New CIT Toolbox


A Comprehensive How- to guide for the New CIT
Various "How-tos", Powerpoints, Documents and Guidance contributed and shared by Various CITS and NISD Personnel
Compiled by Pam Albrecht

ToolBox for:

Hardware Software Paperwork Integration
Staff Development Webpage The Job Daily Diary

 

Hardware "Tools"

3 ways to do a Work Order:

  • Online from Intranet (ppt)
    (If user has never done a work order, requires a call to helpdesk)
  • E-mail
  • Phone

How to order new equipment:

  • (Intranet) the Tech proposal,
  • After receiving tech proposal approval and number,
    fill out purchase order (include tech proposal approval number on PO
How to order Cartridges (Tech Acquisitions Page)
New cartridge company fall 2007: SHI - GS order form
Software "Tools"

District Approved software:

Imaged

  • Microsoft Office Professional Suite
  • Kid Pix
  • Clicker 4
  • First Workshop
  • Graphers
  • Inspiration

District license but added later:

  • Neighborhood Map Machine
  • Timeliner
  • Fast Facts
  • TAKS Workshop Folder
  • Acess
  • Complete list of approved Software
    NOTE:
    Software titles in green have been tested and are approved.
    Software titles in red have been tested and are NOT approved.
    Software titles are those that are in black...are out there in the district on non-AD campuses, but have not been tested yet.
Curricular Area Software
CDs accompanying textbooks
Esped for Special Ed
Various Spec Ed software (Earobics)- based on # of site licenses
and spec ed approved list
How to order new software-
Anything not on above list must have a tech proposal and be evaluated on our network by our Tech Support
After tech proposal approval and number received, may fill out purchase order
(include tech proposal approval number on PO)
CMS Outreach "How Tos"
 
Paperwork "Tools"

Money Accounts- How many? How Much? How do I spend?

All CITs have at least 2 accounts- one for computer supplies (ink cartridges, etc,) the other for CIT supplies (fees for TCEA, etc)
Must use POs to purchase from these accounts. See above.

Other accounts may include cartridge recycling, paper recycling, etc.
These may only require a receipt and appropriate paper work after the purchase.

You will receive an email in early September with these account codes.

Purchase Orders

Work with the principals secretary on how to handle
You may be giving her info to fill out purchase order for you
You may fill out purchase order completely with codes
You may do some combination of the above.
 
Integration "Tools"

Internet Drivers Licenses

CITs are charged with providing instruction for safe use of the internet for their students. Typically it is provided at the first of the year to 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students. Usually the 3rd grade year provides an in depth discussion of acceptable use, computer and internet safety, browser use and research issues. Many CITs have developed exceptional programs and willingly share these with each other.

Here are a few examples:

http://www.nisd.net/cody/AUP_Course0405/AUP0405_Intropage.htm

http://www.nisd.net/ward/LearningLinks/WebBasedLessons/
InternetDriversLicense/InternetDriversLicense.htm

http://www.nisd.net/may/webquest/IDL/index.htm

Template for the Licenses
The Content Tip Lessons- accompanying CD
 
Staff Development "Tools"
In-service Inventory- See what your teachers have already taken
What in-services to offer-
Level 1- How to Use a Program- District Developed Manuals
Level 2- Integration of Technology Skills to Meet Curricular Goals (Example)
What about sign-ins and evaluations? unless in ERO
How do I keep track of them? In Access (ex 1 and 2) Template of Database
or ERO (see below)
Who issues certificates? Site based certificates or ERO (see below)
 
Webpage "Tools"
 
The Job
 
Daily (or weekly or monthly) Diary
First Week in August: I go in to school sometime during this week to fax in my last cartridge order for the prior school year. This enables me to have "fresh" cartridges on hand when teachers check in. My school secretary and I have met prior to this to make sure we had a purchase order in place by the end of may so this day only required me to print out the order and fax it over to Computer Express. (Of course, I've had to save an appropriate amount from the yearly cartridge budget to be able to have enough money.)

Sometime before the CIT start-up days: I usually spend 1-2 days in my room (with the door shut so no one knows I'm here :) ) to set up my room and my stuff. When teachers get here, I will seldom see my room, unless I am training, much less get anything done in it. These days come from the 13 extra days we are given as CITs. (See form above under paperwork.)

Sometime in August before it gets crazy!! Very Important!! It is important that if you have not already done so, you meet with your principal to explore their beliefs about what should happen in your labs. (The district norm is that 1 lab is the literacy lab where tech skills are taught. This lab is manned by an ECT. Your lab is the Integration lab. It is preferable for you to be housed in that lab so you can keep up with what is actually happening toward integration on your campus. In the integration lab, teachers bring their classes to do projects where they use technology to support the grade level curriculum.) Specifically, find out what the expectations are for teachers (i.e. how many projects and of what level) At my school, we require 16 integration points. I work with teachers to decide the points for each project, but basically: 2 pts= low level, right there answers, spelling tests, math timed tests, etc. 3 pts=higher level questioning strategies used, student constructs/creates their own knowledge from what they've learned, read, etc. 4 pts= full blown TIPPA project (see above.) It is important also that you find out how your principal will keep up with what the teachers are doing (do you need to keep a report posted or send him/her something? - see above for a sample) and how he/she will hold teachers accountable for what they are expected to do. This is critical. It might be helpful to schedule a time for Dana or Doug to come meet with you and the principal when you do this.
CIT start-up days: We get a letter in early August telling us when and where to report for our 2 days of CIT start-up activities. These may be in addition to any that a new CIT might need (usually held before this.) On Friday, we are on campus with our leadership teams. Again, these 3 days are from the 13 extra. (See form above under paperwork.)
Teacher Work Week: Most of my time this week is spent either attending in-services or giving them (you'll know about this from both your principal and/or the academic technology staff.) In between times, I troubleshoot hardware, put in work orders, troubleshoot software, set up email distribution lists, update the Groupwise lab signup proxy access, etc. (see above for directions)- basically just help the teachers get up and going. I don't leave on Friday until I know everyone is up and going, able to log in to gradebook and lunch count.

First Week of School:
Monday: I go very early to make sure we have no glitches in equipment or in getting to attendance and lunch count. I also have to do several campus assigned duties- helping to greet and get students to right rooms, helping with kinder classes at 8:30, lunch time and at the end of the day. In between after any troubleshooting, I finally get back to my room and to the backlog of emails, etc from last week.

Tuesday: I'm spending more time in my room, around the kinder times I have to help. I'm making sure my lab is up and running, completing work orders, etc. This year I'm helping teachers upload their 1st newsletter and having to go to their rooms since they are working off their desktops. I'm also still doing some "set-up" in my room that wasn't done before teacher's came. We did our first video broadcast today, so I'm attending to glitches that we ran into today. Video broadcast is done a little differently in every school, but in several I've been to, they buddy up with the G/T teacher. Ask around your school to see who did it last year and get the scoop. Also, you might "buddy up" with another CIT to get help.

Wednesday: Today my focus was the tons of paper work I haven't gotten to (like non-emergency work orders, proposing sessions of staff development into ero, adding dates to my tip calendar, updating our video broadcast opening, po's etc.) I also am still troubleshooting hardware and software problems. Most are easily solved, but a few I have to put in work orders. Basically, if I can't fix it in 5-10 minutes, I put in a work order. I also had to take down deep freeze in my lab to clean up stuff from summer school.