Heartland AEA offers a wide range of technology services to school districts. Many of these are highlighted in this summary of a recent visit to one of our schools.- Our network specialist conducted a network audit and made recommendations about what upgrades were needed (and what costs would be involved) in preparation for an 1:1 project. Also discussed was Heartland’s Internet filtering solution (iBoss), which is available free to our schools.
- Our technology director and the building principal discussed in detail some possible funding streams (such as Title II funds and Microsoft settlement funds) that could be used for technology improvements and professional development.
- Further discussions were held related to possible curricular changes and professional development that Heartland could offer in the area of technology integration. Earlier in the year, our tech consultants were at the school to assist in making the transition to Google apps.
- The school has recently installed interactive white boards in all of their classrooms, but was having difficulty getting their wireless tablets to connect to the boards. Heartland staff were able to successfully troubleshoot this problem.
If your district is interested in what technology services Heartland AEA offers, contact Lance Wilhelm, Director of Technology, at lwilhelm@aea11.k12.ia.us to learn more.
April is National Autism Awareness Month. All of Iowa's Area Education Agencies employ certified staff members who specialize in supporting children and students with autism spectrum disorders, their families and the classroom teachers who work with them. This edition of Impacting Lives provides examples of AEA expertise for supporting autism as well as other topics that include Iowa AEA Online, curriculum instruction and technology support. Find the Impacting Lives blog at http://aeas4iowa.wordpress.com/. This issue includes:- AEA 'Angel' Gave Hope to Family Living with Autism
- Oscar's Story: Supporting a Child with Autism
- Northwest AEA Employees Present Research at International Autism Conference
- Learning with the Resources of Iowa AEA Online
- AEA Social Workers Serve as Link Between Families and Schools
- My Ears Help Me Read: The Important Role of AEA Audiology Staff
- Training Aims to Increase Teachers’ Skills in Literacy Instruction
- How Putting Laptops in Student Hands is Changing Education Today
- Grant Wood AEA Launches iPad Project
- Capturing Student Interest through the Use of Virtual Reality
Heartland AEA's Facebook page has changed to a "Timeline" layout. Take a look at here, and let us know what you think! Don't forget to share our page with your friends.
