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Jill Abair

Tablets in the Classroom A Practical Guide to Planning and Deploying Large-Scale Table... - 0 views

  • To provide students with a more engaging, individualized learning experience, Central Unified is transitioning from traditional textbooks and working with a publisher to develop customized, interactive learning materials that will adapt to students’ learning levels and abilities.
  • BYOD policy
  • . CCSD had the tablets preconfigured and installed a district image and set of district apps,
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  • it worked best to have consistency across schools,
  • Through the pilot, we learned that even though consistency is good, we need to give the students as much flexibility and freedom as possible so they can personalize the device and put the apps they want on it. That way they have ownership and feel responsible for the device.
  • The initial deployment includes tasks such as asset tagging, kitting and custom imaging. The tablets are removed from their retail packaging and assembled into “kits” as necessary — for example, adding a headset and case — and given an initial charge
  • A tablet initiative should involve extensive professional development and training for teachers and IT/support staff
  • Involve teachers in the planning process.
  • Provide teachers with a variety of opportunities
  • Don’t neglect professional development/training on new equipment for technology staff
  • Procure a stockpile of replacement devices to prevent learning from grinding to a halt due to a device problem
  • Areas to measure include attendance, student engagement, teacher and student feedback on the
  • learning experience, student outcomes, test scores, levels of independent learning and use of collaboration
  • TABLET INITIATIVE CHECKLIST
Adam Deyo

Educational Leadership:Supporting English Language Learners:From the Ballot Box to the ... - 0 views

  • Opponents of the anti-bilingual-education measures see bilingualism as a social, economic, cultural, and academic advantage for first- and second-generation immigrants. They do not see bilingualism as an obstacle to societal integration of new immigrant populations; on the contrary, they believe that students who study and learn in two languages and become fully proficient and literate in their home language and in English can enjoy the richness and values of two linguistic systems and two cultural traditions that complement and enhance each other.
  • In fact, sociological and educational research supports the notion that immigrant students who retain their bilingual skills and their ties to their parents' culture of origin are more academically successful and socially well-adapted in the long term than their peers who become English monolinguals (Portes & Rumbaut, 2001). These researchers concluded that "forced march assimilation" policies for educating immigrant youth are counterproductive.
  • It is left up to educators to sort out myth from reality.
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  • School administrators and teachers grappling with the often confusing and contradictory premises of these popular initiatives can draw on three useful sources of information: (1) meta-analyses of research studies regarding program effectiveness and instructional practices that support and enhance achievement, (2) studies of the initiatives' effect on English language learners' English language acquisition and academic achievement, and (3) databases that compile language assessments administered to large populations of English language learners over time and across grade levels. Several myths about the instruction of English language learners do not stand up to scrutiny when examined through the lens of this research base.
  • The "One-Size-Fits-All" Myth
  • Schools throughout the United States use a variety and range of theoretically sound programs to meet the needs of their specific populations of English language learners, who vary in demographic and linguistic characteristics.
  • For instance, bilingual programs are appropriate and effective in schools that serve concentrations of students who use a common native language
  • In many schools, however, English language learners speak a number of different native languages; such schools often use English as the common language of content-area instruction. Therefore, some state agencies and language-minority educators advocate a mix of services and program types in response to each school district's demographic mix—an approach that contradicts the state laws requiring a default model of sheltered English immersion
  • The "Language of Instruction" Myth
  • But according to Education Week, cumulative and comparative studies based on National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP) scores suggest that statewide mandates limiting bilingual education in California, Arizona, and Massachusetts have produced "less-than-stellar" results (Zehr, 2008, p. 10).
  • Proponents of the ballot initiatives mandating sheltered English immersion argue that bilingual education is the reason for low levels of English proficiency among immigrant students—especially Latinos, the group served by the vast majority of the bilingual programs.
  • (Parrish, Pérez, Merickel, & Linquanti, 2006). The study found that students participating in English-only education programs had no statistically significant advantage in terms of academic achievement over those in bilingual education programs that parents chose through the waiver process under the law.
  • Thus, ballot initiatives have not realized their goal of improving English language learners' academic achievement.
  • In denying the injunction against the implementation of Proposition 227, the U.S. District Court in Valeria G. v. Wilson (1998) ruled that structured English immersion was based on delivery of English language and content instruction that was "sequential" rather than "simultaneous."
  • This focus is based on the belief that the "problem" facing these students is essentially a "language problem.
  • K-12 Program Continuity and Coherence Programs for English language learners must be proven models with a demonstrated track record. Programs must have long-term goals and continuity in the curriculum as students move up through the grade levels. As students' listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in English grow, the focus of instruction should shift, and instruction should be differentiated according to students' language levels (Mora, 2006). Differentiating the curriculum in this way requires monitoring students' progress toward performance benchmarks in English language proficiency, literacy, and content-area learning (Gottlieb & Nguyen, 2007)
  • Targeted Professional Development Educators must view the education of language-minority students as a shared responsibility. Teachers must have ample professional preparation in how to use appropriate curricular materials and teaching strategies to promote English language learners' achievement. Both new and experienced teachers need intensive professional development above and beyond the teacher education coursework required by the state credential and certificate programs. For example, teachers should be knowledgeable about second-language acquisition and cross-linguistic transfer so that students learning in their second language can capitalize on the commonalities in literacy with their native language, regardless of whether their instruction is in dual languages.
  • Local school districts must have the freedom and support to establish sheltered English immersion programs and/or bilingual education programs depending on community values, parental choice, and available resources. Policies must allow flexibility in use of students' native languages—especially for development of literacy skills. In states with anti-bilingual mandates, local jurisdictions should apply liberal and open interpretation of petition and waiver requirements to support parent empowerment and involvement in program selection.
  • Research-Based Policies to Replace Politically Based Policies
Edith Fogarty

Top 10 Things NOT to do in a 1:1 iPad Initiative - 0 views

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    Part of the benefit of jumping forward with a 1:1 iPad deployment like we have tried is that we get the opportunity to impart knowledge to other districts looking to do a similar initiative. While that might not seem like a benefit, it actually also means we can make some mistakes because there is not a long history of this type of deployment in the world.
Kelly Wilson

Projects & Initiatives | Office of Educational Technology - 0 views

  • broadband
    • Kelly Wilson
       
      This video really shared so much about what we are trying to do in schools.  The US is trying to get high speed internet for all students.  They have recognized a school that has "Bright Spots" to see what is working and where they can go.  
Nathan Gingras

Lessons for One-to-One Initiatives | Education Development Center, Inc. - 2 views

  • schools that are succeeding with technology have found a way to integrate tools into existing practices.
  • a whole system approach is a necessary component of success for one-to-one programs.
  • She explains that Maine’s program has been a success because project planners thought about issues of support and sustainability at the outset.
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  • “Where there’s strong leadership and support, there’s a lot more integration and use for transformational kinds of applications in the classroom.”
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    This article examines successful implementation of 1:1 initiatives around the world.
elleneoneil

When Teachers and Administrators Collaborate | Edutopia - 0 views

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    See what it looks like when a district that has a strong collaborative culture undertakes a major initiative like implementing the Common Core.
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    A great article that is about the importance of teacher/administrator collaboration. I like that it addressed that the biggest reason collaboration doesn't happen in schools is because there is a lack of time but we need to make time to collaborate for our students.
Nichole Vielleux

Top Five Reasons Why Strategic Initiatives Fail - 0 views

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    Although not directly related to technology, I see the connections.
seantheoret

Youth, Creativity, and Copyright in the Digital Age article - 0 views

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    This article describes a study which highlights the importance of educating our students on the digital copyright laws. The study found that students are overwhelmingly ignorant of those laws and the article initiates the discussion of how to begin to educate students.
stephanie karabaic

One-to-One or BYOD? Districts Explain Thinking Behind Student Computing Initiatives | E... - 0 views

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    "Bring your own device" programs have transformed the way schools are delivering technology services to students.
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    "Bring your own device" programs have transformed the way schools are delivering technology services to students.
Becky Seymour

The Landscape of Learning: Schoogle: A New and Open World for Learning - 0 views

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    Blog post about author's school's 2012 launch of Google Apps, nicknamed Schoogle. Helpful links to other Google Apps school initiatives.
Torey Olson

Interview | Time for Schoology | edtechdigest.com - 0 views

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    The initial idea for Schoology came about during college when three friends, Jeremy Friedman, Ryan Hwang and Tim Trinidad tried to develop an effective platform for sharing lecture notes with every...
rballardvt

ConnectED | The White House - 0 views

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    ConnectED initiative
njcaswell

Why This Tech Executive Says Her Plan to Disrupt Education Is Different - The New York ... - 0 views

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    Why do so many education initiatives from tech executives fail? And will this one succeed?
k_best

Importance of Student Engagement Initiatives to Ensure Academic Success | Unifyed - 0 views

  • When a student is encouraged to participate in group learning, they are more likely to develop an interest in the subject.
  • Student engagement also builds better relationships with other students, staff, and faculty
    • k_best
       
      We are always looking to get students to just KNOW who we are and getting them engaged, and that first steps leads to getting students who want to become a bigger part of our community later (student leaders, facilitators, etc.)
holly_esterline

Around the Corner-MGuhlin.org - 0 views

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    Initially I clicked on his blog because he's from Texas and so am I. I discovered Miguel Guhlin was blogging about digital safety and revamping professional development, and he is interesting and easy to read.
mjheald

Educational Leadership:Teachers as Leaders:The Many Faces of Leadership - 4 views

  • School districts that want to improve make a wise investment when they cultivate and encourage teacher leaders, because they are in a position to take the long view and carry out long-range projects.
  • emerge spontaneously and organically from the teacher ranks. Instead of being selected, they take the initiative to address a problem or institute a new program
  • effective teacher leaders exhibit important skills, values, and dispositions.
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  • Teacher leaders must enlist colleagues to support their vision, build consensus among diverse groups of educators, and convince others of the importance of what they are proposing and the feasibility of their general plan for improvement
  • On the other hand, they are flexible and willing to try a different approach if the first effort runs into roadblocks
  • Ensuring that students have full access to such opportunities involves a collective effort, requiring discussion and consideration of alternatives.
  • Teachers must be confident that administrators and other teachers will not criticize them for expressing ideas that might seem unusual at first. Some of the most effective approaches to solving difficult issues in schools may not be intuitively obvious but may require that educators think creatively, which can only happen in a safe environment.
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    This article discusses the importance of leadership among teachers and how effective teacher leaders influence the improvement of schools.
mhazard

Maine Learning Technology Initiative - Maine Department of Education - 0 views

shared by mhazard on 23 Jul 13 - No Cached
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    Resource for deploying a 1:1
Justin Marriott

Technology Planning/Implementation Plan - Wikibooks, open books for an open world - 0 views

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    Another resource for Tech Planning
putnamc

Feature: Ebook Approval Plans: Integration to Meet User Needs - 0 views

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    One model for implementing eBooks in a library.
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