Technology Tools for 2018-2019

I am excited to share details on the 2018-2019 technology tools program which will be rolling out to schools this spring. Every other year, each school receives an allocation of “technology points” based on their enrollment. Schools are then able to spend their points to upgrade technology in their school.

This year’s model is simplified to better reflect current-day needs. With IT now covering maintenance costs, employee devices, and committing to reducing student equity challenges throughout the district by allocating funds to distance learning and the 1:Web program, school-based technology points can be specifically focused on student devices, labs, and classroom innovation needs. With the 2018-2019 technology tools update, schools will have more flexibility in how to spend their technology points.

At schools that are not in the 1:Web program, there will not be significant changes in the funding model. These schools will be able to spend their technology points on student devices, computer labs, and a new category called innovation tools.

The innovation category includes tools that are available at our newly-built schools, making sure this technology is open to everyone in the district. Some of these exciting items include: TV displays with casting capability, 3D Printers, Maker Kits, video production tools, and pen tablets.

Schools participating in the 1:Web program will also receive technology points, but without the need to buy as many student devices, they will be able to allocate more of those technology points to the innovation category.

If your school is on the cycle to update their technology tools this coming school year, the IT Ed Tech and Service Delivery teams will be coming by to talk with your principal this spring. We are excited to see how the use of these new innovative technologies will enhance the learning environment! 

One last thing - the technology point allocations at the schools will look larger this year, but the dollar amount will remain the same. We have moved away from 100 points being equal to the cost of a Windows device, to 100 points being equal to the cost of a Chromebook. This reflects the shift away from Windows devices to cloud-based Chromebooks. The increased point count should not be confused with more money being allocated.

Please chime in with any comments, thoughts, or suggestions. They are appreciated.

Andrew

BVSD Launches 1:Web

After many years of hard work by teams within and outside of IT, I’m very excited that BVSD is on the path towards a 1:Web initiative, which signifies a fundamental shift in teaching and learning in our district. Read on to learn more about 1:Web, what it entails, and our next steps.

First, the term

1:Web is a term derived from 1:1 (or 1 device for every person), a phrase common in school districts across the globe. When we were researching this initiative for our own adoption, we came across the term 1:Web, which emphasized the importance of accessing the internet rather than focusing on the device itself. At its core, 1:Web is about each student being able to connect to the world online through any device.

1:Web is more than devices

Since the focus of this initiative is on the learning that happens when the world is at your fingertips, we knew that purchasing a device for every student wouldn’t be enough. We knew that we had to change instruction at a fundamental level in order to create next generation learners, not just 20th century students with new computers.

That’s why, as part of the 1:Web initiative, we are supporting teachers with targeted professional development designed to enable this shift in education. The 21st Century Cohort is just one example of a program we have in place to fundamentally change instruction at BVSD. For more background and details about 21st century teaching and learning, check out the BVSD Ed Tech blog and the Ed Tech website.

Trailblazers

1:Web wasn’t developed in a vacuum. We were fortunate to be able to learn from the schools that have already started down this path, including Monarch High with their BYOD program, and Centaurus High, who is officially piloting 1:Web starting in January 2015. Both of these schools invested significant resources in teacher professional development and school culture to make a successful transition to using devices instructionally.

Other schools have also started down the path toward a 1:1 environment. Eldorado K-8 has a BYOD program for students who pass a digital citizenship requirement. Angevine Middle allows student to bring their own devices, including cell phones, and their teachers receive ongoing technology integration training. Bear Creek Elementary has a 1:1 Chromebook program for 4th and 5th grade students.

With the help of all these schools, we are able to plan an effective transition for the rest of the district.

Next steps

An initiative of this size needs a lot of resources, especially staffing, funding, and digital content. In order to purchase devices for most every student and to provide professional development to support this initiative, we will need ~$2.2M more per year than what we have today for Tech Refresh. The cost for just the high schools is ~$800k per year, which makes this path more likely in the next few years.

In the meantime, schools interested in making the leap to 1:Web with their own funding are welcome to after talking with Ed Tech on program requirements. I know that for some schools, the excitement for this initiative is outpacing the availability of district resources. Schools can also prepare for 1:Web by investing in professional development for teachers in the area of 21st century teaching and learning. That way once the devices arrive, teachers will already be practicing transformative instruction.

I look forward to providing you with more updates about 1:Web as I learn more about funding and logistics. In the meantime, please leave your thoughts below. (Please login first.)