Ms. Hunt's Homepage

Learner Characteristics and Resource Analysis (Hardware, Network Access, etc.)

The Learner Group consists of 130 professionals at Athens Academy, a co-educational, independent, day school that runs from Pre-K to Grade 12. 110 teaching faculty and 20 administrative faculty are required to maintain MovableType blogs on the school's website. Most of the blogs function in an instructional capacity, facilitating the transfer of information within academic courses, but several of the blogs provide information regarding athletics, clubs, and school events.

The Learner Group, all with undergraduate degrees and many with advanced degrees, functions at a high level of technical expertise. Applying information and technology skills is an integral part of instruction at Athens Academy. Technology supports learning activities in the Media Centers and in the classrooms. Students are involved in instructional activities that require computer and media literacy.

Athens Academy began the Media Across the Curriculum Project in 1990, in partnership with the Bertelsmann Foundation, and in the ensuing years, has pursued the use of technology to enhance teaching and learning, utilizing evaluation to inform these developments.

The rationale for the infusion of laptop computers focuses on creating a “toolset” that can be effectively used in almost every curriculum area and can be used anywhere, anytime to facilitate writing, communication, visualization, resource use, and productivity. The laptop initiative at the Academy is predicated on the belief that computing has become an essential tool for thinking, problem-solving, and learning in the 21st century.

With this in mind, it is easy to see why managing their "webs" is important to the facilitation of classroom instruction and school administration. That is why the client has identified this training as essential.

Age range: 25-65
Median age: 35
Educational level: All with undergraduate degrees, half with advanced degrees
Motivation: All faculty and staff are required to maintain MovableType web logs for instructional, administrative, and informational purposes.
Prerequisite knowledge and skills: Learners have been using individual laptops for seven years, use email daily, have created web pages, and are thoroughly trained in the use of all Microsoft Office products.
Facility with a computer: See above.
Familiarity with the web: Learners use the web for professional and personal purposes, accessing information, purchasing equipment, maintaining class discussion board and web pages.
Typing ability: Excellent as a result of laptop use

Resources

Access to computers: All have school-issued laptop computers (most IBM Thinkpads, some Acer 230/290 TravelMates). The units have fast processors and enough RAM to accommodate the module easily. Units have CD/DVD drives.
Access to web: School has a wireless network and a T1 line for fast access. The school's web is a portal for instructional and administrative use of the internet.
School Network: The school maintains personal network folders for teachers and students, public drives for sharing files, and administrative drives (business, development, academic records, etc.).