Shaharbra School District: Collaborative Technology Plan … · 2019. 5. 9. · Students will be...

Running head: SHAHARBRA SCHOOL DISTRICT 1

Shaharbra School District: Collaborative Technology Plan

Shannon Knight, Nathan Hardin, Debra Brennan

Liberty University

Dr. Chris Mangan

(Home, n.d.)

SHAHARBRA SCHOOL DISTRICT 2

Shaharbra School District: Collaborative Technology Plan

This collaborative technology plan begins the process of converting Shaharbra School

District (SSD) to a 1:1 district. Shaharbra schools consist of 7 elementary schools, 2 middle

schools, and 1 high school employing 489 full-time teachers and serving approximately 7,400

students—45% of whom are considered economically disadvantaged as reported by the latest

state report card. While there is room for improvement, literacy and numeracy scores are quite

high. Classrooms throughout the district have been standardized with a minimum of 5 desktop

computers, an interactive whiteboard, a document camera, an LCD projector, and a teacher’s

station that includes a laptop and docking station. Additionally, each elementary school has a

computer lab located in the library media center, and the middle and high schools have additional

computer labs for scheduled class use.

A technology committee was assembled to assess the pros and cons of purchasing

devices for each student and to determine the best device to purchase for each student is the

Google Chromebook. After collecting and analyzing research, including peer-reviewed studies

and personal interviews the technology committee created this implementation plan, including

timelines, for digitally converting the Shaharbra School District to a 1:1 school system.

The planning process was designed in a manner allowing input from members of the

administration, faculty, staff, students, and community leaders. In the pursuit of academic

excellence, deliberations amongst the technology committee revealed a process and interest in

new technologies for educating the students of Shaharbra School District.

Technology Committee Members

● Technology Director: Responsible for implementation of the technology plan, including

maintaining timelines, for converting the district to a 1:1 school system.


● Superintendent: The superintendent is the peak of the team pyramid. The superintendent

will remain in the shared information loop and act as a liaison between the committee and

the board of education.

● 1 principal: The principal will offer valuable advice from the standpoint of school

administration

● 2 computer teachers or other tech professionals: The technology teachers and/or tech

professionals role is a consultant for advice concerning equipment purchases and any

infrastructure upgrades that may be necessary for successful implementation.

● 1 librarian: The librarian will provide valuable research data and have input for

successfully using the technology upgrade to increase student access to information.

● 3 teachers--representing varying buildings, grades and content areas: The teachers are the

ultimate end-user in that they are responsible for the day-to-day utilization of the

technology in the classroom. Their input is necessary from that standpoint.

● 2 students: The students have a better feel for the heartbeat of technology than the adults

ever will. Their input will offer a fresh perspective as connoisseurs of technology.

● 1 board member: The board member will ensure the committee meets the expectations of

the board for developing, and implementing the technology plan.

● 3 parents--representing varying grades and buildings: Parental input is of paramount

importance as parents will be responsible for overseeing the student’s participation.

● 1 state official: This person will act as a liaison between the district and the state

lawmakers. This person will provide insight for current policy and help shape future

policy in addition to potential funding from the legislative body.


● 1 Higher education, education association or education foundation representative: This

individual will provide insight into current trends in educational technology and help

guide the technology plan to meet the future needs of students (beyond high school)

● 1 Local business representatives (hardware, software, training, other): Members of the

local business community should be involved to build support from individuals and

corporations capable of providing financial support as well as insight to tech trends

within the local business community.

Mission Statement

The SSD continually strives to provide state-of-the-art-tech, exceed local, and state

guidelines, research new technology and systems, and pursue academic excellence using

technology.

● State-of-the-art tech

● Exceed local, state guidelines

● Continue to research new tech and systems

● Pursue academic excellence using tech

● Tech board will meet semi-annually to continue the discussion

Vision Statement

Students will graduate from the SSD with the skills necessary to excel in the 21st century.

The district's vision is to integrate technology into teaching and learning and to use technology to

support the administrative functions required for daily communication and operations.

Successful application of technology will require the efforts of students, parents, teachers,

administrators, and the community.

● Students will graduate from SSD with the skills necessary to excel


● The SSD community will benefit from the influx of highly qualified graduates

● Students should be educated with the highest quality tech possible

● Support should be available for all staff and students: to meet the curricular needs of all

learners across the curriculum, and to develop ethical values with regard to the use of

technology.

Value Statements

● Technology cannot replace the teacher, rather, is an enhancement to the educational

process.

● A sound 1:1 technology plan is required to remain relevant in 21st-century education.

● Digital literacy and citizenship are vital skills that must be addressed now.

● Professional development and embracement of a technology plan are necessary for

success.

● Computer-integrated education creates a learning environment that is beneficial to the

student by allowing the student a more active role in the process than lecture-based

education.

● Computer-integrated education allows teachers to model lifelong learning with the end

result of students recreating this model in their own lives.

SMART Goal #1

Over the course of the 2019-2020 school year, the SSD will create a technology

committee interested in and capable of researching the current infrastructure and learning spaces,

and all infrastructure and learning space upgrades necessary; including upgrades to connectivity

such as broadband speeds and WiFi. Cloud-based storage will need to be considered in the


future to ensure staff and students have access to their necessary files. The collaborative

technology committee will establish all time schedules for each renovation with a target to begin

plan implementation by May 2020.

● S: Specific: The committee will develop a report including the current status and all

upgrades needed to successfully implement the 1:1 technology goal.

● M: Measurable: Data will be gathered indicating the broadband and WiFi requirements

for successfully implementing the 1:1 technology plan. Cost estimates for

hardware/software improvements in addition to the cost of the devices will be provided in

the committee report.

● A: Achievable: The implementation of this plan must begin with an appropriate wired

and wireless infrastructure that can support the increase of devices needed on the network

● R: Relevant: This goal is the first step in implementing a 1:1 technology goal within the

district. This goal must be met to ensure the ability of all devices to access the internet.

● T: Time-Bound: Although flexible, completion of Goal #1 should be complete in 4

months (June-September, as defined below).

Strategies to Support Goal #1

● Assemble a district committee - June 2019

● Develop and distribute a survey to parents and employees

● Develop a district technology vision to advance instructional technology

● Develop an understanding of the current state of technology within the district

● Create recommendations to reach the desired state of technology

● Install infrastructure upgrades (WiFi antennas, broadband service hardware) by June 30,

2020.


21st Century Learning Skills Addressed

Collaboration is required amongst committee members.

Communication is vital to the success of the committee.

Creativity is a key element committee members must have to tackle difficult situations.

Critical Thinking will be used to design a functional LAN for the devices to operate.

Rationale and Strategies to Support Goal #1

Shortcomings in the current district networks include a serious shortage in the number of

devices and access to devices by students. The current wireless network is unable to handle the

technology needs of 21st-century learners and educators. Before the district can purchase

additional devices the current infrastructure must be brought up to current standards of network

operation (Sheninger, 2014).

Limitations within the budget will be an issue that must be creatively tackled. Strategic

partnerships are one way the district will offset the budgetary restraints (Sheninger, 2014). The

technology committee will roll out the infrastructure upgrades in 3 tiers allowing for time to

develop these partnerships and procure funding sources.

Expected Outcomes in Terms of Student Learning/Achievement

● Students will learn internet safety

● Students will learn how to communicate effectively and appropriately

● Students will complete group projects in full using technology as the sole means of

collaboration and communication.

Evaluation Measures

● Group project evaluation by teachers and students


● Digital citizenship lessons and completion by staff members

● Continued monitoring of student accounts by administrations in individual schools within

the district

ISTE Standards: Goal #1

ISTE STANDARDS FOR EDUCATION LEADERS: #4 Leaders build teams and

systems to implement, sustain and continually improve the use of technology to support learning

(ISTE Standards, 2019).

Education leaders:

● Lead teams to collaboratively establish robust infrastructure and systems needed to

implement the strategic plan.

● Ensure that resources for supporting the effective use of technology for learning are

sufficient and scalable to meet future demand.

● Protect privacy and security by ensuring that students and staff observe effective privacy

and data management policies.

● Establish partnerships that support the strategic vision, achieve learning priorities and

improve operations.

● Shall be implemented to enhance, improve, engage and stimulate the learning

environment for all students to advance their educational experience and skills in order to

prepare them to live and work in a global community.

● To provide the students, and staff of the Douglas Public Schools with current tools,

knowledge, and data necessary to enhance critical thinking, analytical decision making

and information gathering to encourage academic success and personal growth as 21st-

Century Learners.


● Implemented to enhance, improve, engage and stimulate the learning environment for all

students to advance their educational experience and skills in order to prepare them to

live and work in a global community.

SMART Goal #2

Over the course of the 2019/2020 school year, the SSD will purchase necessary hardware

and conduct infrastructure improvements to implement and enforce a 1:1 device plan within the

district. Through careful negotiations with industry and community partners to lower costs to an

acceptable level and thorough professional development, the use of Google Chromebooks and G-

suite tools, the district will equip our students to embrace 21st-century learning values. The

fulfillment of this SMART goal will also equip teachers and district leaders with the necessary

tools to be more effective communicators and play an active role in the education of our student

body.

● S: Specific- The district will implement and enforce a 1:1 device plan using Google

Chromebooks and G-Suite for every student and teacher.

● M: Measurable-Through Google Classroom and visual confirmation

● A: Achievable- With proper planning and support this goal is achievable, embracement

of the technology, proper professional development, and proper collaboration throughout

the district will ensure success.

● R: Relevant- The use of the technology (Chromebooks) is directly relevant to the

overarching goal of this plan

● T: The time frame for accomplishing this goal is contingent upon the adoption of this

plan; this goal will be achieved immediately upon receipt of the Chromebooks and

professional development courses.



● Students will be given short presentations weekly to cover the use of Chromebooks in the

classroom environment

● Teachers will actively monitor the use of the technology and give individual instruction

when necessary on the use of Chromebooks and the Google Classroom suite.


● Digital literacy and citizenship are growing concerns in 21st-century education. The

implementation of 1:1 device structure utilizing Google Chromebooks addresses those

concerns.

● Collaboration between students and teachers is possible utilizing Chromebooks, Google

Classroom, and Google Hangouts.

● Communication is also simplified with the ability to instant message between group

members, student to teacher, and teacher to student.

● Creativity is also grown with this technology because students will have an endless

supply of information and ideas.

● The abundance of information also leads to an inevitable discussion on the quality of

sources and other critical thinking facets.

Rationale Including Research to Support Goal #2 and Strategies

1:1 device school’s exercise increased digital literacy among teaching staff that

enrichens instruction (Sauers and McLeod, 2018). Increasing the digital literacy and pedagogy

opportunities associated with 1:1 device practice will lead to an increase in digital citizenship,

critical thinking, and research skills among students in every grade level. The benefits to students

are vast and promise to have a far-ranging effect on testing scores and college readiness. With


the growing implementation of technology in students and teacher’s everyday lives, instituting a

1:1 device plan is becoming more practical and shows promise of meeting students where they

are, rather than forcing them into a more traditional paper and pen mold of the schools of the

past.

As Schoenbart (2015) illustrates, Chromebooks can be a game changer if used properly.

A great deal of the literature surrounding the implementation of a 1:1 device program eludes to a

lack of robust planning and professional development going in. If this plan is to succeed there

must be a concerted effort to provide teachers and students with the proper training required,

coupled with a focus on embracement rather than buy in. If teachers are allowed autonomy in the

implementation of Chromebooks within their classroom and proper professional development the

district could experience the transformation of classroom instruction that is required to remain

relevant in the 21st century.

Expected Outcomes in Terms of Student Learning / Achievement

● Enhanced Critical thinking skills

● Enhanced research abilities

● Increased creativity

● Greater sensitivity to cyberbullying

● Greater collaborative opportunities

● Enhanced digital citizenship and literacy

Evaluation Measures

● Effective evaluation of the use of Chromebook will be the job of every member of the

staff but the ultimate responsibility to ensure proper implementation will be in the hands

of each principal and the superintendent. The evaluation measures will be daily logging


of use done by each teacher to ensure every student is utilizing the technology in the most

beneficial way.

ISTE Standards - Goal #2

● Standards 3 and 5 for Administrators: Excellence in Professional Practice and Digital

Citizenship (Sheninger, 2014)

SMART Goal #3

Over the course of the school year the 1:1 devices are implemented, and in following

years, the students and staff will learn how to communicate effectively and appropriately through

a variety of platforms, with the help and support of the administration and technology support

staff.

● S: Specific - Students and staff will learn how to properly use 1:1 devices to

communicate with peers, teachers, coworkers, and the community through a variety of

platforms.

● M: Measurable - Staff and students will all have Google Accounts that can be tracked for

use. Staff and students alike are required to log into Google Accounts daily.

● A: Achievable - This is very achievable for staff who needs constant access to emails,

and accounts, for secondary school students it is also highly achievable. For primary

school aged students, this may be difficult in the beginning; however, with the variety of

platforms, it is achievable.

● R: Relevant - This goal is relevant to staff and students, as it is a way to continue using

and learning about the capabilities of the new 1:1 Chromebooks.

● T: Time-Frame - The time-frame for achieving this goal is initially through the first year,

but is to be continued and improved upon from year to year, thereafter.



● To support students there will be district-wide digital citizenship lessons. These lessons

will cover some basic topics including expectations and safety that are shown in small

group settings, as individual schools see fit.

● To encourage the use of technology, there will be consistent reminders and

communication via technology for both staff and students.

● To support collaboration between students through the use of technology there will be

cross-curricular group projects assigned that are scaffolded with a lot of teacher support

at the beginning of the year and less support from the teacher at the end of the year.


Collaboration is addressed in this goal between student-student, student-teacher, and

staff-staff. The collaboration is occurring through group projects, digital citizenship, and cross-

curricular planning for projects. As time goes on there can also be the implementation of

community collaboration with projects that reach out and work with different companies or

schools in the district.

Communication is addressed through a variety of platforms. Some of the platforms that

can be used at Google Hangouts, Gmail, Google Docs, Google Classroom, and Google Slides.

Rationale Including Research to Support Goal #3 and Strategies

When implementing 1:1 devices communication and collaboration will be one of the

most important aspects for students and staff alike. Within the district, there can be both

communication and collaboration between schools and classes. As stated in What is the Future of

Mobile Learning in Education? “Learners can use the wireless capability of their mobile devices

to access up-to-date and relevant educational resources from the web and to communicate with


experts in the field of their studies” (Ally & Prieto-Blazquez, 2014, pp 144-145). The

possibilities are endless for students when it comes to communicating and collaborating with

others. The variety of platforms available on Google devices alone allow for communication and

collaboration through meetings face-to-face through Google Hangouts, or instant messaging

through Google Chats, or the students can utilize Google Docs to creating running documents for

collaborative projects.

In a study conducted by Nadire Cavus, reported in Investigating Mobile Devices

and LMS Integration in Higher Education: Student Perspectives it was reported that in order to

have effective collaborative learning, communication tools are vital (Cavus, 2011). In order for

the staff and students to collaborate and work together cohesively, there need to be effective 1:1

devices, along with the platforms in which communication can occur.

When 1:1 devices are implemented, digital citizenship becomes more important than

ever. There are some goals with digital citizenship that include educating students on their

technology, respecting others including access and laws, and protecting students with everything

they encounter (Isman & Gungoren, 2014). Students will have digital citizenship lessons once

devices start to roll out. These lessons will be shown in a class that all students will be in so that

they all receive the same information. The information will include topics that go along with the

digital citizenship goals stated above. Students will only have access to their devices once all of

the digital citizenship lessons are complete. Parents and staff will also partake in a form of digital

citizenship lessons so they are also aware of the expectations with the 1:1 devices.


Expected Outcomes in Terms of Student Learning / Achievement

● Students will learn internet safety

● Students will learn how to communicate effectively and appropriately

● Students will complete group projects in full using technology as the sole means of

collaboration and communication

Evaluation Measures

● Group project evaluation by teachers and students

● Digital citizenship lessons and completion by staff members

● Continued monitoring of student accounts by administrations in individual schools within

the district

Professional Development Plan for Each Goal / Strategy

Professional Development will include three parts. The first part will be district-wide training on

the devices and the available extensions or platforms. For this to occur, contact will be made to

Google Professionals who come and present to the staff in small groups. The presentations will

occur for all staff members and will take place multiple times a year as new editions and

extensions become available. The second professional development will be presented by the

technology staff. The technology staff will train staff members on digital citizenship so the

information can be accurately and effectively presented to both parents and students in the

district. The last form of professional development will occur in small groups that staff of the

district sign up for. The small groups will be led by staff members who have found different

platforms and ways of teaching and communicating that they think are effective and useful in the

classroom. Some examples of this include using Google Classroom for communication, creating

flipped classrooms, using Google Forms as assessments, and EdPuzzle as supplemental material.


ISTE Standards - Goal #3

Standards for Students:

● 7b: Students use collaborative technologies to work with others, including peers, experts

or community members, to examine issues and problems from multiple viewpoints.

● 6a: Students choose the appropriate platforms and tools for meeting the desired objectives

of their creation or communication

Standards for Administration:

● 5b: Participate regularly in online professional learning networks to collaboratively learn

with and mentor other professionals

● 1d: Cultivate responsible online behavior, including the safe, ethical and legal use of

technology

Standards for Educators:

● 4b: Collaborate and co-learn with students to discover and use new digital resources and

diagnose and troubleshoot technology issues

● 6b: Manage the use of technology and student learning strategies in digital platforms,

virtual environments, hands-on market spaces or in the field.

Timeline for Implementation of Each Goal / Strategy

An example of a timeline of meeting topics and tasks might unfold like this:

● June – select committee and schedule meeting times and places

● July – meet, lay groundwork, begin work on vision and mission

● August – assess current technology

● September – conduct needs assessment, analyze data and make recommendations

● October – establish goals and objectives


● November – develop technology action plans

● January – plan implementation schedule and evaluation methods

● Feb – secure funding options, submit final draft for internal review

● March – finalize the plan and get approved by the local school board

● April – submit the plan for state approval

● July - Technology boot camp for key educators and students

○ YEAR 1: 2019-2020 - planning year

○ YEAR 2: 2020-2021 - tier 1 roll-out (High schools)

○ YEAR 3: 2021-2022 - tier 2 roll-out (Middle schools)

○ YEAR 4: 2022-2023 - tier 3 roll-out (Primary schools)

○ YEAR 5: 2023-2024 - full implementation evaluation of success/remediation

needed

Itemized Budget for Each Goal

Based on 8,000 devices, 7,889 are required, the additional 111 are for additional teachers,

spares in case of damage or loss, and other unplanned incidents.

Hardware (Chromebooks, chargers,

cases)

$1,667,920.00

Software Included with purchase of Chromebooks

Infrastructure TBD based on contract negotiations with community

and industry partners.

Maintenance and Repair $480,000 (30% of purchase price of each device).


Define the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) and E-Rate.

The Children’s Internet Protection Act was created in 2000 by the United States

Congress. The aim of the Children’s Internet Protection Act is to protect students from harmful

material that is available online. The harmful material considered is obscene images, videos and

language, child pornography/pornography in general, and pictures or graphics that are harmful to

minors. The Children’s Internet Protection Act is not solely for schools, but also covers libraries.

Within CIPA there are two requirements of the schools or libraries. They are required to

monitor online activities and they must also educate the students or children on appropriate

online behavior. This includes interactions with others, specifically cyberbullying. Under CIPA,

schools and libraries are also required to create and implement an internet safety policy that

addresses certain topics as outlined by Congress. In order to receive E-Rate funding, schools and

libraries must be in compliance with CIPA (Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA), 2019).

E-Rate is a program for schools and libraries under the Universal Service Fund. The purpose

of E-Rate is to help schools or libraries afford broadband. There are two categories within E-

Rate that funding can be requested. One is services to the school, meaning

telecommunication and internet access. The second category is services delivering internet,

meaning internal connections. E-Rate offers discounts for support depending on

socioeconomics and locations. As of 2014, the Federal Communications Commission had

modernized the E-Rate program so that there would be maximum options for high-speed

broadband. In the new E-Rate program there is also an adjusted spending cap (E-Rate -

Schools & Libraries USF Program, 2019).


Define the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act

Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) allows parents to monitor what

information websites are able to collect in regards to their child. COPPA was created by the

Federal Trade Commission in 2000 and then was amended in 2013. The rules of COPPA are

typically set and based off of children who under the age of 13. Some of the rules that are

required are clear privacy policies describing the personal information being collected, and

giving direct notice and gaining consent from parents before collecting personal information.

COPPA applies to all commercial and online services. Some of the personal information that

can be collected on children are their names, addresses, contact information, social security

number and pictures or images of the child (Complying with COPPA: Frequently Asked

Questions, 2019).

Acceptable / Responsible Use Policies (AUPs / RUPs).

1. Inappropriate or unlawful material

2. Internet filtering

3. Virus detection

4. Unauthorized disclosure of information

5. Compliance with applicable laws and licenses (Computer/Technology acceptable use

policy, 2017).


References

Ally, M., & Prieto-Blazquez, J. (2014). What is the future of mobile learning in education?

Revista De Universidad Y Sociedad Del Conocimiento Universities and Knowledge

Society Journal,11(1), 142-151. doi:10.7238/rusc.v11i1.2033

Cavus, N. (2011). Investigating mobile devices and LMS integration in higher education:

Student perspectives. Procedia Computer Science, 3, 1469-1474.

doi:10.1016/j.procs.2011.01.033

Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA). (2019, March 12). Retrieved from

https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/childrens-internet-protection-act

Complying with COPPA: Frequently Asked Questions. (2019, March 26). Retrieved from

https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/complying-coppa-frequently-

asked-questions#General Questions

Computer/Technology acceptable use policy. (2017, November 17). Retrieved from

http://www.rak12.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_932821/File/Board/ADA Board

Policies/Computer Acceptable Use Policy.docx.pdf

E-Rate - Schools & Libraries USF Program. (2019, April 02). Retrieved from

https://www.fcc.gov/general/e-rate-schools-libraries-usf-program

Home. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://teachwithtechtools.com/index.php/zoo-zoo/category/educ-

638-leadership-in-educational-technology

Isman, A., & Gungoren, O. C. (2014). Digital citizenship. The Turkish Online Journal of

Educational Technology,13(1), 73-77. Retrieved from

https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1018088.pdf.

ISTE Standards. (2019). Retrieved from ISTE:

https://www.fcc.gov/general/e-rate-schools-libraries-usf-program


https://www.iste.org/?gclid=CjwKCAjw8LTmBRBCEiwAbhh-

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81RTHzF3UFUl7GQcOBLn2Rf3ShoCDHUQAvD_BwE

Sauers, N. J., & McLeod, S. (2018). Teachers’ Technology Competency and Technology

Integration in 1:1 Schools. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 56(6), 892–910.

https://doi.org/10.1177/0735633117713021

Schoenbart, A. (2015, November). Maximize learning opportunities with Chromebook

management. Tech & Learning, 36(4), 30+. Retrieved from

http://bi.galegroup.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu/global/article/GALE%7CA434895601?u=vic

_liberty&sid=summon

Sheninger, E. (2014). Digital Leadership: Changing Paradigms for Changing Times. Thousand

Oaks: Corwin: A SAGE Company.

https://doi.org/10.1177/0735633117713021

https://doi.org/10.1177/0735633117713021

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