Title

Digital Learning Conversion for Woodholme

Time
&
Collaboration

The project was created during summer 2013 of my graduate program. This was
an individual effort purposed as a planning cycle that included a vision, plan,
implementation, and assessment for each graduate students current school.

Collaboration between administration, staff, and technology liaisons to plan and
share best practices is an integral part for success in a digital conversion. Get
teachers to use the technology that they have in their classroom appropriately
in order to meet the learning needs of the students in a more individualized and
motivating way. (National Education Plan 2010, p. 18) With the progress made
from our schools collaboration, I was able to develop this plan on my own.

Content
&
Description

Woodholme Elementary has consistently demonstrated high academic standards
with 96% of its students proficient and above in both math and reading. So the
last 2 years, our focus has been on 21st Century learning components included
critical thinking, creativity, problem solving, collaboration, innovation, and
communication. In order to prepare students to be college and career ready,
Woodholme must provide learning opportunities that stretch students and the
teachers, as well as challenging them with the support for digital conversion and
implementation of 21st century learning skills. The DNA of our student
improvement has been the intertwining of digital resources, academic focus, a
culture of caring, and a commitment to second-order change. (Edwards, p.1)

This Digital Conversion plan was developed in my ISTC 675 course; Special
Topics: Advanced Technology Leadership. My digital conversion plan
encompasses blended learning goals, strategies and steps, and recommendations
for future plans at my school; Woodholme Elementary School. Woodholmes
inventory of technology and includes: Two computer labs, a mobile laptop cart,
student computers in each classroom, student response systems, digital
cameras, and digital video cameras. Woodholme also staffs two technology
integration teachers to teach a technology class once a week to each grade
level. Teachers are familiar with few web 2.0 tools and the school had held
professional developments on the 21st century learner.

Justification
&
Reflection
This level of second-order change requires strong leadership, success in
collaborations among those leaders, while preparing and engaging the school in
the change process. Carefully planned leadership strategies are essential for
success.

This artifact displays my knowledge Baltimore Countys digital conversion plan,
digital conversion framework, and 2st century skills and learners. In order to
build culture within a school, leaders and other stakeholders must be versed
themselves in utilizing digital tools and resources. I provided recommendations
on increasing teachers content knowledge, steps on increasing achievement
data, ways to increase or improve upon professional development opportunities,
and develop incentive programs for teachers who are inconsistently utilizing
web 2.0 tools and other technology implementations to increase rigorous
instruction.

The framework for my project includes academic supports, budget and
resources, curriculum and instruction, data and assessments, professional
learning, technology and infrastructure, and use of time. It provided an
opportunity for me to integrate my knowledge and application of MTTS
Standards. The digital conversion plan encompasses several digital tools that I,
myself, have implemented in the classroom. It also shows my knowledge of
technology being an integral part of performance data. I included steps, but
most important acknowledge barriers and solutions to those barriers.