Model Technology Schools: A Case Study Project

1. Model Technology Schools:A Case Study Project Columbia School of International and Public Affairs New York City Department of Education

2. Agenda • Objectives, scope and methodology • Changing conventional teaching through technology (“Disrupting the Class”) • Running a high performance organization that leverages technology • Recommendations

3. Objectives, Scope & Methodology

4. Schools Studied • Beacon School (High School), Manhattan • Bronx Writing Academy -BWA (Intermediate) , Bronx • Brooklyn Tech (High School), Brooklyn • NYCiSchool (High School), Manhattan • PS 5 Port Morris (Elementary), Bronx • PS 101 Verrazano (Elementary), Brooklyn • IS 339 (Intermediate), Bronx • Q202 Goddard (Intermediate), Queens • Quest to Learn - Q2L (Intermediate & High), Manhattan • East-West School (Intermediate & High), Queens • IS 318 (Intermediate), Brooklyn A A AN/A B A B B N/ABA

5. WEB 1.0

9. Changing Conventional Teaching Through Technology

10. 21st Century Skills  • Using technology in core curricula: • Nurtured tech literacy skills • East-West, IS 339 • Tech skills integrated into core curricula and assignments  • NYCiSchool, East-West, BWA, Goddard, Q2L • Global perspective: • Asia-centered school using via distance learning • East West, NYCiSchool • Using video conference to connect with international industry experts • East-West, NYCiSchool

11. 21st Century Skills • 21st Century Classrooms: • Use of current and emerging digital tools • Verrazano, PS 5, NYCiSchool, Brooklyn Tech • Google Suite (chat, docs, etc.) allows for constant virtual communication, making a big school "smaller" • IS 339

13. Differentiated Learning •  Student-centric Software: • Differentiated instruction: RazzKids, Renzzuli, Math Score • NYCiSchool, Brooklyn Tech, PS 5 • Teaching is adapted to students' level of proficiency • NYCiSchool, PS 5, BWA • Digital lesson plans delivered through various platforms • NYCiSchool, Brooklyn Tech, PS 5, Verrazano, Goddard, IS 339 • Student-centric learning: • Self-selected enrichment clubs that use media technology • PS 5, Brooklyn Tech, IS 318

16. Differentiated Learning • Diversity in Teaching Methodology: • Student Collaboration fostered during homework assignments • Brooklyn Tech, PS 5, Verrazano, Q2L • Teacher feedback and monitoring of instruction modules   • Verrazano, East-West, Goddard, NYCiSchool • Team teaching: • Group of teachers monitors individual student’s performance across subjects • IS 339

18. Community of Learners • Parent engagement through innovative websites: • Community involvement through e-mails and blogs • Verrazano, East-West, IS 318, IS 339  • (Live)Streaming of PTA-meetings • IS 318  • Tutorials help parents learn about how to use basic technology (Gmail, office) • IS 318 • Provision of information that helps parents help their children to prepare for upcoming tests • IS 318

19. Community of Learners • Parent engagement through innovative websites (continued): • Provide information to parents on their school’s events, child’s achievements, daily activities & lunch menus • Verrazano, IS 318, BWA, IS 339 • Access to student file that features information about daily school experience • Q2L

22. Community of Learners • Facilitating communication to ease operations: • (Monitored) blogging, texting and emailing • Verrazano • Constant teacher communication • IS 339, Q2L • Web-based tracking system and platform for information exchange • Beacon • Erosion of hierarchy: • Bypass chain of command by use different digital mediums (email, texts, live chats etc.) • Q2L

24. Inquiry-based Education • Group-based and project-centered instruction: • Students work in small groups on real life issues • Q2L, NYCiSchool, PS 5, Brooklyn Tech, BWA • Trackstar allows teachers to design interactive online lessons • PS 5 • Common theme is assessed along multiple dimensions to teach fundamental skills • BWA

25. Student Empowerment • Academic Independence:  • Students leading PTA conferences  • NYCiSchool • Students perform trouble shooting: MOUSE/ student tech squads • PS 5, IS 318, Verrazano • Students as teachers:  • Students help teachers to use Smartboards • Verrazano

27. Running a High Performance Organization that Leverages Technology

28. Change Management • Bottom-up approach to technology integration: • Students' interest used to mobilize teacher-adoption • Verrazano, IS 318 • Utilize teacher interest to create demand for tech utilization  • PS 5  • Nurturing technology talent: Allow teachers to select what technology they find useful & create learning opportunities • East-West school

29. Change Management • Top-down approach to technology integration: • Help teachers realize importance of technology • Verrazano • Pressure teachers to use tech by sending information exclusively via email  • Sticks… • Goddard • …and carrots  • PS 5

30. Professional Development & Training • Significance of PD: • Three-year PD planning weekly meeting with tech integrator • Q2L • Training by outside consultants • Q2L, IS 339, PS 5, Goddard, NYCiSchool • Internal support and assistance: • Teacher's share instructional best-practices • BWA, Brooklyn Tech, Verrazano • Tech-liaison teacher  • BWA, East-West, IS 318, IS 5

31. Professional Development & Training • Internal support and assistance (continued): • Computer-teacher teaches students and teachers • PS 5 • Principal assists in teaching his AP's in acquiring programming skills • IS 318 • Principal uses OneNote to monitor teacher-performance • East-West

34. Staffing & Technology: Teachers • Clarification of expectations regarding technology and collaboration: • Hiring decision dependent acceptance of technology • NYCiSchool, East-West, Goddard, IS 318, Brooklyn Tech • Future retention requires vision buy-in • Goddard

35. Staffing & Technology:Maintenance • Full time tech: • Budgeted staff position for technology coaching and troubleshooting • NYCiSchool, BWA, Brooklyn Tech, Q2L, Verrazano • Principals sacrifice teacher's salary to hire full-time support • Beacon • Re-definition of Internal Role: • Transition of a tech-teacher to school-wide tech-integrator • BWA

36. Staffing & Technology:Maintenance • In-house support: • MOUSE squad, student tech-teams, high-school students • BWA, East-West, IS 339, PS 5, IS 318 • Tech savvy teachers • IS 318, IS 339, East-West, BWA • Involving the Community: • CUNY interns, weekly tech support  • PS 5

37. Strategic Budgeting • Optimization of internal budget: • Multiple funding streams • BWA • Acquiring outside resources: • Grants (City Council, SINI, Cisco, “I teach, I learn”) • BWA, East-West, IS 339, NYCiSchool, PS 5 

38. Data-driven Management  • Administrative decision-making:  • Proprietary analytics based on Microsoft Access  • IS 318 • Data-based review of instruction methodology: evaluation using Prosper & additional coaching • Brooklyn Tech

39. Recommendations

40. The Principals‘ Needs  • Take home policy for 1:1 laptops • PS 5, Verrazano • Bandwidth expansion to out-of-classroom areas such as cafeteria and gym • PS 5, all schools •  Use textbook money to transition to PDFs • East West • Funds for 1:1 netbooks and projectors in classrooms • East West, Goddard, Verrazano • On-line grading systems • IS 339

41. Our Recommendations • E-learning • Collaborative student network • Tech support • Educational software incorporated in classroom • Professional development for teachers • Principal collaboration and incentives

42. Case Studies • Demographics • Vision • Core Curriculum/Academic Skills • Student Behavior and Collaboration • Parent Engagement • Implementation Plan • Management (Instructional/Administrative) • Professional Development • Leadership • Hardware, Achievements, Next Steps • Principal Recommendations • A Day in the life • Insights