#RuralEdChat Archive
#RuralEdChat is a chat that focuses on the needs of the rural educator. This chat has been revised by Tammy Neil (@MathNeil), John Martin (@edventures) and Natalee Stotz (@nataleestotz).
Tuesday November 1, 2016
Looking forward to ! We've got another fabulous guest moderator tonight!
Good evening, . Linda joining from NY's Southern Tier, having survived winter's first snow last week.
Good evening How are you?
Good evening! Can't believe you already have snow!
Hi, friends. Chilly but smiling here.
Hi everyone ~ great to be a part of this
Good evening, . Linda Friedrich from NWP joining from northern CA.
Natalee from Maine. No snow yet!
I think the snow was Thursday morning. Didn't last as long as the cold rain that preceded it.
Good evening, ! Relatively exhausted here - up at 4:45 to go to a (superb) diversity conference out in Eastern Mass.
Hello! Tonight on we will be discussing Internet Access & Technology to Support Teaching & Learning in Rural Schools.
We will also be using Q# and A# to track questions and answers on .
We will also be using Q# and A# to track questions and answers on .
Tammy from north Florida. No snow here yet, either.
Let’s go around the horn and see who is joining us tonight for . Please introduce yourself and let us know where you’re from.
If the conference was good, that takes the edge off fatigue.
I'm pleased to introduce the i3 Rural Community tonight on ! Victoria Schaefer is the Community lead.
Hey, Bill! We want to hear all about it soon!
Beth from Montgomery County NC
Heidi Larson is the lead of the i3 Ed Tech Community, and will be Tweeting out the chat questions.
my part of the state just missed out on last week's little storm.
There may be other members from the i3 Rural Community here as well. Please let us know! :- )
Can't beat that. We had just enough to write your name on cars.
Liz Polmanteer from Grand Rapids, MI. No snow...yet!!
Thanks Heidi! Glad to see i3 rural ed folks attending, and good to meet new rural ed friends too!
The Team welcomes all members of the . You are among friends. Let's connect.
FYI, i3 stands for Investing in Innovation, a program funded by Office of Innovation and Improvement (OII).
It's a contented and recharged fatigue. But a bone-weary fatigue at the same time.
Ha! I would be worried if you got snow!
I3 provides funding for innovative partnerships with districts, schools, and nonprofit organizations
Liz Polmanteer from MIddleville, MI. No snow...yet!!
Hi, Jennifer Stevens and erotica Tate here with the RMEP project
Thanks for letting us join you tonight, ! We're looking forward to learning from you.
Q1: What challenges have you encountered in establishing Internet access in your rural community?… https://t.co/NcGNnjhw1x
Q1: What challenges have you encountered in establishing Internet access in your rural community?… https://t.co/ImtDP8bDzf
Jennifer and Veronica from the RMEP project are here!
A1: Cost is definitely a factor for many of our rural communities.
Welcome! Glad you could join us.
A1: Many Ss live along the Suwannee River. Access is an issue in those areas. Not much signal to pull from.
A1 I've not had problems, but I'm sure there are pockets where the access is poor/non-existent. We're rather hilly.
A1: Consistent level of signal and connectivity. Working technology
Good evening; Kim Pond, Plant City, FL
A1: Finding cost effective ways to filter content across internet provided is an issue
A1. Outside of school teachers sometimes don't have access at home, so it makes it difficult to participate in PD
Hey folks. Sorry I'm late :)NE FL
Are you near areas w good connection? I thought being hilly would make it harder to get a consistent signal
A1 My school (independent school, town w/good access) has been fine. We know we're lucky. Some hilltown students less lucky.
Welcome, Kim! Thanks for joining us tonight. Question 1 asks if you've had challenges with adequate Internet access
A1: inconsistency. ISP's go up and down all the time in our community.
We (middle/high school) gave up on filtering years ago, both for practical and philosophical reasons.
A1 Access variable across the 44 rural districts NWP has been collaborating with
I'm in "metropolitan" Bainbridge just a skip from Interstate 88, so no problem right here
Welcome! Thanks for joining us. Question 1 is asking about challenges getting adequate Inet connectivity.
No back lash from parents?
Thanks! Was hoping y'all weren't TOO far into the Q & A where I'd never catch up....
Sorry to break from answering but has three grants for schools through ; deadline is tonight.
Yikes! Sounds frustrating for teachers.
Q2 is coming up in just a minute!
it can be at times. Constantly getting emails to, "Please unblock______"
Good reason to miss answering! Good luck!
How do teachers respond? Are they used to having a Plan B? Or do they get frustrated?
Not that I heard. None came to me, for sure, and I'm Middle School Dean.
Q2: What kinds of digital infrastructure do you have in your school/s? e.g. broadband, satellite, DSL/… https://t.co/C0juEf5sWA
In this area, a half mile can mean difference between a signal and no signal
Thanks for joining us, and good luck with the grant deadline!
The difficulties with Inet access now are like rural electrification issues a century ago
A2: That's easy: I have no idea! LOL
Nice, so you get the best of both worlds?
A2: I believe we have a T1 line but we've still had issues with bandwidth. Started the school yr without internet for 2 weeks.
and what type of infrastructure options are there for homes in your community?
Having a Plan B prevents frustration with technology and glitches; managing Ss frustrations is key...
A2: Tough question for me to answer. I *think* ours DSL/Cable. I know when we completely loose internet, our phone is out too.
When u filtered, was each campus on a different set up? Ours is all or none. PreK/K center and HS have the same filters
A2 we have fiber through NC Broadband. Very lucky in our schools. Homes in county not so lucky
Thoughts on what can we learn, or how can we do, based on lessons learned from that?
A2: Most schools in southern VA have broadband but our project deals with internet access at home.
DSL/Cable, Broadband, and satellite are common.
Hold on, that's Q3, Prof Dede! :- )
Q3 is coming up in just a minute!
Rural electrification was ultimately achieved based on economic advancement
This is a really good point. https://t.co/ef2ax2VSMe
The difficulties with Inet access now are like rural electrification issues a century ago
A2. Cable and satellite dish are main options. I think the dial-up services finally died
Oops. I'm getting ahead of myself
-- we'll talk later, but wondering how much PD, or coaching, goes into having a Plan B? Or have Ts just learned?
Ah - I should have mentioned we are an independent school. 154 kids. One campus.
ah ok. We're a district of 7 campuses. It's all or none..
A2 T1 line or rather, if I remember correctly, lines.
Thanks! We're always interested in best ways to prepare hardware, so the teaching can be left to the professionals.
A3: Cable, broadband, satellite. Some Ps restrict use- turn off modem at certain times!
A3 depends on where they live and economic status. We're high poverty area. Many probably without 'net
A3: Little easier. Most of our kids (4th 5th grade campus) connect via parent's cellular data.
That is indeed a totally different situation. I understand now.
The whole business model of digital devices is giving away the razor and making money on the blades (networking)
A3: The ones with digital access are split between wireless (from phone), cable/phone, & some satellite.
A3 Most of our students in areas away from town centers have Internet using wireless data plans with Verizon or other carrier.
The key is to attract more jobs.
Definitely a learning curve for Ts who are serious about integrating tech. in classrooms; hard lesson to learn :)
Being an independent school changes the game. We don't have filters either. Parents are okay with it.
A3 Boarding kids use school network. Day kids vary - mostly cable or dish.
Like, do they have broadband? Or a boost from ? I hear the major telecom companies can lend a hand.
Q4 is coming up in just a minute!
A3 Lots are through cell service but do have cable and DSL in the towns but that's minority of folks in towns
Q4: What strategies are you using to ensure all students are equipped with the technology and internet… https://t.co/uyHi5UnNf7
Used to live across from public library, see kid sitting outside door in below freezing temps, using WiFi.
A3: Many students have access to internet but migrant students, unfortunately, have more difficulties accessing dig content
Ditto. I'd be very anxious if we didn't have filters
Part of the solution is attracting high-income folks who work at home and want to live in beautiful areas -- but need Inet
A4: Working to go 1-1 by the Fall. Also working to find "offline" options for Ss without access.
A4 we have 1-1 through i3 and have equipped some buses with mobile hotspots for far areas of county
Takes more than one plan. Have to meet each community need differently.
Thanks for your responses! At some point would love to learn more in more than 140 characters. :- )
A4 I have no idea what local school does about Internet access. Never seen it mentioned in school publications.
We're so small, we are able to monitor a lot. Obviously can't catch everything.
Yikes. I had a student once whose dad would park outside a dance studio and use their wifi; engine/heat on.
Is there anything in place to help migrant students, or any plans/thoughts in the works?
We have worked with over 200 districts to provide filtered Internet access for their disadvantaged students
A4: Our campus just went 1:1 about a month ago. It's a learning experience. Everyone received a class set of Chromebooks
I am trying for the first time; hoping for Chromebooks that I can eventually lend-out to Ss in serious need.
interesting point! Have you seen that work in other communities?
We're high poverty, and high homeless.
Other countries have used local storage to bring down needs for scarce bandwidth
Many of our parents are very proactive & monitor their Ss computer use. We're BYOD.
Do they have to get on the buses, Beth? Or how far does the wireless reach from the bus? (About?)
A4: At school we try to equip core classes with chromebooks. We have several computer labs for other Ts to use. 💻
A4 We're a 1:1 iPad school. Subsidies available, I believe, to kids on financial aid (same percentage).
We have small lab, set up to be easily monitored. basically just MS & HS use tech.
Right. We educate kids when we need to, but mostly they get it & we have few issues.
It's more than that - it's attracting start-ups.
Great question; TY for asking them. I have never asked. Our school has an awesome T dedicated to migrant Ss....
I ( talking) have done this outside libraries. But nice that a dance studio has free wireless!
We have had a (very) few students whose parents set up filters on their iPads.
That's spectacular! Our school does its best to support tech; hope to be 1:1 soon in our class with Chromebooks
here a few women business owners are trying to figure out how to grow start-ups.
Actually, the low survival rate of startups makes them a marginal investment for political leverage
Would love to learn more about bens / cons to BYOD in rural areas, if you're willing to share!
A4: Definitely an area where being in an independent school changes the demographics. All my Ss have access.
A4: All have a desktop, laptop, tablet, or phone.
In rural areas, you have to be able to attract businesses/families. Entrepreneurship is the best way.
I'd like to learn, as well! Would be a relief to maxed out budgets?
Q5 is coming up in just a minute!
but community well being counts, too.
Can you tell us more, ? If you have time. What local storage?
Q5: What funding streams are you using to fund your connectivity and technology, if we may ask? https://t.co/xEGVEwHgP8
That is so valuable for Ss and Ts. Do you focus quite a bit on DigCitizenship?
It's only way we can be 1:1. School not responsible for device maintenance big plus.
Sounds like a tough situation in which to ensure excellent education for all, Would love to find out more.
I'm in a small private school- 18 Ss in the HS.
A5: I honestly don't know. That's handled at a district level.
A5 Well, as a tuition-driven independent school, tuition & fees plus limited endowment draw & annual giving make up our budget.
Seems like it is an amalgamation of all of those parts...
Do you have any examples of entrepreneurship that has worked in your communities, ?
A5: No clue. State funded tech monies?
In my opinion we need to do better, but we try. Rather teach them to make good choices, than ban things.
A5. We utilize our erate funding for connectivity in our schools
What do u do 4 Ss w/no devices?
A5 No idea. School doesn't share that sort of information.
Rural coworking spaces are key to growth. Google or Wholefoods will not build in rural America.
A5: I researched grant but they do not service Plant City area. If you are in their area, you may want to try...
A cheap flash drive can hold 32G. Fill it where bandwidth is cheap, then sneakernet to where bandwidth is scarce
A5: Several yrs ago we got grant & to establish infrastructure & lab. Ss pay a tech fee each yr. Again, private school.
It's a ? that comes up often. "We'd love to expand our tech abilities, but where to find the $?" So we ask. :-)
A5: seems to be the trusted standard. I have recently had great experience with their help desk.
Here we have a very entrepreneurial Anabaptist community
We share. I always have laptop & iPad with me. Other Ss will share. Challenging, but make it work.
Thx! You have to figure out funding as well, so valuable! You don't happen to remember where the grant was from?
It is a great question. For me it's more about wanting to know how the decisions are made.
A5: Also, I have found that generous corporations will flash fund like (missed it by a day)!
Exactly! https://t.co/2gaXO51dB4
The whole business model of digital devices is giving away the razor and making money on the blades (networking)
We've also had some immigrants open closed businesses
It was a local one. I don't remember the organization.
There are a number of ways to get funding, even public schools.
Thanks! Will look into it for our i3 grantees and their schools.
Sneakernet! One of my most beloved tech terms! :-)
Even bigger problem: grocery stores won't come/stay to rural America
Thanks for thinking. I () am beginning to realize just how many local options exist!
I just had a project funded through There are also some corporate partners who will give "minigrants"
Q6 is coming up in just a minute!
You just gave me an idea for providing assignments, info, etc. to students without dig. access! TY
Q6: What advice do you have for rural communities who are trying to expand their digital capacities fo… https://t.co/vnx29jiP2g
is a strategy for short-term projects, but not long-term stability.
wish there was just a online good bakery! Why can't bread be send via mail?
Congratulations! I am definitely applying for mini-grants through education foundations, etc. It's all so new...
Young people need to grow their own. Investment.
A6 Be sure your community leaders are digitally savvy and have an online presence. If not, you're up against a wall
I can arrange that! Send me money, and I send you the best bread ever.
These will be the first robots in the district. Students Love coding and this will take it to the next… https://t.co/OaJtxZsxUR
A6: Have a plan for maximizing student use of tech. Typing papers and PPts are okay but intro. to VR trips via , etc.
If you don't have entrepreneurial businesses started, you will loose people, and your school will close.
Bread would go 90 miles to Syracuse and come back 3 days later!
A6: Understand and define your students' actual Internet needs. Then develop a plan to accomplish the task
OMG. I will seriously take you up on this!
Any other advice for our grantees to help their rural schools optimize access to broadband & tech?
A6 Don't be resistant to try for any funding source and/or idea!
Seriously, we're going to try getting a "pop-up" to test a local bakery.
Congrats! Our PTSA provided me with a mini-grant so I purchased a Sphero Spark+ robot! Good luck with Dash & Dot
Rural educators have to have creativity to problem solve such challenges!
We have bread available here 2 days a month.
It's great to see these ideas shared freely.
A6: Even a small step forward (a few devices) is better than no step forward. Don't give up.
Speaking of tech, follow my side project .
I have friends who make good vegan bead. I can get you Amish bread.
Jodi, remind me to send info on a rural forum I attended last spring. Interesting conversations, very similar!
A6: Encourage Ts to organize EdCamps and be exposed to myriad ways that EdTech can be used.
You're going to have to let us all know how it turns out! I'm getting hungry!
Thanks so much for letting us join you, ! We appreciate your expertise.
Inspiring advice, especially when Ts feel frustrated (like me at one point). works great on phones...
is looking for topics that get your motor going! What would you like to discuss in future conversations?
is looking for topics that get your motor going! What would you like to discuss in future conversations?
Who has contact with South Dakota rural districts?
