Caught a vision at NCCE? Bring it home with a district technology event

1. Bernadette Sexton and Pam Juel Joint School District No. 2 Meridian , Idaho Caught a vision at NCCE? Bring it home with a district technology event

2. Conference Brain:

3. Our burning question: How do we share what we have learned?

4. The Problem: • All this great information • People to train: over 1,800 teachers • Resources: four trainers & a library coordinator

5. Our First Solution: • Taught a class • 30 people learned how to use tools like blogs, wikis, YouTube (this was 7 years ago!) • Taught the class again… 30 more! • Kept thinking…

6. More about “The Problem” • Clicker Training • Interactive Whiteboard training • Teachers were using technology, but wanted to know more about what was “out there” and what other teachers were doing • Needed our IT department to see what teachers needed and were doing

7. We knew the RESULT we wanted: A GREAT CONVERSATION about technology’s place in our district…

8. Tech Expo: Year 1 • Second day of teacher contract • 3 hour session (3 pm to 6 pm) • Attendance: 308 • Success! Vendors and teachers liked it!

9. Tech Expo: Year 2 • 1/2 day • “On Contract” • Schools came as a group • Added more vendors • Added more sessions • Added sessions taught by our teachers • Attendance: 567

10. Tech Expo: Year 3 • 1/2 day • “On Contract” • Schools came as a group • More vendors • More sessions taught by our teachers • 21st Century Skills website • Attendance: 770

11. Tech Expo: Year 4 & 5 Economic Recession! • 2011 • Off contract • Attendance: 411 • 2012 • Off contract • Attendance: 588 • Offered one credit

12. What Works: No Money! • No district funds used • No registration fees for our teachers X

13. What Works: Keep Sight of Goals • Audience is our teachers • Exposure to new technologies, new applications • Training on specific devices or software • Training on strategies that work • Build our own in-house technology experts • Other audience • PTOs, JSD2 school board, State Dept. of Education, our community • Neighboring school districts, private and charter schools (charge a small registration fee)

14. What Works: Planning Committee • “Other duties as assigned”  • Steering committee – Start in November • Vendors • Promotion • Registration • Facilities • Students • Signs • Food

15. What Works: Timeline • February • Start contacting vendors • March • Start getting teacher-speaker commitments • April • Google Form for Expo registration • Miscellaneous • Tech Expo Website (Hide site September – April) • Establish a separate account for Expo funds • Coordinate with Maintenance Department

16. What Works: ExpoDates & Schedule • Mid-August seems to work well • Teachers have time to incorporate • They are excited to start something new • Time to socialize andlearn • Expo schedule • AM sessions:50-minute • PM sessions: three-hour

17. What Works: Location • Choose a central location • We use a high school • Plenty of parking • Classrooms all have computers & projectors • AC in August! • Need a large Keynote Session area • Chairs, sound system, AV requirements • Need a large vendor area • Electrical outlets, wireless access

18. What Works: Maps • Use for planning • Traffic flow • Vendor tables • Electrical outlets • Wireless access • Sessions • Computer labs • Food area • Keynote & Registration

19. What Works: Who Are the Vendors? • Those we purchase from (list from IT dept) • New educational technology vendors • Local universities • Local businesses (book store, office supply) • Teachers’ Credit Union • Idaho Commission for Libraries (state library) • State Department of Education • Coffee shop, toy store • Benefits Fair

20. What Works: Working with Vendors • Email vendors • Charge a fee for tables and for rooms, (extra for premium space) • Levels of sponsorship • They need to bring tablecloths, electrical cords, etc. • They can show any product, but some may require district approval before teachers can use them • Credit cards • Arrange with local hotels to give a room discount • Ask vendors for donations • Little giveaways and/or big prizes or grants • Sponsor food, flyers, items, t-shirts, or keynote

21. What Works: Thank You’s for Vendors • Thank You postcards ($30) • Student photography

22. What Works: Keynote Sessions • Keynote speakers • Local university professors • Cisco – Internet Security • Discovery Education • Final Keynote is always our superintendent • Drawings for bigger door prizes • Grant application process announcements

23. What Works: Sessions • Staff presenters • Teachers, teacher-librarians, IT staff, grant winners • Gift certificate for teacher presenters • Vendor sessions • Include a teacher in each vendor session • Work with them to make sure their session topic works with our district and our curriculum • Planning the sessions • Note the grade level focus: elementary and/or secondary • Try to include something for every curriculum area • Work with Curriculum, Administration, Special Services, Librarians, IT department, & Department Chairs to address their training needs

24. What Works: Grants • Announce Innovation Grant applications at the Expo • Celebrate previous grant winners at the Expo with posters and sessions • Some funded by the district • Some funded by vendors

25. What Works: Credit • Work with a local university • Teachers sign up online (saves money & time) • To earn the credit, teachers • Must attend the Expo • Must teach 3-6 other teachers something they learned • Manage the class • Google Form • Stipend for the “teacher-of-record”

26. What Works: Student Helpers • Honor Society students • Grade 4 & 5 students • Shirts • Warning to the kids: “Do not collect the give-aways!” • Feed them…. • Candy bars • Pizza

27. What Works: Food • Keep it simple! • Bagels, juice & coffee • Honor Society students organize and serve the food • Sponsored by a vendor • Lunch trucks • Have break/food area for vendors

28. What Works: TechnologyLogistics • Wireless access • Password • Eased filter restrictions • Tech support • Techs assigned to Expo day-before & day-of • August IS a very busy time for the IT dept, so plan ahead

29. What Works: Signs & Posters • Logo created in a high school contest • Signs and posters made by a committee member; printed at a high school

30. What Works: Programs • At first, with a large printed program -- • Cost was high • Outdated the minute we printed it • Most were thrown away • Now -- • Detailed session descriptions are online • Print and post maps in strategic locations at Expo • Print and post schedules beside the maps • Post session titles & times by each room • 2-page Conference-at-a-Glance in each packet, printed in black & white right before the bags are stuffed

31. Sample Program (PDF) - Online

32. Sample Expo Handout – B&W

33. What Works: “Day-Before” Logistics • Setup • Signs/maps for vendor setup • Rent tables from local rental store (delivered) • Chairs from the school • Sign-in tables (alpha order, pre-stuffed bags) • Separate sign-in stations for attendees, teacher-presenters, vendors • Students • Help with setup • Help vendors & speakers find their spots, and carry equipment and supplies

34. What Works: “Day-of” Logistics • District Administration as greeters • Students help vendors, direct speakers and attendees • Expo staff shirts for staff and student helpers • Sign-in tables

35. What Works: Keep Spreading the News • Take technology “on the road” to staff meetings • “Show-and-do” classes • Showcase events in the community for teachers to share what they are doing

36. More Resources Meridian Joint School District #2 website www.meridianschools.org Tech Expo website www.meridianschools.org/Staff/TechExpo2013/Pages/TechExpo2011.aspx 21st Century Skills website www.meridianschools.org/teaching21stcenturyskills/Pages/Teaching21stCenturySkills.aspx Planning a conference (helpful website) goo.gl/ad0Bx “Passport Stamps” at a trade show goo.gl/h9mJK