the minimum capabilities to meet the student outcomes (e.g., do not list a computer with a 1000 MB hard drive and 16 MB RAM when a 500 MB hard drive and * MB RAM is sufficient). The same situation applies to software needs.

* Operational costs (on-line services, telephone bills, service and repairs, maintenance/service agreements, salaries, security and utilities).

* Staff development costs (training, substitute pay, extra duty and consulting fees).

c. Curricula. Technology should be integrated into the curricula. Microprocessor technology and processes should be used as tools to obtain information and help solve problems in every academic area. Specific outcomes should be developed for each educational level. In whole, they should satisfy the general outcomes. Program administrators should take the lead and develop the framework and determine the appropriate outcomes for each level, consistent with the technology and learning objectives. Reviewing other district's technology plans is highly recommended as a starting point.

d. Staff development. This includes training all administrators and teachers. Inservice training should take place throughout the year. Mentoring should be provided by technology experts inside and outside the school. A mentoring team or list of mentors by subject area is recommended. Mentors can be found in the community within businesses, libraries, universities, community colleges and government. Emphasize self-instruction with various opportunities for learning.

e. Information infrastructure, architecture and process. Information infrastructure includes the physical plant and the ability to introduce new technology. Workspace, networks, electrical power, telecommunications cabling, security and storage, and furniture are all a part of the infrastructure. Information architecture refers to the purpose for information applications, as well as the flow, usage, storage and retrieval of data (see glossary). Architecture also involves the flow and management of information into and within LANs and WANs and connectivity to the Internet. The administrative and academic centers are also part of the architecture. For example, the network manager may be the systems operator or information systems manger. The academic manger may be the senior media specialist or the computer laboratory teacher. The information technology process (ITP) is the mental process by which we acquire, create, share and analyze data and process and apply the information to accomplish a specific task or achieve an objective. The ITP becomes important when developing lesson plans and units in support of technology-integrated curricula.

Step 6. Special Considerations.

This requires policies and procedures established by the technology team and the administration as well. The long-range plan should be distributed to the schools, all board members, and the community. Keeping the board informed of the team's progress is very important. A visual evaluation component (by functional area, topic or task) can help in quickly portraying the status of planned objectives and milestones (e.g., using a red/amber/green bullet chart). A quarterly or semi-annual update is recommended. Mid-course corrections can be made with approval of the board and the technology team. A post-graduate assessment is also essential to determine the value of the plan with respect to the job market and higher education. The three tasks under this step are:

a. Establish school board policies for:

* Equity.

* Copyright protection.

* Student and faculty acceptable use policies.

* Community usage of educational facilities.

* Obsolescence.

* Vendor relationships and competitive bidding.

* Training.

* Budgeting.

b. Avoid the common pitfalls by:

* Understanding that technology is a journey and not a destination or event.

* Understanding planning is a process and not a document.

* Gaining the support and involvement of the administration, board and community.

* Keeping the stakeholders informed. According to Lumley and Bailey, it is important to communicate that technology rarely works perfectly from the start, is expensive, obsolescence is a fact of live, teacher and staff training is never ending and difficult, and facilities and equipment are often inadequate.

* Selecting the right chairperson and empowering that person with the authority to lead the team.

* Providing sufficient funds for staff training and development.

* Budgeting for ongoing support.

* Using consultants who are vendor-neutral.

c. Assess the benefits of the program to graduating students.

The success of a technology program is based on how well it prepares graduates for continuing education or the labor force. Students that graduate and receive the full benefit of the program may be in a position to evaluate the benefits of the program. A graduate survey, completed at least one year after graduation, can provide valuable feedback for future program development. It can also demonstrate to taxpayers the necessity for such a program. Constructing the survey, tracking students, accounting for the mailed surveys, and evaluating the results are essential tasks in the post-graduate assessment process.

The Goals 2000 Technology Task Force hope this planning guide will be helpful as you plan for technology in education. It should at least direct your thinking and activities toward the completion of a plan during this coming school year. Planning for technology, funding it, and implementing it is a complex and continuous effort. The development of a plan that will lay the groundwork for our children's future is a great challenge--a challenge to be shared by the entire community and not just our school districts. The task force hopes this planning guide, as well as the reference material, will provide some help in achieving your technology in education goals.

¹ Hacket, Michael and Robert Baren, (1988). Living with Technology, Albany, New York; Delmar Publishers.

² Ibid.

³ Townsend, Frank C. and Catherine M. Townsend, (25 May 1992). Meeting Learning Needs through Multimedia: A Look at the Way Modern Technology Can Help Classroom Teachers Meet the Varied Instructional Needs of Students. ERIC No. ED352969.

Learning Paradigm Transition (LPT) Proposal, 1993.

⁴ Collis, Betty, Ed. and Gerrit Carleer Ed., (1992), Technology-Enriched Schools: Nine Case Studies with Reflections. ERIC No. ED364218.

Townsend, Frank C. and Catherine M. Townsend, (25 May 1992). Meeting Learning Needs through Multimedia: A Look at the Way Modern Technology Can Help Classroom Teachers Meet the Varied Instructional Needs of Students. ERIC No. ED352969.

Technology as an Instructional Tool: What We Are Learning. Research Bulletin #3. Minnesota Educational Computing Consortium, St. Paul; Minnesota Univ., Minneapolis. Center for the Study of Educational technology, June 1990.

Goodson, Ivor, Ed. and Others. The Use of Computers for Classroom Learning. Summative Report, Vol. 2 from the project: Curriculum and the Context in the Use of Computers for Classroom Learning; Ontario Dept. of Education, Toronto, Aug. `91.

⁵What Work Requires of Schools: A SCANS Report for America 2000, Executive summary, (1991). The Secretary's Commission On Achieving Necessary Skills. Washington, D.C., U.S. Department of Labor. The American Society for Training and Development and the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration.

Carnevale, Anthony P., (1994). America and the New Economy, Alexandria, VA. The American Society for Training and Development and the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration.

⁶Train America's Workforce, The American Society for Training and Development, Kansas City, MO, Oct. 6, 1994, p. iii.

⁷ Carnevale, Anthony P., (1994). America and the New Economy, Alexandria, VA. The American Society for Training and Development and the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration, pp. 5 & 6.

⁸ McREL, MidContinent Regional Educational Laboratory Product (RELP), 1993, pp. 38 & 39.

⁹ Office of Technology Assessment, (1988). Power On! New Tools for Teaching and Learning ) OTA-SET-379), Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office.

¹⁰ Lumley, Dan and G. Bailey, (1993). Planning for Technology: A Guidebook for School Administrators, New York; Scholastic, p. 101.

¹¹ Ibid.

Education and Business/Community Partnerships

Etzioni, Amitai (1994). The Spirit of Community--The Reinvestment of American Society, Simon & Schuster Touchstone Books, New York, 1994.

King, Al, Learning Together: Examples of School/Business/Community Partnerships, Southwest Educational Development Laboratory, Austin, TX., 1987.

Rigden, D.W., Business/School Partnerships, Council for Aid to Education, New York, 1991.

Shelton, Cynthia W., The Doable Dozen: A Checklist of Practical Ideas for School Business Partnerships, National Community Education Association, Alexandria, VA., 1987.

Business and Environmental Trends

Carnevale, Anthony P., America and the New Economy, The American Society for Training and Development and the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration, Alexandria, VA., 1994.

"The Computer in the 21st Century," Scientific American, Special Issue, 1995.

"How Investors Can use the Internet," Fortune, April 17, 1995.

"Making High-Tech Work for You, 1994 Information Technology Guide," Fortune, Autumn 1993.

"Managing in a Wired World," Fortune, July 11, 1995.

Naisbitt, John, Megatrends 2000: Ten new directions for the 1990s, W. Morrow, New York, 1990.

Naisbitt, John, Global Paradox: The bigger the world power, the more powerful its smallest players, W. Morrow, New York, 1991.

Popcorn, Faith, The Popcorn Report: Faith Popcorn on the future of your company, your world, and your life, Doubleday, New York, 1991.

Tapscott, Don, Paradigm Shift: The new promise of information technology, McGraw-Hill, New York, 1993.

Toffler, Alvin, Powershift, Bantam Books, New York, 1990.

Train America's Workforce, Kansas City Chapter of the American Society for Training and Development, Kansas City, MO., 1994.

What Work Requires of Schools: A SCANS Report for America 2000, Executive Summary, The Secretary's Commission in Achieving Necessary Skills, U.S. Department of Labor, Washington, D.C., 1991.

"Welcome to Cyberspace," Time Magazine, Special Issue, Spring 1995.

Information Technology and Futurists

Atkins, Andrea, "New Ways to Learn - Modern teaching concepts shake up America's classrooms," Better Homes and Gardens, February 1993.

Banks, Stephen C., Seizing the Moment: harnessing the information technologies, Rand, California, 1992.

Bruder, Isabelle and others, "School Reform - Why you need technology to get there," Electronic Learning, May/June 1992.

Cetron, M. and M. Gayle, Educational Renaissance: Our schools at the turn of the 21st Century, New York, St. Martin's Press, 1991.

Dede, Christopher J., "Imaging Technology's Role in Restructuring Learning," Restructuring for Learning with Technology, National Center on Education and the Economy and the Center for Technology in Education, New York, 1990.

"Preparing Tomorrow's Students for Tomorrow's World," Educational Leadership, Vol. 47, No. 1, September 1989.

Strand, John and others, The Learning Paradigm Transition (LTP) Proposal, NCSA Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Sprint and others, Overland Park, KS., 1993.

Teaching, Learning and Technology

Cohen, Elizabeth G., Designing Groupwork: Strategies for the Heterogeneous Classroom, Teachers College Press, New York, 1986.

Hill, Maggie, "Technology and the New Middle School - Ensuring Student Success," Electronic Learning, February 1993.

McCarthy, Robert, "Hands-On Math and Science," Electronic Learning, Special Edition, September 1992.

Pressiesen, B. (ed.), Learning and Thinking Styles: Classroom Interactions, Research for Better Schools and NEA, Pennsylvania, 1990.

Resnick, I.B., Education and Learning to Think, National Academy Press, Washington, D.C., 1987.

Sheingold, Karen, Restructuring for Learning with Technology, National Center on Education and the Economy and the Center for Technology in Education, New York, 1990.

Technology as an Instructional Tool: What We Are Learning, Research Bulletin #3, Minnesota Educational Computing Consortium, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. Center for the Study of Educational Technology, June 1990. ERIC No. ED326207.

Townsend, Frank C., and Catherine M. Townsend, Meeting Learning Needs through Multimedia: A Look at the Way Modern Technology Can Help Classroom Teachers Meet the Varied Instructional Needs of Students, May 1992. ERIC No. ED352969.

"What Decision-Makers Need to Know About Technology Education," Ties, Drexel University, March/April 1991.

Technology Planning, Curriculum and Staff Development

A Summary of Analyzed State Curriculum Frameworks, Mid-continent Regional Educational Laboratory, Aurora, CO., 1993.

Adult Literacy and New Technologies, Tools for a Lifetime, Office of Technology Assessment, U.S. Congress, July 1993.

Best, Anita, and Judi Mathis (eds.), The 1993-94 Educational Software Preview Guide, March 1993. ERIC No. ED366331.

Bracey, Gerald, "Healthy Environment - Why some teachers use computers better than others," Electronic Learning, September 1992.

Collis, Betty, and Gerrit Carleer (eds.), Technology-Enriched schools: Nine Case Studies with Reflections, 1992. ERIC No: ED364218.

Connecting to the Future: A Guide for Building a Network Infrastructure for Education, NASA Information Infrastructure Technology and Applications Program and the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics, NASA CORE, Oberlin, OH., 1995.

Educational Technology Curriculum: K-12, Living with Technology: A Life-Long Learning Process, South Orange-Maplewood School District, N.J., 1993. ERIC No. ED366318.

Hughes, David, "Appropriate and Distributed Networks: A Model for K-12 Educational Telecommunications, Internet Research, Vol. 3, No. 4., pp. 22-29, Winter 1993.

Kearsley, Greg and William Lynch, "Educational Leadership in the Age of Technology: The New Skills," Journal of Research on Computing in Education, Fall 1992.

Leiberman, Ann (ed.) Staff Development for Education in the 90's: New Demands, New Realities, New Perspectives, Teachers College Press, New York.

Lumley, Dan and G. Bailey, Planning for Technology: A Guidebook for School Administrators, Scholastic, Inc., New York, 1993.

Lumley, Dan and G. Bailey, Technology Staff Development Programs: A Leadership Sourcebook for School Administrators, New York, Scholastic, Inc., New York, 1994.

Mahmood, Mo Adam and Shirley A. Hirt, Evaluating a Technology Integration Causal Model for the K-12 Public School Curriculum: A LISREL Analysis, New York, May 21, 1992. ERIC No. ED346847.

Sharp, George F., Jr., The Development and Implementation of a Five-Year Plan for the Integration of Computers throughout a Total School Curriculum, October 1992. ERIC No. ED364191.

Teaching, Learning & Technology, (1991). A Planning Guide, Apple Computer, 1991.

A good portion of this section was reprinted from Connecting to the Future--A Guide for Building a network Infrastructure for Education, with permission to copy granted by NASA's Information Infrastructure Technology and Applications Program. The glossary was originally published by the California State Department of Education, Sacramento, California, 1994. Other terms relative to educational technology and telecommunications were added. These are identified by an asterisk (*).

acceptable use policy* (AUP): The official policy statement regarding acceptable use of a network or a computer system.

access privilege*: The privilege to open and make changes to files and their contents. They are given to or withheld from users. By setting access privileges, the systems operator can control access to confidential or privileged information stored on a server.

adaptive technology: See assistive technology service.

administrator*: The person who sets up a network resource, registers users and their passwords, and maintains the resource. See also sysops.

address, Internet: Four numbers separated by dots (`dotted quad') which uniquely identifies a computer system connected to the Internet. For example, the Internet address of the Library of Congress' machine that stores texts of legislation is 140.147.254.3. For each address there is a domain name. Either the address or the domain name can be used to access an Internet host for remote login (telnet) or file transfer (ftp). The full domain name of the LC machine is locis.loc.gov.

address, email: A combination of an individual username and domain name necessary for electronic messages to be routed to the proper computer system and placed in the proper email box. The two names separated by an `@'. Note that the user could have a functional name such as `info' or `order.' Email to President Clinton is address:

president@whitehouse.gov

ADN: (Advanced Digital Network)

analog*: Signals which have a continuously varying form that always has the characteristics of amplitude (height), frequency (number per second) and phase (flow). Digital: Signals that are encoded as discrete binary pulses (on/off, one/zero) as opposed to analog signals can be regenerated (new ones and zeros are created) virtually error free, as opposed to an analog transmission in which the signal and any interference or noise is amplified.

Archie: A search tool for finding network host computers that have programs or data files which can be transferred to your machine. You must know the whole or part of the filename or a string (word or phrase) which might appear in a description of it.

ARPANET: See Internet.

articles: Messages posted by conferees in usenet new groups. The article beginning a discussion thread is called the base note. Any later article on the same subject is called a response and bears the same subject line in its header. This permits all articles on the same subject to be grouped for easy access by the reader. See Newsreader.

ASCIP* (American Standard Code for Information Interchange): Pronounced `ASK-ee,' it is a standard protocol used to transmit text between computers or between a computer and a peripheral device.

assistive technology device: Any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, thus used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of children with disabilities (20 U.S.C. 1401(a)(25)).

assistive technology service: Any service that directly assists a child with a disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology device (See expanded definition in 20 U.S.C. 1401(a(26))

asynchronous*: Not synchronized by a mutual timing signal or clock.

authentication*: The process of verifying the identification of a user or computer process.

backbone: High-speed connection within a network that connects shorter, usually slower circuits. NSFNet is the principle backbone for the noncommercial portion of the Internet.

bandwidth: The capacity of a medium to transmit a signal. More informally, the mythical "size" of a network, and its ability to carry the files and messages of those who use it. A faster medium usually measured in bits per second (bps) can send bits more quickly and can accommodate more bits because the faster the bits move the more "space" there is to add others.

baud*: A unit of data transmission speed measured in the number of bits-per-second. In speaking of systems capabilities this is also the maximum speed at which data can be sent through a medium (e.g., a telephone line, modem, or computer serial port). Replaced by the term" bits per second" or bps.

BBS (electronic Bulletin Board System): An announcement and conferencing facility implemented in hundreds of software packages and run on thousands of computers both individual and networked. Users accessed early systems via modem and phone line only, though by the mid 80's some BBSs began to network (e.g., Fido BBSs via Fidonet) providing vastly increased resources similar to those of Bitnet and Internet. Most BBS access is still through dial-in modems but some Fidonet conferences (Echos) are carried on Internet. Most individual BBSs now also offer local email and access to databases. See bulletin boards.

beta*: The preliminary testing phase of a software application. Beta versions are normally released to the public as freeware so it can be field tested prior to marketing the final product.

binhex (binary hexi-decimal conversion): A shareware program for converting Macintosh binary files to text-format (ASCII) so that they can be attached to an email message and converted back to binary upon receipt.

bit* (binary digit): The smallest unit of information that a computer can hold. A bit is a positive or negatively charged current representing a 1 or a 0. Eight bits equal one byte and a byte represents a single character or alphanumeric.

BITNET (Because It's Time Network): An international educational network which is not a part of Internet but is gatewayed to it so that email can be exchanged. Listservs, the largest collection of mailing lists, are hosted on BITNET machines.

bounce, bounced*: Email being returned because it couldn't be delivered. The sender will usually receive a diagnostic error message from the email software.

bps* (bits per second): The gauge used to measure the maximum speed at which data can be sent through a medium such as a modem.

bridge: A device used to expand a LAN by selectively forwarding packets of data to another part of the LAN. It functions as a smart repeater. See router.

browser*: A type of software that allows a user on the World Wide Web to "browse" for home pages or information. Netscape and mosaic are the two most common browsers used on the WWW.

BTW (By The Way): One of a group of abbreviations often used in network messages to save keystrokes; also IMHO = In My Humble Opinion.

bulletin boards (BBSs): Used in networking to refer to a system for providing online announcements, with or without provision for user input. Internet hosts often provide them in addition to Usenet conferences. See BBS.

byte*: The number of bits used to represent a character or alphanumeric. For personal computers, a byte is usually composed of eight bits.

carrier*: Vendor of transmission services operating under terms defined by the FCC as a common carrier. Owns a transmission medium and rents, leases or sells portions for a set tariff to the public via shared circuits.

CCITT Standard*: Transmission rate of Px64 or multiples of 64.

CIX* (Commercial Internet Exchange): An agreement among Internet service providers that allows them to account for commercial network traffic.

client*: A computer having access to service on a network. The computers that provide access are called servers. A user at a client may request file access, remote logon, file transfer, or other available services. When connected to the Internet via a SLIP/PPP connection, your computer is acting as a client and can be connected to a number of types of servers, e.g., gopher, ftp, or WWW.

CMC (Computer-mediated communication): The branch of telecomputing in which users exchange ideas and information by sending email or its variants (e.g., electronic conferencing via newsgroups or mailists or real-time chat-IRC). See resource sharing.

codec*: A COder-DECoder converts analog signals (voice or video), into digital form for transmission over a digital medium and, upon reception, reconverts the signals to the original analog form.

communications satellite*: A relay system in orbit above the earth's surface for telecommunications signals such as voice, video and data; require earth stations to transmit and receive the signals at the ground locations. Commonly called a bird.

compressed video*: Processes video images and transmits the changes from one flame to the next which reduces the bandwidth to send them over a telecommunications channel and reduces the expense. Also called bandwidth compression, data compression or bit rate reduction.

conferencing, electronic: Any means of discussion among two or more people undertaken via computer and communication media. This includes video conferencing which because of equipment and bandwidth requirements is not yet in wide use. See mailing lists, newsgroups, BBSs.

conferencing system: Usually refers to commercial (some are nonprofit, e.g., Institute for Global Communications [ICG]) computer systems which provide computer communication to users who dial in and exchange messages using one-to-one email and many-to-many discussion groups. Some (e.g., Delphi, CompuServe, Genie, IGC) also provide database resources. They are distinguished from networks by having all or most of their resources on one machine. See Distributed Networking.

configure*: To change software or hardware actions changing settings. For example, a communications program must be configured to the correct protocols to "talk" to the server or host on the other end.

CoSN (Consortium for School Networking): A consortium of educational institutions, organizations, corporations, government agencies, and individuals to help educators and learners gain access to information and communication resources. Formed in 1991.

cyberspace: Used by networkers to refer to the vast, worldwide reservoir of information being transmitted or stored by inter-networked computers. The term was coined by William Gibson in his fantasy novel, Neuromancer to describe the world of computers, and the society that gathers around them.

database, network: Any electronically stored and network-accessible collection of information. network databases include collections of full-text documents, tables, lists, graphics, programs, etc.

dialog box*: A box on the computer screen containing a message requesting more information, a warning, or statement.

dialups: Organizations (usually commercial) which offer Internet access to computers connected via modems to standard voice phone lines. Dialups may be local or national. The latter provide service via public data networks (Tymnet, Sprintnet, etc.) from most population centers or via 800 lines at higher cost. Some people use dialup to refer only to services which give access to computers running special client software (e.g., SLIP, PPP) containing TCP/IP protocols making the machine an Internet host (with its own Internet address. Services offering access to machines running ordinary terminal emulation programs (e.g., Zterm, Procomm, Flash) are called dialins. Many dialups/dialins are UNIX systems providing full UNIX functionality to people with home PCs, Macs, Ataris, Amigas, etc. Generally dialup is used to refer to both types of connections.

digital*: Signals that are encoded as discrete binary pulses (on/off, one/zero) as opposed to analog signals which are infinitely variable. Digital signals can be regenerated (new ones and zeros are created) virtually error free, as opposed to an analog transmission in which the signal and any interference or noise is amplified. Analog: Signals which have a continuously varying waveform that always has the characteristics of amplitude, frequency and phase.

distance learning: In its broader context, distance learning is a term used to describe instruction where teachers are physically or geographically separated from their students. Cable companies, instructional television stations and electronic transmissions via phone lines are all systems that currently deliver distance learning opportunities into the nation's classrooms. More commonly, satellite technology is used to deliver accredited courses where participants watch and interact with the programs via a television set in their school, classroom or home.

distributed networking: Dividing up resources among many host computers on a network thereby reducing the burden on any one system. Distributed networking is a primary characteristic of the Internet.

distribution list: A group of addresses to which an email message can be sent with a single command. This capability is found in most mail readers and can be used to create an informal mailing list.

domain name: The name divided by periods (dots) which uniquely identifies a machine on the Internet. The leftmost group of characters is the host name; the rightmost is the top-level domain--the most general category to which the computer belongs; between these are categories (subdomains) which become narrower as they move to the left. The domain name of the server which houses the California Department of Education gopher is goldmine.cde.gov. Goldmine is the hostname; gov is the top-level domain for government agencies; and cde is the subdomain for the California Department of Education. Large organizations with many hosts in many departments may have domain names with many subdomains.

domain name server: The computer (or the program) that converts a domain name (as in a telnet address, e.g., locis.loc.gov) to the Internet Address or dotted quad (140.147.254.3 for locis.loc.gov) which the network uses for routing messages. See address, Internet.

download*: To transfer files or information form one computer to another. Files are normally downloaded from a host computer to the client.

EDUCOM: A consortium of almost six hundred colleges dedicated to the improvement of higher education through the effective and efficient appellation of information technology.

email or e-mail (electronic mail): Written messages transmitted across networks (or within the same computer) and usually accessible only by the addressee either by using an online mail user agent (mail reader) or by downloading for reading and other processing off-line. Each message contains a header with routing, date and subject information and a body containing the message. Compared to paper mail, email is faster, requires less effort once the system is booted up and connected to the network, and permits group planning and organizing because of easy and rapid response, but is less secure.

encryption*: A method of securing privacy on network through the use of complex algorithmic codes. Email or files that are not encrypted can be read by anyone having access.

ERIC (The Educational Resources Information Center): A federally-funded national information system that provides access to an extensive body of education-related literature and bibliography. ERIC provides access via email query, gopher server, telnet sites, and anonymous ftp sites.

Ethernet: A 10-million bits per second networking design originally developed by Xerox Corporation that is widely used for LANs because it can network a wide variety of computer types, is not proprietary, and uses components that are widely available from many sources.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions): A compilation of the most often asked questions and answers on the topic covered by the newsgroup which maintains and updates the FAQ. Search the FAQ before posting a question on the newsgroup or related mailing list.

FDDI (Fiber Distributed Data Interface): A new standard for network technology using fiber optic cable capable of 100-million bit per second data rate.

fiber optics*: A transmission technology that uses light as an information carrier and has enormous bandwidth capacity. Fiber optic transmission systems utilize light emitting diode (LED) or laser light sources to transport light pulses over thin fibers made of glass or plastic to transmit video, audio, or data signals. A fiber-optic system offers the advantages of clarifying transmission, speed, accuracy, security and volume.

file*: Any named, ordered collection of information stored on a disk. Applications programs, operating systems, or documents (text or graphics) on disks are examples of files.

file server*: A network device usually consisting of a computer and one or more capacity disks, on which network users can store files. This can also be a specially-equipped computer such as an ftp server, gopher server, or WWW server.

Finger: A command (and the program) used to locate people on a given machine and to access limited information stored in fingerable files. (Weather data is currently supplied through this mechanism.) Machines running finger daemons allow remote access to their finger program.

flame: An email, newsgroup, or mailing list message which is vigorously argumentative and often ad hominum. Flaming, except in newsgroups designed for that purpose, is discouraged on the Internet.

frame relay: Frame relay is an ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) packet-mode bearer service that defines a user-to-network interface. The two main benefits are bandwidth on demand and integrated access. The standard currently addresses data communications speeds up to 2 Mbps over permanent virtual circuits. By reducing the network functions performed, frame relay takes advantage of more robust physical facilities to improve throughput.

framework, educational technology*: A curricular framework in educational technology specifies, organizes, and integrates the content and processes of technology in a particular discipline. Its structure forms a bridge between established standards and classroom practice by providing guidance for the organization of specific knowledge and instruction. This organization also facilitates multiple levels of policy and curriculum decision making. (Modified from a definition developed by the Laboratory Network Frameworks Task Force, 1992 and provided in McREL, A summary of Analyzed State Curriculum Frameworks, 1993, p. 5).

FTP or ftp (File Transfer Protocol): The command (and process) for moving files or programs across the Internet from a remote server to your own host, (analogous to Xmodem or Kermit for transfers across voice phone lines between computers using terminal emulation software). Systems set up to offer open public access to their resources (anonymous ftp) will admit remote users who login, with the ID `anonymous.' If you connect to your Internet host via terminal emulation software you must use Xmodem, Zmodem, Kermit, etc., to complete the transfer to your machine.

full-motion video*: Not compressed. A standard video signal of 30 frames per second and 525 horizontal lines per frame, which is capable of complete action.

FYI (for your information*: A subseries of RFCs that are not technical standards or descriptions of protocols. They provide information on various Internet topics.

gateway: A special-purpose dedicated computer that is a node in two (or more) networks and routes packets from one network to the other. The two networks may use the same protocol or different protocols. The gateway has a name/address in each network and has to be running an implementation of each protocol. An Internet gateway (both nets are using the TCP/IP protocol) routes IP datagrams between the networks it connects. Gateways route packets to other gateways until they can be delivered to the final destination directly across one physical network.

Gopher: Software which permits searching files on remote hosts using layered menus. Text from these files can be read online or the files can be transferred to your computer.

hacker*: A skilled programmer that uses their expertise to conduct illegal or mischievous activities on a network.

header: The portion of a packet, preceding the actual data, containing source and destination addresses and error-checking fields. Also the part of an email message or news article which includes information normally found in the letterhead, data, inside address, and subject line of a business letter, as well as other routing data.

home page*: A designated entry point to the WWW. The home page has a uniform resource locator (URL), e.g., http://www.ksde.org, by which it can be identified.

host or host computer: A multi-user computer, such as a minicomputer or mainframe, that serves as a central processing unit for a number of terminals. Any computer connected to a network which is directly used by resources (e.g., public domain programs, text/data files, mailboxes, etc.). An Internet host can be identified by its dotted quad address or its distinctive domain name.

hub: A regional point of connection between an Internet user and the Internet. Regional hubs are also called Internet Service Providers which sell their networking services for a fee. (See internet service provider below.)

hyperlink*: A hypertext link appearing as a number of highlighted, usually blue, and underlined characters that link a WWW page to other pages.

hypermedia*: An extension of hypertext in that it includes sound, graphics and video.

hypertext*: The basis of linking documents together on the WWW. Part of a document will be hypertext and by clicking on it another document will be opened.

Hytelnet: A hypertext menuing system to locate remote resources.

HTML* (HyperText Markup Language): The mechanism used to author WWW pages.

HTTP* (Hypertext Transmission Protocol): The WWW's primary protocol. It performs the request and retrieve functions necessary to display documents stored on remote WWW servers.

IDL* Interactive Distance Learning

IEPF (Internet Engineering Task Force): An open body of Internet users, vendors, and developers who develop Internet standards.

IMHO: In My Humble Opinion, abbreviation often used in net message; seldom humble. See BTW.

Information architecture*: The information sharing and gathering process as determined through an analysis by the Information Systems Manager (ISM). The architecture represents who needs what information, where (at what computer/platform/client/host/ server), when, in what format, and why. The information architecture must be known before an information infrastructure can be developed.

Information infrastructure: The aggregate of computers, computer data banks, fax machines, telephones, and video displays and their high-speed telecommunication links. Also included, though less often mentioned, are the equipment manufacturers, training institutions, legal and regulatory systems, and other institutions and structures which contribute to the creation, processing, and transmission of information.

Interface*: The place at which two systems or pieces of equipment meet and interact with each other.

internaut*: Someone who uses the Internet.

Internet: The Internet, with definite article and capital I, is a set of networks all running the TCP/IP protocols, sharing the same underlying network address space as well as the same domain name space, and interconnected into an internet. The Internet dates from 1983, called before that, the ARPA Internet, which grew out of a Department of Defense (DoD) experiment in 1968 to test the sharing of expensive computer facilities which DoD-funded researchers were demanding at sites around the country. In 1983, Milnet, the military production network separated from ARPANET, and reflecting increased non-military research needs, NSF was given responsibility for supervision of the resulting structure, named the Internet. NSFnet is the high-speed backbone to which most universities and other research facilities were connected via regional Internet networks. See also NREN.

internet: internet (with a little i) or internetwork can be any internet which interconnects other networks, such as the XEROX internet. There are also other TCP/IP internets.

internet service provider (ISP) or internet access provider (IAP): Any business or enterprise that acts as a middle between the Internet and the connecting individual or agency. ISPs/IAPs are usually geographically close to the connecting site and could vary from a commercial organization to a university. The ISP/IAP will assign the user an Internet "address" attaching their own domain name to the end of the code. It is this address which enables a user to receive mail.

Interoperability: The capacity of multi-vendor computers to work together using a common set of protocols. When interoperable, PCs, Macs, Suns, Dee VAXen, CDCCybers, etc., all work together allowing one host computer to communicate with and take advantage of the resources of another. The TCP/IP+ protocols are a major implementor of interoperability.

IRC (Internet Relay Chat): An Internet service permitting real-time messaging similar to a CB system but in written form.

ISDN: Design specifications for digital transmission on existing copper phone lines. Advocated by the long distance phone carriers as a cheaper alternative to fiber optic lines.

ITV (Interactive two-way video)

Keypals: The electronic equivalent of penpals.

kilobit*: A unit of measurement, 1024 bits, commonly used in specifying capacity of memory integrated circuits. Not to be confused with kilobyte.

kilobyte*: a unit of measurement consisting of 1024 bytes. The abbreviation `K' can also stand for the number 1024, whereas `kybte' or `kb' is used for kilobyte.

knowbots: Dynamic programs that move around in networks and carry out algorithms or searches. While the knowbot is carrying out a search, it can modify it, for example, by searching another database.

LAN (local area network): A network spanning a small area, usually a building or set of buildings, and usually using high speed but low cost media, and owned by the user organization.

listservs or LISTSERVs*: Commonly referred to as mailing lists. However, LISTSERVs use listserv software as the mailer application. Other mailer applications are Listprocessor, majordomo, and M. See mailing list.

login: To enter a network or computer. As a noun, login is a synonym for a user's network account name or userid, a word composed of alpha and/or numeric characters that uniquely identifies each user of a network. Access to a particular network host may also require a login which may not be unique but enables the computer to identify the files or program to the user will have access.

logoff: To indicate to a system or network that you have completed your work and are terminating the connection.

lurker*: A visitor to a newsgroup, mailing list, or on-line service who only reads other's posts but may never post a message, thus remaining anonymous. Internauts may lurk on a BB, mailing list, or IRC chat forum to determine the culture and value of the group before posting a message.

mail exploder*: Part of a mail delivery system which allows a message to be delivered to a list of addressees. They are used to duplicate and deliver messages on mailing lists.

mailing list or mailist: A conference/discussion group in which all messages are sent to one email address from which they are redistributed to the email boxes of everyone who has subscribed. All messages are expected to pertain to a specific topic. If moderated, messages will be reviewed before distribution. A more convenient discussion vehicle than newsgroups, but one which can easily result in email box overload.

mail reader or mail user agent: Software on the user's network host computer which organizes the incoming email data so that it can be sorted and displayed and manipulated (printed, forwarded, replied to, saved to a file, deleted, etc.). An offline reader or

browser is software that runs on the user's own machine which downloads the current email messages permitting them to be read and answered while not logged on to the network. Note that the user's own machine may be connected to a LAN or may be at a remote site logging in via telephone dialup.

matrix, the: A worldwide community of cyberspace communicators composed of the Internet and a myriad of other WANs and internets (e.g., BITNET, UUCP, and JANET); commercial Conferencing Systems; and networked BBSs (e.g., FidoNet); all of which are connected for email exchange only (because they do not share the TCP/IP protocols). (See The Matrix by John Quarterman, Digital Press, 1990).

megabit (mbit)*: A unit of measurement equal to 1,024,576 bits. Not to be confused with megabyte.

megabyte (mb)*: A unit of measurement equal to 1,024,576 bytes.

modem: A device which connects between a computer and a phone line to translate between the digital signal of the computer and the analog signal required for telephone transmission. A net modem connects the hosts on a LAN with a phone line (also Modem Pool).

MUD (Multi-User Dungeon [or Dimension]): A text-based simulation of reality derived from the early single user text adventure games and Dungeons and Dragons board games. Users navigate through rooms, manipulate objects and interact with other users. MUDs (and their variants, MUSHes, tiny MUDs, etc.) can range from time (and bandwidth) wasting to intellectually challenging and skill building.

multimedia*: A term for the integration of text, graphics, animation, sound, video, and communications technologies.

multiplex: The division of a single transmission medium into multiple logical channels supporting many simultaneous sessions. For example, one network may have simultaneous FTP, telnet, and SMTP (mail) connections, through one set of wires.

multiplexing*: Transmission of two or more information streams over a single physical medium at the same time. Allows a number of simultaneous transmissions over a single circuit. Common methods are frequency division multiplexing (FDM) an time division multiplexing (TDM).

netiquette: The informal rules of behavior while communicating or resource sharing on the Internet.

network: A set of computers communicating over communication media (e.g., telephone, radio, cable) using common conventions called protocols. Networks are used for email and resource sharing. A network is a real entity with a name, history, administration, financing and addressing/routing scheme in addition to the protocol. Network also may refer to a group of people with a common interest who use part of a network or internetwork to communicate and share information on one or more subjects.

network application gateway: See gateway.

newsgroups; Electronic conferences/discussion groups similar to mailing lists. Newsgroup messages, called articles, are not mailed to a subscriber's emailbox but are distributed to a subscribing system's news server. This single copy is then accessed by all users on their network-connected machines. There are over 3500 active newsgroups. Each newsgroup focuses on a subject area (e.g., soc.culture.china--highest level subject: social issues; intermediate. level subject: culture; low level subject: China). Within each newsgroup specific discussion threads are identified by common subject lines in the header of each message. See Article and Usenet.

NIC (networking information center): An information center established to manage and provide information about a specific network. An example is the Internet Network Information Center (InterNIC), an international organization responsible for the management and future development of the Internet.

NOC (network operations center): An operations center established to manage the day-to-day operations of a network.

node: Any computer, machine, system, connected to a network.

Novell: A software company that was started in 983. Their objective was to develop a network operating system (NOS) that would allow microcomputers to share resources and data. They have since grown to be the largest NOS vendor in the world. They provide a framework of tools, information and support that can create a network solution, from a small work group network to an enterprise-wide network system.

NREN (National Research and Education Network): Which will replace the current non-commercial part of the Internet. Created by High Performance Computing Act of 1991, Public Law 102-194, a framework for coordinating and improving the networking programs of agencies of the Federal Government, a program for engineering and deploying billion-bit-per-second and higher performance networks, and a process for formulating and evaluating public policy. Although not a part of the original NREN plan, provision has been made for including K-12 schools, libraries and other community institutions in the development process.

NSFnet (National Science foundation Network): A backbone or major link of the Internet and an internet in itself; serves research and education activities; non-commercial.

OC3C*: High speed digital data channel/carrier with a bit rate of 155 Mbs.

off-line*: Not currently connected to or under control of the computer.

on-line*: Currently connected to and under control of the computer.

OPAC (Online Public Access Catalog): The contemporary electronic version of the old library card catalog. hundreds are currently connected to the Internet including the Library of Congress OPAC permitting extensive bibliographical research from any Internet-connected computer.

packet: The unit of data sent across a packet-switching network. The term is used loosely. While some Internet literature uses it to refer specifically to data sent across a physical network, other literature views the Internet as a packet switching network and describes IP datagrams as packets.

packet switching: Using a packet-switched network means you have no dedicated piece of a circuit. What you send is mixed together with everyone else's transmissions, similar to the U.S. Postal Service moving a bag of letters. Because of the address encoded in each unit of mail, your message reaches its destination along with all the others, sometimes taking different routes to get there depending upon the traffic at the time of transmission.

PC (personal computer): Commonly referred to as a DOS or Windows-based platform.

Pine: An email package running on CSUNet's C.O.R.E. system, developed by the University of Washington.

platform*: A type of computer. The two dominant platforms are PC or IBM-compatible and Apple/Macintosh computers.

POP or PoP* (point-of-presence): A site where there exists a collection of telecommunications equipment, usually digital leased lines and multi-protocol routers. The Internet PoP is where an ISP gets their Internet connection.

PPP (point-to-point protocol): A protocol that allow a computer to use the TCP/IP (Internet) protocols (and become a full-fledged Internet member) with a standard telephone line and a high-speed modem. PPP is a new standard for this which replaces SLIP. Although PPP is less common than SLIP, it's quickly increasing in popularity. SLIP and PPP both provide graphical user interfaces (GUI).

protocol*: The rules that govern interaction on a network. They determine when, where and how information is transmitted. Local protocols/procedures maybe established by the NOC for such tasks as backing up files or establishing a system redundancy.

random access memory* (RAM): The part of the computer's memory that provides temporary storage of information. Information in RAM is temporary and a loss of power or system crash can destroy what is in RAM, resulting in a loss of work.

read-only memory* (ROM): Computer memory that can be read by the operating system but not changed. It remains there permanently, even when the computer's power is turned off.

RFC (request for comments): An official Internet online document which specifies standards or provides extensive information about Internet activities or structures.

repeater: A device connected into a network to amplify or otherwise condition signals and pass all of them on to another part of the transmission medium without alternating the addresses or data. A repeater may be required to expand a LAN. See bridge, router.

resource sharing: A function of networks and many conferencing systems in which users access remote computer systems: 1) to read documents or up/download documents or program files or 2) to use the computing or peripheral resources on the remote machine.

robot*: A program that traverses the WWW looking for URL addresses. Similar to a spider, a program that creates a database for WWW links.

router: A device (sometimes a dedicated computer) within a network that forwards packets of data of a specific protocol type (such as IP) from one network to another. It processes the data to determine how to forward packets toward their destination.

search engine*: Software that allows a user to search for information. There are many search engines for the WWW, e.g. Lycos, The Web Worm, the Web Crawler, Aliweb, and InfoSeek.

Server: A computer which offers services to another computer; also the software which enable sit to do so. The computer served is a client which runs client software to obtain the services. The workload involved in providing the service is thus divided between the server and the client, Telnet, ftp, and gopher are client programs which request services from remote servers.

SIG* (special interest group): A group of internauts who communicate based on a common interest. There are over 4,000 mailing lists that represent almost every conceivable SIG.

signature: A block of information about the sender which netiquette dictates should appear at the end of an email message because the From: address in the header rarely fully identifies the sender. Should be kept to three or four lines which can often be automatically appended by creating a sig.file on the sender's system.

SLIP (serial line Internet protocol): A protocol enabling disparate computers to communicate using TCP/IP over standard telephone lines and high-speed modems.

smilies: Combinations of keyboard characters which enable electronic correspondents to convey non-verbal cues. Hundreds are currently known. If used to excess they can result in diminished enthusiasm (and stiff necks) among readers. :-)<--standard smile But they can help some people understand which of multiple possible meanings was intended. ;-)<--wry smile (or leer).

SMDS (switched multi-megabit data service): An emerging high-speed networking technology to be offered by the telephone companies in the U.S.

SMTP (simple mail transfer protocol): The Internet standard protocol for transferring electronic mail messages from one computer to another. SMTP specifies how two mail systems will interact and the format of control messages they exchange when transferring mail.

SNMP (simple network management protocol): The network protocol that permits monitoring and management of the operations of LANs and inter-networks and their hosts, servers, etc.

snail mail: Networkers' disparaging term for paper based mail.

spam or spamming*: Taken from the Monte Python routine (SPAM, SPAM, SPAM, SPAM), these are junk or garbage postings distributed via mail exploding or multiple postings. Spamming is inappropriate behavior on any network and a user can get thrown off the net for doing it. Spamming can cost others money since many users pay for the mail they receive.

surfing*: The act of navigating the net by jumping from page to page with no predetermined search routine.

switched 56*: Dial-up, end-to-end digital 56 Kbps circuit switching. Use only as needed, for bulk data file transfer, video transmission, high-speed fax, CAD/CAM, image transfer, online file search, super-computer access, and more.

sysops: Short for "systems operator." This is the individual responsible for operating a network. BBSs often have a sysops to manage the posts/postings.

T-1 (DS-1) Channel*: High-speed digital data channel/carrier with a bit rate of 1.544 Mbs. Each T-1 circuit can accommodate 24 voice channels. A video codec operating at the T-1 rate uses the equivalent of 24 voice channels. A codec operating at 56 Kbs or 64 Kbs is operating in the range of one voice channel. A standard video signal digitized at 90 Mbs. has approximately 1400 voice channels. The compressed video signal quality and the cost decreases as the transmission speed decreases. Fractional T1: Use only a portion of a leased T-1 line, as it is needed.

T-3 (DS-3)*: A carrier of 45 Mbs bandwidth - one T-3 channel can carry 28 T-1 channels. Used for digital video transmissions or for major PBX-PBX interconnection.

TCP/IP (transmission control protocol/Internet protocol): The sets of software rules which enable computers to directly connect to networks which are interconnected through the Internet. Though designed for UNIX systems, TCP/IP software is now available for computers running operating systems other than UNIX.

technology education: A comprehensive, activity-based program that enables the student to develop technological concepts and knowledge of processes and systems needed to live productively.

telecommunications*: Use of wire, radio, optical or other electromagnetic channels to transmit or receive signals for voice, video and data.

telecommunications: Long-distance communications using electromagnetic systems - including wire (e.g. telephone or telegraph) and broadcast transmission (e.g. radio, television, or satellite). It is often used by computerists to refer to computer communications and resource-sharing activity using either conferencing systems or networks. See telecomputing.

telecomputing: A shorter term for computer-based telecommunications; sometimes used to refer specifically to use of the computing resources of a remote system as in computer time sharing.

Telenet: A public data network (PDN) which permits users to dial a local exchange and be connected to remote conferencing systems and Internet dialups. Don't confuse with telnet.

Telnet: The TCP/IP command (and the program) used to log in to remote host computers and read text or other data from their files and otherwise use the host as if seated at a terminal at the remote site. usually the user must have an account and log into the remote host with a name and password. Many systems allow public access without accounts. Some require no login ID; others require a login ID which must be known in advance.

teletraining/distance learning*: The use of teleconferencing to convey educational and training information to participants geographically dispersed.

TERC: (Technology Education Research Center): A non-profit institution heavily involved in research and development of telecomputing.

terminal: A keyboard with display which has limited processing circuitry and therefore relies on the remote computer to which it is connected for everything but input and output of data. Microcomputers which cannot connect directly as nodes to LANs or WANs may connect through a terminal server by running software which emulates a standard terminal such as a VT100. A VT100 terminal or VT100 terminal emulation software (or better) is required to use many of the services on the Internet.

terminal server: A specialized, networked computer (or the software) that connects terminals (or computers functioning as terminals) to a LAN through one network connection. Any user so connected can then connect to other network hosts. Use of these hosts is then limited by the type of terminal or, if the machine is a computer, by the terminal emulation software the computer is running. See terminal.

terrestrial carrier/land line: Telecommuni-cations transmission system using landbased facilities (microwave towers, telephone lines, fiber optic cable). The term terrestrial is used to differentiate a transmission facility whose entire communications path is between points on earth, from a medium which utilizes satellite transmission facilities.

topology: The physical layout of the equipment and links forming a network.

twisted pair: Cable composed of a pair of insulated copper wires wrapped around each other to cancel the effects of electrical noise.

Numerous studies have demonstrated the importance of assessing the current state of technology planning and integration throughout a total school system before allocating scarce resources (Mahmood & Hirt, 1992; Stearns and Others, 1992; Tinker and Kapisovsky, 1992 Sharp, 1992; and Honey and Henriquez, 1993; and Connecting to the Future, 1995). Detailed planning and resource allocation should not occur without an understanding of the current state of the educational entity's technology infrastructure, budget constraints and outside funding, technology curricula development, and the status of technology training and staff development programs.

As such, the Task Force prepared a sample assessment outline that could be used to determine the current state of technology. The six assessment areas, as well as the proposed research questions and subjects, are dominant in the referenced studies and will provide data necessary for comprehensive technology planning. Data collection procedures and techniques are best developed at the district level since different socio-economic conditions will exist.

This outline was designed as a self-assessment tool. The specific data collection procedures (e.g., survey, observation or test) and techniques (e.g., questionnaire, interview, or professional development inventory/needs assessment) will have to be defined an developed. Benchmarking should be used whenever possible to avoid developing these instruments from scratch. A timeline and a method for reporting the findings to the administration, board, and the stakeholders will also have to be established. Our intent is to make this as simple as possible while providing a baseline format as a point of departure.

The use of consulting services should not be overlooked. Consultants often have a broad range of experience, having access to organizations at various stages of technology planning and implementation. The expertise can often speed up the planning process and result in a much more comprehensive assessment. A consultant proficient in statistical analysis can provide expertise in survey instrument design, deployment and tracking, analysis and evaluation, as well as reporting the results.

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Assessment Area One

Attitude

A) Who are the stakeholders in the community (e.g., government agencies, non-profit organizations, major businesses, and social groups) and what are their attitudes toward integrating technology into the curricula? how receptive are they to change and curricula reform? Are they familiar with the SCANS or U.S. Department of Labor Reports which list technology as a required work force skill?

B) What is the administration's attitude toward integrating technology into the curricula? This includes administrators, technology facilitators, media specialists, program administrators, class teachers, and special staff.

C) How do the students feel about technology in education and how will it affect their future?

D) What is the Board's attitude toward integrating technology into the curricula?

Assessment Area Two

Technology Infrastructure

A) Is there a written technology plan? if so, is it updated at least yearly? What are the components of the plan? Is there a model plan to make a comparison for content and format?

B) What is the current state of the technology infrastructure?

* Overall topology of the information technology network.

* Individual building infrastructure:

* Electrical capacity for placement of wiring closets, servers, routers, computers, and peripherals

* Space available for wiring closets, servers, computers and peripherals, cab, and storage of software

* Fire and safety considerations

* Physical layout:

* Administrative workstations

Teacher workstations

* Stand Alone student workstations

* networked student workstations

* Operational environment:

* physical facility security and procedures

* telecommunications security and access control systems

* hardware

* software

* standard operating procedures or protocols

* acceptable use policies

* environmental management

(temperature/humidity)

* Telecommunications capabilities:

* high-speed data/voice/video

* telephone

* interactive two-way video (ITV)

* LAN within each school

* WAN linking the school district

* LAN or WAN linking school district to the Internet

* Hardware:

* Computers

* Fileservers

* Electronic mail servers

* Modems

* Network equipment (routers, bridges, gateways)

* Printers (dot matrix, laserjet, inkjet)

* CD-ROMs

* Scanners

* Facsimiles

* VCRs

* TV monitors (S-video capable)

* Video cameras

* Other peripherals

* Software

C) What LANs exist and how are they linked (e.g., classrooms, labs, administration)?

D) What computer platforms are used in the school district (DOS/Windows, Apple/ Macintosh) and where are they located? How are different platforms linked together?

E) What is the ratio of computers to students (total number of computers available for student use)? What are their capabilities (e.g., keyboarding/tutorial, word processing (WP/ spreadsheet (SS)/database (DB)/graphics design (GD), or telecommunications)?

F) What is the ratio of telecomputing hardware to students (computers configured with a modem, at least 8MB RAM, and actually connected to an online service or the Internet)?

G) What are the Internet access provider options and services offered, the data transmission rate (e.g., 14400, 28000, 56000) and the cost? These may include:

* commercial on-line services (e.g. American Online, Prodigy, CompuServe, etc.);

* commercial services available through a telephone company;

* Internet connection via a college or university, state or federal organization, (KanWIN), a non-profit organization (KANREN) or association;

* Internet connection via a commercial Internet (Information Network of Kansas (INK), DataBank, Tyrell, Southwind, AccuNet, Delphi, etc.).

NOTE: Your educational service center may have information concerning services available and their cost.

Assessment Area Three

Budget Constraints and Outside Funding

A) Is there an approved and budgeted technology plan for the current year? Is a percentage of the total budget allocated to technology capital improvements and staff development? Is it funded by a separate mill levy or part of the general fund budget?

B) What are the budgeting assumptions for the short and long-range plans?

C) What has been the average expenditure per student, for technology hardware only, over the last three years? How do expenditures support your technology goals and objectives?

D) Does the budget include infrastructure, staff development, Resarch and development, information and video services, and maintenanced/or maintenance contracts?

E) Have any technology grants been received within the last three years? If so, how much (as a percentage of the three year average operating budget)? Are requests for technology grants submitted every year?

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Assessment Area Four

Curricula Development

A) Has a framework been developed for technology and general technology outcomes?

B) What are the appropriate technologies for each level?

C) Have specific technology outcomes been developed for each grade level and are they integrated into other curricula?

D) What are the uses of technology in teaching and learning?

* Instructional support:

* lesson planning and research

* preparing assignments and worksheets

* lesson presentation

* Classroom application:

* as a productivity tool (word processing/database/spreadsheet/ drawing/telecommunications)

* individual (subject area) skills development

* collaborative learning

* remedial instruction

* research

* Assistive/adaptive technology

* Talented and gifted education

* Vocational education

* Technology education

E) What are the uses of technology in administration of development?

* Classroom and management or administration:

* attendance

* grading

* performance and conduct

* school reports, journals, and newsletters

* communications with staff and administration

* business and finance

* research

* Professional use:

* communications with parents and community

* communications with colleagues and professional organizations

* research

Assessment Area Five

Training and Staff Development

A) have teacher technology competencies for all levels been developed? Are they a factor in the process of hiring staff and faculty? Are they built in the staff and faculty evaluation instruments? Are these competencies evaluated annually?

B) Do administrators, media specialists, special staff and teachers know how to use the appropriate computer networking and telecommunications technology?

* ITV

* on-line library search

* e-mail and mailing lists

* bulletin board systems

* Gopher, Veronica and Archie search engines

* FTP

* Telnet

* WAIS

* WWW using browsers such as Lynx, Mosaic, netscape as well as various search engines (e.g., Lycos, InfoSeek and WebCrawler)

C) Who participates in technology training? is there an instrument to evaluate competencies? Are teachers willing to apply these technologies in teaching and learning?

D) Is there a mentor program, or have technology subject-matter expertise been identified?

E) Does the district have a written technology training and staff development plan? Is there a b the plan every year?

F) Are faculty and staff aware of ITV and on-line/Internet resources available for research, peer collaboration, classroom projects, and the search and retrieval of lesson plans.

Assessment Area Six

Student Job Skill Assessment

A) Is there a plan to continuously update the technology-related job skills required of a learner?

B) Are a collection procedures and techniques for determining the post-graduate benefit of the technology program? How is the data collected? used to change the plan?

A great deal can be achieved from research. There is not a monopoly on good ideas and technology in education is no exception. To avoid the common pitfalls of integrating technology in the curriculum there are many sources of information available. As such, we have provided a list of resources that may prove beneficial in your technology endeavors. As a supplement to the bibliography, we have provided the following list of resources available either in printed format or electronically.

A. Statewide initiatives.

(1) Information Network Kansas (INK). Created in 1990, this on-line computer network provides electronic access of public information to businesses, schools and citizens of Kansas via a toll-free dial-in connection. There is a special section within the INK database called The Kansas Education Network dedicated to the support of public education. INK provides electronic mail as well as Internet access. INK may also be reached through the World Wide Web. Contact INK at 1-800-4KANSAS for more information.

(2) The Kansas Research and Education Network (KANREN) provides dedicated access to Internet for its member educational institutions. Original members include all four-year and community colleges in Kansas. KANREN has recently expanded to include public schools and libraries as well. KANREN also provides training and a variety of other services, including network monitoring, conferences and consulting for KANREN members. Contact KANREN at 93-864-0422 for more information.

(3) Kansas Wide Area Information network (KanWIN). The Kansas Department of Information Systems and Communications (DISC) provides either dial-up or dedicated access to Internet for state agencies, cities, counties, school districts and other local units of government. Contact the DISC Bureau of Customer Service at 913-296-3343 for more information.

(4) TeleKansas Education Service. This service covers broadband educational video service, as well as data service, to all educational institutions in Kansas located in exchange areas served by Southwestern Bell Telephone Company (SWBT). It is a fiber optic based full-motion, two-way interactive television system that allows schools to participate in fully interactive distance learning. An ethernet option, intercluster connectivity and other ancillary services are also available. For more information contact SWBT at 1-800-869-0897.

(5) Educational Excellence Grant Program. These grants are for one year and are awarded through a competitive process. Districts must match locally the amount of state dollars received. For the 1995-96 year, 108 applicants, requesting over $6.5 million, competed for the $1,485,000 available. The Kansas State Board of Education awarded 21 grants. The awarding of the 1995-96 Educational Excellence Grants marks the beginning of the seventh year of the program.

The focus of these enhancement grants includes one or more of the following funding priorities:

* early childhood education programs,

* multi-age or continuous progress elementary programs,

* collaborative efforts that link multiple agencies with schools,

* technology which increases productivity,

* learning process including curriculum, instruction and/or assessment,

* systemic approach to quality improvement.

A summary report prepared for the 1993-94 year indicated that 81 percent of the grants included technology of some type. Questions regarding the Educational excellence Grant Program may be directed to Judi Miller at 913-296-5081 or Ken Gentry at 913-296-2306.