Edina Digital Age Learning

ere This school year, I've had the pleasure of working Molly Schroeder leading a group of 29 staff through a Teaching and Technology Cohort through Hamline University . We are currently studying assessment, and one of the course outcomes is to assess what technology staff would select for their classroom. I posed to them this question: Would a laptop/netbook or ipad be a better tool for student use? I broke the participants up into groups and had them research the topic, giving them suggestions here and here of places that had chosen either option. To evaluate the project, I asked them to use this rubric, developed by Doug Johnson for Large Scale Technology Adoption. They were asked to come to a consensus, and then present their findings. I found it interesting at the time, that some participants followed the rubric religiously, while others seemed to follow their gut feelings! Here was one of the presentations that is representative of the overall impressions: <p...

Families who are members of The Choice Is Yours program in Edina are provided with a laptop computer and Internet access. Mary Manderfeld, Assistant Director of Administrative Services who administers the program notes: One of the barriers the Choice is Yours (CIY) students and families may face in Edina Public Schools is access to computers and the Internet. Each year Edina High School and Middle Schools are increasing their use of technology within the classroom setting. Many classes are placing their entire syllabus with all homework assignments online. The academic registration process at Edina High School is completely online at this point. Families and students need to have Internet access in order to register in a timely fashion for classes the following year. By having a computer, families are also able to log in to theirs student’s academic information to see grades, missing assignments and other vital academic requirements. Families and students who do not have a c...

Last night we had Open House at South View Middle School , home of our first year 1:1 Laptop Learning pilot . We had a nice turn out and parents asked lots of good questions. They received the policy guide and forms they will need to bring with them next Saturday, when students will be coming to a final orientation prior to taking them home. Next week, students will be going through training on Acceptable Use, Proper Care, Personal Safety and File Management, then taking a "Driver's License Assessment" to earn the privilege of 24/7 access. Below are the presentations for each of the units. I'd love some feedback! Acceptable Use Proper Care Personal Safety

1-to-1 LAPTOP INITIATIVE Mill Creek Middle School Kent, WA On-site visit by Dr. Michael Burke 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 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 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 studen...

Superintendent's Perspective We finished with Stillwater superintendent, Keith R. Ryskoski , who began by sharing the " Beloit College Mindset ", facts about the class of 2012. He spoke about the analogy of a box, and how we limit our thinking by traditional things that define our "box". We need to think of all the possibilities, and be like the amoeba, constantly changing. Other thoughts: In 1907 if someone said we'd be traveling around on roads in machines that drove around, they'd have said you were crazy. Are the children of today going to learn and do school the way that we did? If you were starting this from scratch...Start at the middle school. Plan how you will grow. If AP courses are College Board certified, and colleges are requiring students to have laptops, what would cause a High school teacher to say that students can't have a laptop in that course? Laptop carts do not change teaching and learning in the classroom the way that one to o...