Leadership Matters December 2013

Technology in the classroom

Technology evoluƟon: More student ownership of learning 

 Students watch Khan Academy videos on iPads, and then use the “Jigsaw” to share highlights with each other. Our Board supports the continued work of the faculty and the administration in seeking ways to use technology to transform teaching and learning. In October 2013, the Board approved funding of “Innovation Grants” for 40 teachers across each of the six buildings for a January-June 2014 field test of a 1:1 learning environment. Grant recipients in grades 3-8 will receive a set of Chromebooks for their class; K-2 teachers will receive a set of iPads. Those grant winners will have training in December, and will roll out their innovative instruction in January. They will share their experiences with colleagues and the community through blogs posted on a 1:1 web page on www.dps109.org , and they will encourage administrators and other teachers to visit their classroom. Next year, those pilot teachers will be mentors to other teachers when District 109 becomes a complete 1:1 environment. While this pilot uses iPads and Chromebooks, our focus is not on any one device, but on delivering transformative instruction that engages, inspires and empowers students. It doesn’t matter if we have Windows or Mac devices, tablets or laptops. One-to- one instruction is about learning. We are focused on increased student achievement, increased student satisfaction and a transformative move toward more student ownership of their learning and growth.

In Deerfield Public Schools (DPS109), we are fortunate to have technological resources to support learning -- and teachers who are willing to learn and take risks to improve their teaching and their students’ learning. Currently, in every K-8 classroom we have five Windows -based PCs in an N-Computing “pod.” We have carts of PC netbook “mini” computers that are shared by classrooms in each

By Dr. Michael Lubelfeld, superintendent at Deerfield 109

building. We also have several sets of Chromebooks, iPads, and Nexus tablets. Our students use many different devices – like professionals all use, every day, in all industries. The students learn to be flexible, creative, and to think beyond the keyboard and screen in front of them. For example, in our middle schools:  Eighth grade social studies teachers used Skype to simulate George Orwell’s "Big Brother" character from 1984 to trigger discussion around the question, "How much government surveillance should Americans accept to keep the nation safe?”  Seventh grade social studies teachers used the Aurasma app on the iPads to create a scavenger hunt that develops map skills with augmented reality.

10