While California is home to Silicon Valley and the world’s top tech companies, many California schools are lagging when it comes to the technology revolution, according to State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson who this week announced the creation of the Education Technology Task Force. The goal is to help bring 21st century tools into California’s classrooms to improve teaching and learning. Torlakson, while acknowledging the state’s budget crisis, created the 48-member task force so that a plan for making better use of technology would be ready when more resources were available.
State Superintendent Tom Torlakson Photo courtesy of the Department of Education
The Task Force volunteers will be exploring education technology in learning, assessment, teaching, infrastructure and productivity. Members will examine the state’s current education technology infrastructure and assess future needs, as well as recommend how to improve teaching, learning, and equal access to technology for all students, according to the annoucement.
The Task Force will use the Brokers of Expertise Web site, created to collect information, research, and case studies, to gather input from stakeholders and experts in the field. The Web page is located here: http://commentedtech.myboe.org/.
Members of Task Force include:
Frank Baxter, Jefferies Group, Inc., Chairman Emeritus
Michael Berg, Central Unified School District, Superintendent
Kenneth Brown, Booz Allen Hamilton, Associate Systems Engineer
Kelly Calhoun, Santa Clara County Office of Education, Assistant Superintendent, Chief Technology Officer
Vanitha Chandrasekhar, Long Beach Unified School District, Education Technology Coordinator
Steve Clemons, San Diego County Office of Education, Assistant Superintendent, Chief Technology Officer
John Cradler, Educational Support Systems, President
Robert Craven, Fullerton Joint Union High School District, Chief Technology Officer
Shirley Diaz, Glenn County Office of Education, Deputy Superintendent, Educational Services
Andrea Dutton, Chaffey Community College, Program Director, Radiology Technology
Dawn Egan, Lassen Union High School District , Teacher/Categorical Projects
John Fleischman, Sacramento County Office of Education, Assistant Superintendent, Technology Services
Jo-Ann Fox, Escondido Union School District, Teacher, California Teachers of the Year Semi-Finalist
Lisa Gonzales, Santa Clara County Office of Education, Coordinator, Curriculum & Instruction
Brigette Hunley, Brigette Hunley Consulting, Principal
John Ittelson, California State University, Monterey Bay, Professor Emeritus
Anjali Kausar, Cupertino Union School District, School Board Trustee
Stephen Kay, San Jose State University, Assistant Professor
Machelle Kilgore, Pacific Coast High School, Principal
Kurt Larsen, WestEd, Senior Research Associate/Producer
Mike Lawrence, Computer-Using Educators, Inc., Executive Director
Anne Mallory, Imperial County Office of Education, Superintendent
Nonette Martin, Bassett Unified School District, Assistant Superintendent, Business Services
Chuck McMinn, NapaLearns, President
Steve Midgley, Mixrun LLC, Principal
Richard Miller, Riverside Unified School District, Superintendent
Jane Mintz, Oak Park Unified School District, Director, Educational Technology
Barbara Nemko, Napa County Office of Education, Superintendent
Michelle Pacansky-Brock, Mt. San Jacinto College, Online Associate Faculty
Richard Quinones, Los Angeles County Office of Education, Assistant Superintendent, Chief Technology Officer
Rebecca Randall, Common Sense Media, Vice President Education Programs
Marisa Rivas, Digital Edge Learning, Educational Consultant
Ron Rohovit, California Science Center, Deputy Director of Education
Alex Rooker, Communications Workers of America, Local 9400, Director, Government Affairs
Bill Selak, Covina-Valley Unified School District, Teacher
Ken Shelton, Los Angeles Unified School District, Teacher
Kevin Silberberg, Standard School District, Superintendent
Brad Strong, Children Now, Senior Director, Education
Hilda Sugarman, Fullerton School District, School Board Trustee
Torrence Temple, Murrieta Valley Unified School District, Teacher
David Tokofsky, Associated Administrators of LA, Strategist
Rebecca Wardlow, Ashford University, Provost
Glen Warren, Orange Unified School District, Teacher
Paul Watters, Butte County Office of Education , Director, ROP
John White, Los Angeles Unified School District, School Administrator
Esther Wojcicki, Palo Alto High School, Teacher
Amy Wong, Silicon Valley Education Foundation, Director, STEM Integration
Alexander Zwissler, Chabot Space and Science Center, Executive Director/CEO
