Groundwork for the Digital Classroom

Executive Perspective

The Digital Leap is in full force. Over the last two years, AASA has collaborated with the White House and the U.S. Department of Education in rolling out the ConnectEd and Future Ready Schools projects. To date, thousands of superintendents have signed on and committed to use technology to further personalize learning.

Within AASA, the Digital Consortium continues to grow, with superintendents from around the country coming together at least twice each year to share their progress and collaborate on solutions. The superintendents are quick to point out that the acquisition of laptops and other devices prior to establishing a plan and training staff is a critical mistake that can lead to wasted funds and ousted superintendents.

AASA has worked closely with organizations such as the Consortium for School Networking and the Alliance for Excellent Education to develop resources to help superintendents through the planning process and to develop strategies for successful implementation of instructional technology to accelerate student learning.

Gaining Ground

A key question to be asked at the beginning of the process is this: How will this technological application advance student achievement?

Reading a book from an electronic tablet has certain advantages that may include the savings from not having to purchase expensive textbooks and the ability to add to or modify the content, but what is the value added relative to the learning process? If the tablet or similar device has internet connectivity, then an entire realm of opportunity arises if the student can access videos, do research and access other resources that can significantly enhance the learning activity.

The personalized learning movement is gaining ground because of the technological advances in our classrooms. AASA has identified more than 200 school systems nationwide that are implementing personalized instruction.

Walking into a personalized learning environment is different from walking into a traditional classroom. You do not see a teacher standing in the front of the room lecturing a class of students facing the teacher. Instead, you see small groups of students or individual students scattered about the room, in their seats or on the floor, engaged in discussion or working independently on their electronic devices. Often, the activity spills out into the hallways or whatever available nook and cranny students can find that affords them the opportunity to work alone or in small groups. The teacher walks around the room as a resource for students, providing assistance when required.

As seamless and orderly as this activity may appear to be, a lot of groundwork has been laid to make it so. The initial planning has led to the identification and acquisition of software that is appropriate for each student’s ability and proficiency level at all times. A wealth of digital material is available for teachers as they develop instructional activities for their students. The vetting and cataloguing of this material to help teachers select what will best meet their students’ needs is yet another component of a district’s digital plan.

The devices students use will have been researched to ensure they have the capacity to stream video, access the internet and allow writing and computation. Each school will have acquired the bandwidth to support the demand of users. To that end, AASA has played a prominent role in ensuring that E-rate dollars flow into our schools to provide internet connectivity.

Thanks to the letters of support from many of our superintendents and other education groups and libraries, I have been appointed by the Federal Communications Commission to serve on the board of the Universal Service Administrative Company, the organization that manages the E-rate, and to chair the USAC Schools and Libraries committee.

Lifeline Funding

A little over a year ago, the FCC almost doubled the E-rate annual budget by increasing it from $2 billion to $3.9 billion, primarily to increase broadband capacity to our schools and libraries. An issue now under consideration by the FCC is what has come to be known as the “homework gap” — that is, what happens when students go to homes with no internet connection, which then prevents them from completing their school assignments.

The Lifeline program, currently funded by USAC to provide telephone connections, could be expanded to add internet connectivity to those families who meet the financial requirements.

The Digital Leap may well transform education as we know it. If you have not taken this step yet, we invite you to become part of the AASA Digital Consortium.