| In many school districts the technology team spends | | | | the grant money is gone. |
| much more time repairing equipment or answering | | | | Rapid Technological Advances |
| software questions from faculty rather than planning | | | | Another key challenge to school IT departments is the |
| new projects or helping teachers incorporate | | | | rapid pace at which new or upgraded forms of |
| technology into their instruction. | | | | technology are emerging. For example, bandwidth |
| In addition, according to a recent survey, IT staffing | | | | needs have increased tremendously in recent years, |
| shortages continue to afflict schools keeping many of | | | | driven by the rise of video applications, and are placing |
| them from realizing the full potential of classroom | | | | a huge burden on school network infrastructures. |
| technology as a learning tool. The survey indicated that | | | | The Impact of Data |
| less than one third of the respondents work in districts | | | | One technology department staff member reports |
| where adequate IT staff is present to meet their | | | | that they support over twenty disparate data systems |
| needs. On top of that, slightly more than half of those | | | | that directly support classroom technology. The time |
| who responded indicated they spend more than half | | | | spent supporting databases is now equal to time spent |
| their time addressing help desk issues instead of | | | | on desktop support. |
| working on long-range planning and projects. The | | | | Conclusion |
| survey suggests that the burdens placed on school | | | | Without the help they need from the experts in the IT |
| technology teams are limiting innovation rather than | | | | department to help them integrate computer |
| fostering it. | | | | technology into their lesson plans, teachers are |
| Classroom Integration | | | | challenged to find classroom technology that does not |
| Topping the list of specific IT positions the respondents | | | | require IT support. In this computer-centric, |
| said were lacking in the schools was instructional | | | | visually-oriented age, we often forget about our |
| technologist, an indication that teachers are not getting | | | | tried-and-true technologies, such as educational DVDs |
| the help they need to use classroom technology to | | | | and video, that work reliably a majority of the time, |
| improve their instruction. | | | | even when other technologies fail. |
| Funding Challenges | | | | If you're interested in avoiding "The 7 Biggest Mistakes |
| Most school leaders cite funding as the number one | | | | Teachers Make Using Video in the Classroom" and |
| challenge facing their technology departments and one | | | | want to start experiencing the benefits of using video |
| source of their staffing problems as well. Even districts | | | | effectively in your classroom, your next step is to |
| who have received grants for equipment have | | | | download a FREE copy of "The 7 Biggest Mistakes |
| problems going forward. Once district received a | | | | Teachers Make Using Video in the Classroom" right |
| $600,000 for laptops but is now faced with | | | | now. |
| replacement and upgrade costs to the district when | | | | |