Smarter Clicking

Christopher Wells - BrightScribe, Inc., Gwinnett County Public Schools

Other Titles in:
Leadership in Educational Technology | Legal Issues

May 2010 | 152 pages | Corwin

School leaders strive to use cutting-edge technology resources in ways that meet instructional needs and provide an appropriate and safe environment for students and staff members. Designed for administrators, school technology teams, and technology coordinators, this comprehensive and well written resource provides much-needed guidance for working with staff, parents, students, and community members to address instructional and privacy issues related to the use of current and emerging technologies.

Christopher Wells defines the components of a school's technology system, explains the legal concerns and potential problems that may arise, and offers concrete strategies for successful development, communication, implementation, and maintenance of meaningful technology policies for schools and districts. Smarter Clicking: School Technology Policies That Work! contains leadership ideas to help educators support a collaborative learning culture through technology, rather than an environment where students and staff members feel restricted.

About the Author

Preface

1. Optional No Longer: The Need for Effective School Technology Policies

Why school technology policies are essential

Legal policy requirements

Comparing technology expectations and correlating policies

Using policies to shape instructional expectations for technology

2. It’s Everyone’s Responsibility: A Collaborative Approach to Technology Policy Development

Leading technology policy development and implementation

Policy development and implementation responsibilities

Comparing the policies of school and home technology use

Policies for the larger learning community outside of school

Involving more learning community members in policy development

3. Good Fences Make Good Users: Policies for Protecting Privacy

Student and staff privacy: the policy perspective

Managing sensitive instruction-related information

Guidelines for protecting student information

The emerging social networking challenge

4. Keeping Money in the Checking Account: Policies for Protect Technology Investments

The real cost of innovation in the classroom

Educating and the investment cost of technology

Developing policies to address the changing scope of educational technology investments

5. Knowing the Secret Handshake: Technology Access Policies

Evaluating school technology functions and related policies

Developing Acceptable use policies (AUPs)

Using passwords to secure access

6. Buttons, Bells, and Flashing Lights: Managing K-12 Internet Use

Internet applications in the classroom

Policy development to support instructional internet use

Policies to protect others’ privacy and personal rights

7. No Stone Unturned: Implementing Technology Policies and Procedures

Exploring the impact of policies on the learning culture

Shaping the culture with school technology policies and procedures

Supporting culture change with technology team members

Managing community response to school technology policies

Preventing conflicts over policy components

8. In My Crystal Ball, I See…: Emerging Technology Concerns

Policy challenges of ubiquitous technology

Addressing emerging technology and limiting risks

Policy development to support future appropriate school technology use

Resources

References

Index

"Wells has carefully shared important information, examples, and resources that would be helpful to any district that is continually developing policies and procedures in technology. The author has developed a wonderful field guide for those who are charged with developing such policies."

Donnan Stoicovy, Principal

Park Forest Elementary School, State College, PA

"Technological advances have changed teaching and learning in our schools. As key instructional leaders, principals must be prepared to regulate these advances. School leaders need up-to-date information about technology policies and how they affect teaching and learning. Smarter Clicking is an important resource in providing guidance for principals, administrators, and technology team members to develop technology policies and procedures that aid student learning."

Gail Connelly, Executive Director

National Association of Elementary School Principals