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Innovative Classrooms Technology Funding

Alberta Education will provide a total of $56 million to all publicly funded school jurisdictions and charter schools over three years. This funding will be provided annually based on each jurisdiction’s Alberta Education funded student level as of the end of May 2008. Publicly funded school jurisdictions and charter schools are expected to provide evidence of planning related to the three-year implementation of this program and participate in province-wide baseline data gathering (as described in the Procedures and Reporting section).
Page 2 May 23, 2008
Funding is to be used to ensure that each instructional space is equipped with core technologies that consist of:
 An instructional computer; and
 A data projection device and/or electronic whiteboard.
The funding may also be used to support professional development for the integration of technology. Instructional space is defined as space used on an on-going basis by instructors to deliver education programs. It includes regular classrooms, science and art rooms. It excludes such space as gymnasia, unused or infrequently used classrooms, storage, corridors and administration offices. Jurisdictions are encouraged to use their own local context in determining which areas need to be equipped with technology. The instructional computer can be either a desktop or mobile computer. In order to ensure that jurisdictions will be able to maintain interoperability with their existing technical infrastructure, a specific platform or product set for this technology will not be defined. However, evidence strongly supports the use of mobile instructional computers as they provide for the greatest degree of flexibility in classroom configuration and off-site instructional preparation. Once a school jurisdiction has these core technologies in each instructional space, the funding can be used for additional classroom technologies, such as:
 Student laptops;
 Software;
 Digital visual presenters;
 Assistive technologies;
 Student response systems; and
 Classroom sound amplification systems.
Alberta Education works closely with stakeholders and manufacturers to ensure that technologies available through the established Education Standing Offers (ESO’s) meet stakeholder requirements and are interoperable and compatible with legacy equipment.