While designed to make you chuckle, the editorial cartoon raises an obvious point regarding technology in the classroom -- where will the money come from to support new technological initiatives? In an era where Alberta teachers are waiting with bated breath to see what cuts to Education the provincial government will reveal in its budget tomorrow, concerns are rampant that the cut backs will have huge implications for the classroom. Teacher lay offs, stalled plans for new schools and funds for resources are all potential imminent possibilities for education in Alberta.
Our counterparts in the south of the border are experiencing similar frustrations. It's the age-old formula for times of heavy government debt: a recession leads to public outcry for the gov't to roll back spending, which leads to the political leaders issuing cuts to public services which inevitably equals huge cut-backs in the Education world.
If we, as educators, admin, tech coordinators and various stakeholders want to continue to support excellent initiatives such as incorporating newer technology into the classroom, we're going to have to get creative regarding how to fund it.
What ideas have you seen to provide money from the ground-up rather than waiting for handouts from the top-down?
Something to think about as you enter the new work week.
Vanessa
Update: 11:17 am According to my sources, Education Minister Dave Hancock dropped 'large hints' this morning that AISI funding would not be affected by the budget tomorrow. This is a relief, as it's one of the main areas that schools pull from to purchase technology for their classrooms. Stay tuned...
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