Supporting Innovative Classrooms Grant Recipient Meeting

Welcome BY: Marilyn Steier Project Manager

Highlights of the Day 9:00-10:30 Welcome Lessons Learned Roles & Responsibilities Communication 10:30-10:45 Break 10:45-12:00Research Reporting 12:00-1:00 Lunch 1:00-3:00 Breakout Sessions

Project Overview 26 Projects  Theme 1 (12)  Theme 2 (1)  Theme 3 (3)  Theme 4 (8)  Theme ¾ (1)  Theme 5 (1)

Participants Theme 1 Black Gold Calgary Public Edmonton Catholic Elk Island Catholic Elk Island Public Foothills Holy Spirit Catholic Lethbridge Medicine Hat Parkland St. Albert Protestant Westwind Enhancing Educational Leadership Capacity

Participants Theme 2 Northern Gateway Enhancing Information Technology Leadership Capacity

Participants Theme 3 Aspen View Golden Hills Wild Rose Wolf Creek Software as a Service

Participants Theme 4 Wolf Creek Chinook’s Edge Edmonton Greater Southern Separate Francophone Lakeland Roman Catholic Prairie Land Prairie Rose Red Deer Public Sturgeon Innovative Technology Management Solutions

Participants Theme 5 Northern Consortium –Peace Wapiti –Fort Vermillion –High Prairie –Northland Shared Services Solutions

INITIATIVE - Purpose To explore innovative practices in the areas of leadership development for the effective use of technology and To explore technology management in Alberta school jurisdictions.

INITIATIVE - Background Technology use in Alberta schools is on the rise, resulting in a growing emphasis on the critical role of leadership in fostering innovation and managing change Highlighting the need for new approaches to managing and maintaining the technology to support today’s learning environments.

Goals and Strategies in Alberta Education's Business Plan: Core Business One: Lead and Support the Education System So That All Students Are Successful at Learning. Strategy 1.10: Work with school authorities to promote innovative learning and teaching through increased access to classroom technologies.

— Don Knezek, ISTE CEO Integrating technology throughout a school system is, in itself, significant systemic reform. We have a wealth of evidence attesting to the importance of leadership in implementing and sustaining systemic reform in schools. It is critical, therefore, that we attend seriously to leadership for technology in schools.

1.Love Your Employees 2.Connect Peers with Purpose 3.Capacity Building Prevails 4.Learning is the Work 5.Transparency Rules 6.Systems Learn Michael Fullan: The Six Secrets of Change Learning is not doing…Learning is reflecting on doing. The Six Secrets of Change

The Implementation Dip PERFORMANCEPERFORMANCE TIME Herold & Fedor 2008 Depth of Decline Change is Introduced Perceived Performance Gap Actual Performance Myth Duration of Recovery

Study: Ed tech leads to significant gains when the teacher had 10 or more years of teaching experience, the teacher had been using the technology for two or more years, The technology was used 75 to 80 percent of the time in the classroom.

The Wisdom of Crowds Why the many are Smarter than the few and How Collective Wisdom Shapes Business, Economies, Societies, and Nations Groups are remarkably intelligent Groups are often smarter than the smartest people in them –James Surowiecki

The Unexpected: Some EUREKA moments 1.While researching influenza Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin 2.Sucralose was discovered as a result of ESL BLIP 3.Scotchguard was an accident

Innovation: Embracing New Approaches  The desire to innovate fuels collaboration.   In turn, collaboration enhances innovation.  The best collaboration produces new approaches.  Organizations like humans, often cling to the familiar, so it’s a constant struggle to ensure that we develop, recognize, polish and implement great new ideas.

Lessons Learned from Previous Projects Karen Andrews Senior Manager, Research and Planning KEYS TO A SUCCESSFUL PROJECT Top 4 Challenges and Lessons Learned From Previous Projects

Challenges from… Applied Research Projects in Alberta Videoconferencing Research Emerge: One-to-one Laptop Learning AISI (Technology and Learning) Technology and High School Success + SuperNet Snapshot

Lessons Learned from Previous Projects What is the top challenge identified in the implementation of learning technology initiatives? Hint: NOT time or resources 2 min table talk Top Challenges

Lessons Learned from Previous Projects Maintain lines of communication ***Plan for staff turnover *** Clearly communicating the expectations, roles and responsibilities of each members (project leads, teachers, administrators, school and board technical staff, etc). Clearly outline the communication strategy (procedures for sending/receiving information). AE Communications. Instill the power of a Community of Practice (COP).  Sharing of information/strategies.  Sharing of experiences both successes and challenges is how we learn from each other. #1 COMMUNICATIONS Top Challenges

Lessons Learned from Previous Projects Build capacity for how to use technology to support innovative learning experiences Moving From… An expensive chalk board Use it to type up the good copy Only difference is a camera in the room Worksheets with buttons #2 Instructional Design-Professional Learning Top Challenges

Lessons Learned from Previous Projects Ongoing focus on building instructional practice in the design of rich authentic learning experiences Educators Proficiency: Need to look at professional development plans related to how to integrate technology into teaching. What is needed to transform teaching and support critical thinking skills for students? #2 Instructional Design-PD Cont’d Top Challenges

Technology Construction Tools. Authenticity Real-World Artificial Productivity Tools Expression/ Visualization Complexit y Basic Skills Instructio n Constructivist Didactic Coaching High Order Thinking eCommunications Video/Audio/Data Online Environments Technology in Schools: A Range of Use Online Research Problem Solving w/ Data Sets, Probes, etc. Simulations Online Courses Integrate d Learning System Drill & Practic e

Stakeholder Technology Branch

Professional Learning Continuum

Lessons Learned from Previous Projects Technology does catalyze new teaching methods and to change teaching and learning. These new teaching methods have a positive impact on student engagement and learning. Technology projects increased the focus on meta- cognition, where new technology prompted teachers to look at how students learn and not just what they learn. Student learning moved from lecture to small group, inquiry and one-on-one training, which proved successful in all projects. Professional development was embedded in daily classroom activities, as opposed to only providing one-time professional development or technology workshops Research Sound Bites

Lessons Learned from Previous Projects Tracking, Measuring, Analyzing How do we know if it is working? How do we measure impact? Will we have anything to say at the end? #3 Evaluation and Assessment Top Challenges

Lessons Learned from Previous Projects Providing flexible technical environments, to support innovative teaching and learning, that are also secure and supported. Locked down systems –not allowing student-owned devices Access at home (take home laptops) Access anywhere, anytime (24/7) #4 PROCEDURES AND ACCESS Top Challenges

Lessons Learned from Previous Projects 1. Shared Vision 2. Equitable Access 3. Skilled Personnel 4. Professional Development 5. Technical Assistance 6. Content Standards and Curriculum Resources 7. Student-Centered Teaching 8. Assessment and Accountability 9. Community Support 10. Support Policies 11. External Conditions Essential Conditions

Roles and Responsibilities

Project Manager Manage the project on a day-to-day basis Overall project schedule, budget and quality of deliverables Provide Support to participants Track Projects Collect and summarize reports/deliverables Share information and research among project participants

Roles and Responsibilities Project Manager Authority Review proposals and assist with defining the work breakdown structure and deliverables to be produced by the Project Team. Accept or reject project deliverables in fulfilling first level quality assurance procedures. Reject /approve changes to planned scope or deliverables. Ensure the project is managed to the business case and the deliverables result in the business case requirements, goals and objectives being met.

Roles and Responsibilities Jurisdiction Schedule A Proposal

Roles and Responsibilities Project Manager & Project Lead Listen and learn Engage in fact finding and joint problem solving Carefully diagnose the situation Address people’s concerns Be enthusiastic, genuine and sincere about the change Obtain buy-in for what needs fixing Develop a credible plan for making that fix Herold & Fedor, 2008

Roles and Responsibilities Jurisdiction Project Lead Manage communications among project team and stakeholders Monitor timelines and offer “encouragement” when needed Prepare and submit reports and other deliverables Maintain “the vision” Manage change/challenges Celebrate Success

Roles and Responsibilities Jurisdiction Project Lead Be aware of the project timelines and deliverables Implement the project Develop the necessary technological AND Leadership skills Use those skills with participants Evaluate success Communicate successes and challenges Celebrate Success

Project Expectations, Opportunities and Supports

Project Expectations As discussed in Roles and Responsibilities Proposal Schedule A

Project Opportunities Innovate Collaborate - Project sharing Information concerning PD opportunities Emerge Summer Institute 2009 August Featuring John Seely Brown Sessions on topics such as 21 st Century Learning Leadership Web 2.0 tools

Project Supports Alberta Education offers support to project participants through. Project Manger – Marilyn Steier Meetings – Theme Meetings Project sharing Facilitate communication Research and disseminate best practices and challenges. Field visits Alberta Education website

Communication Plan

Communication ToolKit

Communication Plan Project Communication

Communication Plan Videoconference Meeting Room Within Supernet - On Internet – ##3011

Research

Research and Evaluation Model Provincial Goals Jurisdiction Goals School Goals innovative practices in the areas of leadership development effective use of technology and technology management Program goals, interventions, outcomes Local measures of progress and attainment of goals Assessment of staff/student impact School measures of effectiveness Alberta Education Research School/ Board Research

Research Goals Piloting innovative practices in the areas of leadership development for the effective use of technology and technology management in Alberta school jurisdictions. Sharing of expertise related to the development of leadership capacity and IT service management and its resulting impacts on learning and teaching. Informing technology implementation across the K-12 education system. Successful applicants must agree to: o Participate in research activities in collaboration with Alberta Education; o Participate in knowledge sharing activities in collaboration with Alberta Education

Research Design: Participant Input 1.What are the key things that we are doing that need to be captured within the research? (general or specific by theme) 2.What data should we capture? 3.What methods should we use to capture the data and share our experiences?

Deliverables & Timelines Interim Report 1 – November 30, 2009 Interim Report 2– August 31, 2010 Final Report – October 15, 2011 Project Closure Event - January 2012

Deliverables & Timelines Meetings January 2010 Theme Mtgs November 2010 Theme Mtgs Project Closure Event January 2012 Field Visits TBD Provincial Research Participation - TBD

Opportunity

Please remember Recycle your badges at the end of the session –Leave at registration table Complete the event evaluation form –Leave at registration table

Themes Theme 1- Enhancing Education Technology Leadership Capacity Theme 2 - Enhancing Information Technology Leadership Capacity Theme 3 - Software As a Service Theme 4 – Innovative Technology Management Solutions Theme 5 – Shared Services Solutions

FOIP Form