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EduTech Steering Committee
August 16, 2000
August 16, 2000
Brookwood Inn, Pittsford NY
8:30 – 11:00
Members Present:
Joe Backer, Superintendent Letchworth Gary Hammond, Asst Superintendent GV BOCES
Chuck Kortz, Superintendent North Rose-Wolcott Joe Marinelli, District Superintendent WFL BOCES
Jack McCabe, Assoc. Superintendent WFL BOCES Bev Ouderkirk, District Superintendent GV BOCES
Bob Smith, Superintendent Elba Camille Sorenson, Director EduTech
Members Absent:
Phil D’Angelo, Superintendent Warsaw Tiffany Phillips, Superintendent Bloomfield
Steve Uebbing, Superintendent Canandaigua
1. Selection of Steering Committee Facilitator for 2000-2001
Camille explained the role and responsibilities of a facilitator. No one volunteered for the role of facilitator. Initially it was decided to table until next meeting. Later in the meeting Bev Ouderkirk nominated Chuck Kortz as facilitator. Nomination was accepted and passed.
2. Review of EduTech Steering Committee Goals
Camille presented last year’s goals to the committee for their review. The committee was to review the goals and decide if they were still current with the goals of the committee.
- To create an effective communication system with our constituents. Still a goal of the committee and is much improved from over a year ago. Steering committee representatives have gone to Superintendents and shared information. The minutes are shared with the technology coordinators. Increased sharing information through surveys and data.
- To develop a structure for providing continuous feedback from the constituents to EduTech. Need to work on what the structure is. Getting the feedback after the fact . (i.e. perhaps a signoff sheets when a districts consents to be a software pilot)
The questions was raised as to what is the exact role of a Steering Committee representative away from the committee table. When do you involve or do you involve committee members in issues relating to other school districts? Need to talk about and communicate when issues arise. After resolution, share the results. Better definition of feedback. Do we copy members of the committee in regards to problem areas?
In the future, there will be a regular agenda item updating the committee on what is happening in the region. If an issue comes into EduTech that Camille feels would be helpful for the committee to be aware of, she will share with the committee members.
- To establish the standards to measure continuous progress. This refers to benchmarks in how we are providing the service. Camille will give committee a copy of standards, how are we doing, committee feedback. Continue with goal. Gary Hammond raised the issue of how re-occurring items are addressed. (i.e.: Title III) Should be working on input all year in anticipation of continuance.
- Measure the continued improvement of EduTech services.
Discussion followed regarding research and development and the use of technology.
- Do we want to create a separate goal regarding research and development?
- Continually monitor research and development to define the direction and support for.
- Chuck Kortz suggested a goal of being a visionary for the future, direction of R&D
- Leadership role as it applies to usage of technology in the districts. There is a feeling
that this is not this committee’s role. Chuck Kortz suggested EduTech provide structure for
districts to use in evaluating. Provide resource for districts to utilize. Dr. Marinelli asked how
could the Steering Committee assist districts in accessing the use piece. Are there things we can do
to help districts in promoting the use piece. Bob Smith suggested a goal to define our role in this
area. Share the info and let people deal with it in their own way. Bev Ouderkirk mentioned
assistance in staff development in using technology as a teaching tool. Jack asked if policy, controls,
and structures in our schools are limiting people in the use of technology. Lot of limiting factors.
Bob Smith wants to know how people feel what the committee’s responsibility is here. Do we
tell people how to do these things?
- Dr. Marinelli suggested the following goal. To assist school leadership in promoting the use of
technology for instructional support. Chuck Kortz stated the main difficulty we have in our schools
is being able to keep our systems running and to give access.
3. EduTech Customer Service Initiatives / Survey Results
Periodically throughout the year Camille would like to update the committee on what we are doing. Camille held meetings throughout the spring in both BOCES to get feedback on our service, particularly the Customer Assistance Center. Camille shared the feedback from the meetings and what steps we have taken to better serve our customers.
4. Training – an overview of EduTech Training in response to a number of questions from Committee members.
4. Training – an overview of EduTech Training in response to a number of questions from Committee members.
Tabled until next meeting.
5. Xerox Flowport Pilot – Sustaining the Culture of Use of Technology
Amy Perry, Xerox representatives Patricia Swenton- Wall and Francoise Brun-Cottan
What is FlowPort? Scan and distribute paper documents to email, docushare and other repositories,
printers...and back again.
Xerox and EduTech have been partnered for six months exploring FlowPort applications in education.
From the administrative standpoint Xerox has been piloting with BOCES in the areas of board notes
and Commissioner’s Decisions. In the area of instructional contexts Xerox is piloting with the Marion,
Newark, and Sodus school districts in areas such as curriculum mapping, curriculum development,
student music portfolios, general music materials, math course materials, archiving English course materials, and elementary grade teaching team.
6. Snapshot Survey Project – Amy Perry presented discussion on the University of Michigan and University of North Carolina sponsored survey on the use of technology in education.
Look at how teachers feel about integrating technology, access to new technology and how do teachers feel about it.
Looking at piloting with four BOCES across the state including Genesee Valley and Wayne-Finger Lakes.
Amy passed out survey and shared a sample.
University of Michigan will be administering survey for NYS. Information broken down by RIC, BOCES, District, Building
Ideally this would be administered on an annual or biannual basis.
Timeline
October 2 - 20, 2000 to do survey
Results in hand October 24, 2000
Takes 6 minutes on average to fill out on WEB.
Will have to have a structure to facilitate 100% taking the survey. Need to have communication from everyone, not just technical background or a technical comfort level.
Survey can be customized to state and region. Need to be careful how much customizing we do so that you don’t lose the ability to compare.
Joe Backer suggested going back to Superintendents to get their commitments. Best chance for response to do at some type of faculty meeting (set up lab). Dr. Marinelli suggested that we as a steering committee endorse and that this group sponsors and supports because it relates to areas that we are looking at on their behalf.
A representative would be assigned to school district for day with a list of faculty.
After commitment next step to do is to finalize questions.
7. Miscellaneous Updates
EduTech Cost Study to be presented at the October 6, 2000 meeting
Parking Lot
Parking Lot
- Future discussion of grants (input for Title III grant)
- Steering committee role in promoting effective use of technology
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