to keep things working they have focused on the “fix it” aspects. Moore’s department handles everything
internally except machine repair. SJUSD has a long Apple tradition and all the machines have warranties, so repair issues are con- tracted out. All other services – from net- work to data warehouse to business systems – are handled internally.
Standardization vs. site-based Even though SJUSD dwarfs the other two
districts, Moore promotes site autonomy. “The needs are just different. We’re a large, diverse district. What needs to happen at one site is different than another.” That being said, the bulk of SJUSD’s foundation is certainly standardized. Autonomy plays a significant role at the
top of Moore’s building blocks design: in- structional technology. Sites make their own decisions about those needs – and largely pay for them – based on the district’s stra- tegic plan.
Building teacher capacity Historically, SJUSD had an instructional
technology department that developed and led workshops, worked with teachers at sites, and led the charge on technology tools. Bud- get cuts, coupled with retirements, closed that department, and Moore does not intend to bring it back. From his viewpoint, it’s time to fully integrate services. The district has curriculum coaches who
work with sites, and Moore envisions this as the best mechanism for modeling the inte- grated use of technology. Technology should always be part of the conversation and the solution, he says, without driving either.
Successes and challenges SJUSD can point to a number of recent
key successes: A $14 million network up- grade project and data center, district-wide wireless, and a new phone system projected to save $300,000 annually. Plus, throughout the life of their 10-year bond they have been able to refresh computers every year, except for the last two. Which brings Moore to one of his biggest
challenges: Refresh. “We need to get back to refreshing computers at a rate that keeps
November/December 2012 19
them viable, and we really need to dispose of obsolete machines. … People have a hard time letting go,” he says. In a large district, with many depart-
ments and building blocks that tie into tech- nology, Moore says they need to “bridge the gaps, really tie things together, to make the user experience a truly positive one – things need to work as expected every time and the curricular ties need to be there.”
Trends and next steps Like others, Moore sees BYOD on the ho-
rizon for his district, and he’s all for it. “Ab- solutely, bring your device and put it on my network!” he says. He also believes that the adoption of eBooks will accelerate the use of mobile technologies, especially iPads. For now, Moore and his department
work to build a strong foundation and sup- Continued on page 38
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40