What’s the status of the district 1:1 study team?

This past winter, our school board asked the district to establish a 1:1 study team to investigate the idea of providing a mobile technology devices (laptop or tablet) to students.

Full details of our 1:1 study team are available at:  https://wdmtech.wordpress.com/11-study/

What’s the status of the district 1:1 study team?
The study team has been asked to present to the school board during a workshop session, which will take place on Monday, May 13th at Walnut Creek Campus in the media center from 5:15pm to 6:30pm.   Presenting for the study team will be Kevin Neal, VHS social studies teacher; Scott Brown, Crossroads Park 6th grade teacher; and Brian Abeling, Director of Technology.

What is the study team making for a recommendation?
The study team is NOT making any recommendations related to implementing 1:1, as we were not asked to make a recommendation as to whether the district proceeds with 1:1.  Instead, we were asked to investigate the following questions…

1. Why are other schools doing 1:1?

2. What are the benefits?

3. What are the concerns?

4. How will this change teaching & learning?

5. What is the interest level from students, parents, and staff?

6. Information and factors related to cost.

What about the device?  Is the group recommending a device, like the iPad or laptop?
The study team was not asked to recommend a device – and will not be doing so, it would not be appropriate.  Our district has NOT determined if we will pursue 1:1, so there is no need to recommend a device, grade level/content areas, or any thing related to roll out details or time frames.

Within the last month, there was an online survey about 1:1 –  was that a vote for whether we  go 1:1?  
The survey that was sent to parents, students, and staff was used to help answer question #5) What is the level of interest students, parents, and staff?    The survey was NOT a vote for whether we will do 1:1, instead, it was used to measure current interest in the topic.

So where are the results from the 1:1 surveys?
After the board workshop, we will post online (on this blog) the full results of the survey, including all written responses from staff, students, and parents.

Has the study team finished their school visits?
Yes, our school visits have been completed. Members were invited to visit…

Council Bluff Schools

Waverly-Shell Rock Schools

Johnston High School

Cedar Rapids Prairie

Bettendorf High School

School Board asks for committee to study the “why” question related to 1:1

This past week, our district’s Teaching & Learning Advisory group (which contains admins, teachers, parents, and a few board members) received a request to form a committee to study 1:1, or the ability to provide a technology device to students.  After discussion, the request was approved – but with some very significant guidance and expectations.

The committee’s task is to report back on…

1) What are the pros / cons of providing devices to students?

2) What are the benefits and anticipated results of going 1:1? If we did 1:1, what do we expect to see as results?

3) What specific benefits are other districts seeing as a result of 1:1?

4) Gauge community (staff, parents, community) interest in 1:1

What tasks are NOT to be done by the committee…

1) No discussing devices: There is no need to compare technology devices – we do NOT have approval for deploying 1:1, there is no need for this discussion yet.

2) No discussing roll out or training plans:  There is no need to discuss which grade levels and/or which schools are impacted.

3) No discussing time frames:  There is NO approval for 1:1, so the time frame / deployment options does not need to be discussed at this time.

Q1.  Why are there all these restrictions/limitations, what’s the concern?
A1.  Any 1:1 implementation is a major project involving significant time and resources.  We must be very clear about WHY it should or should not be done – and to help us focus on the “Why”, we are removing the discussion points about  “when”, “how”, and “what device”.

Q2.  Is there an assumption that “new” money will be available for a 1:1 project?
A2.  First, there is no assumption that 1:1 will happen – but the committee is to take the angle that NO new money is available.  Instead, we are focusing on “Would we be willing to use our existing resources and change what we currently do to have this?”

Q3,  Who will be on the committee?  How are individuals being selected?
A3.  This has not be answered yet.  However, the advisory committee has asked that that group consist of individuals from a variety of audiences (not just staff).  In addition, they have requested that it be a mixture of technology experiences.

Q4. When is the study committee meeting?
A4. Dates/times have not be set, but will be published when the process is finalized.  We’re hoping to get information out in the next week.

Even though the details haven’t all been worked out, you’re welcome to drop me an email or respond in the comments section of this blog if you have thoughts, idea, etc.

Brian Abeling
abelingb@wdmcs.org