Broadband Preparedness

1. Broadband Preparedness Amy McLaughlin and Carla Wade, Oregon Department of Education Odyssey 2013

2. Today’s Student – A Case Study • First PC – 2 years old • Learn to read at 5 so he could get a World of Warcraft account • Learned to text 4 years before learning how to make a phone call • Doesn’t understand why the is no WiFi in the car • Researches answers to anything on YouTube, Google, etc. What’s a card catalog? • Created own blog site at 11 • Reads BBC news online because that’s his home page • Doesn’t watch TV – Netflix, YouTube, seeks own content & hates commercials

3. Today’s Student – Continued.. • Creates own video game walkthroughs • Loves free form games like Minecraft & Terraria • Has never had a LAN line home phone number. Got his own cell phone at 8. • Will watch videos, read book, listen to music and play games all at the same time. • School is boring • Worksheets are boring • Why do I need to do this? Need a real world reason to spend the time. • “You’re wasting my time.” I want to do something matters to the larger community. Hip to be Square

4. This raises a few questions… • How do we prepare schools for kids arriving with these skill sets? • How do we keep school relevant and engaging? • How do we create learning opportunities for self-directed learners? • How do we equitably provide those opportunities for a diverse student population?

5. The Traditional Classroom

6. Group Think How does the learning environment look today? How do you want it to look tomorrow?

7. The Digital Learning Environment

8. Changing Education Landscape • Collaborative learning, research & access to experts • Online classrooms • Cloud applications – Google Apps, ARC GIS, etc. • Digital content • Digital textbooks • Classroom exchanges • Online lesson plans • Data to the teacher’s desk top • Teacher development • State Educational Technology Standards • OAKS Online • SMARTER Balanced Assessment • VOIP • Future… • Student Information Systems • State Reporting • Parent Portal • HVAC Systems • Lunchroom Management • School Security Systems

9. Current Challenge 1 – Bandwidth Availability Bandwidth available to schools is inadequate to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow in education. Available bandwidth in many areas – DSL, aggregated T1 lines, 10 Mbps, etc. Or not available at all Needed bandwidth – SETDA recommends minimum of 100 Mbps per 100 students

10. Oregon School Broadband Availability(Dots <10 Mbps or less)

11. Minimum 100 Mbps per 100 Students • This level of access must be at the school’s connection to the Internet • High speed access outside of the I-5 corridor and major metropolitan areas Caution: Need 100 Mbps per 100 Students for student usage. Does not include school operations needs. * SETDA – “The Broadband Imperative” at www.setda.org

12. Gridlock at point of egress • Many schools/districts have 100MB to 1GB internal network – connection to Internet becomes a gridlock for access with connectivity as low as 10 Mbps or 2-3 T1 aggregated data lines Low volume internet connection High Speed School Network Infrastructure – Up to 10 Gig

13. Connectivity Needs Today • Eliminate gridlock. • 100 Mbps minimum from desktop through the Internet connection Robust internet connection High Speed School Network Infrastructure – Up to 10 Gig

14. Challenge of Setting a Minimum Standard • This number doesn’t always scale well. • Scales up well, but not down. • Example- 30Mbps may not be adequate for 30 students • Must include administrative support, data systems, and student information systems • Must include instructional support and use • Must include school operations

15. Group Think • How is your district doing? • What challenges are you facing with increasing connectivity needs? • What creative solutions could you share?

16. Current Challenge 2 – Personalized Learning • Differentiated instruction • Adaptive learning tools and resources • Just in time learning • Accelerated learning • Self-directed, student interest based learning • Collaboration, creativity that spans the globe • Real world education, not just exercises

17. This Generation… • Research-based methods • Relevance • Rationale • Relaxed • Rapport http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-and-learning/the-five-rs-of-engaging-millennial-students/

18. Digital Learning Trends • Mobile learning • Students are using mobile devices to access the Internet to research information, play skill building games, read e-text, record and listen to their own work. • Collaborative workspaces • Students are using blogs, wikis, Google docs and other resources do collaborate with their peers, parents, and communities to create, problem-solve, and share their products.

19. Trends (continued) • Cloud computing • Students are collaborating, editing, creating, and sharing resources through cloud applications such as VoiceThread, Animoto, Cosketch, Voki, Tagxedo, Yodio, Zoho, Corkboard, and Google Apps. • Digital Content and E-Textbooks • Many districts have provided digital content and access to eBooks allowing students access to content that is aligned to standards, specific to the child's academic needs, provides students with activities that are fun and engaging.

20. Current Challenge 3- The Digital Divide • Urban – Rural • I-5 Corridor – Rest of State starting 20 miles off I-5 Corridor • Cost of service • Equipment refresh plans & funding • Disparate technology experience and professional development of teachers

21. Equity Issue – BYOD & Home Access • Diverse student experience – some are uber- connected and some have little to no access to technology • Diverse parent technical experience and connectivity • Communities and homes with little to no access

22. Group Think • What is the impact of BYOD on students? • What will it take to make BYOD successful in your schools? • How do you think BYOD affects student equity? • What policies or should you have in place to successfully manage BYOD implementation? • What creative solutions are there for BYOD and student equity in your school?

23. Current Challenge 4 - Costs Remain High for Schools and Continue to Climb • Costs are inconsistent across the state • Costs are higher in rural areas • Need is higher in rural areas • Hardware ages and has to be refreshed $

24. What Are The Solutions? • Your ideas? • What’s working? • In the learning environment • Across schools & districts • How do we do more of it? • What do we need to think differently about?

25. Opportunity – Extension of Education Outside of the School Building • Access to content, information and experts around the world • Internet to the school bus for students with long commutes • Internet access into homes • Extending learning to 24x7and integrating learning into the way we live • Creating life long learners

26. Opportunity –Improve Community Access to Internet Through Schools • Community access to online learning, job opportunities, higher education, certification programs, continuing education. • Improved community support of schools • Emergency response centers with communications hubs Fall City High School/Community Library

27. What We Have • EdConnect & Oregon Broadband Commission • State Technology Plan in development • Showcase classrooms and schools • Awareness that is building • Conversations and connections between initiatives

28. What we see coming… • EdConnect – www.ed.gov/EdConnect • Bandwidth to support teaching and learning, not just to accommodate testing • Greater student access to higher education classes • Competitive and educated distributed work force prepared to work in a mobile environment

29. What We Need – Solutions that Bring Equity In : • Cost – standard, reasonable pricing for schools & districts regardless of location • Speed and service available • Access to digital devices • Access to digital content • Teachers that are providing students with opportunities to use technology for learning

30. Contact Information Amy McLaughlin amy.mclaughlin@state.or.us Carla Wade carla.wade@state.or.us