This project targeted
Grades 3-8 at
either an Elementary School (Gr 3-6)
or a Middle School (Gr 6-8) and grants have been discontinued due to federal funding cuts. Resources, project participants, and artifacts regarding the Kansas Technology Rich Classroom Program are available at the website at
www.kansastrc.org .
Project Snapshot and History
Federal Enhancing Education Through Technology (EETT also known as Title IID) Funds provided the vehicle for the Kansas State Department of Education to offer the nationally recognized Kansas Technology Rich Classroom Grant opportunities to Eligible Kansas districts, schools, classrooms, teachers and students from 2003 thru June 2012. The EETT program goals specifically focused funding to:
- Improve student academic achievement through the use of technology in schools
- Ensure every student is technologically literate by the end of eighth grade, and
- Encourage the effective integration of technology through teacher training
Purpose of the Program:
Aligned with EETT Goals, the Goals for the Kansas Technology Rich Classroom Project were to:
- Empower teachers to use technology to enhance content focused learning opportunities for students and encourage higher order thinking. (Pedagogy)
- Engage students in meaningful learning opportunities supported by 21st century tools and advancing their development of 21st Century skills. (Engaging Students, Access)
- Foster a collaborative culture. (Leadership/Creating a Collaborative Culture)
The project combined state level support, professional learning and research in attempts to provide evidence that technology, when integrated into a 21st Century learning environment and supported by strong, on-going professional development, can have a positive impact on student engagement and achievement.
To do so, the grants provided funding to grant participant LEAs to fund at least a .5 FTE Kansas TRC Facilitator position to support classroom teachers, professional learning for at least 4 Gr 3-8 Classroom teachers, and most often provided funding support for hardware/software tools in their efforts to:
- Integrate technology into the classroom using research-based instructional methods and ongoing professional development
- Create a collaborative/participatory 21st Century Classroom that empowers and engages students through technology supported instructional opportunities.