Technology Leadership Series: Principal Training

In this Project RED blog series, I'm going to describe how the leaders in my district are moving forward to fully embrace technology and model the effective use of technology with faculty and staff. After becoming a Project RED Signature District, I realized that the most important factor in having a successful 1-to-1 implementation is getting the leadership on board.

To that end, I created a Technology Leadership Series which I'm using with principals and assistant principals in the district. In each monthly session, my team models the key implementation factors throughout the lesson.

The first session that I held focused on principal training.  School administrators must be trained in teacher buy-in, best practices, and technology transformed learning. Our technology integration team was on hand at the first session to assist principals with successfully navigating the online content. In the short session, we were able to have the principals sign-in using a Google form, login to Edmodo and join the Edmodo group, complete a self-assessment, and access the Project RED online materials.  In that one session, principals participated in online collaboration and formative assessment while also learning about their technology leadership role. We covered three of the key factors in one session!

Administrators have been happy to attend the sessions and are also attending hands-on followup sessions on a variety of topics (Edmodo in the Classroom, Google Drive for Administrators, Blogging). The formative assessment that I used in the first session has helped to inform me on the additional training that administrators need to move forward with implementing the key factors in their schools.

Stay tuned!

Don't be App Happy

Popular Apps

We recently held a focus group session in our district to get feedback from teachers and students about the progress of our 1:1 computing initiative. Across the board, everyone in the room had positive things to say about our suite of applications that we use district-wide on a daily basis - Google Apps for Education.  Google Apps fills many of our needs with GMail, calendars, Google Sites for teacher and student websites, and Google Drive for document creation and sharing. However, as one student was leaving the room, she had a parting comment for us. She told us that teachers are "app happy" and it can be very frustrating for a student to go home and have 12 different apps to use. Out of the mouths of our students!

I've been in education a long time and have never seen such a clamor from everyone for more apps. We seem to have lost the focus. It's not about using a bunch of apps - it's about choosing applications that will fill a need that we have for student learning. I'm tired of the App sessions at conferences and the oohs and aahs of people downloading yet one more app. And I too am guilty of offering sessions on using Apps. With our device choices, we feel a need to make sure that everyone knows that there are good apps available. Teachers also need to know how to go to the app store and download apps.

It's also not about the device. Our schools are going to continue to have a variety of devices and the BYOD movement is just going to complicate matters more. Choose a product that will run on all devices. Don't sell your soul out to a hardware company. A company with a good product will create apps for a variety of mobile devices.  And don't forget that many products work best in a full web browser. It really is okay to use laptops and desktop computers that you already have in your school. You don't need to purchase the latest and greatest device to use great resources.

We need to pull back a little in our constant search for apps. No district or school can possibly support the thousands of apps that are available in all of the apps stores (iTunes Store, Google Play, Chrome Web Store, Amazon, etc.) Many of the apps in those stores are great and fit some our needs. Some apps are specialized and work well for our diverse student population.

The problem with using lots of apps is that you need to provide professional development support and IT support for all of those apps. I receive e-mails every day from schools about problems with particular apps. I've also made the mistake of recommending an app to a teacher and then discovering that there are problems that make the app difficult to support. Instead of downloading everything and then expecting the district staff to support the app, come up with a list of your needs. Then bring a group of students, teachers, administrators, district IT staff, and academics staff together to start looking at apps using a defined set of criteria. Here are some questions to ask:

1. Do we already have products in place in our school or district that will fill our need? Make a plan to improve your professional development and start using those products more effectively. A small set of great tools is far better than a hundred tools that aren't effective.
2. If the app is free, is the free version robust enough to support the needs of the teachers and students?
3. Can you find the name of a company representative to call or e-mail? If you can't, don't investigate that app any further. The products that we use the most in our district all have representatives who call me regularly to ask how we're doing. They look at our usage statistics and provide suggestions and ideas to improve our use of the product. We've been burned before by companies going out of business or suddenly wanting to charge for services. I recently had to say goodbye to a lot of great Ning content that was created when the product was free.
4. Is the app going to be hard for the IT department to support because of web filtering issues? I often hear complaints from teachers that the "evil" IT department is blocking the apps that they need to use. When our engineers go under the hood to investigate the problem they often find a long list of IP addresses that need to be unblocked to allow the app to work. Chasing around those IP addresses can be a full time job. Prezi went down for a few days in our district because Prezi moved the hosting of their content to another service that was blocked by our web filter. Our engineer had to chase down a long list of IP addresses to get things up and running again.
5. How is the content that students create using the app saved? Where is the content hosted? Can you easily share the content? Don't make the process so difficult for teachers and students that no one wants to use the app.
6. Does the application run on a variety of devices? As I said before, don't lock yourself into an app that will only run on one type of device. Try it out on all your devices. In many training sessions that I lead, there are a variety of devices in the room. It helps to know ahead of time that the application will work on all (or most) devices.
7. What is the cost for the full product? Is it a district or school subscription fee based on the number of users? What happens to your content when you stop paying for the service? Is there a way to access usage statistics to monitor how and how often the product is being used?
8. If you're in a 1:1 initiative, how are you going to handle updates for the apps? Will the purchased app work when a new operating system update comes out? Who will need to be involved with the updates? Will students be able to update the app themselves? Think about the logistics before you have to deal with the issue.

Start with some of these questions and create a rubric to evaluate the resources. Many districts have created rubrics for evaluating software and Web 2.0 sites. Keep in mind the saying, "Less is More," and I can assure you that you'll be happy with your apps and not "app happy."

Scaling Up with 1:1: How Big is Your Plate?

Undertaking a 1:1 computing initiative is a big deal for any school or district. For those of us who work too much, we talk a lot about scaling back and taking things off of our plate. If you're in the middle of a 1:1 initiative, you know that isn't going to happen. We all feel the need for a bigger plate.

So how do we go about managing all of the tasks that come with a 1:1 initiative? I was fortunate to be able to attend the CoSN Teaming for Transformation Conference in Mooresville, NC last week. The conference was a great opportunity to get together with other educators who are planning for or implementing a digital conversion project.

On the second day, Chris Dede led us through the steps to scaling up our initiatives. A handout from Cable in the Classroom is also very helpful. We talked a lot about the traps that go along with scaling up as well as the sources to leverage.  A key component of the discussion centered on the need to spread the innovation while also shifting ownership of the innovation to users. At some point in a 1:1 initiative, we need to get buy-in from our users so that they can take the innovation to the next level. We can't keep heaping the work on our plate. We need to empower our users to implement the plan and move forward with further innovation.

I'm excited about moving forward with our initiative and bringing together focus groups to discuss our next steps. People are the most important resources for digital conversion. Provide them with time to plan and a little "we can do it" cheerleading to scale your project up to the next level.

Moving Toward a Successful 1:1 Implementation

After a busy summer getting ready for Phase 2 of our 1:1 implementation, I'm feeling great about the upcoming weeks as we roll out over 8000 devices in schools. Chromebook distributions will start Monday for two high school take-home programs, and many middle school students will be issued devices to use throughout the school day. Our elementary program with Chromebooks now includes 4th and 5th grade.

Over the past year I've struggled with this initiative. Feeling great one moment after seeing students engaged in their learning and then feeling worried about the enormity of the project. The stakes are high with a great need to be fiscally responsible and to show a return on investment with improved student achievement and student engagement.

I can't say enough about the importance of constantly evaluating your 1:1 initiative and making needed changes if you see problems with the implementation. We're working with our Getting To Outcomes™ evaluation team and constantly evaluating for quality implementation. The first teacher, parent, and student survey results are coming in now, and I'm thrilled that we're already seeing positive changes in our classrooms. I'm looking forward to sharing those results in the near future.

My professional goal for the upcoming school year is to become more involved with groups that are on the front lines of research and evaluation for 1:1 programs. Organizations like EdLeader21, Project RED, CoSN's Teaming for Transformation group, and Gartner all have robust learning communities and a wealth of resources and research data. This year I want to take an in depth look at rubrics for evaluating the 4Cs and focus on helping schools to incorporate the Project RED key implementation factors at the school level.

With good planning and thoughtful evaluation, 1:1 computing can have a positive impact on student learning. I look forward to collaborating with others who are working with 1:1 programs and look forward to sharing results as our implementation continues.

 

The Real Meaning of PBL

After a number of learning opportunities this year including a visit to High Tech High in San Diego, I have a better understanding about the meaning of PBL.

Learning how to implement PBL in the classroom is no easy task, but I believe that the key to implementation is passion. We need to be passionate about our jobs and about providing engaging work for our students. Students need to be allowed to follow their passions in a learning environment that allows for choice. Passion-based learning is the real meaning of PBL.

My technology integration team is modeling PBL this summer with a new course called, "Passport to 21st Century Learning." An important part of the course is offering choice for the teachers. As a kick-off to the course, teachers attended our two day SC Midlands Summit and selected sessions of their choice. I've just completed reading the blog posts from the teachers in my course section, and the passion is evident.

The final class project will be a PBL unit which each participant will implement during the 2012-13 school year. We hope to have an exhibition later in the school year to showcase both the teacher's PBL unit as well as the student work. If you're interested in learning more about passion-based learning, Jackie Gerstein has a great blog post.

1:1 Implementation: Take Your Time

As the school year comes to a close, I've been reflecting on the progress we've made with our 1:1 initiative. One piece of advice that I would give to anyone contemplating a 1:1 initiative is "take your time." My favorite performer at Mallory Square in Key West, Cat Man, loves to say "hurry up, take your time" as audience participants are called up front. But don't hurry up. Take your time.

I began the school year talking about a journey, but I had no idea what the journey would be like. I believe that we've been thoughtful and purposeful in phase one of our roll out. We've made mistakes, but we've constantly evaluated our project and made corrections as needed.

Remember the old saying, "Rome wasn't built in a day" when you begin working with teachers. Scaffold your instruction so that teachers can begin to see how to move up the SAMR ladder from substitution to redefinition in the use of technology. Don't expect one device to magically change everything. As I've said before, we need lots of tools and instructional strategies in our toolbox and students need choice in projects.

In addition to taking your time with the implementation, you will need vision, leadership, team work, professional development, and a reflective evaluation process in place. Take out any one of those ingredients, and your project is likely to fail.

I'm looking forward to phase two of our implementation in August and will post soon about the professional learning that is taking place this summer as we continue on the journey. Enjoy the summer, take time for professional learning, and take time out to spend with your family and friends.

Summertime and the Learning is Easy

As the school year comes to a close, I'm excited about the upcoming summer learning opportunities.

My district is partnering with a neighboring district for the first annual SC Midlands Summit. The Summit  is a two day conference focused on the use of Google Apps for Education, research tools, Web 2.0 tools, and technology integration in the classroom. The lineup of presenters is fantastic, and I can't wait for the event to begin.

Another great summer event is the Upstate Technology Conference hosted by Greenville County School District. This conference grows every year, and the teachers who present have some wonderful ideas for integrating technology into the curriculum.

Last but not least, is the ISTE 2012 conference in San Diego. Over the past two years I have become more involved with ISTE as a presenter and participant. The conference is a great opportunity to network with other educators from around the country and build relationships that will last a  lifetime.

There are many more professional learning opportunities available this summer, and I look forward to taking some time for learning and professional growth. Look around your area for opportunities to get involved this summer!

Google and the Power of Stories

Occasionally when I'm watching television I'll see Google commercials for Chrome and Google+. I know that all companies have a lot of marketing hype, and it's easy to get pulled into their advertising.

All the marketing glitz aside, I've found my own personal story to tell about how Google has helped my cousin, her husband, and the rest of my family cope with the loss of my dear great aunt. Barnie Hall passed away in January at the age of 97. As I was growing up, she was one of the people in my life who held things together for our family. I remember the wonderful Christmas eves spent at her house and the raucous fun that she would have with my grandmother making fruit cakes (with just a little bit of wine!). After their family moved away in search of paradise - first to Hawaii, then to Naples (FL), and finally to the Florida Keys, I had the great fun of visiting them in those tropical locations. We took our daughter to meet Aunt Barnie when she was 3 months old. I have a great photo of Aunt Barnie holding Meg (in a tiny blue swimsuit) at their first meeting. Every year since then, we have visited them in the Keys and I have a photos of Meg growing up with Aunt Barnie.

So how does Google fit into this story? In December I introduced my cousin to GMail because she was having so much trouble with her e-mail client program. We enjoyed sending photos to each other and it made communicating much easier for her. We received the terrible phone call about Aunt Barnie's death on January 15.

I was able to get down to visit my cousin during the first week after Aunt Barnie's death. I feel so fortunate that I was able to be with them as they began coping with the loss. I installed Chrome on their laptop, and we had a few wonderful Google+ hangouts with my husband and Meg. It was so good that they could join us as we cried together and told stories. I hated to leave, but since then I have enjoyed seeing the green chat light when my cousin is online, and we've had a few nice chats that way. I've also posted photos and videos of Barnie to Picasa and YouTube to share. I used the people feature in Picasa to find all of our photos of Barnie and was able to create a beautiful slideshow of wonderful times spent in the keys with her - walking on No Name bridge, playing putt putt, and having picnics at Bahia Honda or Fort Zachary Taylor parks. Good times and often very funny times!

My cousin has also found her voice with Google Docs. She is going back through all of the stories that they wrote over the years and putting them in Google Docs. Every day I get one or two stories written in her voice or Aunt Barnie's voice. All of the memories come flooding back, and I can hear Aunt Barnie speaking the words. The writing is therapeutic, and the stories are now recorded for our entire family to read and enjoy. The stories are wonderful, and I've already volunteered a title for my cousin's future book!

Grief continues, but staying connected has made a difference for all of us. If you haven't been writing down your stories, I encourage you to start sharing stories with those you love. It can make a huge difference in their lives.

Chromebooks: The Final Piece to the 1:1 Computing Puzzle

After a year of planning, I'm happy to report that our 1:1 computing initiative is on the move! In the last two weeks, all of our elementary schools have received Samsung Chromebooks for 5th grade classrooms.  The carts are still being assembled, but the Chromebooks came out of the boxes ready to go. Over the next month, high schools and some middle schools will also be receiving Chromebooks.

The device selection process was very comprehensive, and I believe that the Chromebooks will make a real difference in how our teachers teach and in how our students learn. My district has Google Apps for Education and the Chromebook is the perfect fit. The Chrome OS integrates completely with Google Apps with a single sign-on and a full web browser experience. Here is my top ten list (in no particular order) of why the Chromebook is great for education:

1. Boots up in 8 seconds - This is a big time saver in the classroom. Students open the Chromebook, sign in, and they're ready to work. Students can also close the lid without worrying that they will have a long boot up process when it's time to work again.


2. No management issues for the classroom teacher or the IT department - Automatic updates and no viruses. Teachers can teach instead of managing equipment. The total cost of ownership for a Chromebook is much lower than the total cost of ownership for a laptop.


3. Battery - The Chromebook battery easily lasts for 8 hours.


4. Management Console - The IT Department can deliver apps and set restrictions using the Management Console which is built into the Google Apps for Education administrator dashboard.


5. The Cloud - The Chromebook allows students full access to Google Apps for Education. Students can create ePortfolios using Google Sites, chat with their teacher, collaborate with other students on a Google Doc, access Picasa web albums, blog, and a host of other things. With Ericom, our students can also access our district cloud.


6. Apps - The Chrome Web Store is growing every day with great free apps for education. Many of the apps can be used offline if needed. Students don't need an additional account to download and install apps.


7. Physical Keyboard - The keyboard has been modified to include a search key and a reload key. The physical keyboard makes it easy for a student to be productive.


8. USB ports, memory card slot - It's easy for a student to insert a flash drive or SD card and upload files or photos to Google Apps using the Chromebook File Manager.


9. Webcam - The webcam works well for Google chat.


10. Flash - Until more vendors create HTML5 sites, we can still access educational content through Flash sites.

My list could go on, but the most important thing about the Chromebooks is that they will provide our students with meaningful experiences and 21st century skills that will prepare them for a great future! Students in our pilot group were collaborating, creating, and publishing on the first day that they started using the Chromebooks. Stay tuned for updates on how Chromebooks are being used in classrooms.