Round 2

Continued...
I hope you enjoyed Round 1 and took some time to do a
bit of reflecting. For another perspective on the benefits of
reflection, take a listen to John Maxwell and his take on
reflection turning experience into insight. Enjoy round 2!

Communication Systems
Usually the answer you hear when someone poses the
question how can our organization be better, is
communication needs to be improved. It is important to remember that communication is a two way street. You can't force someone to listen to your communication, but you should do your best to provide communication in a number of ways
that reaches your community.

The GPS Marketing and Communication team is a small 

but powerful group that has put in place a number of tools 

that allow the district, departments, and schools to 

communicate with stakeholders on a large scale. Besides 

a newly implemented website that is constructed to be the 

one source of truth for the parents and community, it also 

includes a messaging system that disseminates information 

via e-mail and text to parents and guardians. Each school also has tools to distribute site information through online newsletters and teachers can directly communicate 

via e-mail with parents and guardians through the district 

student information system. Each school has the ability to 

use these tools as they choose and decide what works best 

for their community.  From an IT perspective, the biggest challenge with any communication system is parent and guardian support. It is challenging to assist these groups on devices not owned by the district. The schools and Technology Services do their best to assist so that these communications reach them. Our help desk staff is also great at assisting with most issues.

Data Governance

Data governance is a very relevant topic at this time with protecting
user data from unauthorized access, proper data agreements with
third party resources, and educating users on the importance of
protecting their information from non trusted sources.

User data for any organization should be protected using best practice methods and continually reviewed for any needed adjustments. Districts should not hesitate to work with outside consultants for assistance in maintaining these best practices and configuration setups. Staying connected with cybersecurity organizations for the latest information on know vulnerabilities, updating all systems, and educating end users is critical for staying protected from threats. 

Data Access

The GPS Accountability and Assessment department works closely with all GPS schools in assisting them on how to best use collected data to guide instruction and improvement. District and state-level assessment information is reviewed in the department, presented at the Cabinet and school leadership level and used as a tool in discussion around increasing and shaping possible strategies for student improvement. Our Technology Services Information Systems team has built an internal database that assessment data can be imported along with other student demographic information. We have recently begun using a data analytics tools to build visualizations based on the needs of stakeholders. This allows for years of data to be looked at in a visually pleasing format and easy studying of trends based on different areas of selection. 

Ethics and Policies

One very notable piece of federal legislation passed in 2000 by Congress 

is the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA). “CIPA imposes certain 

requirements on schools or libraries that receive discounts for Internet 

access or internal connections through the E-rate program – a program 

that makes certain communications services and products more 

affordable for eligible schools and libraries. In early 2001, the FCC issued 

rules implementing CIPA and provided updates to those rules in 2011.” 

GPS takes part in the E-rate program and provides content filtering to 

protect our students as best we can. 

The GPS Technology Services team feels we have an obligation to provide a Digital 

Citizenship curriculum to all students in GPS. We have partnered with 

Common Sense Media to provide an extensive curriculum for our teachers 

to use with our students K-12 and it is an expectation that this is done each 

year. Technology Services has also partnered this school year with the 

GPS K-12 Prevention Coordinator, who oversees the district 

social workers and counselors who assist our schools with the digital 

citizenship program. We feel as a district that the social and emotional 

well-being of our students is a priority and aspects of technology including
social media can often play a part in that area. 

Promising Technology Ahead

I always find the what's the next big thing question difficult to answer, so I
did appreciate this heading.

AZ Computer Science Standards-this will provide the roadmap needed for actual implementation in K-12 schools. The challenge, although not insurmountable, is teacher understanding and development and how computational thinking can be used across the curriculum. 

Learning models-It still seems there are struggles with different learning models due to the structure of the school funding system. GPS Global Academy is being creative with a couple of unique blended learning models and the outcomes are promising. The structure of bell schedules and traditional practices are still somewhat of a barrier in my opinion.

Artificial intelligence-AI and machine learning have crept into most 

aspects of our lives when it comes to determining our next purchase 

or what political flavor society falls into. It remains to be seen how 

this technology will benefit the K-12 learning environment so 

we can catch areas of needed remediation or enrichment for our 

students. This topic will also continue to bring into the spotlight the
ethical questions behind the technology.

Next Round...
Each one of the topics from round 1 and 2 could be stand alone discussions that would easily fill a page. It was a good exercise to put these thoughts down on paper, think a bit deeper about them, and find celebrations and areas that could use improvement. With the intention not to sound like a broken record, I will state again, without taking the time to give serious thought to our daily decisions and practice, improving them will be difficult and the same results will be achieved. Thanks for reading!

Round 1

Reflection

If there is one constant over the years that I have found most valuable for growth and improvement is reflection. Without taking the time to give serious thought to our daily decisions and practice, improving them will be difficult and the same results will be achieved.

Over the years I have been asked to answer questions around technology for peers working on their higher education degrees. The questions are usually similar enough that It is enjoyable to look back and see how my answers have changed and also create a blog post out of it, cause why not. I am going to split this one up as it was quite lengthy, enjoy!

Leadership and Vision

The biggest hurdle to developing a shared vision for technology use in today’s K-12 landscape is the divide between the Teaching and Learning and Information Technology departments. Historically the goals of these two areas have not been communicated to one another and the communication breakdown will lead to a lack of understanding of what is important for planning a meaningful and effective path for technology integration and a safe online learning environment for users. 
In Gilbert Public Schools we have an organizational chart that

allows for all-district departments to be represented at the Cabinet-level

including the Teaching and Learning and Information Technology

departments. Having the Executive Directors and Assistant Superintendents at the table allows for each area to be represented, communicate their needs and understand the importance of the IT side to ensure a safe network, protect student and staff data, and provide support to meet strategic plan goals.

Gilbert Public Schools has created a strategic operating plan that has technology embedded to achieve the ultimate goal of, success for all students. Each area of focus, safe and supportive schools, family and community engagement, employee excellence, and financial and operational efficiency all have goals and action items in place that are measured to monitor progress and allow for modification when needed.

Technology is embedded in each of these areas but is only a small piece of supporting our student’s success. Ultimately, it is the relationship between teachers and students and the support provided by leadership that will allow us to measure the true success of the plan.  

Team Building and Staffing The same philosophy that applies at the district level for cross-functional departments is necessary within an Informational Technology team structure. The rapid rate of change that takes place with technology is difficult to communicate at times and does lead to issues with bringing awareness to end-users. In the GPS Technology Services department, there are 5 internal teams to include: IT Customer Care Specialists, Information Systems, Network and Telecommunications, Systems Administration, and Instructional Technology. Each leader of these areas plus a Project Specialist make up the Technology services leadership team. The Executive Director of Technology meets weekly in a formal meeting with the team and daily on an informal basis. This team is responsible for working closely with one another to ensure Technology Services is working collaboratively to support GPS. One example of this would be the leadership team working with one another to coordinate occasional cross-functional team meetings. They create an agenda around issues happening with end-users, ways to address them and share other problems or successes happening in the field. 

GPS Technology Services has also established a userXperience team that meets regularly to discuss and make decisions on existing and future implementations, device functions and features, updates, and other variables as it relates to the end-users in GPS. This group has representation from all Technology Services departments and is important to our end user’s success with implementations and integrations that impact the daily function of staff and students. We have been able to make changes and roll back changes based on the feedback they bring to the table representing each area of the department. 

      Instructional Focus and Professional Development

Bringing awareness to all staff members around emerging technologies and potential issues to protect the network and data is on-going. I agree with the philosophy of leading from the middle and that everyone is a leader regardless of their position. We encourage all Technology Services staff to share ideas, emerging technologies they see and support to everyone around them. Our Instructional Technology team works closely with site Principals to present at staff meetings, meet one on one with teachers, attend grade-level meetings, share a weekly newsletter and any other form of communication that leads to awareness. 

Another example from the department level is our yearly awareness campaign around Computer Science Week. For the last three years, the Technology Services department has provided support around CS by providing professional development activities, meet-ups, video campaigns, and support for our teachers to bring CS into their classrooms. 

There is not a one size fits all approach with learning and the same applies to the technology that can support the educational outcomes our teachers want for our students. 

Round 2

Thanks for taking the time to read a bit on what started as assisting a friend with their doctorate assignment to gaining a little glimpse of how we do things in Technology Services. There is not any secret sauce being served up here, just a good group of individuals working together for students. See you soon for Round 2. 

Soft Skills vs Tech Skills

Dark Cave

One of the most common things I have heard from business owners about high school students is the lack of soft skills they possess. The technical skills are there and they can learn, but it is difficult to teach the soft skills. The issue is not specific to high school students, but in the tech world, that generalization has been there for many years. The dark caves stories that make up an IT shop exists for a reason, many are like that. If you only know that your help desk ticket goes into a secret cyberspace and eventually someone assists without any human contact, is a giveaway that your IT department is operating under the dark cave model. This model does not promote soft skill expectation or development.

Tech Savvy?

Make no mistake, hard or technical skills are necessary to keep any environment running smoothly for the end users. Problem-solving, project management, coding, and technical writing are all important hard skills that make this possible. Under good leadership, mentoring, and training, these hard skills can be learned by a motivated person. The question becomes can someone be taught the soft skills necessary to balance and provide the best customer support possible to the end user? In January this year, LinkedIn released the "The Skills Companies Need Most in 2018-And The Courses to Get Them". Top four soft skills include leadership, communication, collaboration and time management. According to LinkedIn, 57 percent of leaders say soft skills are more important than hard skills, makes sense in a customer service focused environment. 

Organizational Chart     

We know the dark cave model does not work in today's world, but what organizational structure best works for an IT department to provide the best end-user support with customer support as the ultimate goal? If we are working to shed the stereotype of the dark cave, then our IT team needs to be visible and accessible to the end users. So where do we start with setting the customer service expectations desired?

Job Description
When researching job descriptions recently for technicians that are in the field with our end users I noticed that technical skills are still the priority. It was not until I searched for "customer care representative" that I found the soft skills listed on job descriptions that are needed for any technology department to be successful. If we are going to set an expectation that relationships are the number one priority for our teams, then soft skills should be on the top of any application.

• Positive attitude
• Build and maintain positive relationships with students, staff, and stakeholders
• Go the extra mile to engage end users
• Greet customers warmly 
• Customer orientation and ability to adapt/respond to different types of users
• Resolve end-user issues via an in-person visit, phone, help desk, or email, based on the individual needs of the user

Get Out
It is not a new concept that creating an environment that places end-user support at sites, allows access and relationships to develop between end users and technical services support. Knowing that shoulder to shoulder support is nearby is comforting for those that still feel they are not good with technology and at the same time gives the early adopters a place to bounce ideas and be innovative knowing someone has their back when needed.

Soft skills and relationships are not an option, they are key to a successful customer care environment. Take the time and step out of the dark cave and look around, you may find it is a great place to be!     

The ISTE Blues

Data Overload

Like most of us returning from ISTE, you are probably experiencing the emotional roller coaster ride that accompanies the flight or drive home. The data overload from the content filled sessions, keynotes, poster and playground spaces, and endless conversations can be overwhelming. It is possible to keep the "ISTE's Over Blues" from setting in, but do not put it off for later, jump into your content while it's fresh and take charge! 

From the Middle

It doesn't matter what your role is in your organization, you have just spent four days gathering content that you need to share. Take the lead from the middle approach and decide how you can share what you have learned with your peers, administration, technology staff and any others that could benefit from what you have learned. This could also be an opportunity to use a new medium to share information with a presentation platform, blog site, or creative new app that you experienced at the conference. With the pace at which new technologies and classroom practices evolve, technology, curriculum, and professional development teams will appreciate the benefit of the information you provide. 

Stay in Touch

I have said a number of times that the best place to make connections at ISTE is standing in line waiting to purchase that delightful ice coffee or refreshing bottle of water. I do suggest we change the phrase "standing in line" to the "PLN line", because we ultimately exchange email addresses, Twitter and Instagram handles and district names for future collaboration, with educators from around the globe. Now that you have these new contacts, don't hesitate to reach out and continue the conversations and sharing of ideas that you started while waiting in that PLN line.

The power of social media can assist, so take advantage of the new account you just created in those power sessions and use the #ISTE2016 hashtag to share with your new friends. 

Bring ISTE Home

Coming together with 15,000 like minded educators is something magical that ISTE has

managed to create for many years. What many ISTE members may not be aware of is the ISTE affiliate groups that exist in virtually every state in our country, as wells as international affiliates in Australia, Canada, Europe, India, The Philippines, and the United Kingdom. These affiliate groups are all a bit different and have a variety of benefits and professional development opportunities that happen year around. Joining a local affiliate is another way to continue to grow your PLN, attend events in your state and become involved with advocacy movements that can directly affect your classrooms and students. To find an affiliate in your area, check out the affiliate directory and continue making connections!

Small World

CC BY-SA 3.0

Staying relevant in a world continually growing smaller is not an easy task and each new generation of students brings a fresh mindset that as educators we must be able to connect with. Attending events like ISTE, connecting with others through social media, and remaining outside of the four walls of our classrooms, cubicles and offices, will allow us to continue growing and remain the most important part of the classroom. See you in San Antonio! 

ISTE Gems!

The Stack

Every year I return from ISTE with a backpack full of information and a google doc filled with session notes. Like everyone else who has been to ISTE over the years, I have come to find that the connections made during the conference are invaluable, but there is still a benefit with sharing the little gems with others who didn't attend. These are just a few highlights that I found in my pile of "stuff".

Maker Movement

I think it is safe to say that Raspberry Pi has made a dent in the maker movement, and allowed students to learn programming skills, create technology rich projects, and not break the bank in the process. At the Raspberry Pi + iPad session, Mike Amante did a great job sharing his experiences with the device and how he is using the technology with his students and plans of expanding the program in the fall. More information from Mike can be found here. A big surprise at the end of the session were two representatives from the Raspberry Pi Foundation showed up and shared news about Picademy USA, you can find more info here.

Innovators Mindset
If you have ever listened to or follow George Couros, then you understand that he has a great way of using short, but thoughtful statements that make you really think about education and what it could be. I always try and catch one of his sessions at ISTE because he never fails to provide great thoughts that can easily be shared at admin meetings, staff meetings, or lunch time conversations. Here are a few (as accurate as I could be) that he used in the session Developing the Innovators Mindset.

• Relationships are the most important piece in schools now and in the future
• Biggest barrier is our own way of thinking
• Think different
• Digital factory model is still factory model
• Technology is more than a tool
• Technology can be transformational in hands of a great teacher
• Would you want to spend all day in your own classroom
• Everyone is a teacher and a learner
  
  

The PLN

One of the hardest thing for many educators to do is build their PLN. Taking that first step from

Courtesy Roy Blumenthal CC 2.0

picking which social media platform to venturing out of the four walls of the classroom can be scary, but absolutely necessary to grow as an individual. The session, The Passionate PLN, by Jessica Raleigh, was a very informative hands on experience that introduced Twitter to everyone as a way to connect and make a difference. A highlight was The Breakfast Club, #BFC530, as a place to participate in a one question twitter chat, every weekday at 5:30am. If you are looking to build your PLN  and connect with others, give it a look here.

ISTE 2016
The ISTE conference has a little something for everyone and is consistent with the variety of sessions that makes it a good destination. If you are an educator looking for an event with options, want to grow your PLN, and meet like minded peers, then I would recommend educating your school boards and administrators on the opportunities ISTE has to offer. But remember, finding local events, lunch and learns, Twitter chats, coffee on a Saturday morning, also provides collaborative time and opportunity for connections to help us grow professionally. Get out of those four walls and see what others are doing and share!

Collaboration or Cooperation?

One Love
I recently came across this tweet from Jenny Wright that complimented what my staff and I were talking about at our gathering earlier this week and wanted to share. A good question to ask ourselves as we sit together can come right out of this tweet, "are we building on our ideas or just working together"? Working happily with each other is important, "one love"-B.Marley, but to grow as a group we will need to build on each others ideas and strengths.

The Challenge
Remember when MTV spun off The Real World and Road Rules reality shows in to the Challenge shows? They brought the craziest of the casts together and made them compete against one another. The group dynamics made for good TV because half of them were crazy, but the point when they had to actually work together to accomplish a task, at times displayed how they pulled together multiple perspectives/personalities to make things happen. When myself or someone from my staff brings forward a thought, idea, or task that we need to get done, I rely upon their ideas and knowledge to figure out the best plan of attack. If we run into bumps in the road, a room full of smart folks is better to right the ship than just one.   

Big Difference
None of the above will happen if you do not possess confidence in yourself. Sitting and sharing with peers is often a very difficult thing to do. Insecurities can keep us from opening up and letting out those magic moments that gives the group that needed lift. Creating a safe environment where collaboration is supported by leadership can instill confidence and ease insecurities. The arrogance piece is pretty self explanatory, an arrogant perspective does not encourage collaboration. Yes, folks will sometimes call someone arrogant when they don't agree with what the other person is saying, but a truly arrogant attitude will cause divide over time and that will show. It is a fine line that should not be forgotten about. Some may say posting my own tweets here is arrogant ;-).

Puzzle Pieces

Another Hero

I am not sure what specifically prompted me to begin singing the Tina Turner song "We Don't Need Another Hero" recently. Usually that song only pops into my head when someone is trying to take a little more credit for something than they should, or when reminiscing about back in the day when my friends and I would jump garbage bags with a metal milk crate and piece of plywood on our bmx bikes. This time however, I believe I was watching a sporting event and thinking about how incredible the athletes really are. I am definitely not a fan of the over the top, look at me athletes, those types can curl up to the Tina Turner song and keep telling themselves how great they are. I admire the humble, hard working athletes who let their actions speak for themselves. Thinking about the leadership role that these athletes play in their specific discipline, lead me to draw comparison to leaders in the workplace.

Behind The Success
The humble hardworking athletes I mentioned earlier will always mention the individuals that help them maintain their regiment that allows them to perform the way they do. If you think that a top level athlete is doing it all by themselves, think again. These athletes have strength trainers, dietitians, specific discipline coaches, personal assistants, family and more that assist with putting together all the proper pieces so the athlete can achieve their goals. I find this very similar in many ways to the role that a leader plays on a daily basis. A leader is out front, answering questions, concerns, planning, influencing, basically performing like an athlete. The individuals behind the leader are all part of the puzzle and that leader will only perform well if all the pieces to the puzzle are fitting together. If an athlete or parts of their program are struggling, they must maintain communication with their support team to quickly address the issue. A leader does this much the same way in the workplace to reach the desired outcome.

On The Podium

I am not a huge Nascar fan, but I think most people have probably seen the winners circle after a Nascar race. There are so many team members you often can't find the driver amongst the group. This is a good example of how many individuals are behind that car making it to the winners circle and if just one of them has a bad day, it can keep the entire team from reaching their goal. One thing you can count on from that driver when interviewed, they will thank everyone behind their win that day. Leaders should not be different than that driver, take every opportunity you can to thank all the pieces to the puzzle that are allowing you to be successful, because you can not do it alone.

Soak It In

It's Over
Isn't it amazing how fast time passes when you are engaged in something you enjoy doing. The ISTE conference is one of those things that always seems to go by a bit to quick for me. It's that one session that you just could not squeeze in, the byod session that you didn't register for early enough, and most importantly that last opportunity to talk with someone from somewhere else. But that is the great thing about making all those connections, they are so engaging and refreshing, that you can't wait to plan for next year's trip.

Not A Commercial
I know that sounded like a paid advertisement for the conference, but that is not my intentions. The point that I am trying to make is very simple, we enjoy taking part in engaging activities. The range of those activities are all over the board at the conference, lectures, panels, byod's, keynotes, poster sessions, the list goes on.

The Magic
So what is the piece that makes all the different varieties of presentation so engaging, wait for it...the presenter(s). The great ones are able to use a variety of ways to engage us and keep us glued to their words, but more importantly, creatively finding ways that allow us to participate, collaborate and create, all within a small window of time. A good presenter quickly makes a connection with the audience, has us involved in communicating with one another and often leaving with something we have created. Hmm, this is sounding very similar to what a teacher does on a daily basis. Maybe start over and replace conference with classroom and presenter with teacher, any similarities? Good teachers, like good presenters, use a variety of approaches to make the magic happen and technology plays a very meaningful part. Take some time and review your ISTE notes, reflect on the experience, and share all the magic with others.

Food For Thought

It's Lunch Time
Do you ever notice that lunch conversation quite often is just another opportunity to talk about work stuff. It is tough sometimes to turn off the switch in the middle of the day for an hour and conversation inevitably stays on work. In my post F5, I talked about IT stress, burnout, and it being difficult to shut down at the end of the day, so should we be concerned about lunchtime?

                                           
Good Question
It is a good question, but a tough question to answer from a director's view. Often the best time to collaborate is over a good meal in a relaxing setting, so why change the conversation? A couple months ago we were discussing how to communicate the day to day information that is so critical for an IT department. Each day something new is discovered that can improve the end users experience, but often we are busy and don't find the time to e-mail, blog, or just talk about these things.

Make It A Date
A long time veteran of our IT department, Lonnie Trotter, suggested that we get together once a week at lunch time for an informal lunch gathering to chat about day to day happenings. Everyone can bring their lunch of choice, no formal agenda, and share anything that they feel is important for others to know. Since it is a "working" lunch, that hour is taken off the end of the day and another positive layer of communication has been added to the week.

Keep It Simple
You are probably thinking to yourself, so what. Working lunches, morning coffee, there are a number of ways to informally gather staffs together to chat, but how often do those go by the wayside when things get busy. The difficult task is finding the time and staying consistent with promoting positive collaboration within teams. Keeping it simple and not creating a multilayer approach to most situations usually yields the best results in my experience. If it takes rocket science to figure out how to communicate with one another, there may be other issues.

So, how does your team find time to stay in touch with the valuable day to day information that is critical for an IT department. The more collaborating the better, so please share. 

Making Connections

Common Ground

Finding common ground with our students and peers can be a challenge for a variety of reasons. It takes a great amount energy to learn personality types, find common interests and quite honestly be around others that are the complete opposite of ourselves. This is part of life however and great leaders, teachers, schools and communities will rise to this challenge and work hard to create relationships that allow them to be successful.

Classroom Connection
Making connections in the classroom with students is something every teacher works on daily. Walking into a classroom and observing a teacher who connects with each student is truly amazing and takes a special person. A high school teacher in the AJUSD where I work, shared an e-mail about her experience with her son while waiting in line to purchase Halo 4 recently.  I wanted to share her experience as it really sheds light into a world of technology that is just one more way to make connections with many of today's students.

Last night I got to spend seven lovely hours with a subculture of humans in a context that I had never been in....I got to camp out in front of  a Game Stop in a line filled with mostly male teens (and some not so young) with my youngest son waiting to buy the new version of a computer game which came out at midnight (we didn't get our copy until 2 AM)..  I fit in with these "gamers" as perfectly as a biker would at a knitting contest. I have seriously never ever played a computer game (unless you count PacMan in the 80's a couple of times). These typical kids like we see everyday, which we have to drag information from and shove motivation into, were gabbing (yes, actually communicating with expressive tones) for the entire seven hours! They were talking about the new game coming out, the new uniforms on the characters, the battles they had fought, the strategies they had used and were planning to use, the levels they had gone through, the goals they had for the new Halo 4, the expectations they had, the disappointments they'd experienced with the last Halo, the manner in which they would change the game if they were the designer, the gamers they had "met" on line, the best gamers, the worst gamers, their "battlefield" experiences, the planets they had visited, the weapons they would design...and on and on.....there were a lot of words and concepts in there that sounded like total neologisms to me.  The words "giddy with excitement" kept coming to mind... However, it hit me that this was their world.  I was being allowed a peak into it.  Then my brain cells must have started functioning again because I started to realize the potential that was in front of us as educators. If these kids were asked to write, debate, publicly share, design, create, explain, read about, plan, goal set or ANYTHING involving their computer games, I KNOW they would do an amazing job so.....here's my thought to any of you out there who are struggling to reach some of those kids that don't really seem to have much to say or couldn't care less about the subject matter in class or couldn't care less about anything at all.....maybe you want to try approaching it from a gaming standpoint???  Go into their world for a little bit and see what's in there.  I was truly impressed with the critical thinking that I was hearing while in line but I do think it is worth a try....and as educators, trying strategies seems to be what we do everyday to try to reach some of these kids.

Melissa Mel
Special Education Teacher
Apache Junction High School

Relationships
At the end of the day we all know relationships will determine how successful we are in the classroom with our students. Finding common ground through the gaming world is just one way, but a different way that often we as adults my overlook or dismiss. Being an educator involves being in touch with what our students are doing outside of the classroom and we must explore their world. I leave you with a quote from Ms. Mel, "Go into their world for a little bit and see what's in there".

Get Out!

The Best

You have the best staff ever, great relationships, hard working, solid plan, and you see the great things they do on a daily basis. So is there a need to tell the world how great they are...I say yes. Sharing your staff with your district, community, and others helps build relationships. Communicating the accomplishments and hard work that is going on everyday in my department also helps generate conversation with stakeholders and allows an opportunity to hear their thoughts and ideas that provides another perspective. Here are a few ways that I like to share with others what is happening in the AJUSD Technology Department.

The Board
Sharing information with your school board should be top priority for any CIO/CTO/Director. Support from the school board is necessary for just about everything that happens in a school district and building a relationship with them is important. Often it is only the administration that has contact with board members, so sharing your staff and their accomplishments makes that connection. I understand every districts' procedures and communications with their board is different,
but suggesting a little time at a board meeting to your superintendent may be a start.

Social Media
A little over a year ago I wrote about the "Social Hurricane" and how this medium of communication can be overwhelming, but worth the effort to get into the game. With little surprise, social media has continued to grow, and as a leader you can not ignore the importance of an online presence. The great thing about sites such as Facebook and Twitter is the ability to not only share what your staff is doing, but showcase what the entire district staff is up to. Many districts however are still nervous about jumping into the social media scene, but this is where your influence as a CIO/CTO/Director can lead from the middle. Take the time to research what other districts are doing and present examples to your administrative team. Discuss how social media will allow their schools to quickly disseminate information and promote just how great their staff is by sharing classroom and school events!

#1 Resource
Good leaders know how important their people are to a successful organization, many leaders have stated in a variety of ways that people are a leaders number one resource. One principal that I work with in AJUSD, Larry LaPrise, has a gift for promoting his staff in a variety of ways. Mr. LaPrise is always speaking of his staff and their successes on his campus, he is very aware that employees often leave their jobs not because they aren't happy with their pay, but the lack of recognition. So get out there and talk up your staff today!

Time To Reflect

Time Time Time

Time is one of those things that we never seem to have enough of and it flies by like a supersonic jet! Each school year seems to be getting shorter and shorter or maybe it is because I am getting older, I mean wiser. At any rate, reflection is a very important piece of our daily lives and critical to our success. This past school year there has been a number of experiences that I have reflected upon and would like to share a couple. Please feel free to provide feedback on your experiences also, it helps to read about how others are processing and dealing with similar situations.

www.ajusd.org/ccjh

There are many exciting initiatives going on in my district, but finishing the first complete school year in which our 7th and 8th graders were taking their devices to and from school has brought mixed emotions for me. Educationally, our teachers and students have done an amazing job with the transition and I am looking forward to reviewing this years test scores when they are made available. On the technical side of things, there were a few bumps and even though our local area network connections are robust, our Internet connection is a bit lacking. But those things can be worked on and the 1:1 technician, Mr. Frahm, has done a great job. Not only has he kept the student devices in running order, but the students all know just how important it is to have a great technician on campus to assist them when needed.

One of the difficult pieces for me personally has been the number of devices that have been dropped over the last year. When comparing numbers with other 1:1 programs our overall device loss is within reason, but damage due to dropping seems higher than I would prefer. Here is where I would appreciate some feedback, the devices are not being dropped at school, it is when they are outside the campus. We know this because when at school, the rule is the device stays in the provided carrying case when opened. Little plug for Higher Ground cases, they can pop open the case in seconds and the device never has to be removed, protecting it from a fall. So the question is how to continue working on educating the students to care for their device when away from school?

Collaboration Coaches

Earlier this month a new group of teachers met and began their journey together as the third new group of AJUSD collaboration coaches. Our district's Technology Integration Specialist, Tracy Watanabe, has done an amazing job with building our collaboration coaching program and in my opinion, coaches are key to a successful campus. Watanabe does a great job of explaining how collaboration coaches have worked together in our district to bring 21st century learning skills into our classrooms, click here. A bit of reflection on this topic makes on thing clear to me, I need to spend more time in the coaches classrooms and sitting in on collaboration meetings this fall. Experiencing the relationship building and the sharing of ideas among these professionals is truly inspiring.

                                                                      

Thanks to gbuffet

Take A Moment
Often we become so consumed with planning for the summer or that next big project, we forget to reflect on what we have already done, what worked well, what failed, how we can incorporate prior knowledge into future planning. I only shared two of many experiences that I needed to reflect upon before the busy summer months began, unfortunately time often flies by like that jet I mentioned earlier. Being focused is important, but so is reflection, take a moment, find a quiet place for some inward thinking and call it a day.

Kindergarten Classes Rock!

Big K

What is it with kindergarten classrooms being so warm and inviting? From the moment I walk into most kindergarten classrooms I want to run to all the different areas of the room and plop down on the floor and play.....or should I say learn.

Kindergarten classrooms are setup in such a way that just screams collaboration and student centered learning! You will be hard pressed to find rows of desks or a hands off environment. So why is it that first grade classrooms look a little different and by second grade the rows of desks start realigning and by third grade things are looking more like a high school classroom than the inviting kindergarten classroom that seems to foster creativity and exploration? I am being a bit extreme of course, but the vibe of the kindergarten classroom is definitely missing as our students move through the K-12 system and just maybe the idea of how we setup a classroom can go a long way in creating a student centered environment.

Look At It
I was recently speaking with a principal of a 9-12, 1:1 program, and asked them what they expect their classrooms to look like. Their answer was, "a kindergarten classroom," of course you won't find an ABC train across the front wall, but the open and inviting learning atmosphere where evidence of small group instruction and multiple styles of learning are taking place is what they look for.

Build One
So where does one start in building a learning environment that resembles a kindergarten classroom? Maybe a traditional computer lab, with those 20th century rows, would make a good room for a makeover. The computer lab has been morphing into a more collaborative space since the days of the Apple IIe and with space being an issue at many schools, these rooms are often overlooked as being a solution in building a non-threatening place to promote a modern learning environment. For an example of a lab transformation, take a look at what they have done at Verrado Middle School in Litchfield, AZ.

Straight Rows 

There are times when straight rows may be necessary, they make watering crops easier or quickly finding a particular product in a grocery store more convenient. However rows are restrictive and don't create that warm and inviting atmosphere that make you want to plop down on the floor and learn. No matter what grade you teach, if you have a few minutes, stop into a kindergarten classroom and take a look at the room setup, listen to the sounds, and take notice of all the learning that is taking place.  

To The Extreme

Not That One

courtesy of Jim Crossley-raindog

If you thought that I was going to break into a Vanilla Ice song after reading the title to this post, then I apologize. I did however find it a little humorous that the line "collaborate and listen" was in Ice Ice Baby, maybe Vanilla was a bit ahead of his time. But on a serious note, I have been pondering lately why everything seems to be to the extreme, education reform, leadership style, politics, couponing. Rarely these days do you see push, pull, "off balance on purpose" situations that challenge and take staff to the edge, but not completely push them off the cliff. I would argue that disruption, innovation, pushing adults and students can take place with great results without an entire staff/class ending up at the bottom of the canyon.

Off Balance
How many times have you heard that to much of any one thing is not a good idea? The pressure to perform in the K-12 arena seems to push ideas to the extreme and one giant weight is dropped on the balance scale, with no hope of returning to the off balance place that is desired. In Dan Thurmon's book, "Off Balance On Purpose," he writes:

courtesy of christart.com

When we experience imbalance in our lives, we often overcompensate by throwing ourselves in another direction. We think that it takes bold, dramatic action to create change. Sometimes this is true-we reach moments in our lives when a huge shift in thinking or action is completely necessary. But usually when we find ourselves in that predicament, it is because we missed many previous opportunities to make smaller adjustments that would have prevented, or at least softened, the crisis. Often an attempt to overdo it, providing to much force in one direction or another to quickly, will only exacerbate the trouble. -Dan Thurmon

The same thought can be applied to organizations that are struggling to be successful and looking for the magic bullet of change. Instead of looking at the foundational issues within, a bold, dramatic action takes place that results in the scale being tipped completely over.

Technology Balance
I think we often tip the scale to the extreme with technology initiatives as a silver bullet approach, missing the foundational pieces that will truly make using technology in our classrooms relevant. Take a look at all the 1:1 initiatives that have struggled over the years because the focus was on the shiny new object and not:                           

-Good teaching

-Professional Dev

-Digital Citizenship

-Parent involvement

-Infrastructure

-Sustainability

An example of going to the extreme in a 1:1 environment would be piling up every book on campus and having a giant bonfire to celebrate every student having a device. Sure this would afford the ability to eliminate certain texts and some paper use that is not necessary, but a successful 1:1 isn't measured by walking into a classroom and every student having a device open in front of them. We need to think about being off balance enough to sustain meaningful change, without pushing the entire group to the bottom of the canyon for the sake of a photo op. 

Welcome Change

I enjoy change and new things, maybe that is why I don't like riding the same exact trail every day on my bike, or listening to the same music on repeat for a year at a time, I even enjoy clipping a coupon now and again. Speaking of coupons, before creating a stockpile that turns into an episode on hoarding, ask yourself if you are off balance or just going to the extreme for that photo op.