The first thing that we did was to form a committee, which consisted of teachers from each building, parents, and Board of Education members. The committee began meeting once a month and continues to meet. The committee is teacher-driven. Teachers decide what technology learning will look like in our district, what devices we will pilot and use, how we are going to measure success and how and when we will implement the technology.
The committee began by studying 21st Century learning skills and how these skills could be incorporated into our integrated curriculum units. Once we began writing the units of study, using the backward design process, then we began to discuss the resources that we would use to teach the curriculum. Naturally, technology began to fit nicely into the learning plan and into our discussions. Not just the technology device, but the idea of blogging, using social media, creating digital portfolios, etc.
Before purchasing any devices for our students or teachers, we piloted many devices throughout the 11-12 school year (tablets, netbooks, document cameras, student response systems, etc.). In the spring of that year, we decided to purchase iPads for our 2nd grade students to use the following school year. It wasn't until the 2012-13 school year that we piloted Chromebooks. After a 5 month pilot with the Chromebooks at 5th grade, we made the decision to go 1:1 with iPads 1st-3rd and Chromebooks 5th & 7th for this school year. The committee will continue to monitor this implementation and then make a decision on the devices that we will purchase for the remainder of the grade levels.
Another aspect of this implementation is Google Apps for Education (GAFE). We began using GAFE last school year. The transition has been smooth for teachers and students. We are excited that students are able to share, collaborate, and create as a natural part of the learning process. Our students do take their devices home so this learning can continue after the school day ends. It is taking some time for some teachers to shift and transition to providing feedback through Google Drive, rather than providing feedback on a hard copy document. Students can print but not from the Chromebook. If there is a rare need to print, then they will do so from a PC connected computer.
To organize learning, our 5th grade pilot used Edmodo to collaborate and connect as a class. Edmodo is a free learning platform where teachers and students can post multi-media, communicate through online discussions, and where the teacher can post assessments and grade them. Parents can be assigned a special password code so that they can view the learning. As reported by our 5th grade pilot teacher, GAFE and Edmodo can work seamlessly together.
We have been extremely pleased with the integration of technology. Many teachers have commented how thankful they are to be working in a district where the Board of Education and administrators support not only the use of technology but the extensive professional development that is offered. For the past several years, the district has supported peer to peer learning during and after school and summer teacher academies. In addition, some teachers have attended technology conferences outside of the school district. It has been wonderful to watch the staff take risks, learn and share. The Board of Education also supports the employment of 5 instructional coaches that work with teachers to plan, model and discuss lessons.
The students LOVE using the technology to learn and have taken to it easily. Even though some of our students may have technology at home, many of the things that they are doing and learning at school are different. Students are learning how to create podcasts and videos, write and respond on blogs, use video conferencing and social media in an appropriate way. In some instances, parents are learning alongside their child and have been just as excited and thankful for the integration of technology into our curriculum.
Last year with the implementation of the iPads at 2nd grade and our pilot at 5th grade, we did notice an increase with students wanting to read and learn using the technology. At 2nd grade, some parents reported that their child would spend hours at home reading ebooks, playing learning games or researching topics of interest on the iPad. We also saw a significant increase in scores at 2nd grade on district assessments. At 5th grade, the students showed the same increase with interest level in learning using the technology.
As a district with the shift to using 1:1 technology, we experienced positive feedback overall from students, teachers, and parents. Teachers are enjoying creating new instructional lessons using the technology and students act as if the technology has been part of their learning forever.
In conclusion, part of our curricular goals for the future is to find ways to incorporate more inquiry and problem-based learning into daily instruction. With this being said, the technology will be a natural part of this process. Technology will not be "an event" but will be used as needed by students to accomplish their learning goals.