Good Morning Middle School Teachers,
This email contains three important and exciting items to communicate:
- Middle school student mobile device decision
- DRAFT goals document for middle school 1:1 implementation (attached)
- DRAFT timeline for implementation/preparation this school year and into Fall 2016.
1 - Middle school student mobile device decision
The decision-making components for middle school student devices included the following for our team:
- Feedback from TTSD teachers in the Spring (2015)
- keyboards, testing, device management, keeping existing equipment
- Research of successful 1:1 middle school implementations (both in the NW and around the country)
- Site visits: local schools, virtual site visits (Google Hangout) with NW schools
- Discussions with TTSD teachers, Hands-On sessions at each middle school and various survey and feedback forms from TTSD middle school teachers.
The decision was challenging, as there was no conclusive device. However, the functionality needs of the device was clear throughout: Internet access, variety of offline capability (homework), keyboard access (esp. for long writing assignments in LA/SS), Google Apps suite (productivity: writing, presentations, data collection), durability, longevity of the battery (for a full day, or more, of charge), flexibility of use & device management.
The decision for student mobile devices at middle school is iPads. Decision-making factors included:
- Most versatile (productivity apps, Internet access, offline file, multimedia tools, tablet functionality: drawing, zooming, handwriting)
- Creativity (lesson delivery, as well as student demonstration of knowledge)
- Durability (including battery life) & device management
- More potential to expand our horizons of what could be...
2 - DRAFT goals (see attached Goals.pdf document)
These goals are most certainly in draft form, but you can get a feel for what the implantation could entail the first year. Further collaboration with teachers is needed.
3 - DRAFT timeline for implementation/preparation this school year and into Fall 2016
The following dates/times have not been finalized, but are estimated below:
- 6th grade Teachers receive iPads in January 2016
- Specialists (ELL, Sped) & Elective teachers, included
- Two mandatory professional development sessions (flexibility in WHEN/HOW these are offered)
- January : 1st Session (2 hrs after school, or 1/2 day sub): iPad 101 and Single iPad Classroom << receive iPad here
- ~March : 2nd Session (2hrs after school, or 1/2 day sub): TBD [Content-focused iPad resources / student organization / Lesson & content management online)
- Parent communication: FAQ documents, information nights, website, phone calls/emails
- Fall 2016 all 6th grade students receive iPads (and will take home nightly), including a full training session, policy documents (expectations), parent forms, etc… [much more to come on this…]
