Transforming Teaching and Learning: Implications of a One-to-One Laptop Initiative for Professional Learning and Teacher Practices

Abstract

Increased access to technology in school districts across the United States has sparked a growing demand for teachers and administrators to transform traditional teaching and learning models. These changes require a clear vision and plan to support educators through the transition. This paper presents findings from the second year evaluation of a one-to-one student laptop initiative in a large urban district in the United States that illustrate the impact of vision and planning on efforts to support changes in teacher practice, classroom culture, and student engagement. Additionally, this paper details how an outside evaluation has informed practice within the district and mobilized leaders to move towards a more personalized professional learning approach designed to leverage the power of technology. Strategies and recommendations for how to better support district and school leaders in using technology to enhance teaching and learning are provided.

Appendices

Appendix A

Overall classroom experience: On a scale of 1 (classroom experience is low technology integration) to 4 (classroom experience is high technology integration): ______

Explain overall classroom experience below:

• 1. Enhancement:

• 2. Engage

• 3. Student Ownership:

• 4. Personalization:

• 5. Relevance

Appendix B

EUSD Secondary Technology Program

Teacher Focus Group Protocol

• 1. Can you all share about what a typical day is like in your ELA classes? What tends to happen in your classrooms?

• 2. How do students work together? What kinds of work do students produce in your classes?

• 3. Do you use technology in your classrooms? If you are using technology in your classroom, can each of you share how? If not, can you please explain why not?

• 4. The ways in which you are describing how you use technology, are these expectations set by your site about how you will use technology in the classroom? Or your own expectations? Can you explain?

• 5. Have you noticed the ways in which students are being impacted (or not) by technology? Has it changed students’ behaviors in your classes? Has the use of technology influenced relationships in the classroom among students? Or the student-teacher relationship? How has this initiative influenced expectations in these particular classrooms?

• 6. What kind of professional development have you received to support your participation in the technology initiative for your classes? Can you share some examples of what you have experienced?

• 7. What kinds of professional development do you feel you need or will require as this initiative moves forward?

• 8. We want to know how the initiative may be influencing what happens at the school-wide level. What is a typical day at your school? How would you describe your school environment, in terms of how students interact with each other? How adults and students interact with each other? Has the initiative influenced these interactions and/or relationships at the school-wide level? Please explain.

Concerns/Recommendations

• 9. What concerns, questions, or recommendations do you have about the roll-out of the One-to-One Technology Program?

• 10. Is there anything else you would like to add that would help us understand the One-to-One Technology Program in the District?