Integrating Technology IS Possible
Despite Dwindling Budgets

Elaine McCaw
Media Specialist
Dickerson Primary School
Vidalia, GA

Having Ron Clark speak during the opening session of the GaETC was a perfect choice to launch a very productive and beneficial conference this year.  When constantly faced with budget constraints, rapidly changing technologies, and the everyday frustrations associated with being an educator, it is very easy to become discouraged about making a difference. No wonder many of us even question why we continue to try.  All that changed when Ron Clark came to the podium and began to tell his story. His story was so motivational and awe-inspiring! Upon hearing it, we could hardly wait to go back to our individual schools, face the adversities and challenges, and begin making a difference again.  His presentation set the mood and the tone for the remainder of the conference.  Instead of leaving the opening session thinking "It doesn't matter what I hear, I can't go back to my school and do it because of lack of funds, or lack of technology..." all of us in the audience left the opening session thinking, "Anything is possible!" Ron's story left us with a positive attitude and plenty of enthusiasm. 

All of the sessions I attended were good, but as always, some were more beneficial and practical than others.  One of the sessions I attended was "Creating a 21st Century Interactive Classroom on a Shoestring Budget." The presenter was an elementary teacher who had a lot of practical information to share.  She simply updated the technology she was using, a television with a View-all, to an LCD projector and bare wall for her presentations.  She taught sight words, educational games, and other activities using this method. She added read-aloud websites, and a list of other great web-based resources to enhance her instruction.  Her students were much more focused and engaged as a result. She shared how her students' test scores increased.  Although this idea is relatively simple, technologically speaking, it definitely addresses the needs of schools where the technology budget is limited.   For classroom teachers and media specialists, sessions like these are most beneficial.  Such session give practical ideas and techniques that are relatively easy to go back and incorporate quickly without spending a lot of money. 

Another session that was very useful was "Great Educational Websites for Free."  The handouts were greatly appreciated by all who attended. We also liked the information the presenter shared. In the midst of the current budget crisis, anything that is free is more attractive than ever.  The presenter showed the highlights of many of these websites.  The amazing thing about this session is that the work had already been done.  Educators had searched the web and found the best educational websites for teachers and listed all of them in a handout. The websites we discovered in the session contain educational activities that teachers can use in their classrooms with individual students or in large group settings. 

The session "Integrate Technology with Britannica Online School Edition" was especially helpful for many of us. Many of those attending did not even know that Georgia schools had free access to Encyclopedia Britannica through GALILEO! Thankfully, our presenter took us through the whole website and demonstrated features that could be used to help teachers integrate technology in the classroom. The presenter in this session really delivered some much needed information!

Many of the participants (myself included) were especially impressed by the First Gov for Kids site as well as many other educational activities and resources that were shared.

Upon returning from the conference I immediately set up a projector in the media center and connected to the Robert Munsch website where he reads his stories aloud.  As the students came into the library and heard Mr. Munsch reading Alligator Baby and some of his other stories, they were very excited. Of course, several wanted to read some of his books immediately.  In order to share all of the GAETC-rich information with the teachers I serve, I chose a day in which a Professional Learning Community meeting was already scheduled.  Kindergarten teachers attended one afternoon and first and second grade teachers attended the next afternoon. We held the session in the computer lab so that each teacher would have access to a computer.  I showed my colleagues several of the websites that I had seen and went on to enthusiastically share as much of the information from the conference as possible.  Knowing that I had to make the content immediately available to a crowd that doesn't always access the internet, I made copies of all the handouts I received and gave them to each of my peers. As I'm gradually placing the content online on my own site, it will be available to the teachers at my school when they take the next step. Even the teachers who are reluctant to use technology have been extremely interested to see the various resources and web-based activities that they can use with their students. The fact that everything I have shared with them is free is just icing on the cake that makes them hungry for more.

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