District Administration - November/December 2010 - (Page 18)

BR IEFINGS NewsUpdate Advantages of Properly Implemented One-to-One Technology PROJECT RED REVOLUTIONIZING Education), an alliance of technology education leaders, released its ﬁndings from their study on Oct. 20 after examining how technology is implemented in nearly 1,000 schools. DA spoke with the Project RED President and CEO of the Hayes Connection, Jeanne Hayes. DA: Project RED is led by ﬁve education technology innovators and leaders from across the nation. What brought you together? Hayes: We’ve spent our careers tracking education technology. ere are three things we started with: how technology can save money, how technology helps learning, and whether schools that have a one-to-one student-to-computer ratio outperform schools with a lower studentto-computer ratio in terms of improving dropout rates and student achievement. DA: A surprising ﬁnding from the report, “ e Technology Factor: Nine Keys to Student Achievement and Cost Eﬀectiveness,” is that without proper implementation, a one-to-one computing rollout is no more likely to improve student achievement than traditional tactics with computer labs. Why is implementation so critical? Hayes: It is better, so it’s not fair to say it’s no more likely to succeed, but essentially, yes, that is correct. A proper rollout involves knowing what works and what doesn’t. So many respondents said teachers receive the technology when the chil dren do. Teachers of an older generation aren’t as connected and need the technology ﬁrst to be empowered. DA: Some of the key implementation factors included using technology in intervention classes, monthly professional development and using technology daily. What is the takeaway for district administrators? Hayes: Time on task and frequency are critical. ere also needs to be leadership overall. If teachers know this generation of kids is diﬀerent and needs to be taught that way, it will make a huge difference. DA: Despite large investments in technology infrastructure, why do some schools fail to follow through with vital implementation factors? Hayes: e reality is the inability to separate the urgent from the important. Administrators are very busy. If a school gets new computers, it’s exciting and it’s human nature to want to distribute them as soon as possible. It’s about being proactive, however, rather than reactive. DA: According to the study, properly implemented one-to-one schools reported improvement on paperwork reduction, disciplinary action decreased improvement on high-stakes test scores, and a reduction in dropout rates. How do you explain these huge advantages? Hayes: We believe that one-to-one computing can operate in schools as kids are used to operating in the rest of their lives. Many students feel they enter a technology-free zone inside the classrooms. It’s a way to truly personalize learning. www.DistrictAdministration.com Read the full interview with Jeanne Hayes. In 1:1 schools, daily use of technology in the core curriculum classes ranges from 57 percent to 62 percent. )# xeH nI ( sroloC Don’t miss out on Disney’s Planet Challenge. See page 31. resaet ni sraeppa ehs sA 0572C3 9B7861 3F0DA9 B59C1D 000000 18 November/December 2010 District Administration http://www.DistrictAdministration.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of District Administration - November/December 2010

District Administration - November/December 2010
Contents
From the Editor
News Update
Administrator Profile
District Profile
Black Children Still Left Behind
ARRA Funds Empower Schools to Power Down
A Call for Technology Leadership
Readers Pick Top 100 Products of the Year
Going Mobile
Superintendent’s Insights
Supervisor’s Opinion
Professional Opinion
Student Counsel

District Administration - November/December 2010