Articles in the Educational Technology category

School boards pleased with Obama’s plan to improve schools’ Internet access

The National School Boards Association (NSBA) praised President Barack Obama’s new initiative, ConnectED, to connect 99 percent of America’s students to the Internet through high-speed broadband and high-speed wireless within 5 years.

“Broadband has an important role to play in education, from digital learning resources to professional development for teachers, remote instruction, and data-driven decision-making,” said NSBA Executive Director Thomas J. Gentzel. “Increasing high speed Internet connectivity is vital to provide 21st century skills and prepare students and communities to be competitive in a global economy.”

Obama’s plan calls on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to modernize and leverage its existing E-Rate program to meet that goal and to get Internet connectivity and educational technology into classrooms, and into the hands of teachers trained on its advantages.

“To assure that ConnectED is successful, it is important to provide adequate resources to schools,” added Gentzel. “Requests for assistance by high need schools and libraries are more than double the current resources in the E-rate program.”

Gentzel concluded, “High speed Internet connectivity is vital for bringing new learning opportunities in rural areas. We must increase the quality and speed of connectivity in all our nation’s schools and address the technology gaps that remain.”

Alexis Rice|June 6th, 2013|Categories: 21st Century Skills, Educational Technology, Federal Advocacy, Federal Programs, Technology Leadership Network|Tags: , , , |

Tech-savy school districts honored in 2012-13 Digital School Districts Survey

Top-ranked school districts have been announced in the ninth annual Digital School Districts Survey by the Center for Digital Education (CDE) and the National School Boards Association (NSBA) as part of NSBA’s Annual Conference in San Diego being held through today. The survey showcases exemplary school boards’ and districts’ use of technology to govern the district, communicate with students, parents, and the community and to improve district operations.

Innovations by this year’s winners touched all facets of education. Board members at Geneseo Community Unit School District #228, Illinois, are now allowed to use Skype or iChat to access important meetings if off site and can even be projected via live-cast onto the screen in the board room. Teachers in Roanoke County, Virginia, public schools are using dashboards to measure assessments, teaching with mobile-friendly digital curriculum and using e-textbooks. Marietta City Schools, Georgia, requires students to take online classes for graduation and, beginning in the sixth grade students build and maintain a college and career-ready e-portfolio.

“It’s really exciting to see the unique and creative ways districts are using technology,” said Cathilea Robinett, Executive Vice President for the Center for Digital Education. “These outstanding innovations are moving us forward. We see these leaders as an inspiration to other school districts to continue leading education into a digital future. Congratulations to this year’s winners!”

“Through the leadership of local school boards, we continue to see that technology tools and practices are transforming America’s public schools,” said Thomas J. Gentzel, NSBA Executive Director. “The school districts honored in the 2013 Digital Districts Survey serve as national models for education technology innovations.”

The top ten rankings are awarded to those school boards/districts that most fully implement technology benchmarks in the evolution of digital education, as represented in the survey questions.

The first-place winners in each classification are:
•Roanoke County Public Schools, Va. (12,000 students or more)
•Marietta City Schools, Ga. (Between 3,000 and 12,000 students)
•Geneseo Community Unit School District #228, Ill. (3,000 students or less)

All U.S. public school districts are eligible to participate in the survey with the three classifications based on size of enrollment. The full list of winners are:

Large-sized Student Population Districts Category (12,000 students or more):

1st Roanoke County Public Schools, Va.
2nd Forsyth County Schools, Ga.
3rd Fayette County Schools, Ga.
4th Township High School District 214, Ill.
5th Northwest Independent School District, Texas
5th Prince William County Public Schools, Va.
6th Rowan-Salisbury School System, N.C.
7th Clark County School District, Nev.
7th Colorado Springs School District 11, Colo.
7th Savannah-Chatham County Public School System, Ga.
8th Cherokee County School District, Ga.
9th Richmond County School System, Ga.
9th Frederick County Public Schools, Md.
10th Littleton Public Schools, Colo.
10th Klein Independent School District, Texas

Mid-sized Student Population Districts Category (Student population 3,000 – 12,000):
1st Marietta City Schools, Ga.
2nd Decatur City Schools, Ala.
3rd Clarkstown Central School District, N.Y.
4th Harrisburg School District 42-1, S.D.
5th Fayetteville Public Schools, Ark.
6th City Schools of Decatur, Ga.
7th Saint Charles Parish Public School District, La.
8th Oconomowoc Area School District, Wis.
8th Bergenfield Board of Education, N.J.
9th Andover Public Schools, Kan.
10th Monroe County Schools, Ga.

Small Student Population Districts Category (Fewer than 3,000 students):

1st Geneseo Community Unit School District #228, Ill.
2nd Carroll County School District, Ky.
2nd Springfield Public Schools, N.J.
3rd Jefferson City Schools, Ga.
4th Regional School Unit 21, Maine
5th Gooding Joint School District #231, Idaho
6th Mexico Academy and Central School District, N.Y.
7th Orange City Schools, Ohio
8th Chickamauga City School System, Ga.
9th Hanson School District 30-1, S.D.
10th Lindop District 92, Ill.

Go to the Center for Digital Education to view survey results.

Additionally, attend the webinar on Wednesday, April 24, 2013 at 2pm EDT to get more insight into survey results and hear from some of the innovative districts that participated in the 2012-2013 Digital School Districts Survey that will share how their district is utilizing technology to more effectively serve students, educators, and the community.

Alexis Rice|April 15th, 2013|Categories: Educational Technology, NSBA Annual Conference 2013, STEM Education, Technology Leadership Network|Tags: , |

Professor learns by labeling students ‘designers, artists, and writers’

When S. Craig Watkins, a professor of radio-television-film at the University of Texas at Austin, and his partners went into an Austin high school to help the students make an interactive iPad book in three weeks, they wanted to make changes based on the research they had done on how students learn best with technology.

Watkins told audience in a Sunday session at NSBA’s annual conference about how he and other researchers got the students, many from disadvantaged, non-English-speaking families, to create so quickly. “We flipped the environment, the norms and expectations,” said Watkins. “We called it a studio, not a classroom.”

Other changes they made: They created spaces where students could visualize their ideas. They didn’t call them students. “We called them designers, artists, and writers. They took on other learner roles.”

Another important aspect: They asked the students to consider each other resources, important sources of social capital.

The students decided to work on a book about student obesity, so they took a field trip to the local hospital to gather information and data and do interviews. “They met a community and made important connections,” said Watkins.

Watkins and the other researchers wanted learning to be hands-on. “We wanted kids to be makers, innovators, authors.” And they not only learned about the technical side, but also about the skills side. “We can’t get kids to do this if they can’t read,” he said.

The class was successful in getting the book done in three weeks, and Watkins showed some samples of the students’ work.

In putting this project together, he said, “We asked ourselves these questions:
• What skills do your kids need?
• What kind of dispositions do they need?
• What learning environments do they need?

Kathleen Vail|April 14th, 2013|Categories: Educational Technology, NSBA Annual Conference 2013, Uncategorized|

Board member, teacher promotes value of technology in schools

If you’re not connected, you’re disconnected. That was the message of Inman, Kan. school board member Kevin Honeycutt, who spoke at an Educational Technology luncheon at the 2013 NSBA Annual Conference.

Honeycutt, an Apple Distinguished Educator who teaches for a regional educational services entity, has more than 16,000 followers on Twitter and says he uses it as a tool to make himself a better board member.

When an issue comes up in a board meeting, Honeycutt might ask the Twittersphere for feedback. His laptop is projected on a wall so everyone can see his conversations and online polls.

Extending the idea that two heads are better than one, Honeycutt said his social media connections are his “macromind” and “the eduverse.”

In the classroom, technology has a unique role as a tool for caring educators to motivate hard-to-reach kids, he said. He told of a student of his who wore black fingernail polish and scribbled poems. He asked her: “Have you been published? Would you like to publish a book of poems this afternoon?”

He helped her sent 10 poems to lulu.com, a print on demand publisher. She set the price of her book at about $5, and Honeycutt bought it online. A few days later, he handed her the book and, he said, “she blossomed.”

She pored over the 10-page book. Then she said, “I spelled everything wrong.” Suddenly she was a kid who cared about spelling.

— Eric Randall

Erin Walsh|April 14th, 2013|Categories: Educational Technology, NSBA Annual Conference 2013|

Education Talk Radio previews NSBA’s 2013 Annual Conference

Kanisha Williams-Jones, Director of Leadership & Governance Services at the National School Boards Association (NSBA), was a guest today on Education Talk Radio providing a preview of NSBA’s 2013 Annual Conference. Thousands of school board members, administrators, and other educators will be coming to San Diego to take part in the April 13-15 event.

Listen to the broadcast:

Listen to internet radio with EduTalk on Blog Talk Radio

The conference will feature more than 200 sessions on timely education topics, including federal legislation and funding, managing schools with tight budgets, the legal implications of recent court cases, new research and best practices in school governance, and the Common Core State Standards. A series of sessions will focus on school safety and security.

Expanded education technology programming will include site visits to the University of San Diego and Qualcomm’s Mobile Learning Center to explore its research laboratory on mobile learning; Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography to examine the technology in science education and STEM; Encinitas Union School District to view its One-to-One Digital Learning Program; and the San Diego Zoo to learn about the cutting-edge learning tools used to teach at-risk students. U.S. Navy SEALs will show leadership and team building skills during another workshop.

The meeting also includes one of the largest K-12 educational expositions, with some 300 companies showcasing their innovative products and services for school districts.

General Session speakers include Academy Award winning speaker Geena Davis, who will be speaking about her work off-screen as founder of the non-profit Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media. Davis works with film and television creators to reduce gender stereotyping and increase the number of female characters in media targeted for children 11 and under. She will explain how media plays a key role in children’s development, and how her organization is making a difference.

Television star Neil deGrasse Tyson, one of the world’s most engaging and passionate science advocates, will headline Sunday’s General Session. From PBS to NASA to Presidential Commissions, organizations have depended on Tyson’s down-to-earth approach to astrophysics. He has been a frequent guest on “The Daily Show”, “The Colbert Report”, R”eal Time with Bill Maher”, and “Jeopardy!”. Tyson hopes to reach “all the people who never knew how much they’d love learning about space and science.”

Monday’s General Session features acclaimed researcher and author Diane Ravitch, who has become one of the most passionate voices for public schools. Her most recent book, The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice Are Undermining Education, makes the case that public education today is in peril and offers a clear prescription for improving public schools.

Learn more about the common core standards, new research on differentiated learning styles, and teaching “unteachable” children at the Focus On lecture series. Learn about new technologies for your classrooms as part of the Technology + Learning programs.

It’s not too late to register, visit the Annual Conference website for  more information.

NSBA’s Technology Leadership Network announces 2013 class of “20 to Watch”

The National School Boards Association’s (NSBA) Technology Leadership Network (TLN) has named its “20 to Watch” honors for 2012-2013. These education leaders from across the country are being recognized for their ability to inspire colleagues to incorporate innovative technology solutions that contribute to high-quality learning environments and more efficient school district operations.

“The ’20 to Watch’ honorees offer school board members and other leaders real-world stories that help them evaluate the intersection of policy and practice when it comes to today’s emerging technologies,” said Ann Flynn, NSBA’s Director of Educational Technology. “These early adopters are naturally curious about technology’s potential to help transform learning and exhibit traits that inspire and motivate their colleagues to join them on the journey. Their voices and experience will inform local, district, and state approaches to education technology decisions for years to come.”

NSBA established the “20 to Watch” program in 2006. This year’s honorees will be recognized at 2013 Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) Conference on March 11th in San Diego and also at TLN-hosted luncheon at NSBA’s 2013 Annual Conference, also in San Diego, this April. TechSmith Corporation is sponsoring the “20 to Watch” celebration events and is providing software scholarships to the honorees.

The 2012-2013 honorees are (listed by state/territory):

Arizona:
Andrew Chlup, Director of Technology, Vail Unified School District, Ariz.
As the primary architect behind the Beyond Textbooks initiative, Andrew Chlup is among the national leaders transitioning from print to digital resources. New projects that can improve education include helping the community’s homeschooled students participate through blended learning, delving deep into the district’s Big Data, and finding other “cool stuff,” according to his superintendent.

Illinois:
Keith Bockwoldt, Director of Technology Services, Township High School District 214, Ill.
Collaborator and visionary are two terms used to describe Keith Bockwoldt’s leadership style, which has saved his district more than $120,000 annually by moving to the cloud. He also has successfully shown the district’s senior leaders how technology can transform learning, and he has established systems that support and inspire teachers to embrace iPads and “flipped” classes.

Indiana:
Ann Linson, Superintendent, East Noble School Corporation, Ind.
As an innovative technology leader, Superintendent Ann Linson has inspired her teachers to abandon textbooks, flip classes, and embrace the district’s 1:1 learning initiatives by providing professional development through building-level peer coaches. She is leading an online course pilot for current students and the homeschooled students in her community.

Theresa Shafer, Online Community Manager, New Tech Network, Ind.
From starting weekly international Twitter chats about project-based learning (#PBLChat) to using Pinterest boards for education, Theresa Shafer casts an ever-expanding net to willingly share what she knows about social media with colleagues and community members. Helping students think about the kind of digital footprint they are creating and how it might impact the future they desire has been a special focus.

Kansas:
Kelly Williams, Teacher, USD 115 Nemaha Central Schools, Nemaha Valley High School, Kan.
Kelly Williams’ blog has been an invaluable resource that has helped teachers understand that changing instruction from teacher-centered to student-centered is a complicated, but worthwhile, process. In his blog, he has discussed strategies to use technology, from iPads and social media to cloud-based tools and flipped classes.

Kentucky:
Ed Bonhaus, Technology Integration Specialist, Kenton County School District, Ky.
Ed Bonhaus provided critical firsthand knowledge about technology in Kentucky’s Race to the Top grant process. But he didn’t stop there—he is now providing online professional development and working on the first flipped classroom for the Kentucky iTunes campus. And inspired by what he saw during NSBA’s site visit to the Clark County (Nev.) School District in 2012, he is pursuing a vision to transform a low performing elementary school with minimal technology into a 21st century school.

Missouri:
Dr. Robert Dillon, Principal, Maplewood Richmond Heights School District, Maplewood Richmond Heights Middle School, Mo.
Robert Dillon, “story-teller-in-chief,” provides a constant flow of information to parents and community members about the positive work of students in his school’s 7-year-old 1:1 program, where they engage and document authentic learning by bringing technology to the field, and using social media and digital story telling as teaching tools. His work with teachers to create electronic portfolios also provides a platform for deep reflection by students.

Nevada:
Jhone M. Ebert, Chief Technology Officer, Clark County School District, Nev.
Jhone Ebert embodies the essential skill set for a Chief Technology Officer, as she recognizes her primary role is to evaluate and implement technology solutions that further advance student achievement. In Clark County, the nation’s 5th largest school district, that includes supporting a robust infrastructure and a virtual school, introducing a more effective web presence, and leading the move toward competency-based education and blended learning.

New Jersey:
Jeanine Gottko, Master Technology Teacher, Westfield Public Schools, N.J.
The 21st century learning environments thrive at Westfield’s elementary schools, as Jeanine Gottko supports teachers in and out of their classes, in professional development sessions, and through her online resource blog as part of a $1.2 million technology initiative. By ensuring technology was effectively incorporated into the district’s other grant on literacy, her work serves as a model for others.

Kenneth Zushma, Technology, Design and Pre-Engineering Teacher, Livingston Public Schools, Heritage Middle School, N.J.
Although gender equity remains a concern for most STEM initiatives, Kenneth Zushma’s female engineering club, FemGineers, is inspiring a new generation of middle school girls to get involved and is boosting their confidence and achievement. The club participates in competitions like the National Engineers Week Future City Design Challenge that uses SimCity software, analysis and scale models to create a solution for an engineering problem.

New York:
Jenny M. Buccos, Executive Director & Founder, ProjectExplorer.org, N.Y.

Since 2006, ProjectExplorer.org founder Jenny Buccos has provided free resources through technology that encourage students to become aware of the world beyond their own communities by using video, photography, vocabulary, and lesson plans. After directing and producing more than 400 of these short films, her international work has been described as a “positive voice in a sea of global misunderstanding,” and is used across the United States and in more than 40 countries.

Jayne Clare, Special Education Teacher, Southampton Union Free School District, Southampton Intermediate School, N.Y.
Jayne Clare’s room was once described as “magical” by a colleague who observed students with multiple learning problems effortlessly navigating technology she had tailored to their needs. With time, that expertise blossomed into support for district technology initiatives, including iPad integration for grades 6-8, and the creation of her influential Teachers With Apps site.

North Carolina:
Jayme Linton, Director of Teacher Education, Lenoir-Rhyne University, N.C.

Building on years of practical experience in K-12 settings, Jayme Linton is training a new generation of teachers to effectively integrate technology into their classrooms and assume leadership roles with their peers. Her influence extends beyond her students as she shares and learns from others in her Personal Learning Network and works with in-service teachers in local schools and districts.

Ohio:
Jeremy Shorr, Educational Technologist, Mentor Public Schools, Ohio
Jeremy Shorr knows how to match the latest and most effective technology tools to the research-based Common Core resources and strategies to meet students’ and teachers’ instructional needs. Currently, Jeremy is working to deploy a district-wide 1:1 initiative as well as a building-wide blended learning environment at the middle school level.

Pennsylvania:
Dr. L. Robert Furman, Principal, South Park School District, South Park Elementary Center, Pa.
World Future Society member, author, and principal L. Robert Furman believes technology should be embraced as a standard educational practice. He leads by example, presenting the latest technological tools to inspire his teachers, engage his parents, and enrich learning each day for his students. He shares his ideas, both virtually and in person, with audiences across the country.

Thomas Stauffer, Director of Technology Services, Dallastown Area School District, Pa.
Students can have an entirely online educational experience, thanks to Thomas Stauffer’s work to develop the district’s virtual academy, or they can elect various blended courses that may better meet their needs. He has been instrumental in developing technology applications for administrators to use in their walk-through observations as the state moves towards a new teacher evaluation system.

South Carolina:
Dr. Christopher Craft, Teacher, School District Five of Lexington and Richland Counties, CrossRoads Middle School, S.C.
In Christopher Craft’s innovative middle school STEM program, students work on cutting-edge technologies such as building functioning hydrogen fuel cell model cars, app development for smart phones, and video game creation. His after-school program encourages at-risk students to explore robotics and reflects his belief that when children are provided with the appropriate technological tools, their potential is unlimited.

Texas:
Stephanie Green, Assistant Director Educational Technology/Director Library Services, Klein Independent School District, Texas

Stephanie Green has been instrumental to the district’s 1:1 tablet PC program serving more than 12,000 students and 700 teachers to make digital learning the norm. Her role takes on even greater significance as she shares that experience with state legislators through the Texas Capitol School House project. She has also led the transformation of the district’s libraries into 21st century learning and support centers.

Todd Nesloney, Fifth Grade Teacher, Waller Independent School District, Fields Store Elementary, Texas
While lots of teachers are “flipping” their classes, few have been as successful as Todd Nesloney’s effort. He earned a $100,000 grant that provided fifth grade students on his campus (where 66 percent of the students are on free and reduced lunch) and others in the district with an iPhone 4, pre-loaded Verizon data plan and internet access at home. A founding partner in the training company, The 3 Tech Ninjas, Todd is committed to sharing his experience with other educators.

Wyoming:
London Jenks, Science Teacher/Director of Technology, Hot Springs County School District 1, Thermopolis High School, Wyo.

Project-based learning, a paperless classroom and the effective integration of iPads into instruction are typical features of London Jenks’ science classes. But they also are among the ideas he shares with district colleagues in his role as Director of Technology, where he works with other educators to increase student engagement and academic rigor through the use of technology.

Since 1987, TLN has served local district leadership teams that establish policy and implement technology decisions to enhance teaching and learning, administrative operations, and community outreach.

 

Joetta Sack-Min|March 4th, 2013|Categories: 21st Century Skills, Educational Technology, Social Networking, Teachers, Technology Leadership Network|Tags: , , , |

Education Talk Radio features NSBA on edtech innovations

Ann Flynn, Director of Education Technology at the National School Boards Association (NSBA) and Mark Ray, Manager of Instructional Technology and Library Services for Washington’s Vancouver Public Schools, were guests on Education Talk Radio. They discussed the impact of new and innovative education technology on K-12 education.

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Vancouver Public Schools, which will host one of NSBA’s 2013 Technology Leadership Network Education Technology Site Visits, discussed the upcoming event on this show. These site visits demonstrate best practices and newest tools to help improve student learning through technology are one of the best ways to see firsthand the best ways to use technology in classrooms. Education Technology Site Visits are also scheduled for Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Township High School District #214 in Illinois, and East Penn School District in Pennsylvania this spring.

The show also discussed NSBA’s first Technology Innovation Showcase, which will help school board members and school districts realize the potential of new and innovative educational technology products for their schools.

 

Alexis Rice|February 20th, 2013|Categories: Educational Technology, STEM Education, Teachers, Technology Leadership Network|Tags: , |

February ASBJ online now with features on technology, school board success

More and more people are using tablets and other handheld devices in their daily lives, so it’s not surprising that their use has spread into the classroom, as well. The February issue of American School Board Journal is online now, and our cover story on the Tablet Revolution gives examples of how districts are using the devices and how school boards are justifying the investment in the technology.

Also in February is the next in our series of school board success stories. This month’s Agents of Change features an Indiana school board that worked to overcome superintendent churn and siloed departments to become a top-rated system.

While you’re visting ASBJ.com, you can take our Adviser poll, like us on Facebook, and check out our topical anthologies, open to ASBJ subscribers.

Kathleen Vail|February 6th, 2013|Categories: American School Board Journal, Board governance, Educational Technology|Tags: |

NSBA gives ideas for school boards to honor Digital Learning Day

What is your school district doing to celebrate Digital Learning Day on February 6?

The National School Boards Association (NSBA) is a core partner in the event, which is designed to help showcase learning through technology, including successful instructional practices and effective use of technology in classrooms across the country.

“Digital Learning Day is an excellent opportunity for educators to organize student demonstrations for school board members and other community leaders so they can see how technology is used to support learning,” said NSBA’s Director of Educational Technology Ann Flynn. “Many of today’s 21st century classrooms are filled with digital tools that can engage and excite students, but may seem foreign to graduates of another era,” she added.

Even though the event is geared toward teachers and classroom instruction, there are several ways school board members can take advantage of the time to highlight their schools’ programs, Flynn said.

For instance, consider an open house invitation for the community and government leaders to see how digital tools are transforming education in classrooms firsthand. Or, have teachers and students give demonstrations of their projects at a school board meeting. Last year, several school boards across the country marked the day by hosting student presentations at their board meetings.

A school board also could issue its own proclamation in celebration of Digital Learning Day, Flynn added, to call attention to the important role these resources play in preparing students for the future and educate the community to build support for the district’s future technology initiatives.

Digital Learning Day, now in its second year, is a project of the Digital Learning Policy Center, a division of the Alliance for Excellent Education, which promotes the effective applications of technology in schools.

Also be sure to check out Flynn’s recent appearance on Comcast Newsmakers, where she discusses the potential of educational technology and student learning.

 

 

Joetta Sack-Min|January 23rd, 2013|Categories: 21st Century Skills, Board governance, Educational Technology, Online learning, Teachers, Technology Leadership Network|Tags: , , , , |

NSBA touts benefits of educational technologies on Comcast show

Ann Flynn, Director of Educational Technology at the National School Boards Association, is currently appearing on a Comcast Newsmakers segment on HLN across the country for Comcast subscribers. Flynn discusses ways school districts can use educational technology to improve student learning. Watch the segment:

 

Joetta Sack-Min|January 22nd, 2013|Categories: 21st Century Skills, Assessment, Board governance, Data Driven Decision Making, Educational Technology, Multimedia and Webinars, Online learning, Social Networking, Technology Leadership Network|Tags: , , , |
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