The History of the Northwest Ohio Educational Technology
Foundation: Over 40 years of service to Northwest Ohio
Over 40 years ago a vision was conceived, one that would allow
every school in Northwest Ohio to provide instructional television to its
students for the enhancement of their education. That vision was conceived and
nurtured. It grew from just a handful of school districts with 2 part-time
employees to 154 districts and 167,000 students. The structure and growth of
the Northwest Ohio Educational Technology Foundation was skillfully guided by
the hands of Margaret Tucker, its first director, then by Sally Blair, and
currently by Roger Minier.
1970's 1980's 1990's 2000's
- The first issue of SCANNER, the NWOET newsletter, was published
providing a more effective method of communications with members.
- KNOWING ABOUT GROWING, a primary health series, was produced by
- NEWS SIX, the weekly news program written and performed by sixth
- The Northwest Ohio Media Center was created from 1,000 films from the
Ohio Department of Education's Free Film Library and $30,000 as seed money
from the ODE.
- WBGU-TV installed a new 750,000-watt color transmitter, which
broadcasted on channel 57.
- The NWOET Tape Duplication Center was established to provide a tape
duplication service to members to allow for a more flexible method for
teachers to utilize the instructional television programs. The TDC library
was started with 158 ITV program titles.
- KNOWING ABOUT GROWING received the Central Education Network (CEN)
- ODE provided for the first time the Special Purpose Grant to schools
for the purpose of purchasing much needed ITV equipment.
- Legislation allowed for instructional television service to be
available without charge to all chartered Ohio schools
- NWOET produced WHAT'S AN ART CURRICULUM FOR ANYWAY?, an art in-service
program which received a CEN award.
- The NWOET Foundation built a 6000 square foot addition to WBGU-TV to
house the NWOET operations.
- The computer age arrived at NWOET when the Media Center booking became
computerized. The TDC soon followed.
- The Computer Resource Center was established to provide member schools
with computer service.
- The NWOET office was networked with a computer system.
- The Foundation changed its name to the Northwest Ohio Educational
Technology Foundation to better reflect its expansion beyond television to
include film, videotape, and computer services.
- WBGU-TV installed a 1 million-watt state-of-the-art transmitter and
went on the air on Channel 27.
- The Ohio Educational Broadcasting (OEB) Award was presented to NEWS
- NEWS SIX received the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB)
- OEB Producer of the Year Award was presented to Tina Rahe, WBGU-TV
producer for NEWS SIX
- Ninth Grade Proficiency Compendiums were created to assist teachers by
correlating all NWOET media into the five curriculum areas identified by
- First Annual NWOET Technology Conference was held to provide teachers
the opportunity to see presentations and demonstrations of educational
- NWOET joined WBGU-TV and Bowling Green State University Department of
Education in bringing all regional educational service providers together.
The group developed the structure by which the Northwest Ohio Regional
Teacher Training Center (NWORTTC) was established.
- NWOET was named the fiscal agent for NWORTTC.
- NWOET received a grant for the ODE to implement the Machine Readable
Code (MARC) to access curriculum-related information to databases of USMARC
bibliographic records for materials used in the Ohio state school
- A grant was received from ODE to implement the Equity Equipment Survey
to literally count every piece of educational technology hardware in
Northwest Ohio schools.
- Assisted WBGU-TV in the establishment of the Pre-school Education
Preparation Program (PEP).
- The 1991 National Teacher of the Year, Rae Ellen McKee, was the guest
speaker for the NWOET Annual Meeting.
- The Library of Congress recognized NWOET as the developer of a new
international curriculum resource standard.
- NWOET assisted WBGU-TV in the development of the live, interactive
telecourse MATH BOOSTERS.
- NWOET, using Bowling Green City Schools as the pilot, established the
telecommunication service, which will eventually allow direct access via a
computer and modem the NWOET catalog and booking service.
- The first NWOET e-mail account was established allowing schools to be
electronically connected to the NWOET office.
- A state-funded partnership between Governor Voinovich and the Ohio
Legislature established SchoolNet to provide Ohio schools with technology
- NWOET cut broadcast of instructional programming to 3 ½ hours
per day due to members' choice of utilizing programming via videotape vs.
- Ardis Shirkey Student Award for Excellence was established in memory of
the NWOET Distribution Center Manager.
- ITV and Media Center Catalogs were combined into a singular catalog,
listing all 13,000+ pieces of media available to members.
- The NWOET Catalog offered on CD-ROM.
- Summer Computer Camp offered for students in grades one through
- Three Ohio legislators; Senator Robert Cupp, Representatives Charles
Brading and Randy Gardner were featured panelists at the Sixth NWOET
- NWOET, in cooperation with Bowling Green State University, offered
graduate college credit courses.
- Software previews made available on the NWOET web site.
- NWOET offered over 38 statewide courses via distance learning.
- Sally Blair received proclamation from Ohio Representative Randy
Gardner for over 30 years of service to NWOET Foundation.
- As we move into the 21st Century, NWOET is helping teachers to
transform instruction through the use of classroom technology. This
transformation involves not simply supporting current instructional
methods, but going beyond this support to provide the professional
development required to truly transform the instructional process.
Providing graduate credit leading towards Master's degrees in Education,
curriculum and instruction as well as technology and assistive technology
is one of NWOET's newest services.
- Also new is extending the current library of over 50,000 available
resources for loan by partnering with Chalkwaves and United Streaming
digital content providers. Now NWOET members can receive ALL NWOET services
as well as full-featured video streaming with in-school professional
development through our Comprehensive Plus membership at a cost that is
less than many districts pay for video streaming alone.
- NWOET is also supporting the use of data-driven decisions to help
teachers identify the resources and teaching methods which can best help
each child learn. The expanded resources now available combined with one of
the most advanced professional development staffs in the state are helping
NWOET, in partnership with state and regional service providers help YOUR
district meet instructional goals for all students at all ability levels
for today, tomorrow and beyond.
For more information contact Roger Minier, executive Director NWOET at
800-966-9638 or e-mail email@example.com