Lessons from the Time of Hybrid As Washington and Oregon schools get ready to return to classrooms, Idaho CIOs who have been doing it all year weigh in on challenges, ideas and strategy OETC’s Spotlight is a series of stories, interviews and Q&As highlighting news and ideas from across the Northwest EdTech community. Read more …
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See the latest news from OETC, including recent solicitations, new contracts, and event announcements.
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Spotlight: So What Now?
So What Now? As 2021 dawns, CIOs and educational technologists face a landscape less settled than ever. OETC’s Spotlight is a series of stories, interviews and Q&As highlighting news and ideas from across the Northwest EdTech community. Two days before Christmas, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown surprised educators across the state by announcing that schools should …
2020 Year in Review
The Seven Stages of 2020 — Spotlight 2020 Year in Review —CIOs and the edtech community reflect on a year like no other On the sixth day of 2020, a small item ran in the Asia Pacific section of the New York Times, headed ‘China Grapples With Mystery Pneumonia-Like Illness’. 59 patients were experiencing “high …
Webinar: Learn how new Adobe Sign tools can simplify your paper processes
10-10:30 a.m. PT on Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021 Register Now Adobe and OETC are partnering for a 30-minute webinar about the new Adobe Sign features available for Education. Adobe Sign lets you send documents for legal e-signatures with just a few clicks, and then track the status in real time, and replace paper processes in …
Tech departments have big plans for bonds, levies
Voters Say Yes to EdTech Across Oregon and Washington, approved bonds and levies give CIOs new opportunities School districts across Oregon and Washington have much to be grateful for this Thanksgiving, as voters overwhelmingly approved bonds and levies on November’s ballot. In Oregon, voters approved 14 of the 17 bonds and levies on the ballot, …
M365 Onboarding webinar: Using Microsoft Teams with G Suite and Chromebooks
Learn how to use Microsoft Teams with G Suite and Chromebooks 10-11 a.m. PST on Tuesday Dec. 8 Learn several ways to integrate and use Microsoft Teams with Google. This webinar covers: The single login experience Booking meetings within Gmail Accessing Gmail files within Teams Using Chromebooks with Teams Q&A time This training is for …
Nov. 10: Leasing and Tech Refresh strategies webinar from IFS
Insight Financial Services Leasing and Tech Refresh Strategies Webinar11 a.m. PST on Tuesday, Nov. 10 Register Now Robert Pohl, Executive Director Of Technology, Transportation, and Food/Nutrition at Anacortes School District, will discuss how his district used IFS to make the transition to digital learning easier, including: Implementing leasing and tech refresh strategies; Accelerating return on …
Tales of Tech Terror
True Tales of Tech Horror Behold, the four categories of spooky technology happenings! After exhaustive research that took upwards of three afternoons, the OETC Technology Horror Department has been able to successfully categorize terrifying stories into four principal buckets: The Meltdown: Think thousands of Tier 1 tickets, or a server that is literally underwater. The …
M365 Onboarding webinar: Azure Active Directory Technical Session
Azure Active Directory Technical Session 10-11 a.m. PST on Wednesday Nov 18 During this 60-minute session for OETC Members, you will learn how to use Azure Active Directory to manage your staff’s sign-in and access to resources. This session will provide an overview and live tour of navigating Azure Active Directory basics. General orientation and …
M365 Onboarding webinar: Teams 101 – management, governance and VoIP Technical Session
Teams 101 – management, governance and VoIP Technical Session10-11 a.m. PT on Wednesday, Nov. 4 During this 60-minute session for OETC Members, you will learn how to set up, configure, administer, and manage Microsoft Teams. We’ll also discuss best practices, common mistakes, and more. This training is for IT administrators; please bring your questions for …
How to Survive a Wildfire
Tech in the Time of Wildfires How the CIOs most affected by the September wildfires are dealing with yet another 2020 disruption The first sign came when the power started flickering on and off. The second was the smoke a few minutes later, creeping over the southern horizon. Then, two hours later, an urgent message …
Free Microsoft Webinar: Getting started with your M365 Admin Portal — 10 a.m. PST on Oct. 7
Microsoft Webinar: Getting started with your M365 Admin Portal October 7, 10-11 a.m. PTRegister Now More Information OETC will co-host an hourlong learning webinar about navigating the M365 Administration Portal. The presentation includes an overview and live tour of the interface, and participants are encouraged to bring questions for the interactive session. Eric Orman, Technical …
Coronavirus Survey Results
‘I don’t think we’ll return this year to in-person learning,’ CIOs and IT share predictions on the coming school year An OETC survey of dozens of CIOS, IT staff and teachers across the northwest reveals vast differences in timelines and attitudes, apprehension and the biggest concerns they face. With nearly 70 respondents, the survey provides …
Free trainings for IT professionals, educators and learning technologists from Microsoft
To help with the transition to hybrid and distance learning, Microsoft has put together a variety of training videos and virtual events aimed at getting the most out of your M365 deployments. Security focused office hours The Security STU has created a new Office Hours focused on Security. We will be kicking this off on …
Register for the Adobe ETLA Enterprise Webinar
Join Adobe Onboarding Specialist Stephanie Bicker to discuss key tools, topics and strategies for deploying Adobe products. The free hourlong webinar will help you migrate to Enterprise and roll out products and services efficiently. 10-11 a.m. PT on Thursday, Sept. 3 …
Spotlight: Q&A with CoSN CEO Keith Krueger
“It is in times of crisis when you most need innovation.” A conversation with CoSN CEO Keith Krueger CoSN CEO Keith Krueger has been advocating for technology in the classroom for three decades — and watched a revolution happen overnight. He discussed the greatest opportunities he sees in this time of crisis, the problems that …
Invitation to Bid on Educational Technology Leasing Services
The Organization for Educational Technology and Curriculum (“OETC”) is issuing an Invitation to Bid for Educational Technology Leasing Services as a Joint Cooperative Procurement on behalf of its public K-12 and higher education member institutions. The purpose of this ITB is to solicit proposals from qualified providers to provide OETC’s members with educational technology leasing …
New Contracts: EdTech Effectiveness and Interactive Displays
We now have two new contracts as part of our EdTech Effectiveness Solutions ITB. These data-driven platforms give insight into what works in your district and what doesn’t, whether that’s spotting apps that aren’t used or analyzing the type of remote learning that’s most effective. BrightBytes Request a quote View Contract LearnPlatform Request a quote …
Spotlight: The triumphs of 2020
The Triumphs of 2020 CIOs reflect back on their proudest accomplishments and moments from a spring that no one saw coming Since schools closed in March, tech departments across the country faced challenges unimaginable only a month prior. We asked OETC members what accomplishments they were most proud of during a spring that no one …
OETC Spotlight: How to Survive a Budget Cut
Six things they wish they’d known Veteran CIOs talk about how to survive a budget cut, strategic communication and the advice they would give to their past selves As school districts across the country begin to make major budget cuts, technology directors face the same old challenge: how do we fight for ourselves when most …
With closures come new questions on student privacy — but few answers
A New World of Student Privacy With closures come countless questions on student privacy and compliance— but few answers The question posed by Portland Public Schools teachers was a simple, but startling one: In a time of school closures and videoconferencing, how closely should they be scrutinizing each student’s home and surroundings? Don Wolff, the …
WATCH: OETC Spotlight Panel on Security and Support
Panelists include: David Roberts, CTO at Boise School District Kevin Johnson, Director of Technology at Fife Public Schools Ryan Gravette, Director of Information and Technology at the Idaho Digital Learning Alliance Robert Silva, Director of Technology and Information Services at Salem Keizer Public Schools Topics include: What is your top security concern right now? What, …
OETC Spotlight: the first weeks of distance learning in Oregon and Washington
“It’s never going to be the same” Hardship, frustration, and the surprising opportunities found in K-12’s response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. At 12:30 a.m. last Monday, Tricia George’s cell phone buzzed. Annoyed that she’d forgotten to silence it before she went to sleep, she got up to check the text message. Then, instead of …
Invitation to Bid: EdTech Effectiveness Solutions
The Organization for Educational Technology and Curriculum (OETC), with its principal place of business at 471 High Street SE, Suite 10, Salem, Oregon 97301, on behalf of its public member K-20 institutions, is seeking bids for EdTech Effectiveness Solutions for a price agreement and fulfillment services. Bids must be mailed to the address below or …
WATCH: OETC’s March 27 Spotlight Panel on Coronavirus Adaptations
Panelists include: Ellen Dorr, CTO at Renton School District Steve Langford, CIO at Beaverton School District Brooke Trisler, CTO at Mukilteo School District Rachel Wente-Chaney, CIO at High Desert ESD Topics include: How have the past week or two weeks been for your district and team? How have you and your team adjusted to working …