Consortium for Outstanding Achievement in Teaching with Technology (COATT)


	Carman-Ainsworth maintains a district webpage with individual schools also having their own web pages.. In evaluating their sites pro’s and con’s, I feel that even though a site index is present there is a lack of a search function on the website. Search engines can provide better access for information retrieval on a website. No mention is made on who updates what elements on the site. The University of Michigan-Flint’s website is maintained by ITS, but no names are associated. Both websites are advertisement and sponsor free. Both institutions provide valuable information such as instructor e-mails, daily information, policies, pictures, addresses, and phone numbers of the institutions.
	Page content is filtered at Carman-Ainsworth High School by necessity. I have noted some problems arise when students try to view picture files, but most of the time these problems can be solved by searching content pages versus just picture pages. The children need a safe environment free of the distractions and illicit materials that seems to be everywhere on the internet. At the UM-Flint, students are older and therefore have a legal right over the freedom of information act to view all internet sites. A decency code is enforced to protect the rights of other students from offense.
	Good Software is:Functional
	Effective
	Understandable
	Inspiring
	Transferable
	Usable
	Demonstrative
	Fun
	The University of Michigan-Flint definitely has a lot more software present on their network, and they also have a lot of restrictions about what kinds of software can be installed. Administrative privileges are needed to install any software that changes the registry at both institutions. Instructors at UM-Flint can have software added to the hard drives or network, which is also the case at Carman-Ainsworth.
	Engaged learning and teaching methods can enhance information retention, transfer, and application. What memory strategies and learning styles applied to technology will increase the effectiveness of educational software? What is educational technology? Educational technology is any specialized tool that aids in training or knowledge. All technology can be educational if it is approached, instructed, and applied correctly.
	“The most important factor affecting the learning outcomes of computer based technology applications is not the kind of technology used, but the design of the learning experience which makes use of these applications”