79-1304. Educational Technology Center; duties.

The Educational Technology Center has, but is not limited to, the following specific duties:

(1) To evaluate Internet-based digital education courses and open education resources;

(2) To provide clearinghouse services for information concerning current technology projects as well as software and hardware development;

(3) To serve as a demonstration site for state-of-the-art hardware appropriate to an educational setting;

(4) To provide technical assistance to educators in working with software and Internet-based resources;

(5) To provide inservice and preservice training for educators, in conjunction with other educational entities as defined in section 79-1201.01, in the use of digital devices, communication systems, and other electronic technologies appropriate to an educational setting;

(6) To sponsor activities which promote the use of technology in the classroom;

(7) To serve as a liaison between business and education interests in technology communication;

(8) To support research and recommendations for digital applications and technology in education;

(9) To assist schools in planning for and selecting appropriate technologies;

(10) To design, implement, and evaluate pilot projects to assess the usefulness of technologies in school management, curriculum, instruction, and learning;

(11) To seek partnerships with the Nebraska Educational Telecommunications Commission, the University of Nebraska, the state colleges, community colleges, educational service units, the Nebraska Library Commission, the office of the Chief Information Officer, Network Nebraska, and other public and private entities in order to make effective use of limited resources;

(12) To encourage sharing among school districts to deliver cost-efficient and effective digital learning; and

(13) To identify, evaluate, and disseminate information on school projects which have the potential to enhance the quality of instruction or learning.

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