1.1: Shared Vision
Candidates facilitate the development and implementation of a shared vision for the use of technology in teaching, learning, and leadership.
(PSC 1.1/ISTE 1a)
(PSC 1.1/ISTE 1a)
Artifacts: School Technology Plan 2011
Shared Vision Document ITEC 7410
Artifact B: Workflow Document
Reflection
Atlanta International School published a Technology Plan in 2011 at the beginning of the process of introducing 1:1 laptops to students in the Middle and Secondary Schools (6-12). This thirty-one-page report detailed the timeline and the desired programme builds and rollout of various augmentations to the initial vision over a five-year period. Under the title “Creativity, Collaboration and Communication (C3), the focus of the technology plan would be to support and enhance student learning through all grade levels (3K – 12) and across all subjects. Knowing this shared vision as a classroom teacher and, in 2014 – 15 school year as a Technology Integrationist for Grades 6-12, I have seen both the in class effects of this plan and the movement for it’s revision as we move toward the end of this current five year progression of thought.
Therefore, the “Vision Statement for Atlanta International School” was born using the published technology plan, self-reflection as a teacher and observation as a Technology Integrationist with ongoing plans for the facilitation of the development and implementation of the next iteration of schools’ Technology Plan for teaching, learning and leadership. Through this document, written while I was still a classroom teacher in our school, I utilized the ideas behind the 2013 NMC Horizon Report to scope our focus within the next iteration of vision for our schools’ Technology Plan. As I reflect, just over one year later, it would seem that the near term facilitation, development and implementation is happening for mobile and cloud computing – the 1:1 laptop programme is in the final year of roll out from 6 – 12th Grade with the 12th Grade the only remaining “Bring your Own Device (BYOD)” year. From 2015 – 2016 academic year, there will be alignment in equipment for mobile technology 1:1 6 – 12 (Apple Air’s being deployed in 6th Grade over MacBook Pro’s due to weight issues and being phased in over time). With my move to technology integration, I assisted in overseeing the deployment of these devices to the 6th Grade in their initial weeks of the 2014 – 15 school year, and insured education of the student and the parent in the device capacity, setup, safe use and troubleshooting. This included student use of Google Drive and Dropbox for cloud based data storage. Applications were deployed and updated using Jamf file management through the Casper System. I have observed this in the IT Operations Department. I augmented this experience by overseeing the Physical and Health Education Department’s deployment of Apps for their new iPads using this system for free and paid Apps. Therefore, I have seen and had experience in alignment of the near-term vision in my new role.
In terms of digital content impacting mobile learning, I continue to work with teachers and librarians to ring fence content for lib-guides and to source digital media for teaching and learning. In terms of addressing professional development, I successfully assisted one faculty member to complete the KSU Blended and Online Learning MOOC in 2014 and accompanied faculty to the Google Southern Summit in 2014 and 15. As a presenter at The International Standards for Technology Education (ISTE) 2014 conference in Atlanta, I encouraged many faculty to step out of their comfort zone (and give up some summer vacation) to attend. As I continue to research appropriate technology integration models and tools for these teachers to engage in through their subject planning process as part of my capstone project, I hope that these experiences have and will continue to fire the rich conversations that are moving our school towards the next iteration of the technology vision to include STEM and STEAM frameworks from the beginning of the 2015 school year with the addition of an Interdisciplinary STEAM Coordinator (3K – 12) to faculty. This was enabled by the school securing a large grant to fund the position. This individual will assist to reinforce the existing Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) endorsed diploma, through the subject content of the International Baccalaureate (IB) for students in 11th and 12th Grade. In addition, students will also have the opportunity to pursue STEM internships.
This is currently being supported by the development of a workflow structure for faculty that engage the instructional technology department to work with them on planning, co-teaching and learning outcomes. I am currently taking the lead on this using shared Google Doc’s (Artifact B) and helps to keep the stakeholders in the collaboration straight on a progression for their own learning and that of their students. The example I use here involved getting faculty and students involved in the “Hour of Code” and included professional development and event planning details ring fenced on a Google Site. https://sites.google.com/a/aischool.org/hour-of-code-2014/
The mid and far term horizons continue to be interesting conversations – one of which has already materialized with the addition of a 3D Printer in the Design Technology Laboratory. This is relatively new and is still in the bleeding edge stages in terms of what the device’s role will be from the students’ design work outcomes and I am continuing conversations as part of the technology-working group as to how to sustain the use of this printer given the costs at this juncture in the technology’s lifecycle.
Atlanta International School published a Technology Plan in 2011 at the beginning of the process of introducing 1:1 laptops to students in the Middle and Secondary Schools (6-12). This thirty-one-page report detailed the timeline and the desired programme builds and rollout of various augmentations to the initial vision over a five-year period. Under the title “Creativity, Collaboration and Communication (C3), the focus of the technology plan would be to support and enhance student learning through all grade levels (3K – 12) and across all subjects. Knowing this shared vision as a classroom teacher and, in 2014 – 15 school year as a Technology Integrationist for Grades 6-12, I have seen both the in class effects of this plan and the movement for it’s revision as we move toward the end of this current five year progression of thought.
Therefore, the “Vision Statement for Atlanta International School” was born using the published technology plan, self-reflection as a teacher and observation as a Technology Integrationist with ongoing plans for the facilitation of the development and implementation of the next iteration of schools’ Technology Plan for teaching, learning and leadership. Through this document, written while I was still a classroom teacher in our school, I utilized the ideas behind the 2013 NMC Horizon Report to scope our focus within the next iteration of vision for our schools’ Technology Plan. As I reflect, just over one year later, it would seem that the near term facilitation, development and implementation is happening for mobile and cloud computing – the 1:1 laptop programme is in the final year of roll out from 6 – 12th Grade with the 12th Grade the only remaining “Bring your Own Device (BYOD)” year. From 2015 – 2016 academic year, there will be alignment in equipment for mobile technology 1:1 6 – 12 (Apple Air’s being deployed in 6th Grade over MacBook Pro’s due to weight issues and being phased in over time). With my move to technology integration, I assisted in overseeing the deployment of these devices to the 6th Grade in their initial weeks of the 2014 – 15 school year, and insured education of the student and the parent in the device capacity, setup, safe use and troubleshooting. This included student use of Google Drive and Dropbox for cloud based data storage. Applications were deployed and updated using Jamf file management through the Casper System. I have observed this in the IT Operations Department. I augmented this experience by overseeing the Physical and Health Education Department’s deployment of Apps for their new iPads using this system for free and paid Apps. Therefore, I have seen and had experience in alignment of the near-term vision in my new role.
In terms of digital content impacting mobile learning, I continue to work with teachers and librarians to ring fence content for lib-guides and to source digital media for teaching and learning. In terms of addressing professional development, I successfully assisted one faculty member to complete the KSU Blended and Online Learning MOOC in 2014 and accompanied faculty to the Google Southern Summit in 2014 and 15. As a presenter at The International Standards for Technology Education (ISTE) 2014 conference in Atlanta, I encouraged many faculty to step out of their comfort zone (and give up some summer vacation) to attend. As I continue to research appropriate technology integration models and tools for these teachers to engage in through their subject planning process as part of my capstone project, I hope that these experiences have and will continue to fire the rich conversations that are moving our school towards the next iteration of the technology vision to include STEM and STEAM frameworks from the beginning of the 2015 school year with the addition of an Interdisciplinary STEAM Coordinator (3K – 12) to faculty. This was enabled by the school securing a large grant to fund the position. This individual will assist to reinforce the existing Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) endorsed diploma, through the subject content of the International Baccalaureate (IB) for students in 11th and 12th Grade. In addition, students will also have the opportunity to pursue STEM internships.
This is currently being supported by the development of a workflow structure for faculty that engage the instructional technology department to work with them on planning, co-teaching and learning outcomes. I am currently taking the lead on this using shared Google Doc’s (Artifact B) and helps to keep the stakeholders in the collaboration straight on a progression for their own learning and that of their students. The example I use here involved getting faculty and students involved in the “Hour of Code” and included professional development and event planning details ring fenced on a Google Site. https://sites.google.com/a/aischool.org/hour-of-code-2014/
The mid and far term horizons continue to be interesting conversations – one of which has already materialized with the addition of a 3D Printer in the Design Technology Laboratory. This is relatively new and is still in the bleeding edge stages in terms of what the device’s role will be from the students’ design work outcomes and I am continuing conversations as part of the technology-working group as to how to sustain the use of this printer given the costs at this juncture in the technology’s lifecycle.