Today, a small but growing number of Tupelo's teachers are turning to technology to support a wide range of classroom activities. Shifting those numbers is a goal woven throughout the district's technology plan. It's also the mission of Kameron Conner, a young teacher who just this year leapt from her 2nd grade classroom to the central office to become the district's new technology projects coordinator. The plan, which incorporates school-level strategies as well as ideas from teachers and community members, is designed to allow schools latitude in choosing their own path to technology. Improvement of student learning is the paramount end, and improvement of teaching is the primary means.
Experts say a technology plan is essential to tailoring new technologies to instructional goals.
Another basic ingredient is adequate investment in training, an amount that experts generally recommend to be 30 percent of the total spent on hardware and software. Additional community resources bolster the training budget substantially. Tupelo's schools enjoy an enviable tradition of support from parents and local businesses. What's more, local manufacturers, many of whom see future prosperity in technically skilled employees, have set out to upgrade the technological skills of the teaching corps. Much of this has paid for teachers to attend conferences and visit more high-tech schools.