Some of the English Forward lessons require access to technology in the classroom. What do you do when you don’t have technology available, though? We’ve discussed how to work around lack of technology in a previous blogpost, but we thought this would be a good opportunity to discuss opportunities for getting technology for your classrooms. A few different options are listed below.
- Apply for grants – many foundations and businesses provide grants specifically for adding technology to your classroom. Click here to learn about some good opportunities.
- Many communities also have organizations, like Free Geek in Portland, OR, that re-purpose and donate/sell technology that has been donated to them. If you find such an organization in your community, consider partnering with them to add technology to your classrooms. You could also determine if your students would be eligible to receive personal computers for their homes.
- Often, when businesses make cash donations to nonprofits, it has to be written into their budget in some way. This means that the lead time for a donation from a business can be very high and the process can be very slow. In-kind donations, on the other hand, can be much easier to get. Reach out to businesses in your community to ask about donating computers, especially if they are in the process of upgrading their own technology.
- Finally, you could also reach out to colleges or universities in your community. Schools often have a program in which they sell or donate furniture and technology that has been transitioned out of use. Click here to be taken to University of Texas’s Surplus Property page and see an example of what such a program might look like.