Taking the Lead with Laptops! Northside ISD Wireless 1:1 Initiative

1. Taking the Lead with Laptops!Northside ISD Wireless 1:1 Initiative Sharing District and Campus Perspectives: Kelly Smith, Joyce Stevens, and Geri Berger

2. Presentation Overview Leading with Laptops: Overview • District Vision, Budgetary and • Technical Planning & Implementation • Kelly Smith, Assistant Superintendent • for Technology Services 2. Pedagogical Considerations, Curricular, Educator & Student Preparation Joyce Stevens, Director of Academic Technology Services 3. Administrative Considerations and Campus Planning & Management Issues Geri Berger, Principal of Business Careers HS

3. District Vision • Overarching Priority • Building Tomorrow’s Business Leaders… TODAY… at Business Careers High School!! • Making Business Careers High School the premier business magnet in the nation! • Winning Combination • Innovative Courses Business Leadership, E-Commerce, Oracle, Business Ethics, Gaming Development • Wireless Computing& Technology Immersion Providing tools and resources for superior teaching and learning

4. District Vision Focus on Five Primary Goals • Improving student academic achievement through appropriate use of technology • Increasing the marketability and academic competitiveness of BCHS students by preparing them more effectively for today’s technology-driven workplaces and universities • Increasing equity of access to technology and digital resources by BCHS students, thereby reducing the digital divide • Improving the quality of student-centered, differentiated instruction at BCHS • Utilizing technology to assist BCHS in becoming the premier business magnet school in the nation

5. Technical Planning & Implementation Hardware Considerations • Laptop for every student and educator, beginning August 2006 • 4-year warranty • Backpack-type carrying case • Integrated wireless network card • Extra battery and AC adaptor • Networked printer & mounted digital projector in every BCHS classroom • Supplemental laptops carts in six classrooms to support Holmes HS students in “mixed” classes

6. Technical Planning & Implementation • Software Considerations • Productivity Software (e.g., Microsoft Office Suite) • Creativity Software (e.g., Adobe Suite) • Content-Specific (e.g., electronic textbooks and ancillary textbook software, SAT preparation, social studies simulations, accounting package, etc.) • Reference/Resource (e.g., reference materials, eBooks, etc.) • Utilities (filtering, virus protection, desktop management, laptop tracking, TestNav, etc.)

7. Technical Planning & Implementation • Wireless ConnectivityThroughout • Entire BCHS primary facility (Building H) • Large Group Instruction room in Building I • Library • Designated classrooms in Building D for BCHS • Designated outdoor areas where BCHS students congregate • Cafeteria • Teacher workrooms and administrative suite

8. Technical Planning & Implementation Technical Support & Staffing • Technology Service Center onsite • One technician to provide onsite technical assistance, service, and repair • Part-time Campus Instructional Technologist onsite to assist teachers • Part-time Campus Applications Technologist to assist administrators • Central Office technology professionals to assist with curriculum writing, teacher training • Two multi-battery charging stations (library & service center)

9. Superintendent and Board of Trustees approved initial and sustainable funding Fund 199: General M&O Fund Fund 167: State funded portion of our CATE program Grants form business partners Funding will accommodate a continuous pattern of growth, with enrollment at BCHS reaching 750-800 students in 2009-10 92-139 new laptops purchased every year; existing laptops “recycled” into the program; laptops that are 4 years old will be replaced Laptop Initiative Funding

10. Laptop Initiative Budget Approximately $500,000 allocated annually for subsequent years

11. Pedagogical Considerations According to ISTE’s recent publication, 1-to-1 Learning: Laptop Programs that Work, there are considerable benefits of ubiquitous computing for students, teachers, and campuses. This publication summarizes pertinent findings from recent studies and also shares “lessons learned” and insights gleaned by those who have pioneered laptop initiatives. Let’s glance at these benefits!

12. 1-1 Benefits for Students • Helps students improve their technology and information processing skills, preparing students for higher education and jobs in the technology-driven global economy • Provides crucial support for constructivist instructional practices and motivates students to become self-directed learners • Helps students stay organized and on track with their schoolwork

13. The Osage Orange Tree Here is a sample of a student utilizing Inspiration 8 in a literary project, thinking about and communicating: • Main Characters • Plot Sequence • Theme • Conflict • Favorite Quote • Click Icon to View

14. 1:1 Benefits for Teachers • Can help teachers become more adept and confident in using education technology for planning, teaching, and communication • Can provide teachers with ready access to a whole world of curricular resources that encourage and support the development of richer lessons • Can help teachers communicate more frequently and effectively with students, parents, and colleagues BCHS Teacher Feedback 

15. 1:1 Benefits for Campuses • Can improve both student attendance and school enrollment (Maine, Florida & New Jersey studies report improved student attendance, likely due to increased student engagement.) • Can improve student performance in all curricular areas (Improved GPA, end-of-course grades, and standardized testing, and greater length and higher quality of writing) • Improves the home-to-school connection (Reports especially note an increased completion rate for homework – resources always with the student.)

16. Curricular Preparation • Principal Geri Bergerset aside time in the first three weeks of June for small curriculum writing teams to revamp their curriculum in preparation for the 1:1 initiative. These working groups included: • English 1 & 2 – Teachers and a Campus Instructional Technologist • World History & World Geography – Teachers and a Campus Instructional Technologist • Business (Multimedia, Ethics/Management, Business Leadership,E-Commerce/Business Communication, BCIS – Teachers and an Academic Technology Coordinator

17. Educator Preparation • Prior to the curricular writing efforts, we felt it was important to have professional development that would point towards best practices in curricular planning and online resources. In the spring, a half-day session was planned for all teachers that covered: • TIPPA (Technology Integration Project Planning and Assessment) – a District model that covers MI, Learning Styles, HOTS, rubrics, etc. • Online Databases, e-Books and other Library Resources • KLRN Videostreaming training – capability of searching for media files by TEKS objectives Text Text Text

18. Educator Preparation • After the curricular writing efforts, a 4-day Wireless Retreat was held for all BCHS faculty members. The following components were covered: • Day 1 – “Organization, Communication, and Destinations”Welcome and Laptop Receipt, Care and Use of Laptops, One Note with Video Tutorials, Gaggle Communications, and Google Earth • Day 2 – “Dynamic Desktop Design: Cool New Tools!”Adobe Illustrator CS and Adobe Photoshop CS Graphics/Photo Manipulation • Day 3 – “Constructivism in the Media-Rich Classroom”Successful Strategies for 1-to-1 Classrooms & Collaborative Research Strategies, Project Based Discovery/Presentations by Teachers, to include Wikis, Brief Student Storage Demo • Day 4 – “Dazzling Web Design and Development”Dreamweaver –Web Site Design and Development, concluding with Teacher & Tech Services Q&A – instructional & technical exchange – face to face, and Moodle-facilitated dialogue Text Text Text ext

19. Educator Preparation • Follow-up professional development has been planned throughout the school year in the form of periodic half-day pullouts, with presentations by Academic/Training & Development in Technology Services: • September – TIPPA Review & use of Inspiration for planning an integrated lesson linked to TEKS, enhanced with MI/Learning Styles, HOTS, with assessments embedded • October – Use Inspiration to plan a TEKS-focused lesson, and use UnitedStreaming and PhotoStory to develop a sample student product • November – MI Surveys and Instructional Grouping, PowerPoint to PhotoStory Integrations, Group Project with Illustrator – Design Pro Sports Team Flyer and Create Marketing Strategy • February – Community of Learners, Differentiated Instruction, Tiered Assignments, with an April staff development planned, as well This model was also augmented with frequent visits from Academic Technology sharing integration ideas and suggestions and forums, along with a personal visit by NISDSuperintendent, Dr. John Folks, to obtain teacher feedback. Text Text Text ext

20. Student Preparation Beyond the Parent/Student Open House Sessions, we also held 2-hour sessions just prior to the beginning of the school year for Student Orientation, covering the following topics: • Student checkout of laptop and case • Laptop Policy FAQs from Principal Geri Berger • Setting up Laptop User Account • Tips and Tricks on: four ways to save battery life, use of storage devices such as Flash drives, how to connect to wireless networks at home and in community destinations, burning CDs • General Care and Use of the Laptop Additionally, anecdotal student interviews were obtained – along with a personal visit by Dr. John Folks to obtain their feedback. Text Text Text ext

21. Administrative Issues - Teachers • Discuss requirements and expectations with teachers early – allow them the opportunity to transfer elsewhere if vision isn’t shared • Budget and schedule for ongoing and frequent staff development sessions – provide substitute teachers for pullouts • Assess teachers’ needs frequently – establish a forum for them to send in concerns, problems or victories for administrators’ awareness

22. Teacher Observations - Advantages • Online research available at your fingertips • Electronic submissions of student work • NetStorage secure student folders and Gaggle monitored e-mail • Incorporation of interactive websites into instruction • Enabling of student creativity • Writing process – time is cut in half as students save drafts, and correct as they go!! • Communication capabilities with both students and parents via e-mail and Teacher Web pages

23. Teacher Observations - Challenges • Changing past practices of classroom management • Learning about all of the laptop’s tools • Managing/monitoring student e-mail accounts • Dealing with students who forget their laptops

24. Teacher Observations - Suggestions • Teach what we always teach, but utilize the laptop as another tool • Don’t be afraid to let the kids teach us a thing or two! • Realize additional resources are now available • Overall – “We wouldn’t want to go back to the old way of teaching; we love the laptops!!”

25. Administrative Issues - Students • Outline student expectations and consequences regarding laptop use • Over-plan for handling laptops in: a) Gym, Swimming, Cheer (special over-sized lockers), b) Cafeteria, c) Fire Drills • Monitor Internet sites – Bi-weekly reports on inappropriate sites and proxy avoidance • Clarify consequences – theft of laptop, damage to laptop • Follow through on consequences • Continue to assess students’ needs

26. Administrative Lessons Learned • Have an administrator walk a typical student’s schedule with laptop, books and backpack before initiative begins • Create a student/teacher/parent forum to answer questions and celebrate successes throughout project • Work collaboratively with Tech Services; Bi-weekly meetings are essential • Monitor and adjust – the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages!!