TLN eZine
Each month in Electronic School we feature conversations about the big issues in education. This month we will be discussing a topic that is not so new but still generates a lot of interest. One-to-one computing is being discussed at all of the major education conferences, in journals, webinars, and monthly magazines. What is it about this topic that keeps it on the education front burner?
In this issue we will learn from Jan Harris, Superintendent of Cullman City Schools in Alabama about the journey her district took with one-to-one computing. Harris shares their thinking process and also the results they achieved. Their effort is not over, and they want more.
Mala Bawer and Jim Teicher of CyberSmart! discuss the impact One-to-One efforts have on supporting student learning in a technology-enriched environment. For students to be successful, there must be a firm commitment to laying a foundation with the new basic skills—21st century skills.
Leslie Wilson, president of the One-to-One Institute, shares her thoughts in a podcast conversation with Ann Flynn, NSBA's director of education technology. The conversation examines Value of Investment (VOI), program vision and goals, and more.
One of my favorite stories in this issue is a reflection by Flynn of her 16 years of T+L. Ann looks back at the changes to T+L and to the focus of education technology over those years.
Do you have ideas for upcoming issues of Electronic School (electronicschool@nsba.org)? Let us know!
Gene Broderson
Director, National Affiliate Services and Technology Programs
16 Years of T+L: Looking Back and Wishing Forward
by Ann Lee Flynn, Ed.D., Director, Education Technology, National School Boards Association
Oh, the places you'll go! There is learning to be done!
For educators, “back to school” is a marker event, offering a September opportunity to reflect over the past year’s accomplishments and create "New Year’s resolutions." NSBA’s annual T+L conference has served that purpose for me for the past 16 years. While I share the same frustrations as many of my colleagues in the ed tech community that we have not yet transformed education, a quick journey down memory lane helps put our accomplishments in perspective.
Consider: My first T+L conference pre-dated common public access to the Internet, mention of the word “Amazon” conjured up visions of a river in South America, and today’s 684 million annual visitors to Wikipedia had to turn to other sources for their answers. When you think about it, U.S. educators really have made great strides blending technology and learning. Click here for full article...
One-to-One Learning: Our Story from Cullman City Schools in Alabama
by Jan Harris, Superintendent of Cullman City Schools, Cullman, Ala.
Technology can be seen in our students’ daily life through their usage of cell phones, MP3 players, televisions, computers and more. We must engage our students if we want to inspire them to achieve at a higher level. What better way to engage students than through technological avenues?
Two years ago, we began our One-to-One Initiative. During this time, attendance improved at Cullman Middle School from 95 percent to 98 percent. Discipline infractions decreased from 43 percent to 17 percent in overall behavior while classroom discipline infractions decreased from 16 percent to 14 percent. The number of students who made A Honor Roll improved from 16 percent to 18 percent. Writing scores improved as evidenced by our seventh-graders’ scores on the Alabama Direct Assessment of Writing. Overall, their scores improved by 13 percent increasing from 76 percent to 89 percent. Writing mechanics improved by 12 percent moving from 66 percent to 78 percent while grammar and usage improved by 3 percent moving from 67 percent to 70 percent. Also, overall SAT-10 scores improved; seventh-graders’ scores improved from 67 percent to 70 percent while eighth-graders’ scores improved from 62 percent to 69 percent. How did this happen? Let me share our story with you. Click here to read full article...
Understanding the Essential Elements of One-to-One Learning
Bruce Dixon, Founder of Anytime, Anywhere Learning Foundation, will facilitate a mini-academy in Seattle, Wash., on this topic. You will hear stories from educators who explore model policies, essential strategies for professional development, the transition to digital content, and the wide variety of new devices that are appearing in the marketplace.
Listen to a podcast interview with Bruce Dixon…
One-to-One Laptop Initiatives: Where the Rubber Meets the Road
by Jim Teicher, CEO, and Mala Bawer, Executive Director, CyberSmart! Education
More than any other technology initiative, a one-to-one laptop initiative is where the rubber meets the road—a commitment to moving students toward success in the globally-connected, fast-changing 21st century. With a one-to-one initiative, technology access is no longer an issue. Every single student has a personal computing device. Technology now works or it doesn’t to improve student learning.
Not. So. Fast. Equalizing access is just the starting point toward positively impacting student learning using technology. Click here for full article...
Join Us in Seattle, Washington, for an Exciting Time at our Upcoming Technology and Learning Conference for School Leaders
Leslie Wilson, president of the One-to-One Institute, will be presenting a breakfast session on One-to-One – Efficacy Matters on Tuesday, Oct. 28 during our upcoming T+L Conference. Don’t miss these morning sessions where you can start your day with a hot breakfast and delve into some hot topics!
Listen to a podcast interview with Leslie Wilson…
Learn the specifics regarding the value of investment (VOI) of one-to-one teaching and learning programs. Included will be a discussion around program vision and goals, related research, sustainability strategies and future trends that will affect the proliferation of one to one programs. The session will close with an overview of the best practices and lessons learned from current programs-including, but not limited to, building a community of support and expertise throughout the school's, district's or state's community.
Bring your technology team....register for the T+L Conference today!
One-to-One Laptop Initiative: Skills not Scores
by Thomas De Maio, Principal, and Glenn deMarrais, Assistant Principal, Pascack Valley Regional High School District, Hillsdale, N.J.
The debate over whether the use of technology will improve test scores will continue for several more years as current data proves to be inconclusive. However, not all educational decisions need to be based on improving “test scores”. While test scores continue to drive curriculum, we owe it to our students never to lose sight of our obligation to develop independent learners. The one-to-one laptop initiative centers on the augmentation of problem solving, critical thinking, and communication skills. While honing these vital mechanisms, students are preparing for a global society that demands superior technological skills.
Thomas De Maio, Principal, and Glenn deMarrais, Assistant Principal, of Pascack Valley Regional High School District will present a workshop at NSBA’s upcoming T+L Conference in Seattle, WA, on this topic. Participants will learn specific steps necessary to implement a one-to-one laptop program and be able to identify the needs and costs of the program, the new problems and policies the district will encounter with the students and the staff, the different atmosphere that will be established within the building, and the skills that are being obtained by the students. Click here for full article...
Be sure to check-out this session in Seattle…
Click here for this and other program information.
One-to-One Computing & Professional Development: Helping Teachers Integrate Technology to Transform Teaching and Learning
by Eric Jones, Director of High School Education, Henrico County Public Schools, Richmond, Va.
When Henrico County Public Schools launched a one-to-one computing initiative in 2001, its approach to professional development was driven more by products than by instruction. As a result, it did not achieve the results it expected for teachers or students. In 2004-05 when the district switched to a new computer platform, it initiated a new professional development program based on its experiences.
Eric Jones, Director of High School Education, HCPS, and Adam Garry from Pearson will present a workshop on this topic at NSBA’s upcoming T+L Conference in Seattle.
In this session, participants will learn how districts can initiate a process to create a clear vision for one-to-one computing by asking critical questions, and how to use data to effectively plan for professional development.
Participants also will learn a critical lesson that resulted in a fundamental shift in HCPS professional development program -- that all professional development must be approached from an instructional, rather than technical, viewpoint. Rather than simply learning the basics of how to use technology, teachers must learn how to use the tool to improve teaching and learning in their classrooms. Click here for full article...
Be sure to check-out this session in Seattle…
Click here for this and other program information.
Announcing the 2008 NSBA Student Electronic
Music Composition Talent Search Winners
About the Talent Search
Sponsored by MENC and the National School Boards Association (NSBA), the Electronic Music Composition Competition recognizes outstanding compositions and is held to help influence school administrators to include or improve music technology in their schools’ curriculum. Entries will be judged based on their aesthetic quality, effective use of electronic media, and the power of the composition and its presentation in communicating to school board members, administrators, and others, the excitement and effectiveness of electronic music composition in the school curriculum.
Winning students and their schools receive prizes from Sibelius, MagicScore Music Software, and MENC, and will be honored at the NSBA’s 2008 T+L Conference in Seattle, Washington, October 28–30, 2008.
High School Winner:
Daniel Mulé, The Gates of Hell
Island Trees High School, Levittown, NY
Teacher: J. Peter Hansen
Read Daniel’s essay
Listen to The Gates of Hell
View the score
Middle School Winner:
Erin Graham, The Starship
Donald H. Eichhorn Middle School, Lewisburg, PA
Teacher: Dale Orris
Read Erin’s essay
Listen to The Starship
View the score
Elementary School Winner:
Spencer Young, March of the Ogres
Endeavor Elementary School, Issaquah, WA
Teacher: Holly Miller
Read Spencer’s essay
Listen to March of the Ogres
View the score
For more details and information on runners up, please go to the MENC site...
Win a software license package from TOOL Factory and affiliates for your school!
The TLN Digital Wish Grant is a new program created exclusively for current TLN members. Simply register on Digital Wish website and enter “TLN” into the “Professional Associations” field of your profile page. In October one winner will be selected at random and awarded $3,000 in Tool Factory Software and awarded at NSBA’s T+L Conference this fall! The deadline for entering this prize drawing is midnight, October 1, 2008. The TLN grants committee will verify the winner’s TLN participation and announce the winners during the closing ceremony of the 2008 T+L conference.
Click here to enter...
Editorial Credits:
Gene Broderson, Director, National Affiliate Services & Technology Programs
Ann Flynn, Director , Education Technology
Regina Ebhardt, Program Manager, Technology Leadership Network
Colleen O’Brien, Program Manager, Technology Programs
Kathleen Vail, Editor, Electronic School & Managing Editor, American School Board Journal
Marilee Rist, Associate Executive Director, Communication, Constituent Services, Marketing & Publisher ASBJ
Please e-mail us with your comments and suggestions: electronicschool@nsba.org
Notes:
- To learn more about the Technology Leadership Network, go to www.nsba.org/tln.
- To share this eZine with others, click here.
- In the near future, watch for an opportunity to sign up for an RSS Alert when a new issue is posted.
Resources
- 16 Years of T+L: Looking Back and Wishing Forward
[HTML 8,249kb]
by Ann Lee Flynn, Ed.D., Director, Education Technology, National School Boards Association. Reflections on the changes to T+L and to the focus of Education Technology over the past 16 years.
- One-to-One Learning: Our Story from Cullman City Schools in Alabama [HTML 11,836kb]
by Jan Harris, Superintendent of Cullman City Schools, Cullman, Ala. Laptops are not the key to learning. Effective teaching is the key to learning. But what better way to engage students than through technological avenues?
- Bruce Dixon Podcast [MP3 1,869,355kb]
Founder of Anytime, Anywhere Learning Foundation is a world leader in the educational leadership field. He addresses leadership qualities and styles conducive to starting and sustaining one-to-one initiatives.
- One-to-One Initiatives: Where the Rubber Meets the Road [HTML 8,447kb]
by Jim Teicher, CEO, and Mala Bawer, Executive Director, CyberSmart! Education. Equalizing access is just the starting point toward positively impacting student learning using technology.
- One-to-One Laptop Initiative: Skills not Scores [HTML 3,342kb]
by Thomas de Maio, Principal, and Glenn deMarrais, Assistant Principal, Pascack Valley Regional High School District, Hillsdale, N.J. The debate over whether the use of technology will improve test scores will continue for several more years as current data proves to be inconclusive. However, not all educational decisions need to be based on improving "test scores".
- Helping Teachers Integrate Technology to Transform Teaching and Learning [HTML 4,385kb]
by Eric Jones, Director of High School Education, Henrico County Public Schools, Richmond, Va. Henrico County's initial approach to professional development was driven more by products than by instruction, and, as a result, it did not achieve the results it expected for teachers and students. Later this district initiated a new professional development program based on its experiences.
- Electronic School eZine Past Issues
Electronic School is the premiere eZine for NSBA's Technology Leadership Network.