What kinds of hands-on opportunities does the program provide students?

QTL™ for IT Educators encourages teachers and administrators to work together to provide students as many hands-on experiences as possible. Because needs, rules, and facilities vary widely from school-to-school, QTL™ does not dictate precisely how these experiences must be provided. Instead, the program lays out numerous options that can be customized to meet the needs at a participating school.

The best opportunities for students come when they are allowed to provide real world tech support within the school system. That may mean troubleshooting problems on a teacher's computer, maintaining a computer lab, building new computers for classrooms in the system, refurbishing donated computers for student use - a wide variety of options. Individual schools' policies may dictate to what extent a 'student tech support' program is possible, but teamwork among the teacher, administrators and technical staff can almost always give students opportunities on campus.

QTL™ staff, working with lead teachers, have created a handbook to guide teachers and other stakeholders through a variety of options, with tips on overcoming barriers and navigating any landmines. "Strategies for Success Handbook," funded in part through a grant fromTime-Warner Cable, is provided free to all participating schools.