Mathew’s Note:  This post slipped out in draft form about two days ago by mistake before it was ready.  Sorry about that.  Here’s the real thing…

Recently, I’ve encountered several schools that in my opinion have their technology priorities in the wrong order.  For example, I don’t feel that it makes sense to purchase document cameras or SMARTBoards before

purchasing reasonably up to date computers for classrooms.  What follows are my suggestions on prioritizing technology purchases.  I invite your comments additions and suggestions for my list.

1.   A TV and a DVD player (one for at least every two classrooms).  I use this for hooking up my iPod to show movies as well as a poor man’s LCD projector.  With a $20 connector you can hook up a MacBook to a TV (many people don’t know this).  It’s much cheaper to buy a TV than to buy an LCD Projector and with a TV you do not have to factor in the replacement cost of projector bulbs.

2.  A working computer.  For my taste, I would by a Macintosh because it just works and the software to create movies, podcasts, music, and organize photos are built in and well integrated.  If you have a working PC though, that’s fine.  But if you have a computer that doesn’t turn on or is unbearably slow, hooking a projector and SMARTBoard up to it is only going to frustrate you.

3.  Another working computer.  Students need to use the computer as well as the teacher.  I always shared my computer with students but I fear that some teachers keep their one computer all to themselves.  With two comptuers, I hope there’s less of an excuse to keep kids off the computer.

4.  Software.  With the Mac you may want to purchase iWork and/or Microsoft Office and Final Cut Express. I would not purchase any subscription services or software packages that essentially take over your computer.  I don’t want to mention any names but if you use a program on your computer that means that computer is only used for students to take quizzes or to act as a portal to the internet, I believe those things tend to be a unnecessary waste of money.

5.  A digital camera.  A still camera can double as a video camera (if you don’t use it too much) but the opposite is not true.  Ideally you need a still camera and a video camera.  This is vital in terms of students creating media.

If you have all those things and you’re still swimming in dough, then I might purchase a projector (do keep in mind that replacement bulbs cost hundreds of dollars), document camera, and SMARTBoard.  I want to be clear that I have nothing against these luxury items (I’d love them in my classroom).  However, teachers sometimes want document cameras before they want computers and I suspect it’s because they’re already comfortable using a projector and have no idea to use a computer.

What are your technology priorities?