Governor's Technology For Teaching and Learning  Academy for Network  Administrators 2001 (TTL NA 01)

_IMPORTANT!

_{READ ALL INFORMATION THOROUGHLY AND FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY}

Avoid misunderstandings. Be sure that both you and your administrator(s) share an  understanding of the school district's responsibilities and your responsibilities as a participant. 

What is TTL NA?
TTL NA 2001 Site & Dates
TTL NA Purpose
TTL History
Financial
Who may attend?

What is TTL Academy for Network Administrators

The Governor’s TTL Academy for Network Administrators is an intensive training program for individuals who have responsibility for management and/or maintenance of a school district’s network(s). Two levels of academy are offered. In Basic Network Administration, participants learn the basics of networking and gain skills necessary to setup, configure, maintain, and administer a Windows NT server. Basic TTL NA is a month-long academy.

Advanced TTL  NA consists of shorter sessions that focus on more descrete sets of subject matter. Advanced TTL NA gives experienced network administrators an opportunity to add breadth and depth to their network management expertise.

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TTL NA: Academy Dates

Basic and advanced TTL NA will be conducted on the campus of the SD School of Mines and Technology in Rapid City. The various sessions will be held on the following dates.

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TTL NA: Purpose

To help insure that South Dakota school districts have trained personnel who possess the expertise necessary to properly manage and maintain their computer networks to support and facilitate educational utilization.
 

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TTL: History

Over the past several years Governor William J. Janklow has initiated an aggressive program to bring the benefits of technology to South Dakota schools to enhance educational opportunities for students in the State.

To date, these efforts have included the innovative "Wiring The Schools (WTS) project and the Connecting the Schools initiative which has led to the development of a sophisticated statewide intranet -- DDN (Digital Dakota Network).

The CTS initiative included creation of a robust telecommunications infrastructure (DDN) capable of supporting high level school use of interactive data and video applications. This initiative also provided schools with a wide range of onsite technology tools which allowed them to complete Local Area Networks and to establish and maintain connections to the DDN which provides statewide /international linkages. Items supplied to schools have included sophisticated network servers, switches, routers, videoconferencing equipment, and an assortment of computers and peripherals designed to enhance teaching and learning opportunities. Together, WTS, CTS, and DDN combine to provide a solid technical infrastructure that serves as a firm foundation for the Technology for Teaching and Learning (TTL) efforts.

Perhaps the most visionary aspect of Governor Janklow’s initiatives is his attention to providing educators with the training needed to use technology as an effective teaching and learning tool. In 1997, the Governor initiated the first Technology for Teaching and Learning (TTL) Academy.  Now entering its forth year, this very successful staff development academy provides teachers with skills and knowledge that enables them to create new and more engaged learning environments for their students through the integration of technology into curriculum. Academy graduates become part of a growing networked cadre of teachers who act as effective advocates for the integration of technology into classrooms, and they become technology integration mentors to colleagues within their local districts. Over 3500 teachers have already participated in TTL training.

In 1999, Governor Janklow expanded his training initiative to include school administrators (TTL for School Administrators) and network administrators (TTL for Network administrators).  To date, TTL for School administrators (TTL SA) has provided nearly 200 superintendents and principals with training similar to that provided to teachers. However, instead of developing instructional units, TTL SA participants concentrate on examination of educational technology issues that are of concern to administrators. Some of these include supervision and evaluation in a technology infused environment, administrative uses of technology, technology planning processes, budgeting for technology, technology staffing issues, and technology related curriculum issues.

TTL NA was also added in 1999 to help insure that each school district had one or more individuals on their staffs with the knowledge, skill, and expertise to create and maintain their local area networks. All participants complete a rigorous course of study that included salient elements of the Microsoft Official NT curriculum. In keeping with the heritage of the TTL academies, TTL NA participants gained valuable training and experience through "hands-on" instruction that included disassembly, reassembly, and configuration of  high end servers that were made available through the CTS program. One hundred and seventy-five network administrators representing 160 public school districts attended the first TTL NA. In 2000 TTL NA was expanded to include advanced training that allowed active network administrators to expand their knowledge base. Basic network administration continues to be offered to help fill the growing need for network administrators as school networks continue to grow in importance and complexity.

TTL 2000 also saw the addition of a DTL (Distance Teaching and Learning) component. DTL gave interested educators a jump-start in using South Dakota's newly available video conferencing capabilities as an instructional medium.
 

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TTL NA: Financial

TTL NA is funded through the Department of Education and Cultural Affairs as a part of its ongoing effort to develop and implement new and improved forms of continuing and sustained professional development opportunities for educators and other school leaders. The Academy supports the individual and the districts in which they are employed in the following ways:
 

• LODGING:  Dormitory lodging is paid for those participants who choose to stay on campus (on-campus residence is highly recommended) during the summer seminar. No payment is available for off-campus lodging or for those choosing to commute.

• MEALS:  Meals eaten on-campus are paid for by the academy.

• STIPEND:  A $1,000.00 stipend is provided for each individual participant who attends the Academy. This amount is sent to the participant’s school district for payment through normal payroll channels. (Only "customary and ordinary" deductions may be withheld from the stipend.)

• EQUIPMENT:  DECA will provide computers necessary for instructional purposes during the Academy. School districts will have the opportunity to purchase these computers at reduced rates following the academy.

• GRADUATE CREDIT:  Participants may obtain three Graduate Credits for the Summer Academy. Credit is available from the SD School of Mines & Technology at a reduced rate.

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 TTL NA: Who May Attend?

ELIGIBILITY: The ideal candidate for TTL NA possesses a high level of knowledge, skill, and interest related to computers, networking, telecommunications, and other related technologies. Applicants MUST be employees of a South Dakota school district. District students will not be considered for attendance.

Each school district may nominate as many individuals as they wish. However, in case more applications are received than can be accommodated, a random drawing will be used to select participants. If a drawing is necessary, districts may be limited to no more than one participant in order that as many districts as possible may be accommodated.

(NOTE: The term "district" is used to mean a public school district, nonpublic school district or system, educational cooperative, or other K-12 educational entity.)
 

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