Big6 online party

Mike Eisenberg and I have been friends, collaborators, and co-authors for nearly 20 years. I first met him (and Dr. Joyce V.) at 1997's AASL's Portland conference event "Late Night with Mike." In my "Top 10 Library Game Changers of the Past 25 Years", I identified Mike as being directly responsible for two of them - LM_Net and the Big6. Here's what I said about the Big6:

The Big6. Eisenberg and Berkowitz's model (1987) gave librarians a unique skill set to teach. Information literacy was a large component of a variety of 21st Century Skill models and the Big6 was an articulation of a process that was understandable. No longer just kiddie book pushers or reference librarians, the Big6 turned librarians in to real teachers. By adding technology to the model (Eisenberg, Johnson, 1996), educational technology's most powerful use became as a research and problem-solving tool - and librarians taught others how to use it.

So when Mike (along with Colet Bartow and Janet Murray) releases a new book, there is something to celebrate. Good thing there is an ebook Launch Party.  It is free to attend and they're giving away some books, some discounts, and a free 1 hour webinar with Mike. (woo, woo!) Here's the official announcement:

FREE ONLINE BOOK LAUNCH PARTY- FEB. 13, 7-8 PM.  "Big6 by the Month: Comprehensive Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Literacy for All Students" [ebook]. Drawings, readings, guest appearances, music. Pre-Register:  I want to attend the party!  Or go to: http://bit.ly/ebookb6

Readers of this blog know that I endorse very few people or events. But this is worthy exception. Hope to see you at the party!

Why are 1/3 of librarians unhappy about 1:1/BYOD programs?

In response to the post about the results of Jennifer LaGarde and my survey of librarians on 1:1/BYOD programs, Scott McLeod asks:

Interesting that nearly 1/3 said the impact on the library program has been negative. Would love to unpack that a bit and learn more about what they're seeing...

Great observation. As I look back through the responses, I find a few likely culprits.

1. It's early in many schools' 1:1/BYOD initiatives and librarians are in the "trough of disillusionment" with 81% of librarians reporting that their school has been 1:1/BYOD for 3 years or fewer.

<http://www.gartner.com/technology/research/methodologies/hype-cycle.jsp>

Let's face it - everybody's grumpy when starting a new project and reality sets in. When I get time, I'll do separated the responses short term and long term and see if the positive/negative ratings correlate.*

2. Tons of technical tasks (inventory, management, tracking, repair, etc.) were given to many librarians, according to the comments, and nothing was taken away. Mobile device management is a complex, changing, and frustrating job - especially with inadequate tech support.

3. Librarians were not part of the planning process with nearly half saying they had NO input. I personally have a tough time getting behind a program in which I've had no hand in design. 

4. E-resources are new and may have a steep learning curve. It means re-writing lessons for both library skills and helping teachers do so as well. It means new resource management skills.

5. New means of getting people into the library need to be found. Kids coming into the physical space to get books, use the computer labs, do research is no longer happening. It takes time and inspiration to redesign a room for new purposes. And a new sense of mission.

6. I suspect many librarians were content with the books and traditional library programs. We all love change in concept and when it applies to others, but not so much to ourselves. Librarians have seen value in books and quiet study areas and learning to do traditional research in the past. I think it is OK to mourn the passing of something we love and value.

Scott, I am a little surprised that ONLY 31% found the change negative (and only 4% found it very negative). I wonder if one polled classroom teachers during the first few years of a 1:1 program what their satisfaction rate would be?

To me this survey shows the remarkable ability of librarians to adapt, to change, and to be team members in efforts to restructure education. 

What's your interpretation? Librarians?

*I did a quick analysis of suggestion 1- that libraries may be in a "trough of disillusion," comparing negative/positive responses of librarians in schools with new vs established 1:1/BYOD program. Here is what I found: In schools with 1-3 year old programs, the negative response rate was 35%; in schools with 4+ year old programs, the negative response rate was 18%. Not a large sample size, but perhaps telling.

10 questions parents should ask about their children's 1:1 program

I have two grandchildren who attend the Shawnee Mission School district in the southern part of the Kansas City metropolitan area. The area looks generally wealthy and the schools well-maintained. The grands are doing well academically. But technology has never seemed to be the district's strength based on my visits with the boys and their schools.

So when my son-in-law and daughter both send me information about an ambitious 1:1 initiative that the board has adopted, I was excited. At the cost of $20 million dollars, all high schoolers will get Macbook Air laptops and all middle school and elementary students will get iPads. (Some details are given in the superintendent's letter and a local newspaper article below.

While I am very much in favor of students using and accessing technology (I am a tech director after all), I am also aware that 1:1 programs can be very effective - or they can be money down a rat hole. The devil, as they say, is in the details.

On first glance and with only two sources of information, this Shawnee Mission program looks pretty good. To quote the superintendent, "This technology offers tremendous opportunities to personalize learning for students and encourage collaboration with a project-based focus.  It is clear that today’s students need to know how to access information and also understand and apply the information." All educational goals near and dear to my heart.

There is a very ambitious timeline with the devices going to students in August. Training for staff does not start until this March. While I suspect a great deal of planning has gone into this already that has not been shared publicly, as a concerned parent, I would still ask:

1. What are the teaching/learning goals of the initiative? How will those goals be measured?
2. What specific training is in place for the teaching staff and what are its goals?
3. Is there a digital citizenship curriculum in place?
4. How will these devices be managed and maintained - and do you have tech staff to do this?
5. What e-resources will accompany the hardware - e-books, course management system, software?
6. Why was the particular brand and model of hardware chosen?
7. Is there the network infrastructure in place to support the use of these devices, both internally and to the cloud?
8. How will you get buy-in by all staff for the plan?
9. What will happen in 5 years when all these devices are obsolete? (Any mechanism for continued funding?)
10. Will there be budget cuts to find the full $20 million?

For the sake of my grandsons and 27,416 other children of Shawnee Mission Schools, I hope this goes well.

_______________________________________

Message from Superintendent Hinson Regarding Technology 

January 28, 2014

Dear Parents of Students in the Shawnee Mission School District,

 As many of you know, I am committed to working with the board of education, staff, parents, students, and the community to create an intentional plan to ensure the Shawnee Mission School District is great by design – a place families choose for education in the Kansas City metro area.  At last night’s meeting, the board of education approved recommendations related to technology that will have an exciting impact on our students and classrooms districtwide.  During my initial months in the district, I heard from many about the need to step up the district’s technology and embed technology in instruction in a way that will transform teaching and learning in the classroom.

Last night’s decision by the board takes a major leap forward to meet this goal.  The board has approved a recommendation that will place a device in the hand of each child in Shawnee Mission over the course of the next two years.  This exciting plan will put more resources in the classroom and open up far more options for students to learn.  Teachers will continue to lead instruction, however, we are updating and changing the tools available.  Students and teachers will be actively learning together.  This technology offers tremendous opportunities to personalize learning for students and encourage collaboration with a project-based focus.  It is clear that today’s students need to know how to access information and also understand and apply the information.

An exciting first step begins in March when all administrators and teachers will receive a Macbook Air and an iPad Air to prepare them for the process of integrating technology within their instructional plans.  Board members approved a plan to provide professional development to assist in the transition and transformation of instruction using these technology tools.  We know that providing intentional professional development is essential to the success of this project, so we have engaged our partners at Apple in creating a plan to support the initiative.  As part of the technology integration, Apple TVs will be installed during the summer to enable mirroring of the display on these new devices for instructional purposes in classrooms beginning next school year.

In August, when students return to school, each high school student will receive a Macbook Air laptop computer, which he/she will be able to take home with them to support their learning both in and out of the classroom.  Each middle school student will receive an iPad Air that he/she will be able to take home as well.  The implementation of fully integrated technology will be phased in at the elementary schools, with 10 schools identified to implement in the first phase in 2014-2015.  At these 10 schools, each student in grades three through six will receive an iPad Air that he/she will be able to take home, and each student in kindergarten through second grade will have access to an iPad for daily classroom use, but will not be taken home.  The 10 phase one elementary schools, which have not been identified, will be announced in the coming weeks.  The remaining 23 elementary schools will receive iPad carts for the 2014-2015 school year to ensure students will have access to this technology on a more limited basis until the full implementation of those schools scheduled for the 2015-2016 school year.  

The Shawnee Mission School District is built on a strong tradition of excellence.  This important investment in technology that the board has approved will ensure our classrooms remain at the forefront of educational excellence and our students will be able to excel and compete globally.  This $20 million investment in technology will be funded through capital outlay funds.  The capital outlay budget is distinctly separate from the general operating budget and cannot be used to fund operating expenses.

We are excited at the possibilities this project has for transforming our practice and our classrooms to offer greater opportunities for exploration and learning for the students of Shawnee Mission.  I look forward to sharing additional information with you as we progress with this exciting initiative.

Sincerely,

Jim Hinson

Superintendent

From the Prairie Village Post "Every Shawnee Mission high school student to get MacBook; iPads for middle school and elementary starting in fall" January 28, 2014.

Article from Kansas City Star