Last year, teachers across the country requested resources for more than 32,000 classroom technology projects through the national non-profit DonorsChoose.org. With tablet and computer requests skyrocketing, CoSN has partnered with DonorsChoose.org to create a toolkit for district technology leaders to support teachers through the platform that connects public school classrooms to a national network of philanthropists.
The toolkit, which launched in February 2019, outlines how district leaders and IT administrators can help teachers request technology resources that align with district policies and requirements. Keith Krueger, CEO of CoSN said “Our hope is that CoSN members will utilize this toolkit to acquire the technology tools needed in their district to advance learning and teaching.”
At Boston Public Schools, we used the toolkit to increase the amount of tech projects funded through DonorsChoose.org’s website and ensure that technology is introduced properly into classrooms. Teachers in our district, since the release of the toolkit, requested for listening devices, calculators, printers and document cameras. BPS raised over $49k in technology requests alone, and over $452k total, since the launch of the toolkit.
We are excited to see this amazing response from both our tech leaders and teachers after the introduction of the tech guidelines. The implementation has allowed for our teachers to request for the right technology and maximize its use in classrooms.
Adrienne Bowman, a 6th to 8th grade English teacher at William Ohrenberger Elementary School is a shining example of how technology can transform a classroom. Mrs. Bowman utilized DonorsChoose.org to provide her students with 15 district approved chromebooks. “My students are excited to use the new computers to practice their English, on a daily basis now,” wrote Mrs. Bowman on her project update announcement.
As of today, we have over 98% compliance with the DonorsChoose.org requirement uploaded across BPS. We are thrilled about the increasing technology projects being created and completed through DonorsChoose.org, and the way teachers are changing how our students learn with technology.
