A Device for Every Child: from 1-to-1 to BYOT

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Submitted by hlamonte(197)
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18 October, 2011 - 15:49

This virtual visit to Cullman County Schools in Alabama and Katy Independent School District in Texas will show how they are working to get digital, connected devices in the hands of every student.  From providing hardware, to configuring systems to welcome student hardware, to supporting instructional change, to measuring the Value of Investment, these districts have experience in issues critical to providing access. 

 

A Virtual Site Visit

Cullman City Schools: from One-to-One to BYOT

Katy ISD: Measuring Value of Investment

Overview

In 2006, Cullman City Schools in Alabama began a one-to-one initiative with the traditional approach of providing laptops to students.  Since that time, the work has expanded across the district and is currently branching into a BYOT approach.  From its inception, the initiative in Cullman City has had a strong emphasis on team leadership at every level of the system and on the importance of supporting change in instruction through effective professional development.

Since 2006, the district and individuals in it have received multiple awards for the one-to-one work, including a 2009 NSBA District Salute, a 2010 eSchool News Tech Savvy Superintendent Award, and a 2011 CoSN Team Award.

Katy ISD has been a hotspot of innovation for technology integration for years now.  In 2010 they piloted a Bring-your-Own Technology Initative that they are now scaling into the middle school years.  Of particular note is the importance that the Katy ISD leadership has placed on measuring the value of investment and using data from that process to drive improvement.

On our virtual visit to Cullman, we will focus in particular on the origins of the initiative, the importance of taking a team approach to leadership for innovation, and a view of where they have come in the 5 years of this work.  In Katy, we will focus on the process and tools that the team is using to measure the impact of their initiative and to gauge the value of investing further in BYOT.

 

Stop #1 - The Start in Cullman

The drive to put a device in the hands of every student started in Cullman in 2006, inspired by the success of one-to-one in Henrico County Schools in Virginia and the student learning gains seen through that work.  Click here to view a powerpoint from Cullman in 2006 describing the precendent in Henrico and their plans to build similar success in Cullman.
 

Stop #2 - The Team in Cullman

From its inception, the work in Cullman City has emphasized the importance of leadership throughout the system.  The team approach has proven very effective in this district, as depicted in this video.

Stop #3 - The Success in Cullman

This 2011 video celebrates the success in Cullman City from their 6 years of work aimed at bringing digital devices to learning for every child.  Notice the breadth of community involvement, the importance of support to students and teachers and the initiative and leadership of individuals throughout the district.

 

Stop #4 - The Pilot in Katy

Local Fox News coverage describes the pilot initiative that laid the foundation for BYOT in Katy ISD:

Stop #5 - The Expansion in Katy

To hear Lenny Schad, CTO in Katy, describe their BYOT initiative in great detail, click below for a webcast in which Lenny was on the panel.  (Free registration required.)

http://discover.schooldude.com/forms/2011-09-NAT-TechInsight-Archive

Stop #6 - The VOI in Katy

To read a  case study on Katy's measurement of Value of Investment, click below.

http://www.techlearning.com/article/case-studies-mobile-learning-devices-hold-promise/47831

Other resources

 

FOR DISCUSSION:  What do you see as the relationship between One-to-One initiatives and Bring-your-Own?  What are the benefits and risks of each? 

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