In my last few blog posts I have touted utilizing different pieces of technology in the classroom. So far, through all the reviews I’ve done, it has become evident that technology is a great way to enhance and engage student learning. However, as we all know, not everything is free! Some of my classmates are researching low cost solutions and even free technology resources for the classroom. That is great! But, unfortunately, there are certain desirable items that have a price tag associated with them. With that said, the question then pops up as to “what are the costs of implementing technology in the classroom?”
I have the unique background of working in the audio/visual industry and currently I am employed by a SMART Technologies and Polycom reseller. Therefore, I have a good sense of how much a SMART board in a classroom or video conference unit would cost. For a classroom to have wall mounted SMART Board, with ceiling hung projector and speaker, and integrated computer connections, it will be about $3,500. Hidden costs like supplying a computer or providing other multimedia devices like a DVD player will be incurred as well as hiring an electrician to put power in the ceiling for the projector. To take advantage of collaboration with video conference there are a couple of routes to go. An installed integrated Polycom unit sells for about $6,000, but a computer application only costs about $1,000 but a webcam and microphone need to be purchases separately. Classrooms are limited with that option because students would have to huddle around a small computer monitor.
In addition to the major technology components, teachers will sometimes want to take advantage of smaller electronic gadgets in the classrooms. Things like a digital camera and flip video camcorder cost about $150 each. Edutopia highlighted a classroom in Forest Lake Elementary and pointed out the incurring costs their technology. Click here to see it.
Remember, there are many devices out there that accomplish the same thing but are manufactured and sold by a different company. Sometimes this is a good way to get better pricing, but be careful that it’s not an inferior product!
The last thing I want to touch upon is where districts, schools, or teachers can come up with the money to gain technology for use in the classrooms. Budget cuts seem to loom everywhere, but that should not be shortcoming to obtaining technologic devices. Sometimes administrators and teachers (or even students and parents!) have to think outside the box to get the funds. The U.S. department of Education has grant programs available specifically from the Office of Educational Technology. Click here to check it out! Another method is to hold a fundraiser! The private school where I coach basketball raised money to buy SMART Boards by holding bake sales. The first video below shows my type of fundraiser! Yet another source to get money is winning it! The second video below shows how a school received a financial award to purchase technology for their classrooms.
As you watch the two creative videos below, can you think of ways in which your future school or classroom can come up with the funds necessary to increase the amount of technology??
Video 2
Loved the video you posted. A basketball game is a great way to get the entire school community together to raise money for such a useful technology. I absolutely love working the smart boards! I've been in some classrooms where the teacher uses the board to enhance learning all the time. Other classrooms it hardly gets used at all. The latter is so heartbreaking! I wonder if teachers take professional development to learn how to use the board or if they are left to figure it out on their own?
ReplyDeleteI'm not at all surprised by the cost. I'm also curious if this price has stayed generally the same since production or if it has or will decrease like most technologies.
In high school we tried a couple of different fundraiser ideas and the one that made the most profit was a waffle breakfast. We hired Dad's Belgain Waffle Company and paid them a flat fee of $200 or $300. This provided us with the waffle mix, waffle irons, and help to clean and make the waffles. We raised approximately $600-$700!
Brandon,
ReplyDeleteEarlier this month you blogged about 3 different types of technologies classrooms can use to supplement learning. After I read about the Smart Board I commented, but I had lots of unanswered questions. This post answered all of those questions. Great information!! One comment I have is that so many schools seem to have gone overboard with purchasing computers. Our local school (Kohler) has numerous computer labs, and seperate banks of computers in each classroom. My wife subs regularily at Kohler and just shakes her head at all the money we have tied up in hardware/software, just sitting idle. Maybe schools should take a look at directing money towards alternative forms of technology (such as those you highlighted) rather than pushing for more computers.
Fundraisers are a nice way to raise money for buying new equiptment. Our school always has some sort of fundraiser going on - drama club, sports teams, band/choir, foreign exchange. But isn't it a shame you have to have a fundraiser to buy technology and instructional materials for the classroom?
I want to raise a concern about a different kind of cost. Sometimes we don't realize what we give up when we use technology in the classroom (there is always something lost - we just have to decide if the loss is worth the gain). For example, an interactive whiteboard encourages teachers to remain the center of instruction (yes you can have students use the whiteboard, but perhaps only 4 at a time - leaving the rest of the students mentally disengaged. Furthermore, the whiteboard can make some really neat graphs, but the students might not understand how the graph was made and they might even think a smart board is necessary to make a graph.
ReplyDeleteI'm not saying don't use tech in the class, i'm saying think very very carefully about what technology you use.
Lindsay,
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately there has been some price increases with SMART Technologies, the manufacturer of the SMART Board. I've noticed a little bit of a price decrease in some models of projectors, however, depending who's you buy. Epson projectors have great educational pricing..
Brad,
ReplyDeleteI understand completely about the unused computers. I remember when computer labs were always filled at school when I was in high school. However, that was when not too many of us owned PCs at home. I think now that it is much more common to have computers at home (2 or three for that matter) possibly kids aren't really needing to use them as much at school. I think that money could be used elsewhere.
I agree about the sadness of having to hold fundraisers to gain the funds necessary to get the essential tools for teaching of today. It's not common to have fundraisers to raise money for classroom desks :)
Jerrid,
ReplyDeleteI see your point. This is when we have to rely on the teacher to not fall into those traps!