North Daviess “Living Textbook” Todd Whitlock

1. North Daviess “Living Textbook”Todd Whitlock

2. Key Components to 21st Century Learning Analyze assessment data • ISTEP+ • ACUITY • ECAs • STAR • Local assessments • 21st Century Learning Outcomes Teacher training • Differentiation • Self reflection • Best practice • Project-Based Learning Student access to individualized instructional resources • Living textbook • ACUITY • Project Based Learning

3. What does 21st Century Learning look like at North Daviess? Mini lessons Small group (differentiated) instruction Whole group instruction External resources Collaborative learning Peer-peer teaching Teacher Self-Reflection

4. Laptops in the classroom LAPTOPS in the classroom will be a rude awakening or a liberating departure for many teachers

5. 1:1 Computing “I think the big problem is that schools have very few ideas about what to do with the computers once the kids have them. It’s basically just tokenism, and schools just won’t face up to what the actual problems of education are, whether you have technology or not.” – Dr. Alan Kay

6. Leadership is critical! • Powerful learning comes from passionate, motivated teachers who never stop learning • It is a long slow process to renew learning • not an overnight change • Innovation will come from the grassroots

7. Work avoidance just went digital • Laptops present a wealth of opportunities for the strategic learner to avoid work: low battery, lost wifi signal, ‘lost’ files etc., a range of ways to rebel • Student comment “it’s a distraction”

8. Has to move from teacher-centered to student-centered! • If a teacher stands at the front of the class, they see the back of laptops, so movement around the class is important. Sitting students in rows doesn’t work like it used to. • The best place for the teacher to be is online and mobile – learn to multi-task and be prepared to access and work with students – online after school (great way to build respect).

9. Don’t be boring! • Using a laptop to type in answers to textbook questions, print them out, and hand it in is absolutely superficial • Your textbook is NOT compatible with student motivation towards technology • Boring computer activities lead to work avoidance strategies and self-interest use of the internet

10. The Evil Cell Phones • Students are carrying a more powerful computer in their pocket than most classroom computers • 1000 students x 7 periods per day x 180 school days = 1,260,000 possible cell phone violations • Or is it 1,260,000 chances to engage students?

11. Textbook Alternatives North Daviess “Living Textbook”

12. Living Textbook ExplanationFrom Department of Education • The State Board interprets this section to allow school corporations to use computers and other data devices, instructional software, internet resources, interactive, magnetic and other media, and other “systematically organized material”

13. Stages of obtaining 21st Century Learning with technology use • Substitution • Doing the same thing we have always done • Just in a different way • Enhancement • Doing the same thing we have always done • Adding an enhancement with the technology

14. Stages of obtaining 21st Century Learning with technology use • Differentiation • Teaching in a different way • Not using all the traditional methods and tools • Transformation • Not teaching the same material we have always taught • Teachers and students create New Knowledge and Content • Allowing students to use the tools they need to complete the task at hand

15. North Daviess Solution • This year – no adoption of “NEW” textbooks in Social Studies • Keep classroom set of existing adoption • Next year – no adoption of Math • Keep classroom set of existing adoption • Sold back all but classroom set in English • Explore this option each year of adoption • Explore alternative content to enhance the learning and engage the students • Content-Free Software • students and teacher create the content

16. North Daviess Solution • Laptop become living textbook • Issue laptop to each incoming 9th grade • School year 2009-10 also for the 10th graders • Cost will be split with school and student under textbook rental framework • Will replace textbook rental on classes not adopted • Cost will fall within $55-$75 per year • If student stays the full 4 years, they leave with the “living textbook” • Close Digital Divide • Web sites visited accessible from home even with no internet

17. Living Textbook • We do NOT buy digital textbooks • We do NOT buy subscription services as textbooks • We evaluate these based upon special needs • We will NOT be loading CD’s that we already have licenses to load • Based-upon feedback of the few we tried this year • We will use Acuity to supplement with digital content for mastery of standards

18. Living Textbook • Students are in charge of Learning • When & Where • How & What • Textbook is not guiding the curriculum • Students’ needs to know guide the curriculum • Students use the best tool available to learn the content (their learning style)

19. Living Textbook • Learning becomes personalized • Knowledge is obtained beyond subject specific classes (not in isolation) • Support must be there to keep them working • Student tech assistants • Online helpdesk (free)

20. Learning becomes alive when using all tools available • Closed minds – lead to closed doors • Willingness to do what is right for students • Not what is easiest for adults • Be Creative in your Budgets • Textbook alternatives • Off-lease equipment • Sponsorships and partnerships

21. Contact information • Todd Whitlock • todd@whitlock-in.us • todd@edtechzone.com • www.edtechzone.com • Resources and copy of this presentation will be posted at www.edtechzone.com/links