Conference Agenda

Friday, March 30, 2007

Are you from CA, GA, LA, MD or TX? Interested in hearing what your State chapter is doing? Plan now to join members of CoSN’s State Chapters in an informal breakfast meeting on Friday, March 30, 2007 from 7:00-8:00 AM to learn more about the chapter’s mission, goals, events and how you can get involved.

• California Chapter Contact: Andrea F. Bennett, Executive Director, CETPA, andreab@cetpa-k12.org and Darryl LaGace, Director of Information Services, Lemon Grove School District, dlagace@lgsd.k12.ca.us
• Georgia Chapter Contact: Katie Lovett, Chief Information Officer, Fulton County Schools, lovettk@fultonschools.org
• Louisiana Chapter Contact: Sheryl Abshire, Administrative Coordinator of Technology, Calcasieu Parish School System, sheryl.abshire@cpsb.org
• Maryland Chapter Contact: bJohn Q. Porter, Deputy Superintendent for Technology and Accountability, Montgomery County Public Schools, Genevieve_L_Floyd@mcpsmd.org
• Texas Chapter Contact Ed Zaiontz, Executive Director, Information Services, Round Rock ISD, ed_zaiontz@roundrockisd.org

F101: 8th Grade Technology Literacy: Implementing the NCLB Requirment (Spotlight Session)
Essential Skills: Essential Skills: Education and Training

• View video from this session

The 2006 requirement to measure student technology literacy for all 8th graders presents interesting scenarios for school districts and states. While the ultimate solution is for students to learn and demonstrate the required skills as part of an integrated curriculum from K-8, temporary solutions are 8th grade formative assessments, skill-based assessments, and portfolio assessments. This session will look at possible short and long term solutions for this problem.

• Sara Hall, Deputy Director, State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA) (Moderator)
li>Frances Bryant Bradburn, Director, Instructional Technology, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction
• Geoffrey Fletcher, Editorial Director, T.H.E. Journal
• Cathy Poplin, Director of Educational Technology, School Effectiveness Division, Arizona Department of Education

F102: Calculating the Cost of Technology in Schools: Making the Case for Technology on a Per Pupil Basis
Essential Skills: Planning and budgeting, Leadership and Vision

In the ongoing debate of technology funding, this presentation helps participants look at all of the uses of technology in a system and the process of putting a per pupil cost on it. Technology projects in most districts across the US are funded primarily through local funds and secondarily with Federal and/or private grant dollars. Yet school districts receive funding for students on a per pupil basis from states. With new political initiatives such as the 65% solution, technology is one of the focus items that could fall in both the non-instructional and direct instructional categories. What type of burden, from a technology perspective, does this put on local systems? Does the size of the district really matter in the delivery of technology services? The presentation will present a stoplight report using Georgia information, but will help other states and system look at how they should begin thinking about technology funding on a per pupil basis.

• Michael Hall, EdD, CoSN Board Member & Associate Professor, Columbus State University

F103: Innovative Professional Development to Unlock the Potential of One-to-One Computing
Essential Skills: Leadership and Vision, Education and Training

How can school districts help teachers effectively integrate technology across the curriculum to ignite excitement and improve teaching and learning? Hear from leaders in one-to-one computing about the critical component of professional development. Learn how to use data to effectively plan for professional development and then implement a "train the trainer" model, use instructional experts on each campus, and build skills through ongoing workshops and coaching, as well as offering study groups to allow teachers to explore technology, curriculum, instruction and professional development issues in depth. Henrico County Public Schools, VA will share how it implemented a comprehensive professional development program to launch a district-wide one-to-one computing initiative and help high school teachers make technology an integral part of daily instruction. The presenter and participants will discuss challenges in the areas of one-to-one computing, technology integration and professional development. Participants will also hear how research into student pedagogical practices that influence student achievement has had a large impact on Springfield Middle School, OR implementation of a one-to-one initiative.

• Darryl LaGace, Director of Information Services, Lemon Grove School District, CA (Moderator)
• Christopher Corallo, EdD, Director of Staff Development, Henrico County Public Schools, VA
• Eva LaMar, One-to-One Program Development Specialist, Springfield Middle School, The Geo-Literacy Project
• Tom Lindly, Technology Services Manager, Springfield Public Schools, OR

F104: Educational Innovation & ICT: Global Strategies

What is the role of ICT (or ed tech as we call it in the US) in promoting educational innovation? Hear how three parts of the world are approaching this topic. In Singapore the National Institute of Education and industry partners have created a “Classroom of the Future” which showcases the possibilities of using technology to empower learning. The European Schoolnet has a trans-European competition called eTwinning to spread innovative uses of ICT in education. Finally, hear how technology is being used in India to reach the underserved and often forgotten children.

• Angela Andersson, Swedish National Agency for School Improvement (Moderator/Presenter)
• Geetha Narayanan, Centre for Education Research Training and Development (CERTAD), India
• Odile de Chalendar, Chair, European SchoolNet and Senior International Manager, Department of ICT, Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Research, France
• Philip Wong, PhD, Associate Professor, National Institute of Education, Singapore

F105: Managing E-Resources and Student Achievement
Essential Skills: Leadership and Vision, Planning and Budgeting, Systems Management, Information Management, Education and Training

Better management of educational resources can translate into improved instruction and lower costs. This session uses the Desert Sands Unified School District as a case study of how to improve resource use to boost student outcomes. One recent initiative has been to implement an Educational Resource Management system throughout the district. Educational Resource Management involves centralized, distributed tracking of all pertinent materials vital for teaching and learning. All this data is integrated in a single system, and reports may be viewed by any teacher or administrator via a web portal. Presenter will show the technologies used, how they were implemented, and how they achieved closer integration between resource use, classroom teaching, and student achievement.

• Rich Kaestner, Project Director, Value of Investment Initiative, Consortium for School Networking (Moderator)
• George Araya, EdD, Director, Technology & Information Services, Desert Sands Unified School District, CA

F106: eLearning for Special Learning Programs
Essential Skills: Leadership and Vision, Education and Training

Virtual public schooling is on the rise in the US with more than 50,000 students enrolled in full-time virtual schools. If the proportion of students with special needs in virtual settings mirrors that of traditional brick-and-mortar schools, then 10-15% of distance learning students qualify for special education services. Participants of this session will learn how virtual curriculum and instruction can best be adapted for special learning needs. They will also learn what the data shows about the success of using virtual learning for student with special needs.

• Majorie Rofel, JD, Director of Special Education Services, Connections Academy
• Donna Scribner, Chief Learning Officer, Virtual High School, Inc.
• School District Representative TBD

F107: LOL (Laugh Out Loud) at the State of School Technology
Essential Skills: Leadership and Vision, Business Leadership, Ethics and Policies

LOL is laugh out loud (not little old lady or lots of love). It's that which is intended to induce laughter or amusement. It is especially important to those who work in the serious field of technology in schools. We have some help to offer. Our wit and messages whose ingenuity or verbal skill or incongruity have the power to evoke laughter. Coming off a great success at NECC, several leading figures in technology and learning will seek to enlighten and entertain by presenting information on current issues in the business of educational technology and the impact that our efforts have in the classroom that might not otherwise pass the critical review and oversight process. Since the presenters' efforts have not been vetted, they feel free to engage in ruthless examinations of the state of the field. Among the issues to be covered are scientifically-based research on products for our nation's schools, the impact of one-to-one laptop programs, and leadership in school technology. Success will be judged by laughter, embarrassed recognition, and a desire to do this session again.

• Michael Jay, President, Educational Systemics, Inc.
• Heidi Rogers, Executive Director, Northwest Council for Computer Education (NCCE)
• Saul Rockman, President, Rockman Et Al
• Elliot Soloway, PhD, Arthur F. Thurnau Professor, Department of EECS, College of Engineering, University of Michigan

F108A: Finally! Business Intelligence and Analytic Tools Everyone Can Use! (Spotlight Session Hosted by ORACLE)
Essential Skills: Leadership and Vision, Planning and Budgeting, Information Management, Business Leadership, Communication Systems

Huge challenges face educators who attempt to build a data-driven culture. First, critical data on students, teachers, programs, and organizations exist in siloed transactional systems that are difficult to integrate and extract information from. Second, the business intelligence and reporting tools commonly used by many districts and states to analyze and present this data are difficult to use and can't provide timely insight nor deliver it in a format where it has meaning and impact. Find out how you can use Oracle's NEW BI EE (Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition) to deliver web-based, personalized dashboards to everyone on ANY database! Bloor Research says, "Oracle is set to become the most important player in the BI market today." Come see if you agree!

• Ben Ault, Business Intelligence Specialist, Oracle Corporation
• Diana Richie, K-12 Industry Director for Oracle Corp; Ben Ault, Business Intelligence Specialist, Oracle Corporation

F201: Utilization of Mobile Phones for Secondary Education Institutions (Spotlight Session)
Essential Skills: Leadership and Vision, Information Management, Education and Training, Communication Systems

• View video from this session

This session will discuss emerging trends related to Mobile Learning and the formal announcement of Project K-Nect. mLearning is the term given to the delivery of education by means of mobile devices such as Mobile Phones, PDAs and digital audio players. M-learners are seeking lessons in small, manageable formats that they can undertake when it suits them. Speakers will first discuss the utilization of cell phones to deliver supplemental instructional content. Case studies will be presented from secondary education institutions outside the US utilizing cell phones as a vehicle to deliver supplemental digital instructional content. The case for utilizing cell phones as a delivery device in K-12 will be presented along with the formal announcement of Project K-Nect. Project K-Nect will enable 9th and 10th grade at-risk students from the State of North Carolina with smartphones that are broadband enabled to deliver supplemental services for Algebra and Geometry. The research objective for Project K-Nect is to determine the practicality and effectiveness of using familiar mobile phone technology and social networking to improve test scores for students who failed to achieve proficiency on state standards exams; and who have limited or no computer and Internet access at home.

• Shawn Gross, Managing Director, Digital Millennial Consulting (Moderator)
• Frances Bryant Bradburn, Director, Instructional Technology, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction
• Shawn Covell, Senior Director, International Government Affairs, QUALCOMM Incorporated

F202: 21st Century Schools - Making Wireless Networks Work in 10 Easy Steps
Essential Skills: Communication Systems

Mobile computing requires wireless networks and devices for accessing these networks. Security, bandwidth, access, and design are just a few of the problems today’s schools face in trying to create these wireless environments. Installed correctly, wireless networks provide fast, flexible, and secure communications for students, teachers, and administrators. However, poor installations are common and result in frustration for everyone and potential security issues. This session will focus on the nuts and bolts of solving wireless networking problems. Utilizing numerous deployments in the state of Georgia as best practices, this session will discuss 10 simple strategies for creating networks that integrate with existing infrastructure and working mobile environments.

• Brent Williams, Education Technology Specialist and State Technology Traininer, ETTC, Kennesaw State University and Georgia Department of Education

F203: The Impact of a Data Warehouse to Facilitate Data-Driven Decision Making
Essential Skills: Information Management

Participants will learn about a project funded by the National Science Foundation that examined how technology-based tools impact data-driven decision making and determined key factors that either facilitate or impede effective data use. District vision, building leadership, professional development, and the characteristics of the technology-based tools utilized are just a few of the topics that will be discussed.

• Ellen Mandinach, PhD, Principal Research Scientist, Center for Children and Technology, Education Development Center
• Lisa Long, Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Technology Integration, Tucson Unified School District, AZ

F204: Supersized Staff Development Models for Technology Integration
Essential Skills: Leadership and Vision, Team Building and Staffing, Education and Training

This session outlines how one school district is addressing staff development by showcasing successful strategies for developing technology integration mentors. These mentors have developed collaboration skills to create digital curriculum with emphasis on student literacy to share with other teachers. This session will share this project's start, development, and evolution, as well as challenges and successes that have accompanied its implementation.

• John Long, Technology Program Specialist, Department of Educational Technology, School District of Palm Beach County, FL

F205: Students "Speak Up" for Technology
Essential Skills: Leadership and Vision, Planning and Budgeting, Communication Systems

Hear the latest data about what students think about technology in education from NetDay Speak Up. For the past three years NetDay has conducted an annual online survey, collecting the viewpoints of over 562,000 K-12 students from all 50 states, as well as 26,000 teachers. This is the largest collection of authentic, unfiltered student/teacher views on technology and education. Learn how states and districts are utilizing the data to drive legislation and how schools/districts are leveraging their own Speak Up data to impact curriculum planning, technology budgeting, community engagement and education innovation.

• Irene Spero, Vice President, Consortium for School Networking
• Julie Evans, Chief Executive Officer, Project Tomorrow – NetDay
• Karen Henke, Writer, Consultant, Nimble Press

F206: Streamlining Resource Allocation to Improve Student Performance
Essential Skills: Planning and Budgeting, Information Management

The presentation will focus more on the practices deployed in budget development, that are nationwide standards. Program assessment is needed to assure that fiscal congruency occurs when funds are expended and programs are conducted.

• Anthony Dragona, Business Administrator, Union City Board of Education, NJ
• Grace Poli, Media Specialist, Jose Marti Middle School, NJ

F207: F207: International Research and Perspective on Effectiveness of ICT in Education

Hear some thought-leaders from around the globe discuss how they see the evidence around the effectiveness of ICT in education. Is technology making a difference? What evidence is there from other countries? Hear from experts from Asian and Pacific countries about how policymakers and educators are viewing the evidence from their part of the world.

• Jeremy Roschelle, PhD, Director, Center for Technology in Learning, SRI International (Moderator)
• Murray Brown, Manager, e-Learning, New Zealand Ministry of Education
• Pow Chew Ang, Deputy Director, Professional Development and Consultancy, Educational Technology Division, Singapore Ministry of Education
• Cher Ping Lim, PhD, Associate Professor of Teaching and Lerning, School of Education, Edith Cowan University, Australia

F301: Preparation for Life: The Role of Open Source in the Development of 21st Century Skills (Spotlight Session)
Essential Skills: Education and Training

This presentation will explore the skill set needed for today's students to thrive in the coming years, and examines a variety of high quality tools (e.g., Cmap, NetLogo, etc.) useful in developing these skills. In addition, presenters will explore the open curriculum movement which started at the university level and is now migrating to K-12.

• David Thornburg, PhD, Director, Global Operations, Thornburg Center

F302: A Trustworthy Internet for K-20 Education
Essential Skills: Leadership and Vision, Business Leadership

K-20 education increasingly relies upon a growing variety of online interactions that require satisfying multiple authentication systems by the use of multiple user-IDs and passwords. This cumbersome and confusing state-of-affairs also increases the risk of fraud, privacy compromise and identity theft. What might K-20 do to provide a trustworthy Internet? This session will describe the identity management (IdM) initiatives, standards and technologies of strategic value to K-20. We'll recommend the high-priority IdM roles and responsibilities that K-12 in particular should take up during the next five years. And we'll describe the roles and services that state research and education networks will supply that complement K-12's efforts.

• Shaun Abshere, Associate Director, WiscNet
• George Laskaris, Executive Director, NJEdge.Net

F303: Open Educational Resources: Raising Content to a Higher Level
Essential Skills: Education and Training

The Open movement is building momentum in K-12. Educators have long exchanged lessons, teaching ideas, and homegrown computer applications. Well-supported, Web-based solutions have made the Internet real to even the least techie educator, paving the way for open source applications, open content, and online content repositories. Open source is becoming an increasingly important part of available solutions, and you owe it to your district to find out what’s available and how others are making use of it. This showcase session will provide context for open educational resources, quick demonstrations of key open applications and content, and an opportunity to dig deeper into solutions of particular interest to you.

• Rae Ann Alton, Global Education Strategy Executive, IBM Corporation (Moderator)
• Amee Godwin, Program Director, Institute for the Study of Knowledge Management in Education
• Lisa Petrides, PhD, President, Institute for the Study of Knowledge Management in Education

F304: Where is the Technology Revolution in Education?
Essential Skills: Leadership and Vision, Education and Training

Computer-based technologies have revolutionized business, politics, and entertainment. They have allowed businesses such as Amazon.com and Netflix to dramatically expand the range of products from which they generate profits by creating large niche markets. Political candidates employ tactics that profile and target customized messages to potential voters. Children and young adults are no longer dependent on broadcast networks and movie houses for entertainment, but instead instantly access media and games that spark their current interests. Yet, despite dramatic increases in the presence of computers in our schools and repeated efforts to increase use of technology by students and teachers, education has been largely unaffected by computer-based technologies. Students rarely use computers in schools and they have little choice in what and when they learn. Most teachers still stand and deliver a curriculum that is imposed from above. And the predominant model of education is nearly identical to that introduced over a century ago. Why is this? This presentation explores the many impediments that have limited the use of technology in today’s schools. We see how access, leadership, support, and test-based accountability impact the ways in which technology is used by teachers and students. Learning from lessons in business, politics and the entertainment industry, we also explore how computer-based technologies might support dramatic changes in how education occurs if we are willing to move away from the paradigm of schooling adopted a century ago. These changes include targeting learning so that it is aligned with the interests and needs of students, creating networks of learners instead of classrooms of students, and integrating what is currently separate fields of studies.

• Michael Russell, PhD, Director, Technology and Assessment Study Collaborative, Boston College

F305: Taking Technology into the Classroom: Bridging the Gap Between the CIO and Instruction
Essential Skills: Planning and Budgeting

This session will identify some of the hurdles between the district CIO and the instructional staff. How does the CIO support instructional initiatives and still maintain a bulletproof network? Strategic planning and collaboration are two keys. See how several school districts have been able to make this happen.

• Michael Hall, EdD, Associate Professor, Columbus State University & Former Deputy State Superintendent, Information Technology, Georgia Department of Education (Moderator)
• Scott Futrell, Chief Information Officer, Gwinnett County Schools, GA
• Darryl LaGace, Director of Information Services, Lemon Grove School District, CA (Invited)
• Alice Owen, PhD, Executive Directro of Technology, Irving ISD, TX

F306: $100 Laptop: Making the Vision A Reality
Essential Skills: Education and Training

One Laptop per Child (OLPC) is a non-profit organization whose mission is distribute connected laptop computers to school-aged children in the developing world in support of their learning. One laptop per child” is a concept; it is an education project, not a laptop project. It can be implemented in more than one way, by no means limited to the embodiment of OLPC’s so-called “$100 Laptop.” The argument for one laptop per child is simple: many children—especially those in rural parts of developing countries—have so little access to school—in some cases just a tree—that building schools and training teachers is only one way—perhaps the slowest way—to alleviate the situation. While such building programs and teacher education must not stop, another and parallel method advised by OLPC is to leverage the children themselves by engaging them more directly in their own learning. It may sound implausible to equip the poorest children with connected laptops when rich children may not have them, but it is not. The focus of this presentation is to acquaint the audience with the OLPC mission, its design goals and it epistemological goals. The preliminary results of the beta-field-testing in the OLPC launch countries will be presented.

• Walter Bender, President, Software and Content, One Laptop per Child (the organization coordinating and developing software and content for the $100 laptop project.)

F307: Making Every Desk a Front Row Seat...Engaging Individuals in a Group Dynamic (Spotlight Session Hosted by HP)d
Essential Skills: Leadership & Vision, Planning and Budgeting, Education & Training

The presence of computer hardware in schools does not always equate to productive use of technology in classrooms. Increasing numbers of mobile computers, interactive peripherals, and engaging software have provided teachers with the tools to effectively reach each student. In this session, we will discuss the use of Tablet PCS and DyKnow Software in ways to allow for the accommodation of those with different learning styles as well as those who are learning and/or physically challenged.

• Ken Collura, Director of Communications & Instructional Technologies, Office of Catholic Schools, Diocese of Columbus

• View Closing Plenary Session: Personalization and the UK’s Whole-School Reform Strategy—Using Technology to Make a Difference

• Keith Krueger, Chief Executive Officer, Consortium for School Networking (Moderator)
• View Keith Krueger's Presentation
• Sir Michael Barber, Expert Partner, Global Public Sector Practice, McKinsey & Company & Former Head of British Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit
• Doug Brown, Deputy Director – Head of Learning Technologies, Department for Education and Skills, UK
• View Doug Brown's Presentation