Summary

Because Einstein involves the frequent use of computers and telecommunications by the participating students, it is important that a reasonable base of facilities and faculty support skills be in place. It is the goal of the audit to help each school determine both what they already have in place and what they might need in addition in order to be able to handle their participation in an orderly and efficient manner.

A secondary advantage of the audit is that it provides the school with a basis for thinking about its New Learning and Information Society programs more generally. Since computers and telecommunications are, for better or worse, going to be a major part of the new education curriculum in virtually all of our schools, the Resource Audit therefore appears to us to be a handy thing to carry out under any circumstances.

The audits are designed from the outset to be easy to do and entirely self-administered. They look into the following areas:

• Information Society Curriculum:

  Does the school presently have any programs or classes that relate to the GLC skills and topics (for example, environmental studies programs)? What are these? Would GLC compete with or complement these on-going or planned activities? Does school make active use of field trips and site studies such as the GLC uses? Does concept of students building own scientific instruments and using them for environmental conditions monitoring pose a problem. Are inter-disciplinary courses and projects accepted?

• Learning Disabilities/Limitations:

  What proportion of the students have reading or learning disorders such as dyslexia, auditory problems, attention deficit disorders, etc. Are there special remedial programs for these? Do any of these involve computers, more innovative media, etc.?

• Computer hardware:

  Number? Type? Specifications? Age? Condition? Where located? Used by whom/for what (educational, administrative)? Number hours used/week? days/year? Conditions of availability and access?

• Telecommunications.

  Number and type of phone lines? ISDN? Cable? Fiber optics? Availability in class rooms? Internet access? World Wide Web access? Use of the above?

• Software and Supporting Learning Materials for Their Use:

  ditto

• Scientific and Testing Equipment Related to These Programs:

  ditto

• Financial Resources:

  Who pays for all of the above? Routines for purchasing new hardware, software, support services? Is additional financial support available? From whom?

• Collaborators & Partners:

  Is local government a partner? Who locally might be a source of additional (used) equipment? Are their parents or parent groups that might be interested in helping such a program along? How? Computer clubs or user groups who might be interested to help out? Local businesses, institutions of higher education or training, foundations, banks, etc., prepared to help?

Detailed guidelines for the audit are now available in draft form in both English and Basque. The first Beta Test audits are being carried out in close contact with the Einstein team, with a view to making real time adjustments as conditions suggest or warrant. When completed the results can be reviewed in conference with the school team and the regional Einstein team.

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