A Hotlist on Infrastructure/TCO

A Hotlist on Infrastructure/TCO
An Internet Hotlist on Infrastructure/TCO

Introduction
This Hotlist provides useful links for California educators who are developing their school or district technology plans based upon the Technology Planning Guide. The links here apply to the Infrastructure and Funding/Budget components.

The Internet Resources

Infrastructure: Networking

CENIC Today Online Newsletter - You can subscribe to CENIC Today by visiting http://www.cenic.org/C_today/cover.html or by sending e-mail to listproc@cenic.org with the following request in the message body subscribe cenic-today youremailaddress To unsubscribe, send email to listproc@cenic.org with the following request in the message body
CENIC's Optical Network Infrastructure Initiative (ONI)page - CENICis a not-for-profit corporation formed by the California Institute of Technology, the California State University, Stanford University, the University of California, and the University of Southern California to facilitate and coordinate the deployment, development, and operation of a set of seamless and robust advanced network services. The CENIC Associates program offers qualified companies the opportunity to collaborate with CENIC in pursuit of the goal of providing the most advanced network services for research and education. Cisco Systems, Nortel Networks, Pacific Bell, and the University and Community College System of Nevada are CENIC's Partner Associates. CENIC's Optical Network Infrastructure Initiative (ONI) is creating a powerful optical network backbone that will serve the future networking needs of all of California?s universities, research institutions, community colleges, and K-12 schools. ONI was designed to develop a shared optical infrastructure that would immediately augment and eventually replace the various SONET advanced-services networks being used by various sectors of the CENIC community today.
EDUCAUSE - The purpose of EDUCAUSE is to promote the intelligent use of information technology in higher education. Although geared toward IHE's, there is good information here for K-12 schools as well.
K-12 Networking Infrastructure Guide Recommendations - Although published in 1996, this guide is still timely in that it covers the areas that need to be considered when planning a district network.
Network Architecture and Design Document - In preparation for the implementation of its third major project, the Optical Network Infrastructure Initiative (ONI), CENIC has released a Network Architecture and Design document that provides some of the technical specifics surrounding the development of the ONI.
TechSETS - This California project is a resource for school technical support professionals.
The Quilt - The Quilt is a UCAID Project whose participants are non-profit network aggregators -- like CENIC -- dedicated to advancing research and education in the United States by both providing a broad range of advanced networking services to their constituents, and facilitating innovative and successful projects and productive working relationships.

Funding and Budgeting

An Educator's Guide to Assessing the Cost of Donated Computers - As the calls for education technology are heard nationwide, more and more schools are finding themselves to be the recipients of donated computer hardware and software. The questions on this site can be used as an aid in determining whether to accept or not accept a donated computer that is offered to your school.
Budgeting Issues - This article, 'Educational Technologies: What are They and What are the Costs?' written by Donald Tetreault takes a good look at the on-going cost of technology and some of the problems encountered in schools when attempting to budget for technology use.
Develop a Technology Budget - Developed by NCREL, a guide for school budget development in technology. One thing not mentioned is the cost of on-going technical support.
Disposing of School Computers School Hardware Components Can Threaten Environment - An article that explains why improper disposal of electronic equipment is harmful, and suggests some alternatives. (Free registration required.)
Electronics Recycling Initiative - This site provides information about new regulations governing disposal of electronic equipment including computers and peripherals.
Estimating School District Computer Costs Over Time - According to the site's authors, 'This Web page has been created as an entry point for school teachers and administrators who wish to play some 'what if' games with the costs related to implementing technology in their school districts. Our intent is that you can plug in numbers which represent your own school settings, and then view the consequences which using these numbers in real life would produce -- in this case, in terms of the numbers of computers your dollars could buy over time, and the amount of 'computer time' this could make available to students in your classrooms.'
Michigan Technology Staffing Guidelines - A tool that can help school districts determine their technology staffing needs.
Taking TCO to the Classroom - The Consortium for School Networking launched this project to help educators understand , and plan for the costs associated with bringing technology into classrooms. Resources include checklists, publications, and planning tools.
Technology Support Index - The Technology Support Index (TSI) is a profiling tool developed by ISTE. It can be used by schools and districts interested in improving their technology support programs. Four domains are examined: Equipment Standards, Staffing and Processes,Professional Development, and Intelligent Systems. Fiscal implications are also included. Available in online format. There is also a printable PDF version of the rubric.
Technology's Real Costs - This article, by Sara Fitzgerald, discusses the concept of Total Cost of Ownership and how it applies in the educational setting.
The Challenges Facing School Districts in Budgeting for Technology - This article by Lawrence O. Picus looks at school budgeting in general and for technology specifically.
eSchoolNews Special Report: Technology Management - To obtain a copy of this special report visit this site and request that it be emailed to you.

Retrofitting

National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities - A free public service that disseminates information about K-12 school planning, design, financing, construction, operations and maintenance.

Possible Funding Sources

Grantseekers' Bookmarks K-12 Grant Resources on the Net - Sponsored by Groton Public Schools. Written in 1998, but still points to several important areas for potential funding, i.e. federal sites, corporations.
Private Giving to Public Schools and Districts in Los Angeles County: A Pilot Study - You can either order this report from Rand publications or download it from the site in pdf format (click on Table of Contents to access files). The report takes a close look at private funding for public schools.
Technology and Learning - Visit the Grants column on this site for potential funding sources.
eSchoolNews - Visit the Funding Center at this site for updates on grants.

Monitoring and Evaluation

Designing Your Program Evaluation Plans (including outcomes-based evaluations) - This learning module orients personnel to the nature of program evaluation and how it can be carried out in a realistic and practical fashion.
Logic Model: University of Wisconsin-Extension (UWEX) - This particular model for evaluation contains six components with Inputs-Outputs-Outcomes being central to the model. Douwnloadable resources available.
Technology in American Schools: Seven Dimensions for Gauging Progress - Developed by Cheryl Lemke & Edward Coughlin, the Seven Dimensions also provides educators with ways to assess movement toward their goals for learning with technology through sets of questions and stages of progress.

Content by Susan Brooks-Young, SJBrooks@aol.com
http://www.kn.att.com/wired/fil/pages/listinfrastrsu.html
Last revised Thu Nov 29 10:29:26 US/Pacific 2007