3 Years into a Plan for District Wide Digital Curriculum: Lessons Learned

KELLER INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT J O E G R I F F I N

C H I E F T EC H N O LO GY O F F I C E R

D EA N A LO P E Z , A S S O C I AT E S U P E R I N T E N D E N T OF CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION

Located in the Dallas/Fort Worth area

Approximately 51 square miles

35,000 students

39 campuses

5 years ago……

CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION

Independent curriculum development

No researched based instructional model

Scattered Professional Development

Little collaboration with Technology

No system for vetting software

TECHNOLOGY

Searching for best tool

Independent Technology Plan

Issues supporting existing technology

Focus on hardware

Digital content procured and maintained by Technology Department

Source: BCG: Unleashing the Potential of Technology in Educationhttp://www.bcg.com/documents/file82603.pdf

TheGoal

Scenarios for Instruction: Data, Online Learning and Instructional Organization

Teacher Personalizes InstructionBased on Student Data/Profile

Traditional Teacher and Classroom Model

Personalization Driven By AlgorithmBased on Student Data/Profile and Big Data

Primarily Online Instruction inHeterogeneous Classroom Model

Status Quoplus Data

Teacher–led Assignment and Management

Data Driven with Teacher as Planner and Manager

Teacher as Informed Tutor and Coach

Scenarios for Instruction: Data, Online Learning and Instructional Organization

Teacher Personalizes InstructionBased on Student Data/Profile

Traditional Teacher and Classroom Model

Personalization Driven By AlgorithmBased on Student Data/Profile and Big Data

Primarily Online Instruction inHeterogeneous Classroom Model

Status Quoplus Data

Teacher–led Assignment and Management

Data Driven with Teacher as Planner and Manager

Teacher as Informed Tutor and Coach

UNSUSTAINABLE

Standards and InteroperabilityParticipation with IMS Global

LTI: Learning Tools Interoperability◦ This is an IMS Global standard for communications between platforms.

CC: Common Cartridge◦ This is an IMS Global standard for importing/exporting lessons.

SIS: Student Information System◦ Systems that control student class structures

SAML: Security Assertion Markup Language◦ Open standard for exchanging authentication data between platforms

API: Application Programming Interface◦ Proprietary protocol for internal use and communications between platforms

OAuth: Open Identification◦ Open standard for authenticating users between platforms

CAS: Central Authentication Service◦ Open standard for authenticating users between platforms

• Easy access to external recourses (SSO)

• Seamless Integration with compliant vendors

• Tracked usage through Caliper Protocol

• Graded results

• LTI Objects instead of Tools

• Variety of different types of resources

◦ Music◦ Video◦ EBooks◦ Animations◦ Live Webcasts◦ Live TV◦ Translators◦ Other Students◦ Etc…

How LTI Impacts Personalized Learning

• Safari Montage

• Canvas

• NetTrekker

• HMH

• Skillnet - Badging

• SunGard SIS (eSchool)

Active LTI Connections

Single Sign-On Portal based on roles

Changing the CultureCURRICULUM

Adoption of a Standard based model for Instructional delivery

Provide IT with a list of required resources that the district needs to use for digital instruction based on open interoperability standards

TECHNOLOGY

IT continues to monitor network infrastructure hardware and confirm current system meets all system requirements.

BYOD Deployment: Support upgrading wireless network

Provide network Management and access to require resource in single portal

Changing the CultureCURRICULUM

Building standard best practices for building resources for teachers, students and parents

Provide a requested format of data requirements and output of that data needed

Provide feedback to staff regarding how the digital resources will be the core of our curriculum direction

TECHNOLOGY

Providing management system for users inside and outside the district with log in and bandwidth management

Build a data mining warehouse to support data requirement needs

Provide a network system with 100% backup and redundancy to insure the teacher has access

Working as a teamCURRICULUM

Build an environment for Curriculum Development staff to create and test digital resources and lesson formats

Train the IT team on the direction of the Digital Learning Platform in the district

Have a direct connection between Curriculum staff to IT

TECHNOLOGY

Provide a sandbox software system for testing out function and features

Require that all IT personnel learn the Keller Digital Learning Platform from an end-user perspective

Train IT staff to understand that the network is driven by educational instructional needs and that they must understand the process of delivery

Working as a teamCURRICULUM

Work with content provider to make them understand the value of standards in the district

Coordinate digital resources project timeline with the IT roll-out network plan

Provide information on resources that do not meet the district standard but must be implemented in the district

TECHNOLOGY

Meet with Curriculum staff to decide final roll-out plan of network hardware and software

Build a network that will support integration of new standard items but provide limited access as needed

After the last three years…..Articulated shared vision between Learning and Technology departments in reaching District goals

Common vocabulary and understanding of roles• Learning team exposed to IMS Standards• Technology team exposed to VESTED and ELM instructional model

Shared FTEs• Learning Systems Analyst housed in Technology Department• Application Support Specialist housed in Learning Department

Internal Marketing of Digital Learning

Presenting “road map” to Cabinet, Directors/Coordinators, Administrators and Staff

Current and Future ProjectsRostering with Safari MontageLIS deployment with Sungard eSchool and CanvasCommon Cartridge deployment with HMH content in Safari MontageCaliper integration