Keys to the Kingdom

I think the time has come for our school district to address a more democratic access to its several technology installations. We cannot afford to let so many of our technology investments lie fallow throughout the day, semester, or year because their original intent was to support a particular course, curriculum, or program.

More than ever before our students and faculty are ready to exploit the equipment and infrastructure that the district has assembled. What remains is to cut the tethers that tie these installations to specific interests.

These technology centers need to follow the existing model of the the library as a place that is at the COMPLETE disposal of the entire district: the space, the equipment, the expertise; a model that is comfortable with and excited about sharing every reource on the shelf.

Using the library circulation system and and our email system, we possess the means to track and account for all loanable school equipment and to schedule and manage the use of all of these centers. What remains is for us is to willingly turn over the keys to this kingdom to all of the staff, and hence, to all of the students.

That means podcasts, films, and advanced graphics created in the Fine Arts & Communications Labs, television broadcasts by elementary, middle school and high school production teams, microphoned and stage-lit student productions in the Auditorium; an overall expectation that, of course, the resources of the school are OUR resources, that the risk of their abuse is dwarfed by the promise of their benefit, and that failing to provide these opportunities in the face of our students' needs illustrates a lack of vision, responsibilty, and trust among us.

So what say you?