Teaching wiTh Technology:

Teaching with Technology:

Integrating technology into classroom curriculum

Enhancing education through technology

research provided by the

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Districts throughout the country help students learn by integrating education technology into their classrooms using grants from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. As part of any economic recovery plan (or any economic development plan for that matter), education leaders have the responsibility to align educational outcomes to future workforce needs. Experience with and access to technology is a vital component for student success. It can be the ve-

Technology has played a role in boosting student performance, and schools now have an unprecedented opportunity to increase that role through EETT grants. By taking advantage of the additional EETT recovery funding, local education agencies (LEAs) can engage students, sharpen their skills and improve teaching and learning.

Federal Funding 101

Annually, the Education Department distributes EETT

hicle to improve student achievement and provide teachers

grants to states by formula. This year, states received ap-

with research-based instructional tools.

proximately $265 million in July. To supplement those

To meet the critical need for technology literacy, the fed-

funds, the ARRA provided $650 million for the EETT pro-

eral government is providing financial support to schools

gram, bringing the total amount available to states in fiscal

that cannot afford to implement technology solutions. The

year 2009 to $915 million.

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) increased

Funding formulas are based on each state’s current-year

funding for the Enhancing Education Through Technology

funds from Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary

(EETT) program so that students in high-poverty, high-

Education Act (ESEA). The ESEA provides financial assis-

needs schools can improve their academic achievement.

tance to LEAs and schools with high numbers or percentag-

Nationally, the achievement gap between students has been closing as organizations and governmental agencies

es of under-privileged children so that they can meet state academic standards.

seek to implement high-poverty school reforms.1 In order

For these grants, the ESEA uses four statutory formulas

to continue to reduce the student achievement gap, schools

that are based primarily on census poverty estimates and

can integrate high-tech tools into their classrooms that will

the cost of education in each state. More than 50,000 pub-

engage students and motivate them to learn.

lic schools utilize Title I funds to help children from disadvantaged backgrounds succeed in school. Once states receive their share of the EETT grants, they allocate at least 95 percent of them to eligible LEAs. The remaining 5 percent covers administrative costs and assists the state, its districts and schools to meet the program’s objectives. The states can award all of the grants through a competitive process, which the Education Department encourages, or can allocate up to 50 percent of the funds based on formulas and distribute the rest through a competitive process. To qualify for grants, LEAs must receive funds under Part A of Title I or apply with a group of other education agencies that do receive those funds. For the competitive grants, they must be a high-need LEA or participate in an eligible local partnership.

www.CDWG.com/k12ARRA

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School districts that receive EETT funds can incorporate technology into their classes that will help students learn and help teachers impart knowledge to their students. Grants can be used to: • increase access to instructional technology; • combine technology, research-based teaching practices and distance-learning strategies to help students succeed in school; • integrate technology into courses and curricula to help students reach challenging academic standards; • connect students, parents and teachers with technology to promote communication and involvement between the three parties; • train technology leaders and give them bonuses for helping other teachers; • enhance existing technology and acquire new technology; • collect, manage and analyze data with technology; and • implement data systems that will measure the effectiveness of education technology programs that are funded through the grants.

Technology that Works

In a 10-year study conducted during the 1980s and

1990s, the Classrooms of Tomorrow Project equipped learning environments in five different schools across the country with tools including computers, printers, scanners, videotape players, CD-ROM drives and software to evaluate how they impacted teaching and learning. The teachers who participated received technical and instructional support from a coordinator at each site and worked together to integrate technology into the curriculum.2 The study found that students in those classrooms “routinely employed inquiry, collaborative, technological and problem-solving skills uncommon to graduates of traditional high school programs.”3 Teachers and education leaders understand that technology helps students hone the skills that they need to succeed in the workforce, and EETT funding allows them to increase

the technology tools they have in their classrooms. Technology has become part of the culture at Beauvoir, the National Cathedral Elementary School in the District of Columbia, and Director of Technology Matthew CastaneraBartoszek does not think the school could operate without it. Beauvior converted to a mobile environment about five years ago and uses all tablet touch-screen devices. The pre-kindergarten through third-grade students learn on tablet PCs, and this year, the third-graders have their own notebook computers. “It gets the kids out of their traditional rows of seats in the classroom,” Castanera-Bartoszek said, “and gets them to use a different interface with the computer and really move around as much as they like so they can learn anywhere — and not just from their desk.” As technology changes, the students need to be able to adapt so that they can prepare for jobs that do not exist, and schools can help finance that preparation through EETT funds. But that does not mean that they simply learn how to use certain types of technology that could become obsolete. “We really try to shy away from teaching skills, as far as ‘this is how you create a PowerPoint’ or ‘this is how you

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create a Word document,’” Castanera-Bartoszek said, “but we’re rather teaching a concept, and there are many different avenues that you can take to get to the end result; technology is just one of them.”

Training Educators to Integrate Technology into Classes

In order to incorporate technologies into the classroom,

teachers need to learn how to use them through professional development sessions, which can be funded with EETT grants. Teachers, administrators and especially students need to work together to make the push for educational technology a reality. “The students become the promoters of the use of technology,” said Thea Jones, the supervisor of the Office of Instructional Technology at Baltimore County Public Schools. “They encourage their teachers who don’t use it to go see what someone else is doing and find out how to do it.” Many teachers have been incorporating technology into

With more than $900 million in EETT grants going to schools this year, they can invest in equipment to help students improve their grades and track their progress. That investment also allows districts to help students become proficient on the latest technology by the end of eighth grade and train teachers how to integrate it into their classes.

their classrooms for years, while others have resisted because they either did not take the time to learn or were not sure whether it would help them. But over the years, more teachers — including younger

them to learn how to solve problems, create products and think critically by working with the technology.

teachers who have grown up with the latest technology —

“We concentrate on using both hardware and software

help show others the benefits of using technology for their

that will help our students with those 21st-century skills that

students’ educational experience.

they’re going to need through their lifetimes,” Jones said.

In some states, the teachers have an extra incentive to

In order for educators to teach those skills, they must press

learn about new technology: They have to meet state tech-

administrators and district decision-makers to offer the nec-

nology literacy standards, as do students and administrators.

essary training for infusing software and hardware into in-

Teachers in Maryland, for example, take professional devel-

struction, which can be implemented with EETT funds.

opment training, Jones said, to learn how to integrate new technology into the curriculum and apply what they learn. The Baltimore school district is incorporating interactive whiteboards and document cameras into the classrooms, as well as educational software programs. But teachers are not only showing students how to use technology; they want


“Our teachers are very busy,” Jones said, “but when they start using the technology and become comfortable with it, it’s almost like it sells itself to the teacher in the classroom next door.”


Technology and Funding Solutions

With more than $900 million in EETT grants going to

schools this year, they can invest in equipment to help students improve their grades and track their progress. That investment also allows districts to help students become proficient on the latest technology by the end of eighth grade and train teachers how to integrate it into their classes. If schools collaborate, they can share what works for them and show others how to implement a similar program or teaching method in their classrooms. Education leaders can partner with businesses, nonprofit groups and higher education institutions to create a plan for integrating educational technology with EETT funding. School decision-makers have the opportunity to prepare their students for successful careers, and with the unprecedented amount of education technology funding available, they can use it to make a lasting impact on the lives of America’s future workers.

For information

about state funding allocation, visit www.ed.gov/recovery.

Consider these technologies Decision-makers can use grant funding* for various devices and instructional tools to meet specific achievement needs. Some of these technologies can include: • Interactive whiteboards • Tablet PCs • Document cameras • Webcams • MP3 players • Digital cameras • Projectors • Digital video cameras • Student response systems • Instructional software • Wireless networking • Headsets • Smartphones • Digital readers • Portable media players *The Department of Education has not issued an approved set of technologies that can be purchased with grant funding.

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Corporate and independent foundations offer programs to help educate economically disadvantaged students learn through technology. This funding is separate from the $650 million ARRA EETT money. The following application deadlines that are closed will be available in 2010.

Program

Award Estimates

Status

Purpose

Eligible Applicants

HP Innovations in Education Grants4

25 awards valued at more than $270,000 each

Closed March 30

Helps school districts launch pilot initiatives that support teams of administrators and teachers who are responsible for student success in math and science; the teams will explore innovations that combine teaching, learning and technology

Public school districts or accredited private school systems; preference given to those that serve a significant proportion of underrepresented, lowincome or otherwise marginalized student populations

NEA Foundation: Student Achievement Grants5

Number of awards not specified; $5,000 each

Applications reviewed Oct. 15, Feb. 1, June 1

Finances resource materials, supplies, equipment, transportation, software or scholars-in-residence

Public school teachers in grades preK-12, public school education support professionals, and faculty and staff at public higher education institutions



Components of successful grant submissions In addition to responding to the technical requirements of the grant and ensuring that required information is included in

From the Grant Writer’s Desktop • SchoolGrants offers a number of education-focused,

an easy-to-follow format, the following tips will help agencies

successful, sample proposals. Most are directed to corpo-

submit grant proposals that stand out.

rate or government funding sources and are downloadable

6

Grant submissions are marketing tools In addition to demonstrating your understanding of the need as defined by the grantor, your submission must outline a compelling way to address the issue, convince the granting agency that you can solve the problem or address the need, and offer a solution to the issue instead of just asking for resources or equipment. Articulate how your agency can deliver results Your submission should demonstrate why you can do what you say you can do, explain how your approach is different and/or innovative, include a well-developed plan with measurable outcomes, and provide a plan for sustaining the initiative after grant funds expire. Flaunt your qualifications and successes Your grant submission should articulate what you bring to the table, highlight your agency’s record of success with prior grants, include tangible measures of prior successes such as awards and recognition, and describe what sets your agency apart. What does a grant reviewer look for? • Fits with the goal of the funder

in PDF format. www.k12grants.org/samples • Associated Grant Makers is a resource center of publications and other information on foundation and corporate grant making. agmconnect.org • The Foundation Center is dedicated to serving grant seekers, grant makers, researchers, policy-makers, the media and the general public. fdncenter.org • Grants.gov is a centralized grant site for the federal government. grants.gov • Guidestar provides information about programs and finances of American charities and nonprofits. www.guidestar.org From the Grant Writer’s Personal Library • “The Complete Book of Grant Writing” by Nancy Burke Smith & E. Gabriel Works • “The Only Grant Writing Book You’ll Ever Need” by Ellen Karsh & Arlen Sue Fox • “Grant Writing for Dummies” by Dr. Beverly A. Browning, MPS, DBA • “Perfect Phrases for Writing Grant Proposals” by Dr. Beverly A. Browning

• Reasonable plan • Aligns to the grant guidelines

• “Guide to Proposal Writing” by Jane C. Geever

• Fits the mission of the applicant

• “The Grantseeker’s Guide to Winning Proposals” by Judith

• Reasonable funding request for project Grant Writer’s Formula • Cover letter

• Abstract

• Table of contents

• Needs statement

• Goals and objectives

• Methodology

• Budget

• Evaluation and dissemination

Need a grant writer? • Guru; www.guru.com • Association of Fundraising Professionals; www.afpnet.org • Association of Proposal Management Professionals;

www.apmp-nca.org

• American Association of Grant Professionals;

B. Margolin & Elan K. DiMaio • “Foundation Fundamentals” by Sarah Collins

grantprofessionals.org

• Grants Office; www.grantsoffice.com

ENDNOTES 1 National Efforts to bring Reform to Scale in America’s High-Poverty Elementary and Secondary Schools: Outcomes and Implications, 2009, Geoffrey D. Borman, University of Wisconsin-Madison www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ ericdocs2sql/content _ storage _ 01/0000019b/80/43/e4/1d.pdf 2 The Learning Return on Our Educational Technology Investment, 2002, WestEd 3 Sandholtz, J.H., Ringstaff, C. Dwyer, D.C. (1997) Teaching with technology. New York, NY: Teachers College Press. 4 www.hp.com/hpinfo/grants/us/hpiie.html 5 www.neafoundation.org/pages/educators/grant-programs/grant-application/ student-achievement-grants/ 6 Based in part on “Grant Writing That Gets Results,” by Richard Lambert, The Idea Bank, 2002; and “Competing for Bucks – Writing a Winning Grant,” presentation for GTC East, September 2009 * Grateful acknowledgment to Kristin DeProspero, CEO, Funding Solutions Corp. www.fundingsolutionscorp.com

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The Center for Digital Education, a division of e.Republic, Inc., is a leading resource on information technology policy, trends, and opportunities in K-12 and higher education. The Center offers a series of unique programs covering the critical policies, executive leadership and applications surrounding education technology. www.centerdigitaled.com

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