Assistant Superintendent - Wolf Creek Public Schools

What continuity do you see between some of your readings, other presentations, and this presentation?

There is consistency in vision across the jurisdiction. Effective planning. Four year evergreening cycle.

Salience (Why is IT in education important to this person)

It underlies everything that is done in the jurisdiction, and for that matter everything we do in life. We look to it for solutions to our problems.

Outcomes (What are the specific IT in education outcomes sought through your organization?)

Collaboration in IT planning and in effect planning for learning.
The seven C's

Processes (What processes are used to achieve these outcomes?)

Focus groups allow the free flow of information

Characteristics (What are some of the characteristics of IT Leaders that make them effective in achieving their goals?)

Shared vision
Relationships – focus groups
Free flow of information amongst Gary Spence’s hierarchy of needs
Patience
Validity
Justification of why you do things

Be visionary
-Know where you are going and why
-Envision 5 years from now to ensure that you make the right deisions today to get you there

Be Humble
Recognize that your success is the result of many others creating the conditions for success
Also recognize that nothing that you do matters unless it benefits kdis in some way
Recognizes that ou can’t possibly know or do it all
Rely on your peers and confidents as they rely on you
Give others credit and recognition (often)

Technical Savvy
Gain some nuts and bolts experience
Know what you don’t know and know who does
Don’t allow yourself to be misled

Pedagogy
Stay up-to-date on research
Always recognize that the rubber hits the road in the classroom
Take a teacher-eye view

Other
Be pragmatic-balance hype with reality
Recognize that technology is neutral
Be transparent
Be collaborative – build relationships
Be a strong negotiator
Be a good manager.



Notes from today's class:

Technology Leadership – The Wolf Creek Way
The Spence Agenda

Background
Student to computer ration
4:1
1.16:1
Overall 2.58:1 in 2008-09 IWR Schools
4 year replacement cycle
86 videoconferencing endpoints
900 VOIP phones
100/20 Supernet service
40 Mbps ISP service
Highly Standardized
Assistant Superintendent - - - > Tech integration director
--à Network Admin ---- support tech (five)
--à Admin Ass’t/Support Coord. (Two)
--à Network Systems Analyst

Context
Technology is pervasive through everything they do.
Seven C’s creating – culture of assessment ….. environment of live collaboration …..
VOIP
Rapid Web Designer
Videoconferencing
The EXfiles
1:1 Mobile Computing
Software as a Service
Network Access Control
Pervasive Wireless access
Instructional Workstation Reserve
Powerschool
Three technologies that don’t support the vision

Why VOIP
Increased School to home communications
Increased professional collaboration
Increased emergency preparedness

Problem – Mobile Staff – Solution – Virtual Extensions

Rapid Web Designer
Consistent look and feel to all WCPS websites
Automated major formatting components
Makes content kin – content is easily updated with basic document skills
“Democratizing the web” by putting content posting ability in many hands

“Reasonable people given all the information will come to reasonable solutions”

Videoconferencing
High School instruction
ABE alliance
Overcoming small class sizes and lack of subject area specialists

Delivery of Instruction with videoconferencing
Classroom enhancement, ie NASA, Alask Marine Science Research Station, others
Mentorship
Teacher Collaboration/Professional Learning Communities
Access to specialists


The EXFiles
“Knowledge Artifacts” as a data warehouse
Any artifact that is integral to the function and operation of Wolf Creek Public Schools, and is created during an employment relationship between the individuals authoring the artifact and the school division.


One to one mobile computing
24x7 access to mobile computers for all JH students in two schools
A provincial research project designed to access the learning advantages of pervasive access to 21st century learning and collaboration tools
A focus on developing 21st century knowledge, skills, and attributes including digital citizenship.

SaaS and NAC



Post 1:1 – now what????
Replicate benefits of 1:1 mobile computing for a wider student population
Rapid and flexible software deployment
Goal: Delivery of network services to private devices while protecting the core assets of WCPS
Focus on the new Social Studies curriculum and access to web 2.0 technologies

Caveats
Post Secondary world is different in the k-12 world
“Loco Parentis”
More demands for support

Pre Admission Qualification
Remediation
Authentication
Access control based on qualification (full control if qualified, limited otherwise)
Post Admission monitoring and response
(packet-based rather than port-based)

Network 2.0

Good companies focus on technology
Great companies focus on the outcomes

Technology is:
Fullan: ‘An accelerator’
Spence: ‘Basic Literacy’

Maslow’s Hierarchy has led to Spence’s Hierarchy (below)

Desired Outcome – Pedagogical KSA
Integration Skills – Pedagogical KSA
Operation Skills – Pedagogical KSA
Reliable Hardware and Software – Technical KSA
Reliable Connectivity – Technical KSA

Form a focus group to determine if any problem is covered in all areas.

Technical people cannot work in isolation from Teachers and vice versa.

IWR Focus Group Example

When we vision for technology supported learning, we have to project ourselves five years forward, then look back from there to ensure we make the right decisions today to get us there.

Focus group activities
Building for the next four years.
SIS


Current Projects

Collaborative Planning

Insights