Using Technology to Increase Collaboration Within Schools

Kimberly NissonOctober 16, 2012

San Ysidro Elementary School District

• San Ysidro School District (SYSD) Profile:o 5,252 preschool through eighth grade students

o 7 schools, all on a modified 11-month schedule

o 73.0% classified as Limited English Proficient (LEP)

o 71.1% qualify for Free/Reduced Price Meals

o Enrollment projected to double in the next decade

• SYSD Objectiveso To rapidly grow technological infrastructure, streamlining

purchased and developed teacher resources

o To help teachers to become technologically savvy, data-driven, and increasingly collaborative

o To leverage technology to grow and strength SYSD Bilingual and Dual Language Programs

Power Hour

• District-wide implementation of standards-based instruction using technology & current curriculum.

• Students are grouped homogeneously for one hour per day to focus on standards.

• Helps fill in the gaps from our adopted core program in ELA.

• Requires teachers to use SMART Notebook lessons, digital resources, and teacher-created materials.

• Students are regularly assessed on the standards taught.

• Data analysis guides instruction.

Power Hour

Teach

AssessAnalyze

Provide Feedback

Power Hour

Teachers need easy access to assessments and analysis tools.

Power HourTeachers need to do data-based planning

Power HourTeachers need to do data-based planning

The SYSD/EdCaliber Partnership

Piloted in early 2012, SYSD has utilized the EdCaliber platform to achieve three main goals:

1. Coordinating Calendars to Streamline Planning and Pacing Guides

2. Aggregating Power Hour and Other District-Wide Resources

3. Encouraging Teacher Collaboration and Ongoing Professional Development

Quote

"EdCaliber transformed how San Ysidro School District designed its lessons. It ushered a new model of lesson planning into the district, which helped teachers access professional content and resources to create individual and collaborative lessons. SYSD had set rigorous goals; EdCaliber helped SYSD maintain high interest, and improved both instructional delivery and student achievement."

Gloria Madera, Asst Superintendent of Educational Services

San Ysidro School District

Why Partner with EdCaliber?Past

• Server-based shared folder system for resources (read-only, and loaded by district)

• Sharing of resources via hard copy & email attachments.

• Isolation of ideas with one teacher, grade level, or school.

• Limited access from home.• Static planning calendars;

isolated by program and subject.• Administrators

– Relied on isolated calendars and/or Outlook

– Shared resources via hard-copy or email

Present

• District, site, grade level, and individual resource libraries are easily accessible.

• Dynamic hub for sharing resources.

• Collaboration within and across schools.

• Fully web-based system; accessible outside the district.

• Flexible calendars; merged across programs and subjects.

• Administrators – Use common staff calendars

– Share site resources

Organization (Past)

• Resources were housed in a shared folder on the district’s server.

• Resources had to be downloaded first to be viewed.

• Remote access was limited.

Organization (Present)

• Resources are uploaded to EdCaliber. • Teachers can copy, edit, schedule, and preview resources.• 24/7 remote, web-based access.

Organization (Present)

• 1000’s of resources have already been uploaded

Organization (Present)

Organization (Present)Aggregating Resources

Planning and Pacing (Past)

Planning and Pacing (Present)

Planning and Pacing (Present)

Planning and Pacing (Present)

Planning and Pacing (Present)

Planning and Pacing (Present)

Planning and Pacing (Present)

Collaboration (Past)

• Teachers worked in isolation.

• Teachers met in person to share ideas and resources.

• Collaboration opportunities were limited.

• Editing and revising resources was time-consuming.

• Resources were shared on a small scale.

Encouraging Collaboration and Ongoing Professional Development (Present)

• Encouraging collaboration within and across school sites

• Building a library of lesson plans for all teachers, including bilingual and dual language programs

• Expanding Response to Intervention (RtI) resources and efforts

• Easing the transition to Common Core

Sharing Resources (Past)

Sharing Resources (Present)

• Teacher workgroups after school to find and create resources by standard for initial EdCaliber upload

– SMART Exchange

– Web searches

• Teachers share folders in EdCaliber for continued resource sharing

• Teachers create resources and upload them to EdCaliber

• Templates have been added for additional sharing

Sharing Made Easy (Present)

Resources

Calendars

Sharing Resources at the Site Level (Present)

Expanding SYSD’s Technology ToolkitTapping into the SDCOE/EdCaliber Connection

• San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) was able to share resources they created for English Learner instruction with SYSD via EdCaliber.

• Collaboration with SDCOE for Transference

• Increased Dual Language and Biliteracy teacher excitement for EdCaliber because of immediate access to resources specifically designed for their student population.

Working with SDCOE to Target English Language Learners

Accessing SDCOE content via EdCaliber

Working with SDCOE to Target English Language Learners

Accessing SDCOE transference template via EdCaliber

View only mode

Edit mode

Accessing SDCOE transference template via EdCaliber

Working with SDCOE to Target English Language Learners

Uploading resources to support transference lessons

Working with SDCOE to Target English Language Learners

Expanding RtI Resources and Special Education Collaboration Efforts

• Coordinating Individualized Education Programs (IEP) Meetings within schools

• Uploading RtI forms, samples, reference materials, and strategies

• Uploading Special Education procedures and forms

Response to Intervention (RtI)RtI resources, articles, forms and samples are available to staff in EdCaliber.

Sharing Special Education Resources

Easing the Transition to Common Core

As SYSD aligns to Common Core State Standards, we will be able to reorganize existing material, create new resources, collaboratively plan and assess by standard in EdCaliber.

Getting to District-Wide Usage

• Step 1: January 2012 ~ Introduction & feedback with focus groups

• Step 2: March – May 2012 ~ Leadership team developed implementation plan

• Step 3: July – November 2012 ~ Sessions of training and target groups– Session 1: Resources System – Session 2: Calendar System (train the trainer model)– Teachers (2nd – 6th, then K-1st & 7th-8th)– Administrators– Clerical Staff

• Step 4: September – June 2013 ~ Ongoing Support– Voluntary support sessions during PLC– Staff and PLC Meetings– Connecting with outside trainers

Getting to District-Wide Usage

How are we doing against our goals?

Goal

1. Great

2. Good

3. Good

Status

1. Coordinating Calendars to Streamline Planning and Pacing Guides

2. Aggregating District-Wide Resources

3. Encouraging Teacher Collaboration and Ongoing Professional Development

Quote

It's a wonder how we previously got along without EdCaliber, since now it is always our starting point whenever we team to lesson plan and collaborate. EdCaliber saves us time by having all our resources at our fingertips and enables us to be more efficient educators. EdCaliber is a tool every teacher should have to make his/her teaching experience organized and simplified.

Elva De Baca, Bilingual 3rd Grade TeacherSunset Elementary School

What’s next?

• Continuing with Transference Lessons

• Ongoing Professional Development Support

• Adopted Core Digital Materials (ELA & Math)

• 7th/8th Grade Resources

• Enhance Math

• Common Core

• Science & Social Science

• Special Education Catalog

For More Information

Kim Nissonknisson@sysd.k12.ca.us(619) 428-4476 ext.3087

Debra Maddoxdmaddox@edcaliber.com(415) 846-5100

Aggregating Resources – SMART Board Files

• Resources can be previewed before downloaded

Aggregating Resources - Websites

• Websites are “live”, links are clickable

Aggregating Resources - Websites

Aggregating Resources - Websites

Aggregating Resources – SuccessMaker

Aggregating Resources - Khan Academy Videos

Aggregating Resources – Synergy User Guides

Aggregating Resources – RtI

Aggregating Resources – Houghton Mifflin