Dr. Burke visit to Mill Creek Middle School: Kent, WA

1-to-1 LAPTOP INITIATIVE

Mill Creek Middle School
Kent, WA
On-site visit by Dr. Michael Burke

1. District Demographics
   
   • 770 students from poor and lower middles class, 65% on free and reduced lunch
     
   • Classrooms all have:
     
   • Smartboard
     
   • LCD projectors
     
   • Color & B/W printers.
     
   • Document camera
     
   • Each room has a wireless hub.
     
   • All students have e-mail.
     
   • District has 26,000 students
     
     • 2,200 staff
       
     • 4 high schools
       
     • 6 middle schools
     
     
   • Most classes only had 20 students
   
   
   
2. Hardware/Software:
   
   • CISCO switches and wireless equipment and hubs
     
   • HP low end laptops
     
   • Purchased computers
     
   • Use Moodle for MLS
     
   • Bought extended battery (6 hrs.)
     
   • Private fiber between schools
     
     
   • For more information: www.kent.k12.wa.us/ksd/it/one2one
   
   
   
3. Teacher Interviews
   
   • 8th grade science teacher
     
   • Easier to differentiate
     
   • Student in her class have had 1 year experience, no problem using them as tool
     
   • She can do more with laptops as tool, more access to resources.
     
   • Students were using spreadsheet for lesson.
     
   • She received training and laptop 3 months before students.
     
   • They have classroom set of textbooks for reference.
     
   • Quality and quantity of student work has improved.
     
   • Biggest change is the paradigm shift to student centered learning.
   
   
   
4. Other Teacher Comments
   
   • Student productivity has increased substantially.
     
   • Teacher said he gets 3-5 emails at night from students with questions.
     
   • Could not live without SMART board (note: SMART school)
     
   • Never enough time for staff development and sharing ideas.
     
   • Students have been an excellent resource in learning how to maximize use of software.
   
   
   
5. Student Interviews
   
   • Students can loose access to laptop for 3 days for code of ethics violation plus detention.
     
   • Most students have access to internet at home. District worked with Qwest for students on free and reduced lunch
     
   • They are responsible for making sure they charge their battery every night.
     
   • Students are responsible for their own computers.
     
   • If they run out of power they have to use paper and pencil. They’ve learned how to manage 6 hr. of battery life.
     
   • Cell phones are to be kept in locker.
     
   • Student felt they were more organized, less paperwork
     
   • Felt their quality of work had increased
     
   • They liked Moodle lessons. They can go back and see teacher’s comments and make changes electronically.
     
   • Students signed up for academy because they liked the idea of using technology.
     
   • They felt some teachers need more training.
   
   
   
6. 8th Grade Humanities Class
   
   • Still had to turn in some reports on paper.
     
   • Working on book report as a collaborative effort, using word processing to compose report.
   
   
   
7. Technology Academy
   
   • Started 3 years ago with 90, 7th graders.
     
   • Selection by application and lottery
     
   • Second year the pilot expanded to 90, 8th graders.
     
   • This year all 7th graders have laptops.
   
   
   
8. Administrator’s Comments
   
   • More kids passed state science test last year than the year before, when they didn’t have a 1-to-1 program.
     
   • Kids are scoring better than state on average on language arts and writing test.
     
   • Bond, 5 million/year for 4 years to implement district wide.
     
   • They have instructional coaches who model lessons and provide support.
     
   • Barbara Grohe, Superintendent, is the chief proponent of 1-to-1 laptop program.
     
   • First thing they did was to write a 10 year tech plan with vision, revisions are made every year.
     
   • Start small and grow
     
   • Set a target where they want to be.
     
   • Used book “Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works”, as a guide.
     
   • Worked hard to make sure process, procedures and structure is in place.
     
   • Infrastructure Breakout
     
   • Very few laptops (2 or 3 were lost) in the last 3 years – use Low Jack monitoring software.
     
   • $70/computers for 5 years.
     
   • District owns machines. Hot Swap is available if their laptop dies during the day.
     
   • Students have to call help desk for support. If it can’t be fixed over the phone they take it to be exchanged for repair.
     
   • Took 5 years for wireless network to stabilize.
     
   • All information is stored on district files
     
   • Support system is pro-active in monitoring network use and health.
     
   • Centralized software deployment
     
   • Customer support center at school, students provide tech support.
     
   • Unrestricted network storage
     
   • Very large network data center 5,000 sq. ft. and 64 racks
     
   • Use SSL VPN for access from home, F5 is the vendor. $75,000. for 2,000 concurrent remote users.
     
   • Virtual Application Deployment System
     
   • 6 LCD projectors on carts in case ceiling mounted LCD’s burn out
     
   • Lightspeed for filtering software.
     
   • 10 Gig Backbone
     
   • Remote assist tracking
     
   • 1300 wireless access points in district
     
   • 54 staff members for tech support
     
   • Started with 10% additional machines, for Hot Swaps, smaller percentage is needed each year.
     
   • Bridge track used to keep track of repairs
     
   • 48 hr. support turn-around
     
   • Use paid interns from tech college.
     
   • Use students to help during summer and school days.
     
   • Students call in their own support from classroom. 5 min. rule, if you can’t fix in 5 minutes, take it in for a Hot Swap.
     
   • Very few after school service calls, looking to tie homework support with tech support.
     
   • Several student intern programs to provide software training for trackers and tech support.
     
   • Purchase replacement computers every 4 years.
     
   • Textbooks are online although some classes still require that books be brought to class.
     
   • Laptops collected and re-imaged each summer.
   
   
   
9. Miscellaneous
   
   • Anytime, Anywhere Learning Foundation http://www.aalf.org/
     Goal is to provide all students access to unlimited opportunities to learn.
     AALF provides consulting services and support to Kent
     
   • 1-to-1 should help you obtain that which you are unable to without this technological tool.
     
   • Helps you address diverse learning styles.
     
   • Results from 1-to1 studies
     
     • Attendance increases
       
     • Motivation increases
       
     • Students write more often and better.
       
     • Improved test scores
       
     • Students are engaged in higher order thinking skills.
     
     
     Design Strategy for Implementing
     
     
     
     
   • Success of 1-to-1 program depends on teachers.
   
   
   
10. Staff Development
    
    
    • Used to build foundation and define expectations for hardware and software use.
      
    • Started with needs assessment of staff ability and knowledge
      
    • Emphasis on using computers to provide differentiated instruction.
      
    • Teachers ranked as basic/proficient or exemplary in their use of technology
      
    • Limited in time, money and training staff
      
    • Summer institute
      
    • Some online training
      
    • Content embedded coaching
      
    • A lot of training was just-in-time for staff
      
    • Training on laptop care and Hot Swap procedures
      
    • Basic troubleshooting
      
    • Use of electronic resources
      
    • AUP and how to handle violations
    
    
    
11. Instructional Model
    
    
    • Instructional staff and information technology staff collaborate
      
    • Used “Understanding by Design” and “Marzano models”
      
    • Moodle is their learning management system.
      
    • Teachers share units.
      
    • Embedding technology across the curriculum
    
    
12. Classroom Management
    
    • Staff have agreed and are consistent in what behavior they will and will not accept during class.
      
    • Students 100% responsible for their laptop
      
    • Teachers design lessons that are engaging for students using real world experiences
      
    • Electronic Resource Use Policy and AUP
      
    • Students take test to get laptop “drivers license” which lets them take laptop home.
      
    • Students leave laptops in Phy. Ed. lockers and in the classroom that they are going to after lunch.
      
    • District tech department does history check periodically on student use.
    
    
    
13. Family Involvement
    
    
    • Family training is required to discuss AUP, laptop care; Internet safety, discipline, high speed access and getting help.
    
    
    
14. Evaluation
    
    
    • Hired an outside consulting firm
    
    
    
15. Implementing Your 1-to-1 Roadmap
    
    
    • Create a vision and establish desired outcomes.
      
    • Monitor priorities
      
    • Provide just-in-time for staff and student training
      
    • Student training
      
      • Laptop care and Hot Swap procedure
        
      • Basic troubleshooting
        
      • AUP and technology violations
        
      • Using electronic software and online resources
        
      • Laptop driver’s license – 80% on test of 50 questions
      
      
      
    • Typical student tech violations:
      
      • Using when not supposed to.
        
      • Not on task.
      
      
      
    • Student e-mail is internal only.
      
    • Policy violation
      
      1. Verbal warning
         
      2. Detention
         
      3. Take laptop away, create a public service announcement, have to have a parent or peer monitor, reapply for drivers license.