Breakout Sessions for Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

W101: Emerging Interactive Media: Issues in Practice and Policy (Spotlight Session)
ESSENTIAL SKILLS:  Team Building and Staffing
SALON D

Over the past few years, the array of free interactive media for communities to create and share knowledge has greatly expanded. The menu for classroom use now includes writers’ workshops and fanfiction, online discussion forums, wikis, mashups, photo/video sharing, social networking sites, blogs, podcasts, social bookmarking, and collaborative social change sites. This session will present education-related examples of each and discuss both opportunities and challenges these pose for practice and policy.

W102: Online Professional Development for Schools using New Web Tools
ESSENTIAL SKILLS:  Team Building and Staffing
SALON E

Effective online professional development should address traditional and online teaching standards, 21st century skills, and incorporate new web 2.0 tools to provide support in the effective use of technology tools to support learning.  In this session, explore how new Web 2.0 tools are incorporated into such training and engage in interactive discussion and activities to identify how these new tools support the needs of traditional and virtual school instructors and students.  This session will highlight the organization, makeup, and operation of the Krimmel Web 2.0 Group and the Louisiana Virtual School through the partnership with EDC’s EdTech Leaders, both models of online professional development. Also learn how the Louisiana State Department of Education is establishing new state level policy related to certification of online instructors who complete this kind of training.

W103: Connecting Data with Results in Large School Districts
ESSENTIAL SKILLS: Information Management
MR406

Through the implementation of a comprehensive K-12 data warehouse, formative assessment system and strategic professional development, San Jose USD's 42 schools are developing data-driven cultures. Training of school data teams in these technologies has given schools greater control of program innovation and allows for in-depth evaluation of programs and processes. Skillful data teams guide colleagues in examining multiple measures and disaggregations of data using a structured “Cycle of Inquiry” model. These Cycles build a shared understanding of classroom assessment results and instructional effectiveness. As one team expressed, “Our conversations are no longer about why students are failing, but about how teachers are teaching.” As a result of these data-focused conversations, 5 of the District's 11 Program Improvement schools have exited PI. This presentation discusses the creation of and requirements for data-driven cultures at district, school and classroom levels. The development of promising action research initiatives will also be highlighted.

W104: What Every Principal needs to know about Education Technology
ESSENTIAL SKILLS: Leadership and Vision
MR408

This dynamic workshop will focus on helping you frame key educational technology issues from an administrator’s perspective. Join Pete Reilly and a team from the NYC Department of Education as they help you develop a better understanding of the role of an administrator in educational technology. This is an opportunity to explore the difficulties administrators face as they deal with transformative technologies and educational change.  Participants will leave this session with an understanding of:  1. Their role in the success of educational technology in their schools 2. The educational technology issues and “best practices” that should be on an administrator’s radar and those that shouldn’t.  3. How to create professional learning communities to share expertise and support technology change.  4. The difference between administration and change leadership.  5. How to build a highly effective team.  Presenters will share the success of a new Instructional Technology Leadership Program and help inspire you to reflect on the personal practices that are at the core of transformative change.

W105: Transforming Learning with 1:1
ESSENTIAL SKILLS:
MR410

Technology can be used to transform schools into more effective, responsive institutions through a 1:1 relationship of technology with students and educators.  Two educational institutions, the Manor ISD in Texas and the Denver School of Science and Technology will show how such a relationship can transform the educational process.  Both parties have been visionary in their approach to educational technology and will share documented success of their programs including technical deployment, seamless integration of platforms, and the use of these tools for assessment, administration, and communication.  Students who have been a part of the program(s) will speak first-hand about their learning culture as it has been transformed and the experiences, accomplishments, and expectations for having participated.

W106: Minding the Gap:  Supporting teacher Integration Leaders
ESSENTIAL SKILLS: Education and Training
MR412

Not long ago, technology had yet to make a significant impact on how teachers teach and students learn. Now, it is expected that teachers will incorporate technology into their instructional day. To assist teachers who are struggling, many districts have identified Technology Integration Specialists to work one-on-one with teachers to create a culture in which veteran teachers see them selves successful with technology.  Presenters in this session will share two models for developing and supporting technology integrationists to close the gap

W107: Incompatible Laws & Policies:  Web 2.0
ESSENTIAL SKILLS: Ethics and Training
MR400

What are the successes and challenges involved in implementing Web 2.0 technologies in the classroom? Do content filters block information that students and teachers need for teaching and learning? What policies and other solutions are available to ensure that students have access to the information they need to meet state standards? Participants in this session will hear about studies conducted in Missouri and Minnesota that will tell educators what their colleagues are doing to better support student learning with Web 2.0 technologies in the classroom.

W108: Digital Content and Interoperability
ESSENTIAL SKILLS: Systems Management
MR404

Digital content and interoperability between education software applications is vital in enabling differentiated instruction, providing a comprehensive picture of a student’s learning and can be complex.  As educational organizations utilize more and more software applications, the need to seamlessly pass information and data between the applications becomes crucial. During this session, find out the latest on SIF, including the work that the SIF Association and ADL are doing for interoperability with digital content and education software applications.  In addition, discover how implementing an interoperable data management solution in your district can not only lead to cost reductions, time savings, and improved efficiencies, but also result in an increase in student achievement.  Hear from district leaders from large, medium, and small districts that will share their success stories, dramatic statistics, and best practices.  Each district will offer insight into a different geography, locale, and student demographic as well as share their unique challenges and successes in implementing their SIF-based data management solutions. Join Western Heights Public Schools, Pasadena Independents School District and Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools discuss the use of the SIF standards and why it is important to instruction and student achievement.

W109: Using Data to Individualize Instruction and Ensure Success for all Students
ESSENTIAL SKILLS: Leadership and Vision, Information Management

For years educators have talked about using technology to individualize instruction, but conventional thinking has been that classroom instructional technologies would be the key to achieving this goal. The fact is that individualizing instruction is not a goal in and of itself, rather it is a means to an end; success for all students. In this session the attendees will learn how the Blue Valley Schools have implemented systemic school improvement reform, which includes Professional Learning Communities and a powerful data analysis and reporting system. The data warehouse provides timely access to student data at all levels and has become a key component in the successful academic achievement of all Blue Valley students. Even though academic achievement has been historically high in Blue Valley, the district's reform efforts have pushed achievement even higher, resulting in continued attainment of NCLB (No Child Left Behind) AYP (Adequate Year Progress) goals. Focused by a strategic plan that insists on success for all students, the data warehouse, built with SAS technology, is considered a centerpiece of the district's academic improvement process.

W110: Time for K-12 Grades. How Do You Rate?
ESSENTIAL SKILLS: Leadership and Vision, Information Management
SALON B

Gartner will present four frameworks to assist K-12 Information Technology professionals (and other interested administrators) in defining; evaluating and gaining insight into total cost of ownership for key areas of IT spend. The areas presented will be: Infrastructure, Operations Applications, Security, and Green IT.

Each Area will have a similar structure, enabling the audience to evaluate whether they consider people, process and technology effects as well as cost in making a decision. In addition to defining a cogent sensible way to organize the study, the presentation will discuss why peer comparison is critical to evaluate K-12 IT and why scorecards are important.