TEACHING AND LEARNING WITH TECHNOLOGY PLAN UPDATE JANUARY 2009 West Vancouver School District

AGENDA Overview Vision and Strategies Background Planning Processes Details Hardware and Software Standards, Cycle, Purchasing Funding District School inside45 portal What does it mean in terms of working, teaching, learning, and communicating?

VISION To support learning, teaching and working in the West Vancouver School District through the use of appropriate technologies.

STRATEGIES Increase access and opportunities for students Provide reliable, efficient systems for employees to support their work Provide every classroom with the potential to become a blended classroom Support access to information and communication for all partners and broader community

BACKGROUND – Conducted review of technology status Outdated hardware and equipment Slow internet connectivity Old infrastructure Multiple versions of operating systems and software Promising practices Elementary wireless laptop cart pilot (2 carts)

BACKGROUND February 2007 Approved appropriation of $1 million from surplus Spring 2007 Request for Proposal to vendors Selected vendor Developed detailed plan Introduced hardware replacement cycle

BACKGROUND Summer 2007 Established new Data Centre New blade servers, racking, environment Migration of existing data from schools to central data system Development of recovery/backup systems

BACKGROUND Summer 2007 Increased internet connectivity bandwidth Upgrading/replacing switches at secondary schools New desktop management system for all computers

BACKGROUND Hardware Replacement and Installation 900 computers for staff, library, Resource Centres 450+ computers into student labs Additional laptops, carts and projection devices purchased by schools Inservice for all staff on SchoolConnect desktop management system

BACKGROUND migration to MS Outlook Development of inside 45 portal for employees and for classroom pilot projects Launch of WestVan Online blended learning courses Introduction of BCeSIS student data information system In-service for Information Services staff

UPCOMING January 2009 – Fall 2009 Internal school portal site development at all schools External school website redevelopment September 2009 – June 2010 Investigation of wireless network infrastructure development for secondary school sites

PLANNING Start with the learning in mind What is it we want students to know? How do we want them to learn? What are the ways we want them to communicate? For what purposes?

PLANNING Technology is a tool to be used in support of learning… Similar …to the ways in which we use pencils, calculators, math manipulatives and science equipment… to further learning Different…in that it allows for learning to occur within the context of a larger world…beyond the classroom walls

TOTAL COST OF OWNERSHIP “The total cost of ownership (TCO) will drop dramatically and support satisfaction will increase by merely implementing comprehensive equipment standards.”

TOTAL COST OF OWNERSHIP Infrastructure Hardware Software Service Standardization Enterprise Management strategies and tools

SELECTION OF TECHNOLOGY TOOLS New technologies Vision and strategies Increase access and opportunities for students Provide every classroom with the potential to become a blended classroom Context

PRODUCT IDENTIFICATION AND PRICING Platform PC technology MAC stand-alone specialty areas Educational Context Compatibility Warranty – repair/replacement Technical Support Centralized Purchasing

HARDWARE REPLACEMENT CYCLE District Financing Source CycleTerms of Purchase Funding Timelines StaffDistrict4 -yearleaseConfirmed in June- Budget approval LibrariesDistrict4 -yearleaseAs above Resource Centres District4 -yearleaseAs above

HARDWARE REPLACEMENT CYCLE District/School Cost-Share District contribution – 1/3 of existing student labs to a maximum of $10, each cycle Financing Source CycleTerms of Purchase Funding Timelines Student labs District and School 4 -5 yearspurchaseConfirmed in June- Budget approval PeripheralsSchoolvariespurchaseongoing

INSTALLATION OF HARDWARE Addressed the backlog Revised strategy Hardware in replacement cycle Stagger installation of staff computers Install student labs over school breaks Additional hardware Purchase and install on an ongoing basis September exempted

SOFTWARE ERAC Operating systems Productivity applications, i.e. MSOffice Creativity/presentation: Inspiration Curricular support: Science, Mathematics Online databases for research: EBSCO, Worldbook Library online catalogue Portal access Utility, security, server licensing

PAC FUNDRAISING ASSISTANCE WITH SCHOOL PURCHASES General Fundraising Flexible use Silent auctions Bake sales, Fairs Direct campaign fundraising Gaming Funds Restricted to ‘extra-curricular’ opportunities Student newsletters/yearbooks Field trips within BC Playground equipment Student transportation

INSIDE45 PORTAL o What does it mean in terms of working, teaching, learning, and communicating? For staff For teachers For students For parents

INSIDE45 : STAFF AT DISTRICT LEVEL

INSIDE45 : STAFF AT SCHOOL LEVEL

INSIDE45 : WEST VAN ONLINE

INSIDE45: ELEMENTARY

EXTERNAL SCHOOL SITES: PARENT COMMUNITY

SUMMARY Challenges To sustain the District financial commitment to the hardware replacement cycle To respond to increased demand from end users for support and inservice To respond to increased requests for new hardware installation and support beyond the planned replacement cycle To communicate plan updates to all stakeholders Taking on initiative of this magnitude means that sometimes we are implementing more quickly than people would like; sometimes not quickly enough, but in looking back – busy, and productive 18 months. Exciting opportunity ahead with the potential of the portal Challenges listed Available for those planning discussions, and inspirational discussions Thank you to principals for leadership. To parent representatives for continuing support. we all look forward to continuing to work directly with our schools to support students in having meaningful learning experiences. Thank you.