Survey seeks technology assessment

The school district is asking for feedback by conducting a survey on the Web as it prepares its three-year plan.

By: Donna Lukiw
   The Manville School District is preparing a technology plan for the next three years but the district is asking parents, teachers and students for their feedback.
   By providing a technology survey on the Manville School District Web site for students, parents and teachers, Technology Coordinator Joe Bires is hoping to collect the data by Dec. 14 and use the results to develop a three-year technology plan.
   "The purpose is to find out from the community how they want the district to use technology," Mr. Bires said. "Right now, we have about 100 parents and most of the faculty who completed the survey."
   Mr. Bires said all students will also be completing the survey.
   In the survey, the students will be asked if they have a computer at home, how and why they use the computer and what new technology courses they would like offered at the school.
   Parents are asked what features they would like the district to provide on the Web site.
   "What was interesting is that parents seem to be interested in online grades and attendance and to continue to develop the Web site," Mr. Bires said.
   He said the students are more interested in seeing an animation class developed at the high school and Alexander Batcho Intermediate School, while the teachers would like additional technology training and more Promethean whiteboards in the classrooms.
   "We offer several computer courses and animation is something we’re looking to offer," Mr. Bires said.
   He also said the results so far, show 80 percent of parents own a computer in their homes.
   The new technology plan will be developed this year for the 2008 through 2011 school years. The state requires the plan to be developed and submitted by April 2007.
   Mr. Bires said students, parents and teachers can go to http://www.manvilleschools.org/manville to take the survey.
   The survey will be closed on Dec. 14.