1. Technology Improvement Plan Christianne Vaccaro

2. Technology Improvement Plan The purpose of this school technology improvement plan is for continuous improvement in our educational practice, with the result of improved student performance that meets the standards set by New Jersey Department of Education. This school technology improvement plan represents the cooperative venture of both the students and the staff. This year, we continue to focus on implementing a new tech program that includes the use of iPad, workshops, and a new cloud service. All of the new technology will help across the curriculum even the fine arts and across the grade levels (1-5). All the teachers will receive the products and training that will help with the ease of the new technology transition.

3. Hardware Acquisition In today's world children are technology savvy and using the Smart-board is a form of diversified learning. That brings technological interaction to any subject. This technology tool is like a blackboard that a teacher can link the internet to display PowerPoint and/or do interactive lessons. This tool would be great to use when a teacher wants to share a particular site with all the students in a whole group setting. This tool would be great to use when a teacher wants to share a particular site with all the students in a whole group setting. In an art room it is also useful when teaching how to draw or learning how to manipulate photos. In an art room it is also useful when teaching how to draw or learning how to manipulate photos. In music teachers can show and interact with instruments, teach the basic skills of reading music and great games that can teach all grade levels. In music teachers can show and interact with instruments, teach the basic skills of reading music and great games that can teach all grade levels. The media center the teacher can read online books, play games and even apps that all are part of the curriculum The media center the teacher can read online books, play games and even apps that all are part of the curriculum

4. Cost & More The cost of a internet ready Smart-board is $4,199 and with 15 classrooms including the art, music and media center come to $62,985. The cost of a internet ready Smart-board is $4,199 and with 15 classrooms including the art, music and media center come to $62,985. One of the drawbacks of a Smart-board is that teachers need to use the Smart-board with traditional teaching methods. One of the drawbacks of a Smart-board is that teachers need to use the Smart-board with traditional teaching methods. Teachers need to not just focus on the Smart-Board but how it can aid in the lesson. Teachers need to not just focus on the Smart-Board but how it can aid in the lesson. So we can track the effectiveness of the use of this hardware tool teachers can take a monthly evaluation of the use of the Smart-boards in the classroom. So we can track the effectiveness of the use of this hardware tool teachers can take a monthly evaluation of the use of the Smart-boards in the classroom.

5. Portable Device Acquisition One of the newest and greatest portable devices that would benefit the teachers and the students in a technological world would be a iPad mini. The iPad computer provides a simple and portable way to manage information and allows students constant access to learning opportunities. One of the newest and greatest portable devices that would benefit the teachers and the students in a technological world would be a iPad mini. The iPad computer provides a simple and portable way to manage information and allows students constant access to learning opportunities. The students would have to follow the the iPad Langston Hughes School Acceptable Use Policy for iPad that is below. This policy also addresses safety concerns about the device. There are so many positives for both teachers and students when using the iPads. This includes educational apps, online textbooks, they are all internet ready and students can learn and play at the same time.

6. Cost for IPads The price of an iPad for all the 450 students and staff would be $148,050. The younger students in first and second would share between classes and the 3-5th graders would all have their own to use and take home.

7. Cloud Tool Acquisition To better the storage and communication in and out of the school cloud computing should be implemented. This means that teachers and students can store and access data and programs over the Internet instead of your computer's hard drive. With the use of the cloud there are a few possible drawbacks like students and staff will have more chances of downloading viruses from all different computers. Another downfall is that some students do not have home computers so they can not work at home. With the use of the cloud there are a few possible drawbacks like students and staff will have more chances of downloading viruses from all different computers. Another downfall is that some students do not have home computers so they can not work at home. Potential safety concerns about the use of the cloud or web-based application in the classroom Students and staff need to be careful of the sites and devices that they use. This means that teachers and students should have all their scan disks and other devices checked to make sure no virus are spread. Potential safety concerns about the use of the cloud or web-based application in the classroom Students and staff need to be careful of the sites and devices that they use. This means that teachers and students should have all their scan disks and other devices checked to make sure no virus are spread. At the end of the year to assess the effectiveness of the cloud students test scores will be used to see how well the use of cloud computing is. Monthly evaluations from staff and students can help see if it is working the classroom. At the end of the year to assess the effectiveness of the cloud students test scores will be used to see how well the use of cloud computing is. Monthly evaluations from staff and students can help see if it is working the classroom.

8. Cost With no start up cost and only $1,200 a year the students and staff can benefit from this web-bassed acquisition. This service would be provided by Amazon Web Services and we can even apply for a grant. With no start up cost and only $1,200 a year the students and staff can benefit from this web-bassed acquisition. This service would be provided by Amazon Web Services and we can even apply for a grant. This tool will not just save time but save on the labor of collecting and downloading all the new programs and information onto the computers. The cloud will help with the reduction of soft wear, licensing cost and a greater bandwidth for thee school

9. Technology Workshop For this improvement plan there are many suggestions for teachers to attend technology workshops. In this area and in the district there are monthly workshops that teachers can attend. One of the local and free workshops is the West Essex Technology Symposium. This three hour workshop will discuss with teachers some of the newest “hot” topics of technology. The workshop will discuss many of the tools we use already and some we are going to integrate into the class. It will also teach how to integrate other sites into many different types of classrooms, different grade levels and subjects to increase student learning. At the end of the workshop to assess the effectiveness. Teachers will take an evaluation and post it back to the site.

10. Electronic Resource Sharing Venue for Staff and Students The teachers will also will get a quick training on Diigo (https://www.diigo.com/ )this site is a great electronic resource sharing venue for staff to share resources and more. https://www.diigo.com/ )https://www.diigo.com/ ) This is a site that is free for educators and students. Teachers need to just log in and create an account. Once this is done teachers can bookmark many sites and explain why. This is a site that is free for educators and students. Teachers need to just log in and create an account. Once this is done teachers can bookmark many sites and explain why. They can also connect with other teachers and students. On this site teachers and staff can uses tag words to describe the article or work. They can also connect with other teachers and students. On this site teachers and staff can uses tag words to describe the article or work.

11. References 1.Asw for education. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://aws.amazon.com/education/ http://aws.amazon.com/education/ 2.Apple- ipad mini. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.apple.com/ipad- mini/overview/ http://www.apple.com/ipad- mini/overview/http://www.apple.com/ipad- mini/overview/ 3.Apple- ipad mini for education. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.apple.com/education/ipad/ http://www.apple.com/education/ipad/ 4.Apple- ipad mini tech specs. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.apple.com/ipad-mini/specs/ http://www.apple.com/ipad-mini/specs/ 5.Buchanan, J. (2011, March 20). Smart boards: A classroom asset?. Retrieved from http://www.myrecordjournal.com/cheshirecitizen/article_41da71ae- http://www.myrecordjournal.com/cheshirecitizen/article_41da71ae-

12. References 6.Camazon elastic mapreduce (amazon emr). (n.d.). Retrieved from http://aws.amazon.com/elasticmapreduce/ http://aws.amazon.com/elasticmapreduce/ 7.Gonzales, M., & Steele, A. (n.d.). Cloudy days at school: A low-cost cloud solution for educational networks. Retrieved from http://netscale.cse.nd.edu/twiki/pub/Edu/GradOSF11DesignProject/miniproject- mgonza14-asteele2.pdf http://netscale.cse.nd.edu/twiki/pub/Edu/GradOSF11DesignProject/miniproject- mgonza14-asteele2.pdf http://netscale.cse.nd.edu/twiki/pub/Edu/GradOSF11DesignProject/miniproject- mgonza14-asteele2.pdf 8.Ipads in the classroom. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://asp-uk.secure- zone.net/v2/index.jsp?id=639/684/1619&lng=en http://asp-uk.secure- zone.net/v2/index.jsp?id=639/684/1619&lng=enhttp://asp-uk.secure- zone.net/v2/index.jsp?id=639/684/1619&lng=en 9.Kelly, A. (2013). Ipads in the classroom. Retrieved from https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/ipads-in-the-classroom/id593799531?mt=11 https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/ipads-in-the-classroom/id593799531?mt=11 10.Orlando, A., Davis, E., & Mason, S. (n.d.). “21 ways to integrate the smart board in the elementary classroom”. Retrieved from http://fltechshare.pbworks.com http://fltechshare.pbworks.com

13. References 7.Tarver, T. (2013). Ipads for education. Retrieved from http://www.tylertarver.com/2013/02/14/ipad-apps-for-education-itunesu-course/ http://www.tylertarver.com/2013/02/14/ipad-apps-for-education-itunesu-course/ 8.Teaching with technology workshops. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://itunes.apple.com/us/itunes-u/teaching-technology-workshops/id438297296 https://itunes.apple.com/us/itunes-u/teaching-technology-workshops/id438297296 9.Search for: technology workshop. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.njea.org/searchresults.aspx?kw=technology workshop&sort=recent http://www.njea.org/searchresults.aspx?kw=technology workshop&sort=recent http://www.njea.org/searchresults.aspx?kw=technology workshop&sort=recent 10.Smart board price list. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.touchboards.com/smartboards/pricelist.asp http://www.touchboards.com/smartboards/pricelist.asp 11.West essex technology symposium. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.njea.org/news/2013- 02-06/west-essex-technology-symposium http://www.njea.org/news/2013- 02-06/west-essex-technology-symposiumhttp://www.njea.org/news/2013- 02-06/west-essex-technology-symposium