District Administration - November 2012 - (Page 1)

sponsored case study Longwood Central School District prepares students for global economy New York district using Learning.com resources to teach and assess digital literacy com resources, and a recommendIn 2007, as part of their goal to ed, but not required, curriculum for meet technology literacy standards grades 5-8.” passed by the state of New York, adEach teacher received two hours ministrators at the Longwood Cenof professional development on ustral School District on Long Island ing the Learning.com resources efwere looking for a tool that would fectively, and each K-4 student was help them both integrate digital assigned one 30-minute period per skills into core curriculum, and asweek in a computer lab to study sess whether those skills were beconcepts such as keyboarding, word ing taught effectively. processing, using multimedia, creat“The state requires that all stuing presentations, and effective indents be ‘technology literate’ by ternet research skills, using the Easythe end of eighth grade,” says Ellen Tech curriculum. Every K-4 student Pitrelli, director of technology. “This receives a technology grade on their was defined as having an underreport card, and every eighth grade standing of the concepts behind student takes the TechLiteracy Ascomputing and software, the skills sessment. to use technology responsibly in The results have been striking. In 2007-2008, just 53 perthe classroom, and the ability to acquire new knowledge uscent of eighth grade students met the proficiency standard ing technology.” Pitrelli found a solution that would help the district meet for digital skills on the TechLiteracy Assessment. By 2011these requirements for both students and teachers in the 2012, after four years of using the technology curriculum resources from Learning.com, that number had risen to 72 digital literacy tools available from Learning.com. “The first Learning.com resource I was interested in was percent of eighth graders meeting the standard. “Our teachers have also benefited a great deal,” says Pitrelli. the TechLiteracy Assessment,” says Pitrelli. “It was a way of measuring and reporting growth in the digital skills of eighth “From our initial assessment, it was clear that there were a grade students.” But, finding resources to teach digital skills number of areas in which our teachers needed additional in the grades leading up to that assessment was her next support. The EasyTech curriculum also helped teachers learn goal. “We also needed instructional materials and activities these skills, and showed them how they could enhance their for the lower grades, and as I explored, I found that Learn- classroom teaching with digital content.” Looking forward, Pitrelli says Longwood administrators ing.com was much more than an assessment; they offered a are focused beyond state mandates to the requirements of complete system to teach digital skills.” In addition to TechLiteracy Assessment, Learning.com of- the Common Core State Standards, and Learning.com will fers a digital skills curriculum called EasyTech, a self-paced, be a key component in meeting them. “For us, Learning.com interactive program for K-8 students to learn basic technolo- continues to be a one-stop shop for all of the resources we gy skills, which also includes online safety, keyboarding, and need to teach students these digital literacy skills that are so crucial for the 21st century.” word processing instruction for grades K12. The process began with teachers. “We asked every teacher to take a technology skills assessment, which would help us For more information, go to www.learning.com/explore. determine their need for professional development,” says Pitrelli. “Then we formed a committee to develop a required curriculum for grades K-4 that would incorporate Learning. “I found that Learning.com was much more than an assessment; they offered a complete system to teach digital skills.” http://www.Learning.com http://www.Learning.com http://www.Learning.com http://www.Learning.com http://www.Learning.com http://www.Learning.com http://www.Learning.com http://www.Learning.com http://www.Learning.com http://www.Learning.com http://www.Learning.com http://www.learning.com/explore http://www.learning.com/explore

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of District Administration - November 2012

District Administration - November 2012
Contents
From the Editor
News Update
District Profile
Administrator Profile
Flipping the Script in K12
Sustainable Professional Development
Brave New World of Teacher Evaluation
Philadelphia’s “Servant- Leader” Superintendent
Enhancing School Access Control
New Products
Professional Opinion
New Directions

District Administration - November 2012