Is it all in the Hardware?

The required readings in this module hit very close to home for me. HARDWARE, HARDWARE, HARDWARE. Hardware and the planning for long range use are influences that each school system has to look at meticulously. Factors include the durability of the hardware, the acquiring of new applications, and lastly the cost. My experience working in a title one school where technology resources are limited forced me to look outside my school system for resources and possible grants for my school/classroom to obtain valuable hardware and software. 

I was hired by my school system in 2008. During this time, I had the pleasure coming in with a set of 3 new desktop computers and a new printer available, all of which are Heward Packard products. Right now I have only one working computer and my printer quit correctly functioning a few years ago. These products are now 8 years old. These products are well over the projected life cycle. Purchasing from one manufacture was prevalent in my school system's technology overhaul. However, that was one effective factor for identifying what hardware to be purchased. “Standardizing hardware manufactured by one or two vendors rather than many vendors”  decreased multiple companies coming out to  repair malfunctioning products (Picciano, 204)
Other factors reviewed in the modules readings were the hardware evaluations criteria.

Performance

Compatibility

Modularity/expandability

Ergonomics

Software availability

Vendor

 Cost

 Picciano, A. G., & Picciano, A. G. (1998). Educational leadership and planning for technology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill. 

 Technology for Access and Equity in Education. (2009). Issues in Education and Technology, 26-76. 

Digital Databases and Concepts

After revisiting the course readings, one topic stood out to me the most. The reason for that is because I have seen this system being utilized across the school system. From the classroom to central office, databases have become important means of storage that can assist teachers with identifying skills to be taught or keeping demographics of a school system to apply for grants.

What is a database? The term database refers to a system of complete, easily retrievable and organized information that is accessible electronically and easily manipulated. (retrieved from: http://searchsqlserver.techtarget.com/definition/database)

A school’s effective use of data can enable the successful identification and implementation of appropriate strategies ultimately leading to standards attainment and student learning increase.

However, many schools do not use data to promote increased student learning or standards implementation. The reasons for this varies. One prominent reason is due to an inadequate way of formulating data and effectively inputting and storing the data.

In the case study reviewed in  Educational Leadership and Planning for Technology, One of the recommendations for the district was to streamline the database for each school/campus and make it more user-friendly for each particular school/campus. This is important to have access to students' information for that one particular campus versus access to all students within the district.

In addition to streamlining the database for per campus access, streamlining the database can also protect the wide area network from a possible security breach that could affect the entire database. The database will be connected yet be each campus will have its on firewall and-and security software in place to ensure safety of the students' private information.

1. THE News Update. (n.d.). Retrieved February 24, 2016, from https://thejournal.com/Articles/2015/10/06/2-School-Systems-Opt-for-Database-Management-Tools-To-Analyze-Performance.aspx 

2. Picciano, A. G., & Picciano, A. G. (1998). Educational leadership and planning for technology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill.
3. http://www.edutopia.org/blog/online-resources-primary-source-documents-monica-burns retrieved March 1, 2016

4. https://www.google.com/search?q=database+clipart&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiJ2OXVqqbLAhWrm4MKHdpkCSQQ_AUIBygB&biw=1366&bih=599#imgrc=axegzcZQIEcszM%3A, retrieved March 1, 2016