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Mount Gilead EVSD

  District Information
  Why did the district create such a program to utilize students as technology support staff?
  What technology support do students provide to the district? (e.g. software, hardware, website creation or maintenance, etc.)
  How long has the project been in effect?
  Did another district's student tech program influence the way you modeled your program? If so, which district.
  What resources or policies were necessary to start up and maintain the program? (i.e. funding, human resources, board approval, ect.)
  What are the goals of the program?
  How much did it cost to create the program? Please itemize costs and expenditures in an Appendix.
  How much does it cost annually to maintain the program? Please itemize costs and expenditures in an Appendix.
  How many students have participated in the program to date?
  How many students are participating in the program this school year?
  Do students work during or outside school hours? Please detail.
  Are students paid for their work? If so, how much per hour and how are they funded? If students are not paid, do they receive credit as a course?
  What grade level(s) are students who participate in the program?
  Is your student technical program integrated with your district curriculum? How?
  How have you solved logistical problems (matching student/teacher schedules, transportation between buildings, etc) so that students can do work where it is needed?
  How and by whom are students trained to be able to support district technology?
  What training and reference materials are provided to the student participants?
  How many technical support staff (non-student) are employed by the district? Describe the role of each.
  What lessons has the district learned during the program? Include strengths, weaknesses and obstacles encountered.
  What process and instruments are used to evaluate the effectiveness of the program?
  How is cost-effectiveness of the program determined? What information has been gathered to date showing the cost-effectiveness of the program? Include samples.
  Why does your district believe that it is has a model for other districts to implement?
  Describe the type of product(s) you anticipate creating to communicate to all districts your program? (e.g. website, CD Rom, video, etc.)


District Information     Top
District name: Mount Gilead EVSD
District IRN: 45534
Contact Person: Mr. Mike Wellin
Contact Person Title: Technology Coordinator
Contact Person Address: 338 Park Avenue
Mt. Gilead, OH 43338
Contact Person Phone: 419.947.6065
Contact Person Fax: 419.946.3651
Contact Person email: wellin_m@treca.org
Requested Funding Amount: $9,728.00
District Size: 1,501 to 6,000 Students
Grades Involved: 9 10 11 12
Project Artifact: PDF
Dates of Presentation:
Presentation One:
Location:
Ohio SchoolNet State Technology Conference - Columbus, OH
Date:
2/4/2002
Presentation Two:
Location:
Invitation to Area Schools
Date:
5/23/2002
Why did the district create such a program to utilize students as technology support staff?     Top
With the growing number of available computers, establishment of a district wide intranet, and utilization of computers by nearly 100% of the school community, there has been limited technical assistance available. Our district employs one full-time technical person. This position must service six different buildings. Unable to be in all places at one time, many teachers have assisted others who have experienced technical difficulties. More help was desperately needed. Many students have expressed an interest in becoming technically savvy and we realize we were not tapping a valuable resource. Not only could we train these individuals giving them the education they desired but we then could use their natural abilities to aide everyone's educational process.
What technology support do students provide to the district? (e.g. software, hardware, website creation or maintenance, etc.)     Top
All techies are responsible for checking the troubleshooting document. The troubleshooting document is a web form set up to allow teachers/ staff to report hardware problems, software problems or request assistance with a technical project. We have set forth 4 levels of student assistants:
  1. At the BRONZE level, students work on basic problems of troubleshooting the equipment, cleaning equipment, replacing internal parts and setting up new equipment.
  2. At the SILVER level, students add to their duties the job of installation of software and creating PDF files when needed for the district.
  3. At the GOLD level, students add to the above job descriptions: setting up student accounts on the network and district web page construction.
  4. At the PLATINUM level, a select few students will become SYS-OPs and work on network maintenance and delegation of troubleshooting assignments.
How long has the project been in effect?     Top
We are in our second year. The squad was formed in 2000-2001 school year.
Did another district's student tech program influence the way you modeled your program? If so, which district.     Top
Ohio SchoolNet State Technology Conference presentation in 2000.
What resources or policies were necessary to start up and maintain the program? (i.e. funding, human resources, board approval, ect.)     Top
The first group of students utilized received training directly from our A-site: TRECA. They offered certification classes to the students. A part of the requirement in receiving these classes was then to go back to the home school and share their knowledge and lend a hand when needed. Once the core group of students was trained, we developed a TECH SQUADRON manual. We approached our school principal and asked for approval to begin the TECH squadron. We ran a trial group and then began in force 2000-2001. TRECA then didn't re-offer the training program, so we were forced to hire a trainer to come in the summer of 2001 and train the students who had applied for the squadron. From their training, we are in the process of making a training multimedia library. We will utilize this library to have our current trained members train the incoming recruits. Currently they are three adults who help supervise and advise the squad. The district tech coordinator, the high school building tech rep and the high school computer teacher.
What are the goals of the program?     Top
  1. To provide squadron members with real-world technology troubleshooting experience.
  2. To provide the district with technology support.
  3. To provide staff and students assistance with projects.
  4. To alleviate some of the burden from the limited number of staff with time to provide technical assistance.
  5. To provide a curriculum that can develop technology skills to a level whereby students can enter a technology-driven workforce or post secondary education in technology.
  6. To create an accessible database of all assistive technology in the district.
  7. To assist staff in the infusion of technology in their instructional techniques for project-based learning.
  8. To assist in monitoring and maintenance of all hardware and network infrastructure.
How much did it cost to create the program? Please itemize costs and expenditures in an Appendix.     Top
This field appears as an appendix in the PDF
How much does it cost annually to maintain the program? Please itemize costs and expenditures in an Appendix.     Top
This field appears as an appendix in the PDF
How many students have participated in the program to date?     Top
20
How many students are participating in the program this school year?     Top
10
Do students work during or outside school hours? Please detail.     Top
Squadron members work during and outside of school. The goal of the program was to have a squadron member available for each period of the day. But the conflicts of scheduling do not always allow for that. The majority of the members will sign up for study hall and then spend their study time serving the squad. If during that current semester the students are unable to schedule a study hall then they serve the squad by stopping in before or after school. At times, the squad will assist the district over breaks in setting up new technology that has arrived and needs to be distributed.
Are students paid for their work? If so, how much per hour and how are they funded? If students are not paid, do they receive credit as a course?     Top
Students are not currently paid for their work. Presently we are in the process of setting up 1/4 credit for their efforts. Some the students are hired by the district for summer employment to help in the servicing of the technology equipment. They are paid $10/hr.
What grade level(s) are students who participate in the program?     Top
Second semester freshmen to seniors.
Is your student technical program integrated with your district curriculum? How?     Top
One of our district's continuous improvement goals requires "All students in the district will master a challenging core curriculum leading to enhanced educational and vocational plans." This has led to systemic changes in other curricular areas but could not fully meet the needs of students interested in computer repair or troubleshooting. This project aims to help meet the CIP goal for students and allows for further integration of this program with our existing curriculum to offer students a challenging program with a specific focus. Students who participate in the program and want to receive school credit must maintain a reflecting journal, complete progress forms on the jobs that they worked on and receive positive teacher evaluations. Students participating in this program are expanding on their ability to use technology both now and in the future. This is part of the CIP goal of lifelong learning. They are also modeling, for younger students, a student focus on the improvement of school effectiveness and use of resources that is part of the Baldridge Framework for school improvement. This program thus places students in the forefront of a curricular focus on school improvement efforts.
How have you solved logistical problems (matching student/teacher schedules, transportation between buildings, etc) so that students can do work where it is needed?     Top
Once again this is covered in the framework of levels that the students have reached:
  1. At BRONZE level, students are only matched with the high school staff. We do not necessarily have a student scheduled to cover all periods.
  2. At SILVER level, students are matched additionally with teachers that are located in our primary building K-1. This building is located across the street from the high school and the students simply walk to the teacher's room who is requesting assistance
  3. At the GOLD level, students are allowed to assist our teachers at the junior high and our 2 thru 4 grade building. Once again these buildings are located within walking distance.
Presently the tech coordinator will transport students with him when he needs assistance outside the realms of the high school. Upon the completion of our new school complex, the students will have much easier access to all the district community. All buildings will be located centrally together. We hope to continually grow our program in efforts to be able to cover all the time gaps in our current schedule.
How and by whom are students trained to be able to support district technology?     Top
Originally the students were trained by our district's A-Site: TRECA. TRECA offered a certification program to local students. If accepted to this program, the student was required to donate their services back to their home district. Entering our second year, we hired a tech trainer to hold a weeklong training class for the tech squadron members. From this training, we are creating training videos that will be utilized by our current members to train the new recruits. Besides this training, students are constantly given hand on opportunities to discover troubleshooting techniques and computer maintenance through our staff support team. The tech coordinator spends time with each squadron member showing them around the district's resources.
What training and reference materials are provided to the student participants?     Top
Students who received the initial training obtained the reference material: Troubleshooting Your PC by M.David Stone and Alfred Poor. They also were given a tool kit. The students then who continue through the program will be given a toolkit as a graduation present. Students are also given access to the reference materials that come with the equipment and software and are available on site. Students will also have access to the training materials that we are creating with the aid of the grant.
How many technical support staff (non-student) are employed by the district? Describe the role of each.     Top
Tech director (1): Network management, inventory management, budget management, federal and state funding, apply for grants, professional development, technology integration, direct building representatives, server management, technician, programs, professional growth and research new technologies. Building Technical Representatives (4): Contracted to assist staff with technical difficulties. Serve as technicians and aide in technology integration.
What lessons has the district learned during the program? Include strengths, weaknesses and obstacles encountered.     Top
The strengths of the program are:
  1. Improved technical knowledge and skills of both the staff and students.
  2. Volunteerism has increased numbers of people willing to assist with the implementation of this project.
  3. Problems throughout the district have been able to be handled in a much quicker response time.
  4. Students have been recognized throughout the district as individuals who are willing and able to help.
  5. Students who are not normally motivated by the regular routine have been able to develop goals that are more academically focused to help keep them eligible for the squadron.
The weaknesses of the program are:
  1. The PDAs purchased for on-site recording have not been utilized because of technical difficulties with the PDAs.
  2. Not enough students available for complete coverage throughout the scope of the day. This is usually due with scheduling conflicts.
  3. At times, students do not feel adequately trained to troubleshoot a specific problem.
  4. When there are problems -- there seems to be many, when there are no problems -- students get bored.
Obstacles encountered:
  1. Students are not yet at all levels so the entire district has yet to benefit from their involvement.
  2. Some students are not PRO-ACTIVE and have required more staff supervision. Some trust issues were breached in the first year; however, this year the students are trustworthier.
  3. Students who seemed to be technologically savvy are not necessarily academically inclined and have been placed on academic probation. During probationary status, students may not participate in extra-curriculars or athletics unless a plan of action is put in place. Some students chose to sit out instead of creating the plan which has hindered our numbers. Yet, when they hit this point the majority have been motivated by our group to work on raising their academics. We are continually evaluating how best to alleviate these obstacles and are confident that the additional training will enable us to minimize these problems.
What process and instruments are used to evaluate the effectiveness of the program?     Top
Teachers who have used the services of the squadron are asked to complete the form labeled "Tech Squadron Evaluation Form." Students also keep a daily log of activities and accomplishments that they have worked on. The troubleshooting document allows the students to enter in the steps that they took to alleviate the problem. The effectiveness of the program itself has been determined through evaluating the extensive log of troubleshooting forms and the services rendered, plus the percentage of calls that were serviced by the techies rather than the technology staff. Additionally classroom interruptions of tech support staff have been greatly minimized with the integration of this program.
How is cost-effectiveness of the program determined? What information has been gathered to date showing the cost-effectiveness of the program? Include samples.     Top
This field appears as an appendix in the PDF
Why does your district believe that it is has a model for other districts to implement?     Top
The MGHS Tech Squadron is a highly effective, low-cost solution to some basic technological needs currently being experienced by many schools -- the need to provide the students with hands-on experience with hardware and software, plus, the need to provide technical support for staff. We believe that any district desiring improved technical support and technical training and experience for students could implement a similar program.
Describe the type of product(s) you anticipate creating to communicate to all districts your program? (e.g. website, CD Rom, video, etc.)     Top
We will produce a library of training CDs (multimedia format) that we will burn for distribution and a online web site hosting an online.

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