In This Issue Technology 8 | the Learning Device of the Future a Young Innovator, a Futurist and the CEO of the One-To-One Institute Share Their Predictions

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December 2014 • Volume 41, No. 12 Transforming Education Through in this issue Technology 8 | the learning device of the future A young innovator, a futurist and the CEO of the One-to-One Institute share their predictions.

12 | ed tech trends Five experts weigh in on trending topics from student data privacy to what educators really need from an LMS.

21 | digital citizenship resources Websites and books can guide districts in developing a comprehensive acceptable use policy.

#296e92 24 | certification r: 41 These programs help K-12 tech professionals prepare themselves for the g: 110 WHAT’S ever-expanding demands of their jobs. b: 146 departments

2 | our space The Future of Ed Tech Isn’t Tech for 3 | here & now Testing products top ed tech sales Our panel of experts 5 | product roundup New hardware and software predicts what trends, 6 | innovator Hanna Shekhter, ed tech specialist devices and software 28 | index will define ed tech in 2015 SylviaThe Charp Award Winner the coming year. Nominations are now open for the 2015 Sylvia Charp Award for District Innovation is.... 2015 in Technology. Just click here to enter! ADVISORY BOARD OurSpace Geoffrey H. Fletcher Christopher Piehler, Editor-in-Chief Deputy Executive Director, State Educational Technology Directors Association Ann Flynn Director of Education Technology & State Association Services, National School Boards Association Phil Hardin Director of Project IMPACT, Iredell-Statesville Schools (NC) The Future of Ed Tech Isn’t Tech Christopher Harris New gadgets are exciting, but they’re only as good as the Coordinator, School Library System, Genesee Valley connections they create among people. Educational Partnership (NY) Cathy Hutchins A prime Principal, South Woods Elementary School, St. John’s AS A TUMULTUOUS year in education is not always more tech: It’s tech de- example of my County School District (FL) point is the comes to a close, we here at THE Journal are ployed to maximize the flow of infor- Thomas Murray State and District Digital Learning Director, unbanning of looking forward to 2015. As we do every Decem- mation among administrators, teach- Alliance for Excellent Education cell phones in ber, we’ve gathered a panel of experts to dis- ers, students and parents. Alice E. Owen cuss the hottest (and coldest) trends for the year A prime example of this approach class. Educational Consultant to come, a year in which online assessments is the unbanning of cell phones that’s Mark Stevens and student data privacy are sure to be facts of happening all around the country. Even General Manager, NEA Academy every district’s life, but pretty much everything when they aren’t the newest, shini- Donna Teuber else is open to debate. You can join the conver- est models, today’s smartphones have Team Leader for Technology Integration, Richland School District Two (SC) Asation on page 12. as much computing power as NASA’s Since this is a tech publication and our pan- most ambitious spacecraft — and, crucially, sons early and often. I wish you all a happy New elists are speculating about the future, you 89 percent of high school students already Year, and I look forward to seeing you at FETC in might expect a lot of talk about amazing gad- have one. In the face of this near-ubiquity, ban- January! gets and seamless software, but if one Big ning cell phones in class makes as much sense Idea emerged from this year’s panel (and from as having a computer lab with a padlock on our article on the learning device of the future), the door. The future is not continuing a conflict it’s that the future of ed tech isn’t a device or over phones, but creating a connection with an app — it’s people. What schools need students by teaching digital citizenship les-

2 | DECEMBER 2014 shutterstock.com Here&Now Tech + Online + Industry + Partnership

Report: Testing and make up the largest single category of educational [white papers] Assessment Products Are technology sales. Now the Biggest Category Vendor responses to SIIA’s annual U.S. Education Leadership Imperatives for of Ed Tech Sales Technology Market: PreK-12 survey showed that sales 1-to-1 Success By Christopher Piehler in this category have increased 57 percent over the last Success in a 1-to-1 environment The education division of the Software & Information three years of the survey. For the 2012-2013 school depends on strong leaders who Industry Association (SIIA) has released the first report year, sales in the testing and assessment category build a culture of innovation and in a new series of Behind the Data publications. reached almost $2.5 billion. collaboration. Learn the key According to Testing and Assessment: A PreK-12 Participants almost universally identified four key things that you need to know for U.S. Education Technology Market Report, testing factors affecting the recent growth of the digital testing a successful 1-to-1 rollout at your and assessment products — which include software, and assessment market segment: school. Sponsored by Dell digital content and related digital services — now 1) The Common Core State Standards are changing curricula. [webinars ] 2) The rollout of Common Core assessments is galvanizing activity. Using Classroom and Google 3) There is widespread demand for more and better Apps With High School and formative assessments. College Students 4) Testing and assessment is leading the transition In this webinar, you will hear from from print to digital. Alice Keeler, a high school and Karen Billings, vice president of the SIIA Education college teacher who is successfully Division, commented, “We view the growth of the preK- using Google Apps for Education 12 testing and assessment market segment over the and Classroom with her students. last several years as even more remarkable, given that Keeler will give examples of several assignments she has it has occurred in difficult economic times during an run using Classroom. Sponsored by Google

overall preK-12 budget and spending decline.” New and archived white papers and webinars are available

shutterstock.com Read the full article. to download at thejournal.com.

3 | DECEMBER 2014 Here&Now [industry update]

Autodesk Offers Free to help a local man with disabilities {win big!} Design Software to use a touchscreen to communicate. PBS LearningMedia Offers Rewards to Digital Innovators Secondary and Post- College students have used the PBS LearningMedia has launched its third annual Digital Innovators program. The Secondary Schools software to design environmentally program recognizes 100 applicants in the U.S. who are incorporating digital media Autodesk has released its design sustainable homes for a competition. into their classrooms and serving as leaders in educational technology. software free to students, instructors In an effort to help educators Through Feb. 11, 2015, educators can apply to the program by submitting a 60- and educational institutions anywhere integrate the tools, the company is also to 120-second video showing how they are creatively using digital technology and in the world. Available to secondary offering free resources and content tools in the classroom to drive student achievement. The online application also and post-secondary schools, the offer for project-based learning via its includes a profile and two essay questions. follows the company’s February release Digital STEAM Workshop and Design A panel of judges will select the top 100, who will be rewarded with yearlong of $250 million in 3D design software Academy initiatives. professional development opportunities including the following: and project-based curricula for middle Karen Kaun, founder of Makeosity, Virtual trainings with a focus on innovative instructional strategies and digital schools and high schools in the United said, “Our students are using Fusion best practices; States as part of President Obama’s 360 to design an energy scooter access to premium and exclusive resources from PBS LearningMedia Custom; ConnectED initiative. which we are bringing to market invitations to special events;

According to a news release, the via Kickstarter, and they’re only in access to a free PBS TeacherLine professional development course; membership in a professional learning community; and company “is also helping schools eighth grade! If we can help more networking opportunities with other innovative educators and thought leaders. move to the cloud by providing classroom teachers incorporate The top 30 applicants will be designated as Lead PBS LearningMedia Digital academic institutions with its full suite learning through design in their Innovators and will also get a three-day, all-expense-paid trip to Philadelphia of next generation cloud-based design curriculum, and technologies that to participate in the 2015 PBS products, cloud services such as engage students in problem-solving LearningMedia Digital Summit the A360 collaboration platform, as well through engineering, students will and the International Society for as maintenance subscription for free.” see how math and science are Technology in Education conference. Already, students at Swanson Middle springboards to careers as future All Lead PBS Digital Innovators will School (VA) have used Autodesk innovators and entrepreneurs.” also receive a Samsung Galaxy

shutterstock.com software to help create a tool designed Read the full article. tablet. Read the full article.

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DECEMBER Read the full article . 2014 . Read the full article. move ontothenexttask. may needhelporwhois ready to teachers toseewho’s ontask,who view ofanentire classtoallow Orchestrator provides athumbnail devices andstudentactivityeasier. designed tomakemonitoring Classroom Orchestrator and offline use. The appisdesignedforbothonline according toanindividual’s needs. promptslearning andaccessibility allows userstoaltertext,visuals, and progress monitoring.Theapp therapy for personalizedlearning, is aniOSappthatprovides tools The Roundup Boardmaker Student Center Read the full article is

. Like adryeraseboard, the 8.1. preloaded withMicrosoft Windows and weighs3pounds.Itcomes measures lessthan1inch thick It offers 10-pointmultitouch, battery lifeofupto10hours. touchscreen notebookwith a Acer Americaisalightweight The the full article Google DocsorOneDrive. files andshare themtoEvernote, board contentasJPGorPDF tablets orPCs.Teachers cansave devices suchassmartphones, deliver theimagesitdisplaysto kapp TravelMate B115 Read the full article usespens,butitcanalso . from . Hardware Software Read Smart New and

newreleases The latesthardware,The software servicesand Click here fornewreleases On Dec. 18 at 4 PM ET, learn more about Shekter’s innovative use of technology in an edWeb.net webinar hosted by THE Journal’s Christopher Piehler.

HANNA SHEKHTER, EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY SPECIALIST, BRAUSER MAIMONIDES ACADEMY, FORT LAUDERDALE, FL INNOVATOR By Dan Gordon

Shekhter heads all things tech- that era, but because they were part of creating nology at the K-8 Jewish day this piece of work, everyone was much more MY TOP 3… school: She works with teach- involved. Since then we’ve bought some green EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY ers to integrate technology screen paint so we can have it up in the office all TOOLS into their curriculum, teaches the time and constantly create these fun videos 1) Presentation tools encourage deep, a computer class and man- with the different grades. reflective thinking. Prezi employs a zooming user interface that allows users to zoom in and ages IT. In addition to steering out of their presentation to focus on different teachers toward free online tools such as Prezi and THE Journal: Were you concerned forms of media within the presentation. Glogster that can help them craft more dynamic about your ability to pull this off? 2) Digital storytelling tools empower presentations, she has begun working with faculty Shekhter: Yes. At first I thought, “I’m not a movie students’ voices. It encourages them to to implement green screen technology as a way to producer,” and this is a very “high school” thing to communicate, collaborate and research as well “transport students to another location or time.” do. Then I realized that with the mobile devices on as to infuse media into the process. Storybird hand and so many different apps available, we don’t uses art-inspired themes to create stories to read, share or print out. THE Journal: How did you end up need the expensive cameras or the lights or any of gravitating toward a movie production the equipment that a proper movie production stu- 3) Blogs are effective forums for student technique like green screen? dio would require. The students were able to do ev- collaboration and discussion. With Kidblog, students publish posts and participate Hanna Shekhter: I wanted to be more creative erything themselves. It was very hands-on for them. in academic discussions within a secure with the iPads in our school, using iMovie, and the classroom blogging community. Green Screen by Do Ink app allows you to put THE Journal: What else have you either a video or an image behind the students. done with it? lunch at a restaurant in a foreign language in the The fifth-grade social studies class was learning Shekhter: We teach a lot about Israel in our country of that language. It just takes the students about the American Revolutionary War, so as a school, and some of the kids have never been, so to another place to give them a deeper under- group project we had them do a newscast of it, we will put up a picture of, for example, the West- standing of what they are learning. written by the students and delivered with differ- ern Wall, and you can superimpose students being And that’s really my goal: to use technology not ent images behind them showing a battle or the there. It’s like a virtual field trip. The younger group for experiences that are separate from the curricu- historical people. They ended up with a great really got a kick out of that. We’ve used green lum, but to make what the students are learning interactive video. Not all kids are into history or screen to reenact the Boston Tea Party, or to order more meaningful.

6 | DECEMBER 2014 innovatOr K–8 math in English and Spanish this fall!

THE Journal: How did you sons and entertainment. My focus has end up doing this kind of work? been to teach kids and teachers and Shekhter: My first degree is in bio- parents how this can be used as a medical engineering, so a lot of cod- powerful educational tool. I try to help ing. I also have a degree in information our parent body understand that at technology, and I always worked for your house these might be toys, but software companies, but eventually I here we actually do wonderful things decided that while being in a cubicle with them and they have great value with a bunch of other engineers is as learning tools. great, I wanted something that would have more meaning for me. I have chil- THE Journal: What is the dren, and I became more interested in most rewarding aspect of their education and making sure they what you’re doing now? were in tune with technology. When Shekhter: Definitely my interactions You need to build the next I started working in classrooms with with the students. When they come to generation of mathematicians. Increase in Academic young students, I realized the impor- my class or I go to theirs to work with Performance Index tance of reaching kids at an early age their teacher on the technology, they We can help. +10 10%pts ADVANCED to teach the skills that using technol- are very excited, and it’s not always Additional PROFICIENCY DreamBox Learning™ Math delivers a highly personalized Growth* ogy provides for a lifetime. easy to get students excited about learning environment to promote conceptual understanding 15 pts Outcome learning. Then, once I can get them and the ability to solve real-world math problems. The result is a K–8 learning experience that students love, actionable data THE Journal: Aren’t kids past the “look at how fun this is” 5 pts that support teachers, and outcomes you’ll be proud to share. using technology at an early stage, I know there is going to be Goal age anyway? more meaning for them in what they Seeing is believing. dreambox.com/showme 2012-2013

Shekhter: Well, one of the things learn — and their excitement just CLEVELAND ELEMENTARY that makes me nervous is the fact pushes me to keep looking for better Santa Barbara, California * Based on a value-added calculation of that they use it more for social rea- and better things. testing data and expected outcomes

7 | DECEMBER 2014

Untitled-4 1 8/25/14 11:02 AM Mobile Learning Dian Schaffhauser

What Will the Learning Device of the Future Look Like? We asked a young innovator, a futurist and the CEO of the One-to-One Institute to imagine what students will be using for learning one day. Here are their predictions, from the fantastical to the practical.

ahil Doshi is a 14-year-old freshman at Upper thinking. “I feel like when we type search que- Sinclair High School in Pittsburgh. He also won ries into search engines, we limit the ideas we “Top Young Scientist” in the 2014 Discovery have. Our ideas in our brain are really complex. Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge, which [So] we simplify them. If we had that sort of inspires students to come up with innovations that information database that has all the informa- could earn them scholarships and recognition. Doshi’s tion and then you just hook it up to your brain, invention, the PolluCell, converts carbon dioxide into you could find information in five seconds that electricity (by way of silver-plated guitar strings) to bring would take a day to find in Google.” power to places that wouldn’t otherwise have it. To prevent the technology built into the de- When asked to imagine the learning device of the fu- vice from putting too much physical pressure ture, he suggested imagining a baseball cap connected on the wearer’s head, the cap would be made directly to a student’s brain. The device would allow the of “lightweight material that could take away

student to access “everything in the world, every possi- the weight.” The device (which might come shutterstock.com ble public file out there.” That’s important for students, in other forms for people who don’t like ball he added, so they’ll realize “that nothing is impossible caps) would enable its wearer to communi- because they have [access to] every bit of information.” cate with others through “brain messaging,” The search capacity would go way beyond what eliminating the problem of not being able to commu- projected right onto the student’s hand, serving as the Google and Bing index. Doshi imagined, “You’d have a nicate “because we don’t know how to formulate our ultimate crib notes. bunch of nodes that connected to certain parts of the most complex opinions in the best set of words,” Doshi If a student needed to communicate with a remote brain to calculate brain waves,” and to capture complex explained. He envisions that search results would be person, a screen would fold out from the brim, allowing

8 | DECEMBER 2014 Mobile Learning

the wearer to interact through a “Google Glass kind of advantage of that approach, he noted, is that teachers to move things from device to device or share things design.” Students would never have to type, because could show problems and the students could work at across devices, or for kids to collaborate where they the device would translate spoken reports and home- work into text, said Doshi. Users could check their work Sahil Doshi’s device of the future would look like a through their screen, then use a speech control func- baseball cap connected directly to a student’s brain. tion to send it off to the teacher. It would feature a foldout screen and would allow the Instead of today’s classroom polling, he said, “You student to access “every possible public file out there.” could fold down that screen from your hat and look at the answers and choose the letter or choice that you their desks “rather than having to go up on the board each have part of the overall picture on their screen.” want using your eyes.” That’s already possible, he add- and write out [the answer].” And immediately, the He likened what he’s describing to Nintendo’s dual ed, using a technology such as IrisScribe Eye-Typing teacher could assess “every student’s understanding of screen technology, which enables two users to play Software, which was created by a student at his school the concept.” the same game at the same time. “You can imag- who has moved on to MIT. ine a distributed screen over multiple devices,” he Written tests could be replaced by continuous review. Connecting to People and Things imagined, “where each kid has a piece, [allowing] for Doshi imagined that the device would use an artificial A lot of what Doshi describes isn’t so far off the mark, sophisticated and more interactive learning environ- intelligence algorithm to randomly generate test ques- according to Scott McLeod, director of innovation ments to be created.” tions that inspire critical thinking, but “not flash cards.” at Prairie Lakes Area Education Agency in Iowa. Students will not only connect to each other: The In- The student would give an oral response that the de- McLeod, who also publishes the school leadership and ternet of Things will connect them “to their room and to vice would process. Forget about end-of-year assess- technology blog Dangerously Irrelevant, said voice acti- the building,” enabling them to interact with the physi- ments. This would work year-round. vation and wearability will be “key functionality” for the cal space. For example, “ambient devices” in a class- Doshi’s vision of the future of ed tech didn’t stop learning device of the future. Another key: more interac- room might pick up on signals from student devices, there, though. He sees student desks being replaced tivity “with other devices and the external environment.” allowing the teacher to tell at a glance the mood in the by a glass interface like the ones used by Tony Stark in “Right now, the devices we have for students don’t in- class. “Maybe there’s an indicator that says 75 percent the Iron Man movies. “He’ll take objects on the screen teract as much with other students’ devices,” McLeod of the kids are working on this right now, so it’s green and make them 3D and he’ll throw them into the trash. pointed out. In the future, “We’ll see natural peer-to- and that’s good, or only 25 percent of them are, so it’s I envision student desks to be something like that.” The peer networking occurring, and it will be much easier glowing red.”

9 | DECEMBER 2014 Produced by: Mobile Learning

In other words, the teacher won’t a different way or the volume turned have to go around the room and “look up, yours will automatically know 14 at every student’s device to see if that about you and do that for you,” The Future of Education Technology: they’re on track or not,” McLeod ex- McLeod asserted. If a student needs Transforming Teaching & Learning plained. “The ambient indicator will tell a transcription with a video, “it’ll au- that the required threshold has been tomatically just happen for you. It will met. The lamp in the corner might be be much smarter in terms of knowing FETC Virtual Conference is blue if we’re all on track, and red if what you need and taking care of it.” now available on demand some of us are off task. Or maybe the Of course, some things never through Januray 23, 2015! light in the ceiling will turn orange if change. For instance, to manage the Log in and access this compelling educational content enough kids press the ‘I’m confused’ Internet of Things, McLeod said, the as many times as you like—at no charge! button on their device.” IT group will still have to grapple with This FREE ALL-ONLINE event features: For McLeod, ubiquitous Internet is “juggling handoffs and connections Sessions presented by a select group of a foregone conclusion. “Kids in the between devices and environmental FETC 2015’s featured speakers future will be less dependent on lo- objects.” With each new kind of con- A virtual networking lounge where you can cal WiFi. They’ll be able to connect nectivity, new standards will surface, share best practices Technology product and service demos anywhere, at any time. It’ll be a 24/7 not just from technology manufactur- in the virtual exhibit hall device. At some point we’ll figure out ers, but from “the people who make Free content downloads and presentations- the finances of that and [how to hand furniture, the people that make floor to-go—and more! off] the school environment to a home tiles, sound speakers, the people who environment to a public environment.” make roads and bricks; everybody is Students who need accommoda- going to be in on this. There’s going tions with their devices will get them to be a lot of fighting about standards on the fly through software algorithms. and protocols and how to make things Not registered? “If you need the screen altered to look interconnected in order to work.” Sign up today for free @ fetc.org/virtual 10 | DECEMBER 2014

Untitled-3 1 12/2/14 3:45 PM Mobile Learning

Anywhere, Anytime Learning ing environments. Where the device decision needs to not necessarily by cellular phone (it could be FaceTime Another aspect that won’t change is how schools will begin is “with the student learning activities and learn- or Skype); and choose the learning devices their students will use. ing experiences and goals in mind. What device best a manual keyboard that can be quickly attached They won’t be looking for something “sexy-cool-glitzy,” suits those? That’s a really defining decision that school and is immediately usable. insisted Leslie Wilson, CEO of the One-to-One Institute, people need to make, that clearly drives what the Wilson’s ideal device would be portable and light- a nonprofit organization that helps schools, districts choice in device is going to be.” weight but durable enough to withstand student abuse. and states learn how to integrate technology into learn- While the next generation of learning device as de- It would be secured to prevent quick theft. And of the future, as of 2011 Four years ago, we asked ed tech specialists to speculate “You can imagine a distributed screen over multiple about the future of mobile. Here’s what they came up with. devices, where each kid has a piece, allowing “The ideal mobile learning device resembles a credit card for sophisticated and more interactive learning after being folded four times. Unfolded, the top half serves environments to be created.” — Scott McLeod as the screen, the bottom half as the keyboard. It is made of a pliable titanium fabric. A projector function allows for scribed by Doshi and McLeod may be a few years off, ac- course it would offer a high degree of personalization increased screen size on any surface.” — Kipp Rogers, director of secondary education, York County School cording to Wilson, the current generation of hardware isn’t to be “very congruent with the kinds of things that the Division, Yorktown, VA very far off the mark from what students need. Her list of student might like to do.” “It will be an off-the-shelf smartphone.... Mobile learning key features that a learning device will need to succeed in All in all, Wilson’s concept device “is in keeping with will be a universally ported app that runs on phones, set- the classroom of the future includes the following: the notion of anywhere, anytime learning,” she said, top boxes, PCs, pads, video walls, smart TVs.... The app A screen larger than the typical smartphone and constantly giving students “the capacity of learning and the content will be free, at least for K-12.” smaller than the typical tablet; something new, creating something, developing some- — Scott McNealy, co-founder, Sun Microsystems the ability to let the student create while consuming thing. It’s a never-ending process. That’s the wave of “The learning device of the future is not a device. It is the — producing videos while simultaneously watching the future of education.” network — specifically, wireless networks.... In the future, videos or doing other production activities; more funding for these networks may come from the E-rate uninterrupted Internet access; Dian Schaffhauser is a senior contributing editor program.” — John Harrington, CEO, Funds for Learning the ability to connect with other students, though based in Nevada City, CA.

11 | DECEMBER 2014 FEATURE | smart classroom technologies

Our panel of experts predicts what trends, devices and software will define ed tech in the coming year.

By Greg Thompson

Every December, THE Journal convenes a panel of five ed tech leaders and asks them to gaze into the future. This year, we presented our virtual roundtable with 10 instructional technology topics, and they offered their prognostications about what will be HOT , LUKEWARM or LOSING STEAM in 2015. While all of our experts agreed that student data privacy WHAT’S will continue to be a major concern, there was lively debate in most other shutterstock.com areas. This divergence of opinion centered on a question that districts around the country are asking: With such an abundance of technology options, how do educators pick the right solution and — most importantly — deploy it in a way that truly helps students learn? for 12 | DECEMBER 2014 2015 FEATURE | smart classroom technologies

Bring Your Own Device more affluent districts where kids are (BYOD) more likely to have at least a smartphone, and likely a laptop as well. It is The Panelists Karen Billings: BYOD is hot given simply cheaper to fund the have-nots Karen Billings is vice president of education for the Software & Information the prevalence of popular mobile than to try to support everyone. IT de- Industry Association. She drives strategic direction, programs and initiatives devices such as tablets and smart- partments are getting more comfortable for the 180 company members focused on providing tech nology products and phones, student preference for us- dealing with a range of devices, espe- services to the K-12 and post-secondary markets. ing their devices, better access to the cially if the key use is the network. As chief innovation officer for the International Society for Technology in Internet at school and lower cost. Using Social Media as Education, Wendy Drexler is the division leader responsible for the ISTE Standards, professional learning services, and the association’s thought Wendy Drexler: Recent studies a Tool for Teaching and leadership teams, including research and evaluation. have shown that more than 50 per- Learning is the director of the School Library System of the cent of school-age students own a Christopher Harris Genesee Valley Educational Partnership, an educational services agency smartphone and/or a tablet, and that Drexler: While there is great potential supporting the needs of 22 small, rural districts in Western New York. Harris increase in personal access has lit for integrating social media into learn- is currently serving as a fellow for youth and tech nology issues with the a spark under this already popular ing and teaching, there is still a lot to American Library Association’s Office of Information Tech nology Policy. movement in K-12 technology imple- be done in terms of offering teachers Larry Joh nson serves as chief executive officer of the New Media mentation. However, for BYOD to be professional learning opportunities Consortium. The NMC’s dozen-year exploration of tech nology use in successful, schools must plan careful- that support its use, as well as en- education, the Horizon Project, informs strategic tech nology planning for ly for implementation, considering how suring that schools have appropriate educational institutions in more than 175 countries. they will provide access to students policies in place for the use of social is the state and district digital learning director for the Alliance who may not have a mobile device, media with students. A 2014 survey Thomas C. Murray for Excellent Education. He has testified before the United States Congress and and have proper policies in place. from the University of Phoenix College works alongside that body, the U.S. Department of Education, state departments of of Education found that 47 percent education, corporations and school districts throughout the country to implement Larry Johnson: The economics behind of K-12 teachers said participation digital learning while leading both Project 24 and Digital Learning Day. BYOD are driving interest, especially in in social media platforms could help

13 | DECEMBER 2014 35th Annual National Conference

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JUST ANNOUNCED KEYNOTES GREAT PROGRAMMING NEW THIS YEAR! Keynote & STEM Excellence Fuel your inspiration for innovative teaching with Ideafest Sessions Awards Presentation more than 400 expert and peer-led sessions. Fast-paced interactive round-table discussions Jenny Lawton with technology thought leaders about emerging CEO Makerbot WORKSHOPS technologies and creative implementations. SESSIONS Aspire Sessions Innovation Keynote FOCUS AREAS These 20-minute sessions will help teachers David Moinina Sengeh learn a skill to take back to their districts and Biomechatronics Engineer use right away! Game-Based Learning Arcade FETC is proud to partner with Learning Games Network that bridges research and practice in Closing Session Keynote New format: 3 Speakers + Q&A! game based learning research and development. Check out a selection out the latest and most Governor Bob Wise promising learning games and tools! President of the Alliance for Excellent Education Makers’ Hub Build, play and explore at the FETC Makers’ Hub, DOWNLOAD THE 2015 Discover the future of education technology at where you will experience hands-on learning, FETC! Watch our video for highlights of last maker-style! Explore the fabrication tools and CONFERENCE BROCHURE Adam Bellow year’s conference and see why more than 8,000 manipulatives, 3D printing, robotics and more that Review this brochure for a list of sessions, what’s Founder and President of eduTecher educators annually make FETC the cornerstone of are transforming learning. new for 2015, the full conference agenda—plus and eduClipper their PD plan! registration and travel information. STEM Excellence Awards The FETC STEM Excellence Awards recognize excellence and innovation in the field of STEM CLICK HERE FOR A FREE DOWNLOAD Lucien Vattel education at the primary, middleddle andand highhigh school CEO of GameDesk levels. GET FULL DETAILS.

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Untitled-2 1 12/4/14 11:32 AM FEATURE | smart classroom technologies

Personalized Learning Is Hot,

enhance their students’ education. Four out of five said Game-Based Learning Is Not they use social media personally, but a large majority We asked our experts to pick the learning models that will have the biggest effect in (80 percent) said they’re concerned about separating classrooms in 2015. Here are their answers. their personal and professional lives and worry that Personalized Learning they haven’t been properly trained to use social media Murray: The combination of educational tech nology tools and software that adapts to student learning needs in a professional setting. finally makes true classroom differentiation a reality. Harris: The secret to success is that teachers can move toward 1-to-1 teaching and learning even before the Thomas C. Murray: The movement of Connected arrival of 1-to-1 devices. Teachers can make use of digital content accessed through labs or the library to provide Educators — those educators that connect online students different reading and research experiences. The idea of a class novel should be long gone; this is the age with others around the world — will continue to of personalized reading — or at a minimum extension of reading and learning from a common seed text.

gain steam in 2015. Each day, educators use Twit- Game-Based Learning ter, Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and other tools Harris: Sure, I may have a series of books coming out from Rosen Publishing in January about teaching to connect and learn from others with similar in- using modern board games, but right now so much of the focus on game-based learning is just not cutting it. terests, curriculum, location, etc. This professional Meaningless video games that digitize worksheets and gamification concepts built around stickers and points fail learning strategy will continue to extrapolate into to address the real power of play as a natural form of learning. This will be hot, but first we need to spend some time going deeper into play theory and the real science of game design to make sure that the products we are the classroom, as teachers model this learning for bringing to the classroom are authentic games with real engagement. students, while empowering their students to con- Billings: Mostly because of the category name, game-based learning is not hot. Curricular-based simulations take nect with the world through blogging, social media time and don’t fit well into school time-based classes. and collaborating with others. No longer are stu- Drexler: It’s difficult to call one learning model “hot” and one “not.” For example, blended learning environments dents simply posting their work on the refrigerator — where students learn in both online and traditional classroom environments — provide many opportunities for their parents to see. Today’s students have a for personalized learning. Adaptive learning is by its very nature personalized learning, and game-based learning global audience. can easily have the qualities of adaptive, personalized and blended learning.

Billings: I give social media a lukewarm rating given Christopher Harris: As a concept, I love it. It just biography projects, except that impersonating some- the issues around Internet safety and social interac- doesn’t work when we try and force teaching and learn- one is a violation of the terms of service, and there is no tions, including picture-sharing. ing into commercial products. Facebook is great for way to infuse real instructional objectives and assess-

15 | DECEMBER 2014 FEATURE | smart classroom technologies

ment. What is hot are custom-designed solutions for ter balloons. Badging requires a shift to an outcome- mon Core State Standards, an increasing number of classrooms in this space. based accountability model, where sit-and-get profes- educators are turning to open educational resources to sional learning goes by the wayside and what a person support classroom instruction, as well as to personalize Digital Badges knows and can do is what matters most. The onus to learning for students. show proficiency falls on the learner, who must be em- Billings: District administrators have not caught up to powered to make decisions in a professional learning Billings: OERs are still hot, especially for the teachers the advantages digital badges offer, nor have they devel- system that is differentiated and personalized. Unfor- who like finding the right materials and incorporating oped the course policies to incorporate them. They are tunately, this model will continue to hit resistance on a them into their class lessons. OERs are not so hot for popular in the informal learning environments: clubs, mu- variety of fronts in most districts. those who need the structure and support from curricu- seums and some online course providers where there’s lum materials typically provided to teachers in better more flexibility given lack of graduation requirements. Open Educational Resources economic times.

Drexler: The digital badge movement overall is still Johnson: OERs are gaining steam, but not yet hot. Murray: Open educational resources have simply be- emerging and defining itself, particularly when it comes come a way of life. Today’s students expect resources to to ensuring the validity and credibility of an earned Harris: Although currently losing steam, open educa- be free, high-quality, relevant and updated in real time. badge. As a way to earn and display learning creden- tional resources are going to come back in a big way. Although these resources remain useful, much of today’s tials, it has great potential for education, and I am excit- For the near future, however, we are in the dip between content already includes resources in this category. ed to see how it grows and adapts to the K-12 environ- an initially great idea and everyone realizing that it is a ment. It has the potential to be hot. lot of work. Discoverability of resources and alignment E-Portfolios to classroom learning are key features currently lacking. Murray: Although the concept has been around for a Educators need a higher platform for organization and Harris: These are a great idea, but we all know that number of years, few districts have taken the plunge discoverability so people can more easily contribute in the large majority of schools, portfolios aren’t into digital badging as it requires a change in philoso- and use the resources. going to suddenly replace bubble sheet standard- phy, mindset and practice. Many districts maintain ized testing. The best bet here is to hook portfolios an “hours-based” accountability system — which is Drexler: With tight budgets and the implementation of up with digital badging as the way to document and about as effective as putting out a forest fire with wa- new, more rigorous learning goals, such as the Com- demonstrate mastery.

16 | DECEMBER 2014 FEATURE | smart classroom technologies

Billings: E-portfolios are gaining ground in states Tablets Are Hot, Desktops Are Not where they are placing an emphasis on career tech nical We asked our panelists to pick one computing device that is definitely hot and education and in districts where they have focused on one that is definitely not. Here’s what they said. career and college readiness. Tablets Johnson: Los Angeles schools aside, there are lots of great examples where tablets have been introduced with Drexler: Student portfolios are nothing new. They provide great success, especially in primary grades. an authentic way of measuring learner outcomes, whether Billings: Because of their mobility, consumer popularity, decreasing prices and the increasing number of apps that in a K-12 classroom or a professional learning environ- focus on learning, tablets are hot. ment. What’s new is the increasing number of technology Drexler: Today’s learners were swiping and “tapping” before they were talking, so the tablet environment is a tools for e-portfolios. Students can now create a collec- natural one for them. Plus, simply because they are mobile, tablets increase the opportunities for learners to tion of their work spanning their entire educational career collaborate and for teachers to work with them individually and in small groups. Because the industry recognizes — in a cost-effective and easy-to-access way. this potential, the number of high-quality learning apps for tablets is growing every day. Desktops Learning Management Systems Murray: Mobility is king. These dinosaur-type devices serve a purpose in computer labs and office spaces, but have little to no use in a classroom setting where flexibility is key. Johnson: Yawn. We really need fewer salespeople Billings: Schools are buying more laptops, netbooks and tablets than desktops. and more innovators in the LMS space. While they al- Johnson: [Desktops] are the old industrial model, where schools buy and maintain the tech nology, control it low some useful functions such as gradebooks and and march students in to use it. Outside of schools, computing is personal, and the notion of sharing a laptop is class rosters, their major shortcoming is their inability outdated. People want to customize their devices for both work and play, and to have their choices of tools and to adapt, especially at the course level. Everyone — resources for learning. There is little to justify schools maintaining computer labs based on desktops anymore. teachers, students, administrators — is unsatisfied with LMSes in their current form, and many are ada- Harris: Can we all please finally admit that full-feature bloated LMS has a time and place; it just isn’t in most mant about it. Satisfaction, as measured in a recent LMS offerings are just way too complicated to use? of today’s classrooms. Real-world schools need a less- major study by Education Growth Advisors for the Google Classroom, on the other hand, provides an is-more system for their LMS. Gates Foundation, is in the single digits across all users “LMS light” that a teacher can actually implement in a and all major LMS platforms. hybrid or traditional classroom. Sure, the full power of a Murray: Many districts continue to roll out large-scale

17 | DECEMBER 2014 Untitled-1 1 12/5/14 10:31 AM FEATURE | smart classroom technologies

LMS implementations, with only small percentages of ering data when it should be about increasing under- Augmented Reality teachers fully using these collaborative tools as intend- standing of students. Real understanding has never ed. The potential in this area is vast, but remains gener- been gained through questions that can be answered Harris: It’s all about the hardware, so nothing much to ally underutilized in 2014. The saturated market makes on a bubble sheet. see right now. Oculus Rift looks promising as a tool for tools plentiful, but high-quality professional learning immersive field trips and that type of experience — also options difficult, thus leading to wide-scale implemen- Billings: Administrators and many educators want as a way to view data sets like walking through a virtual tation that is all over the map. the data that is provided. However, with student library of e-book covers. privacy concerns, mostly from parents, instructional Billings: “LMS” is losing steam as a category name, leaders are cautious about implementing. Parents Drexler: Through wearable tech nologies, such as but e-learning platforms are gaining ground as the cat- believe that the school service providers will use stu- Google Glass and Oculus Rift; hardware-based sys- egory name and because the platform provides access dent information to advertise or sell other products to tems such as zSpace’s immersive virtual reality; and a to resources that educators want. Resources can be the students. That is not something the providers can growing number of augmented reality apps, this tech- anything from e-textbooks and full curriculum solutions do legally, anyway. nology has the potential to put previously inaccessible to those supplemental products that teachers find and creative learning experiences in students’ hands. believe would help their students, including websites, Murray: Conceptually, the use of learning analytics lesson plans, research databases, etc. gives districts longitudinal data for staffing, budget, Murray: Much of the augmented reality being used in professional learning and visioning. At the classroom classrooms serves as the “wow factor” or is instituted to Learning Analytics level, instructional information can personalize learn- show off the latest shiny toy or app. The potential is high, ing for students. Although great in theory, few dis- but districts must dig deep into the instructional benefits, Harris: Until we can show parents that we are able to tricts actually use such analytics in this capacity. The and they will need a wider range of tools and content types make informed changes in instruction based on the possibilities for the instructional use of data to per- for AR to have a major impact in instructional practice. data that we already have, I don’t think that we are go- sonalize learning remain great, but districts must first ing to get much support for gathering even more data. have a data-literate staff that have the proper training Student Data Privacy Concerns Privacy concerns aside, how are schools and teachers and tools to achieve such outcomes. Predicted prog- going to be more effective by increasing the informa- ress in this area is positive, but pedagogically there is Drexler: Major consumer data breaches, such as tion overload they face? This movement is about gath- a long journey ahead. those with Target and Home Depot, have shined the

19 | DECEMBER 2014 FEATURE | smart classroom technologies

spotlight on data privacy overall in 2014, and stu- Joh nson: It is actually too hot. We need to keep this fo- to build vocabulary skills, or a complete curriculum pro- dent data privacy has certainly been a big part of cused on learning, and not let the conversation be rede- gram application, apps — when they are high-quality the discussion. With the advent of new legislation, fined in the political arena, where it seems to be heading. — provide educators with powerful tools for integrat- such as California’s Student Online Personal Infor- ing technology into learning and teaching. mation Protection Act, and numerous ed tech com- Harris: With districts running keystroke logging pro- panies and organizations implementing new policies grams, video surveillance of computer use, and filters Billings: The resources are there — lots of them. The and pledges regarding student data privacy, con- that decrypt secure traffic and block secure searches, issue is one of finding them and vetting them. cerns about this important matter are — thankfully students are incredibly vulnerable. Students’ needing — here to stay. “The potential of learning management systems is vast, Murray: With both the House and the Senate look- but remains generally underutilized.” — Thomas C. Murray ing to introduce or move bills in early 2015, and dozens of states already taking matters into their to log into a secure site to check a work schedule for Murray: Like AR and LMSes, apps have the potential own hands, this area remains undoubtedly hot mov- their job or manage their bank account can be risky or to personalize learning for each student, yet remain ing into 2015. impossible at school. Then there are the real concerns underutilized and underplanned. What remains preva- In an effort to get ahead of this issue, SIIA and about students who need to search for information to lent is a hodgepodge of apps, used with little vision or others worked to create a Student Privacy Pledge, answer questions about their sexuality or find resources focus at random points throughout the instructional following a convening by US Reps Jared Polis, to respond to a sexual assault. Forget school record day. Once carefully aligned with a district’s written D-CO and Luke Messer, R-IN. Whether or not this privacy: The real worry for me is the data that students curriculum and used instructionally with a purpose pledge will appease those sounding the privacy deserve to keep private as they attempt to engage in and with laser focus on a specific skill or competen- alarm remains to be seen. Regardless, the issues of digital life. Again, it is those without unfiltered access at cy, these tools will begin to meet their full potential. privacy, security, third-party contracts, possible re- home or via mobile that suffer the most. What’s gaining a foothold in some districts has light- visions to FERPA, a parent’s ability to “opt-out” and years to go in others. the need for district transparency of all of these is- Apps for Learning sues will keep this topic at the forefront for months Greg Thompson is a freelance writer based in Fort to come. Drexler: Whether an iPhone app that allows students Collins, CO.

20 | DECEMBER 2014 21st Century Learning J.V. Bolkan

13 Resources to Help You Teach Digital Citizenship These websites and books can guide districts in developing a comprehensive acceptable use policy that will give students the tools they need to succeed in school and beyond.

oday’s students are firmly entrenched in the Lockdown vs. Learning digital world, both in class and out. Although Many districts’ first response to regulations that they are digital citizens, they don’t always seek to protect students online has been putting know what digital citizenship is. According to up Internet filters and firewalls— which also Mike Ribble, an author of books on the topic for both serve to protect the school, district and equip- educators and parents, “digital citizenship can be de- ment. With so many students bringing their fined as the norms of appropriate, responsible behavior own devices, though, it is no longer enough for with regard to technology use.” Digital citizenship isn’t district IT personnel to lock down security on all that different from the standard citizenship that all district machines. Classroom teachers, students

children need to know and understand; the challenge and parents now play an important part in es- shutterstock.com is applying those lessons to the digital environment. tablishing and maintaining a secure digital learn- For instance, children are widely taught not to talk to ing environment. Teaching digital citizenship is a strangers. This works pretty well on the street: Even major element in any successful strategy. very young kids can distinguish between the people According to Abbie Brown, a professor at East Caro- ways around barriers; the majority of a school’s efforts they know and those they don’t. Online, though, even lina University and co-author of Security vs. Access: should be focused on fostering responsible citizenship adults are often fooled by people presenting false Balancing Safety and Productivity in the Digital School, that extends to Internet use.” identities. The digital citizenship lesson here is that, teaching students digital citizenship is much more ef- Brown suggested bolstering security efforts by includ- although students may feel quite safe sitting in front of fective than attempting to control them. “Blocks, filters ing other stakeholders. “Promoting responsible citizen- their computer screen in a classroom or at home, they and other imposed security measures are at best only ship calls for a collaboration among administrators, are in fact in a public place. partially effective,” he said. “Students are quick to find parents, teachers and students,” he said. “Students

21 | DECEMBER 2014 21st Century Learning

need to feel they have a voice in the process as well as To Combat Cyberbullying, Create an AUP Numerous studies have shown that being cyberbullied understand the consequences of breaking trust. A good Digital citizenship is more than just knowing what con- can have magnified effects because the victims are al- example of this is the development of an Acceptable tent is relevant. One hot-button topic in recent years most always alone and isolated during the event. Online Use Policy (AUP). When students have input into the has been cyberbullying. A complete digital citizenship bullying behavior also tends to persist because aggres- policy they often place greater restrictions upon them- curriculum should help students understand that their sors generally don’t receive feedback letting them know selves than parents and teachers might, and they are behavior on social media can be even more hurtful than they achieved their goal, whereas in a face-to-face en- more apt to adhere to the policy as well as positively the same behavior in the real world. Likewise, they of- counter, the victim may cry or run away. The inability to promote the policy with their peers.” ten assume incorrectly that because the person on the escape and the higher level of personal attack can lead Brown pointed to a recent study by the Oxford Internet other end can’t see them, that they are anonymous. to devastating results for both victim and instigator. Institute and The Parent Zone on U.K. youth that indi- cates that it’s far more effective to allow later elementary, Digital Citizenship Websites middle and high school students to self-regulate their Common Sense Education provides teachers and schools with free research-based classroom tools to help stu- Internet use (with guidance from parents and teachers) dents harness technology for learning and life. than it is to attempt to control them using filters and This site run by Mike Ribble includes a number of resources, including the “9 Elements of Digital Citizenship” blocks. Andrew Przybylski, research fellow at the Ox- postulated by Ribble and Gerald Bailey. ford Internet Institute and lead author of the report, said, NetFamilyNews is a free site based on the premise that informed parents and educators are key to a constructive “Our findings indicate that good parenting, which allows public discussion about youth safety and well-being in digital spaces. children to still take risks and develop coping strategies, Safe Connects is different from other Internet safety programs because students use “straight talk” to discuss is integral to whether young people are able to make the topics that are important to teens. This program has established a “student-teaching-students-and-parents” most of the opportunities of the online world.” model for school systems across the country. “It is just like the offline world,” agreed Vicki Shotbolt, SafeKids.com is one of the oldest and most enduring sites devoted to Internet safety. Its founder and editor, Larry founder of The Parent Zone. “Parents have to agree on Magid, is the author of the original National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s 1994 brochure, “Child Safe- age-appropriate boundaries. We wouldn’t let a child of ty on the Information Highway.” 4 play on their own in the park, and it is entirely reason- Cable Impacts offers InCtrl, a series of free standards-based lessons, originally developed by Cable in the Class- able if you have a very young child to make a decision room, that teach key digital citizenship concepts. These lessons, for students in grades 4 through 8, are designed to filter some content,” she added. to engage students through inquiry-based activities and collaborative and creative opportunities.

22 | DECEMBER 2014 21st Century Learning Acceptable Use Policies Common Sense Media offers free samples, guidelines and an exhaustive list of AUP resources. CoSN has issued an AUP guide called “Rethinking Crafting a school- or districtwide AUP that is infused are in place as well as the repercussions and penalties for Acceptable Use Policies to Enable Digital Learning.” with digital citizenship concepts and developed with input breaking them can reduce intentional incidents as well, from the entire community, students, teachers, parents, giving administrators, teachers and others a common NetCitizens includes a large number of resources and articles on AUPs and online safety. staff and administration can do more than simply provide framework for dealing with those problems. a list of prohibited activities. Establishing a framework Matt Levinson, Head of School for University Prep most important elements to the writing of an AUP is that for discussing the issues of online behavior can lead to a in Seattle and author of From Fear to Facebook: One it does not turn into a list of ‘don’ts.’ Schools need to take sharp decrease in inadvertent security and ethics breach- School’s Journey, offered this advice for other administra- the time to frame positive, actionable language that en- es by students and teachers. Knowing why certain rules tors leading the effort to create an AUP: “I think one of the courages positive behaviors. And the AUP needs to stand as a living document. With that in mind, employing a Q&A Digital Citizenship Books format for the AUP allows it to be added to as new issues Digital Citizenship in Schools, Second Edition by Mike Ribble starts with a basic definition of the concept of digital and questions arise. Additionally, avoiding the trap of try- citizenship, then moves on to an explanation of its relevance and importance. Ribble goes on to explore the ing to address every single issue is important; otherwise, nine elements of digital citizenship and provides audit and professional development activities to help educators the AUP becomes a kind of whack-a-mole document. determine how to go about integrating digital citizenship concepts into the classroom. Finally, the AUP, when crafted carefully and thoughtfully, In Digital Community, Digital Citizen, author, educator and futurist Jason Ohler challenges all readers to redefine can serve as a statement of philosophy for a school con- their roles as citizens in today’s globally connected infosphere. His text aligns the process of teaching digital cerning its approach to digital citizenship.” citizenship with the ISTE standards’ definition, and uses an “ideal school board” device to address fears, As digital tools become more integrated into students’ opportunities and the critical issues of character education. lives inside and outside the classroom, an AUP can In From Fear to Facebook: One School’s Journey, Matt Levinson shares his experience integrating a laptop program help ensure that those tools get used properly. Digital and how teachers, students and parents discovered, dealt with and overcame challenges. Honesty and insightful citizenship is the centerpiece of any effort to write an anecdotes make this a guide for districts looking for a path away from fear and into the future of education. AUP that will guide educators and their charges into a Security vs. Access: Balancing Safety and Productivity in the Digital School by LeAnne Robinson, Abbie Brown more efficient, safe and productive future. and Timothy D. Green emphasizes the importance of balance in creating school environments that are safe and productive. The book provides educators, administrators and IT staff the information they need to have J.V. Bolkan has been writing about education and constructive conversations about security challenges while still making sure students receive an effective, technology since the 1980s. He is a founder of GladEye technology-infused education. Press, based in Springfield, OR.

23 | DECEMBER 2014 Professional Development Bridget McCrea

What Can Ed Tech Certification Do for You? A variety of programs can help K-12 technology professionals boost their knowledge and prepare themselves for the expanding demands of their jobs.

hen Frankie Jackson moved into her cur- Educational Technology Leader test. “It was rent role as CTO for Cypress-Fairbanks just kind of uncanny that it occurred that way,” ISD in Houston, she knew that her strong Jackson said. “I had a unique opportunity to technical background and computer informa- take these new skills that I had learned through tion systems degree would both serve her well. As a the CETL program and directly apply them computer programmer who had worked her way up to my new job.” According to CoSN, CETL is through the ranks for 20 years, Jackson also knew based on “a body of knowledge defining the that she had no instructional experience — which skill areas critical to today’s education tech- she would need to guide Cypress-Fairbanks into the nology leaders: leadership and vision; under- 21st century. standing the educational environment; and To fill that gap, Jackson completed two different tech- managing technology and support resources.” nical certification programs. The first was a voluntary Together, these two certifications helped

program of professional certification and continuing Jackson round out her skill set and learn about shutterstock.com education offered by the Texas Association of School classroom teaching, student challenges and Business Officials. According to TASBO’s website, the how to maintain instructional focus in an era program provides “recognized standards of profes- where technology is literally changing every- sional competence for school business administrators, thing. Jackson says she also sharpened her communi- “Superintendents typically come up through the officials and specialists for the state of Texas.” cation skills, particularly when it comes to expressing educational/instructional environment,” Jackson said. Then, on the day that Jackson was offered the posi- tech-related visions and missions to school superinten- “It’s important that scientifically inclined CTOs be tion at Cypress-Fairbanks, she sat for CoSN’s Certified dents and boards. able to talk at their level and do a better job of com-

24 | DECEMBER 2014 Professional Development

municating with them. The certifications have helped kept current (via a regular renewal process) and that is components of what it took to keep schools opera- me to do that.” recognized by 70 percent of K-12 superintendents and tional, like finance, SIS, Internet access and communi- heads of HR, according to CoSN’s internal research. cations. We didn’t have to go deeper and further — it Connecting Technology and Learning From her CETL certification experience, Jackson said was operational in nature.” The contemporary CTO, by Today’s K-12 technology professionals have access to she learned core values and skills related to effective contrast, needs to be integrated in all aspects of edu- numerous certifications designed to expand and ex- communications and how to be flexible and adaptable cation, including budgets, planning, IT and instruction. plore new areas beyond just technical know-how. As in the changing K-12 instructional setting. She uses Five years ago, Mike Lawrence and his team from the CTOs like Jackson have already learned, national certi- that framework to establish strategic objectives for IT, Leading Edge Alliance started exploring the various cer- fications like CETL, Leading Edge Certification and ISTE and then quantifies the results based on those speci- tifications available to K-12 CTOs and IT directors. “At Standards (formerly NETS) — as well as state-specific fied objectives. the time,” he said, “the only program we found was the options like TASBO — help bridge the gap between Certification also established her as a lifelong learner. CTO Mentor Program run by CETPA in California.” See- technology and learning. “I’ve been in this field for 20 years,” Jackson said. ing an opportunity to build out its own offering, Leading Keith Kruger, the CEO of CoSN, commented, “Where- “What’s there not to say about why it’s important for Edge rolled out an online and blended teacher certifica- as a lot of technology leaders hold Microsoft- and me to continue to remain current and hold certifications tion in 2010, with Lawrence as its founding chairman. Cisco-type certifications, these options increasingly that are valuable to my district?” Leading Edge has since introduced additional offerings don’t make sense for today’s CTOs.” To earn the CETL geared to administrators, digital educators and profes- designation ($299 for CoSN members and $499 for Competency-Based Credentials sional learning leaders. nonmembers), technology professionals must take an According to a recent survey by the Texas K-12 CTO Lawrence says the goal of the expansion was to go open Internet test based on the organization’s online Council, school technology leaders are well aware of beyond the typical IT training approach and focus prep guides. Completion time varies based on the indi- the changing nature of their jobs. When asked, “What on classroom learners from a holistic perspective. vidual’s pace, according to Kruger. are some new job expectations that are required of you For a fee of $450 to $750 (depending on the specific “The course framework is the basis of both the exam as your district’s technology leader?” respondents said course) and a time commitment of roughly six to 12 content and our study materials,” said Kruger. “While that they are being asked to do more with the same weeks, tech leaders can learn about digital citizen- no one resource will ‘teach to the test,’ all materials staffing levels and budget they had 10-plus years ago. ship, digital literacy, responsible use of online tools are aligned.” In return for their investments, individu- Also, according to one survey respondent, “In years (by students), best practices for 1-to-1 implementa- als come away with a national credential that must be past, we were focused primarily on the technology tions, project-based learning and mobile learning,

25 | DECEMBER 2014 Professional Development Subscribe Today [IT’SIT’S FFREE!REE!] among other subjects. An outline of The 12-Week Initiation the entire Digital Educator curriculum CTO Jackson, who has reaped numer- Choose a THE Journal Newsletter… is available here, along with other ous rewards from her own certification resources. approach, believes that the investment Throughout the Leading Edge Cer- of time and money will pay off hand- THE News Common Core Update Tech Update tification course, learners build out somely for the IT professional who Spotlights the latest in technology An in-depth view of the technology trends, tools and analysis for K-12 portfolios that are reviewed by three wants to go beyond technical compe- and professional development issues instruction and administration. around implementation of the new different people who decide whether tency. “I basically refer to the CETL as Common Core State Standards. to award the certification … or not. my ‘12-week initiation strategy,’ ” said “They give feedback, advice and sug- Jackson, who helped secure a $1.2 gestions,” said Lawrence, “and give billion bond ($218 million of which was K-12 Mobile IT Trends students the chance to redo their work allocated for technology infrastruc- Classroom The latest information about networking, databases, Research and best practices if it’s not up to par.” ture) shortly after coming onboard with hardware, developer tools, for incorporating mobile data security, wireless, Those who pass Leading Edge’s Cypress-Fairbanks. technologies into K-12 virtualization and cloud instruction. muster are awarded a graphic badge “The certification program not only computing. that can be displayed on a blog or helped me transition into my new role, website, or in an e-mail signature. but it also provided a foundation for THE 21st According to Lawrence, “It’s a way of working with a large community in an Century School Focuses on smart classroom recognizing expertise that goes be- expanded setting that included many technologies, e-learning tools, audiovisual technologies, hardware, yond the typical master’s or doctorate- different stakeholders,” Jackson said. display devices, infrastructure and level experience, and it gives techni- “I came into it feeling well equipped to the interactive classroom. cal professionals a way to distinguish start managing this district.” themselves in a way that doesn’t require a multi-thousand-dollar commit- Bridget McCrea is a freelance writer ment over many years.” based in Clearwater, FL. SIGN UP NOW:

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