Learning walk form available for review

As posted previously ( http://wp.me/s1JF02-ewalk ), West Des Moines Community Schools administrative members are making a commitment to increase their visibility in classrooms through structured learning walks. The administrative team will be spending the next several months fine tuning the form as well as receiving training for using eWalk software to recording observations.

Q1. What does the form look like? Who created it?
A1. A team of building administrators prepared the draft of the learning walk form, which is based on the core components of Essential of Effective Instruction (EEI). Here’s a link to the >>>current draft of the form.<<<

Q2. What type of format will the walk-through template be? Checklist only? Written feedback?
A2. It will contain both a checklist and an open ended written feedback.

Q3. How will administrators be recording this information?
A3. Administrators will be using the eWalk app on an iPad to record their observations.

Q4. As a teacher, what type of feedback will I get?
A4. Teachers will receive a copy of the form with feedback via email.

Q5. When does this start?
A5. Some administrators have already started using/testing the eWalk app. The intent is to use this semester for testing and piloting, with district expectations for full usage to start next fall.

Q6. I have questions/feedback about the learning walk form… who do I direct my questions to?
A6. Please talk with your building principal.

Safari Montage pilot completed… Now what?

As mentioned in previous posts (http://wp.me/p1JF02-8p),  Safari Montage was installed for a pilot run that lasted through Jan 14th.   Knowing that access to Discovery Streaming is going away on June 30th, what should our next step be?

If we proceed with purchasing Safari Montage, what is the exact plan? What features are we buying and what features would we leave for future development?

If we proceed now, we would take quotes for….

1. Video Content, including  K-8 and 9-12 content and Cyber-Science 3D Models
2. Ability to stream 9 video sources (we’ll assign 8 of them to the most popular educational TV channels and then assign the last channel to the Decorah Eagle cam)
3. Ability for the district to upload content to would be available to teachers/students.

Options that we would review at a later date….

• Ability for teachers to upload their own content.
• Ability for teachers to set up recording of  TV stations, including a TV guide like option
• Ability to add more TV channels