Participants enrolled in the eMINTS Comprehensive Professional Development program (eMINTS PD) who wish to be considered official eMINTS teachers are not allowed to install any commercial instructional software packages on eMINTS student computers beyond the software defined in equipment specifications for each fiscal year (find current specifications). It is also highly preferred that teachers/schools refrain from loading non-specified commercial software on to a server and providing students in eMINTS classrooms with easy access to the software.
The goal of the eMINTS program is to help teachers move teaching strategies away from direct instruction (textbooks and software packages) toward constructivist learning activities that address the school’s curriculum and their state’s education standards. Teachers plan learning activities that require cooperative learning; research on the Internet, in printed and video materials, through interviews, and e-mails; and analyzing the information to solve meaningful problems or complete a WebQuest, including a presentation/product.
- Teachers or districts may install management software such as a grade book program or Student Information Systems (SIS) on teacher workstations and/or laptops, as long as it does not interfere with the eMINTS goals; however, eMINTS staff will not support software such as grade book programs.
- Teachers or districts may install programs that help students learn keyboarding skills on eMINTS student computers or provide access to keyboarding software through the district server so long as the time spent on keyboarding activities is not disproportionate to other more important learning activities.
- Teachers or districts may install software programs for students with disabilities required on Individual Education Plans (IEPs).
- Teachers or districts may use video streaming services.
- Additional allowable software is listed in the equipment section of the eMINTS website - in each fiscal year's equipment specifications section.
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Installation of any other software will be handled on a case-by-case basis. Make requests for exceptions in writing to the eMINTS National Center at emints-info@emints.org using the process outlined below:
eMINTS requires that teachers in the Comprehensive Professional Development and eMINTS4All programs and their students have software installed on their computers that allows them to achieve the functionalities described in each year's software specifications. eMINTS staff, teachers enrolled in the programs, participants in the PD4ETS program and certified graduates of the PD4ETS program have access to the rubrics used to evaluate teacher mastery of required skills (classroom website/portal, lesson plan and WebQuest). Please ensure that any alternative software selected will be sufficient in providing teachers with the tools and functionality to create products that will meet at least level 2 on the rubrics.
Schools or districts that choose alternative software to what is specified by eMINTS in the current equipment specifications for the year in which they entered eMINTS must provide the following documentation:
- A brief statement (not more than one page) that explains how the selected alternative(s) provides the tools and functionality needed by participants to produce the required products.
- Materials that will be used to teach the alternative selected.
- Agenda that shows the same number of hours of professional development on the selected alternative as provided by eMINTS.
- Agenda that shows the professional development on the selected alternative is being taught in the same timeframe as the approved schedule followed by eMINTS.
Requests for alternative software must be submitted to eMINTS via emints-info@emints.org at the time of the original schedule submission or implementation planning (i.e. grant-funded districts at time of negotiation). Documentation about professional development on the selected alternative must be provided via emints-info@emints.org at least two weeks before the professional development session(s) is scheduled for approval and feedback.
- When districts have completed their program evaluation research commitments to the eMINTS program, the software restrictions will not be enforced; however, teachers and districts are strongly advised to maintain the eMINTS software specifications.
- In the event that additional software packages are approved for eMINTS specifications in the future, eMINTS districts will be advised. Districts are responsible for purchasing and installing any additional software that may be recommended or allowed in the future.
- eMINTS program evaluation results have shown that students in eMINTS classrooms where their teachers fully implement the eMINTS instructional model score significantly higher on state-wide assessments in all subject areas. The eMINTS program seeks to achieve this goal for all students in the program. Non-approved commercial software installed on student computers damages the validity of eMINTS program research and limits the possibilities that all students will reach the stated goals of the program. Having non-approved commercial software on student computers increases the likelihood that teachers will use precious classroom time on what is considered to be less productive activities.
- It is important for everyone involved in the eMINTS program to keep focused on the goal of transforming teaching strategies from direct instruction to inquiry-based instruction. eMINTS staff understand the role and value that direct instruction has to offer in some limited applications. Teachers and districts are asked to seriously consider the extensive resources put into the eMINTS program and to use those resources in the creation of unique technology-rich classrooms. Using eMINTS resources to support the continuation of direct instruction (through the use of commercial software programs) is counter-productive to the goals of the eMINTS program.
- From time to time, districts and teachers may be asked to participate in pilot studies of software by the eMINTS program. These pilot studies are exempt from the software restrictions.
