Vita Learn NW Minutes April 2, 2010
Vita Learn NW Minutes
April 2, 2010
South Burlington provided spacious accommodations, great food, and excellent technology access for a very large group.
The regional curriculum coordinators joined us for this meeting.
Lucie deLaBruere and Ellen Thompson facilitated the dialogue which will be continued using the following Google Group: http://groups.google.com/group/vt-curriculum-tech-collaboration/subscribe
Introductions were performed within the scope of an icebreaker activity where everyone lined up in a timeline format. There place on the human timeline was the year they consider their entry point into the the world of technology. The introductions included an innovation in curriculum or technology that was happening at that time.
Following were 3 activities which used Google Docs to discuss the following guiding questions
Guiding Questions:
1. What type of collaboration between tech and curriculum is happening in your organization especially what's working?
2. What are barriers to collaboration between tech and curriculum?
3. What can we do to move what is working up a notch towards transformative levels?
4. What types of things can we do to address some of the barriers?
Do we want to take on any items from the the brainstorming on as goals? If so, what are the next steps.
The activities and results/notes of those activities can be found on the following Google Site:
http://sites.google.com/site/northwest52/home
The following collaborations were identified within the groups
- Collaboration Opportunities
- Teachers and Ed Techs working together
- Coursework to integrate Technology
- informal on the fly collaboration between tech, librarians, teachers when developing curriculum
- Intentional integration at district, and school level among curricular, tech and teacher level
- Collaboration with building administrators with district tech and curriculum professionals
- use of collaborative tools (web 2.0) at the school board level
- technology training for administrators on a regular basis
- Curriculum, Tech and Librarian collaboration for professional development
- cross-curricular 1:1 initiatives
- Curriculum coaches and librarians provide technology integration
- Century 21 framework - policy governance/ENDS policy
- Director of Curriculum AND Technology
- Looking at student work through the technology lens
- Ed Tech Committee & Special Ed merged to become UDL
The following barriers to Collaborations were identified
- Barriers
- Separate Tech GE's and Content GE's
- Time/Scheduling
- Money
- Lack of ability to readjust resource
- How frequently we can adjust priorities
- Distribution of access
- Department structure
- Lack of clear vision (especially around pedagogy)
- Lack of clear expectations re pedagogy
- Issues with policies (unclear, inconsistent, etc.)
- Resistance/Fear of Change
- Inability to take things off the plate
- Leadership priorities
- Balancing safety w/ opportunity
- Changing pedagogy
- Fear of sharing online, lack of culture, unwillingness to share
- Perception by teachers that their skills aren't good enough
- Teacher-centered vs Student-centered classroom
- Perception that IT is an add-on (not teacher's purview)
- Don't need to teach digital natives
- Replacing learning activities vs transformation
- Once technology is installed, "all done"
- Sense of urgency is not clear--change begins slowly but grows exponentially
- Limited research on students learning with IT
- Move from invitation to mandate/expectations
- Teacher prep programs not prepared to effectively integrate
- More urgent pressures--NECAP, etc.
- NECAP doesn't allow use of IT
- Tinkering around the edges vs major transformation
- Respecting intermediate progress--not expect complete transformation
- Network restrictions
- Separation/tension between curriculum and IT infrastructure
- Tech problems--if try it and doesn't work, hestitant to try again
- Limited capability of computers
- Disconnect between educational decisions and purchasing decisions
- Need at least one strong tech person on each curriculum team
The following ideas for moving forward and removing barriers were identified
Next Steps
What can we do to move what is working up a notch towards transformative levels?
What types of things can we do to address some of the barriers?
Group-1
Move it forward
Vita-learn and CVEDC collaborate on a white paper on this issue and include policy, new research about learning with technology
Combine these 2 groups for ongoing collaboration
Identify the top 4 areas of collaboration for the 2 groups
Remove Barriers
Balancing Safety vs Opportunity - Locked down network and desktop structure
Group-2
Move it Forward
Important to both groups
Linking the new research
Identify the issues
Sub-committees tackle these issues
Remove Barriers
Address the pedagogy issue - understanding and implementing
Group-3
Move it Forward
Development state-wide opportunities
Remove Barriers
Updated professional development - incorporate 21st century skills and collaboration in PD
Group-4 Resistance to Change
pockets of great things happening- how to spread?
Move it forward\
Professional development, support in school afterward
More sharing within school, mentoring, lead teachers. Many different models.
Teachers must have one tech goal.
Teachers showcase at fac. mtgs. and school board mtgs.
bring teachers to tech meetings (like VitaLearn) to reduce the disconnect.
Remove Barriers
scheduling- getting tech into all curriculum mtgs. (teachers share, not tech people)
educate curriculum people - collaborate often
video presentations- put them in a collection online for all to access (iTunesU?)
tech person meets with admin on regular basis- keep them moving too.
Group-5
Move it forward
Coordinate professional development across districts
Tech intentionally incorporated into curriculum courses - not a separate aspect
Leverage LNV
Remove Barriers
Creative uses of funding
Reexamination of resources - are we using things most effectively?
Open access to prof dvplmt to student teachers/ed students
Leaders must model integration within own work
Group-7
Move it forward
Set expectations
Incorporate research into PD and curriculum dvlpmt
Central depository for research links
Dvlp strategies and learning communities for implementation
Collaborate w/other districts to provide PD
Write tech, as part of 21st Cent. learning, into all curricula
Remove Barriers
Gulf between tech GEs/scenarios and other GEs
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Arlyn provided a State of the State Report
State of the State
1. We have submitted our Broadband Technology Opportunities Program application for stimulus funds with other state agencies. There were two submissions that we know of from VT. Thanks to all for getting Superintendent letters as support on that. We hope for the best at this point.
2. We are glad to sign any support letters if people are applying for the Innovation grants for stimulus monies. These are due in mid May. They are grants at the LEA or SU level, and are not from the state but from federal stimulus program.
3. DOE is working on a Race to the Top application. We are deficit in a couple of areas in Vermont on our potential to get high points, but the effort is worthwhile and again, we'll see what we can produce. There are a number of facets to it. Technology has been working on the STEM section.
4. Grants coming... Now that penetration and success of the LNV is reaching new levels, there will be some small grants coming out this spring, for next fall implementation to spur activities around LNV use. These grants will look for ways that people are developing collaborations, and projects where LNV is a facet of the work. This includes SCopia desktop scenarios too, so this is pretty wide open. Arlyn.. detail perhaps?
5. VTVLC is in high gear. Jeff R. is doing an immense amount of work to get this rolling. Summer courses for credit recovery and summer school have been announced today and your region is a partner region. Paul or someone at the meeting will have that information about the courses offered.
6. Our Title IID evaluation is proceeding. If you were a recipient of a content grant, you will be hearing from someone in the next month. This evaluation will have an impact on all as there is a piece of this that is being developed to begin answering some of the questions needed from the federal level on technology's impact.
7. Be on the lookout over the late April, May time frame for a round of "innovation classroom" grants that will be offered out. These are timed to be written over summer and funded for first thing in fall. Coming from IID office with ARRA funds.
8. Some work is beginning on some clarification and development of model policies on AUP's, email archiving, and Internet Safety as related to CIPA compliance. This will be disseminated widely as it moves forward. Be looking for some meetings around this topic in early fall at regional meetings.
9. Federal outlook. So far, reauthorization has some serious implications for IID. This is a "first look" of course. But, the administration is aiming to move tech funding under a more comprehensive umbrella of STEM education. This could mean big changes for the way Title IID is handled. This would impact FY12, not FY11. FY11 begins July 1, 2010.
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Door Prize was won by Paul Garrow from Essex
This was our last meeting for the year.
Future dates will be announced early next school year.
