I am doing my school technology observations for ED 586 (Educational Technology) this semester at Lake Catholic High School in Mentor, Ohio. I spoke with Mr. Erich Schulz, my cooperating teacher, who referred me to Mr. Richard Smith, the director of educational technology, in order to answer the following questions about the use of technology with students, teachers, and administrators.

1. Who are the people at your school in charge of the technologies available to advance the learning of students? Identify as many of these people as possible:

• Director of educational technology: Mr. Richard Smith
• Curriculum technology integration specialist: Mr. Richard Smith
• Technology maintenance?: Mr. Richard Smith
• Technology security personnel: Mr. Richard Smith and Mr. Robert Moffett
• Library media specialist: Mrs. Mary Riddler
• Others: All teachers are able to limit student access to the Internet or to specific websites during classroom time.

2. Details of what technology is available, where it’s located, quantities of technologies (i.e. is there a classroom set of iPads for the students to work with)?

Lake Catholic High School has a one-to-one technology system, with each student having a Chromebook laptop computer, provided by the school, that is used for assignments at school and at home.  The students use Google Classroom to complete and track all of their assignments. All teachers have Clever Touch Smartboards within their classrooms. Many students possess personal I-Pads and almost all students have their own I-Phones that they bring to school with them each day, but these devices are not part of the school’s technology resources. There is not a classroom set of I-Pads specifically set aside for student use.

3. Are the technologies readily available and are they in working order?  How do students and teachers gain access? Is there a means for reserving them? Are there required purchases by families?

Technologies at Lake Catholic High School are readily available and in working order. Each student has his or her own Chromebook laptop computer for school and home usage, and Mr. Richard Smith monitors computers to ensure that they are in working order. All teachers also have a school-issued laptop computer. Students do not need to reserve computers, as they are free to take their computers home with them throughout the school year. If a student needs to use video equipment or other specialized equipment from the school library, he or she would need to reserve this equipment from the library media specialist. Laptop computers are provided to all students as part of their school tuition payment.

4. What is the nature of the firewall blocking access to applications? Is there a process to transcend or move around the firewall? Who is in control? What is available and what is blocked and why?

Lake Catholic High School uses Go Guardian to monitor and control student usage of the Internet and related applications. The Go Guardian firewall blocks pornographic content, materials related to tobacco and alcohol, as well as specific video games, based on their ratings. Teachers and administrators may transcend or move around the firewall through the use of a specific password supplied by the school’s technology security personnel. As previously noted, teachers are able to limit student access to the Internet or to specific websites during classroom time.