Classroom of the Future Foundation finds it at San Diego Unified

San Diego Unified has received the Impact Award from the Classroom of the Future Foundation as part of its 10th Innovation in Education Awards. The district is being praised for its commitment to put 21st century technology in its classrooms through the i21 Program.

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SD Unified's technology transformation highlighted in video

San Diego Unified's technology transformation -- accomplished during lean funding times in a recession – has been supported by the community and is providing students with countless benefits. Watch video»

Need information on San Diego's schools? There's an app for that.

San Diego Unified app
running on an Android
phone.

San Diego Unified's new smart phone app, giving parents and the community quick access to locations of district schools, up-to-date news and other features, is now online.

Available for the Apple iPhone, as well as phones and pads running the Google Android system, the app was co-developed by the district and its web content management system contractor, Schoolwires Inc.

"This new mobile app will give on-the-go access to district news and information" said Bernie Rhinerson, Chief of Staff, "for all of our parents and the community at large who need timely information about our schools and who want to keep up with what is happening in our district.“

The app is available for download from the iTunes app store for Apple products, or from the Google Play app store for devices running the Google Android system. There is no charge for the app, however the end-user may have to pay for data usage depending on his or her phone plan.

"San Diego Unified School District now will be able to effectively deliver its rich district experience powered by Schoolwires to community stakeholders using mobile devices," said Jason Coudriet, vice president of Product Design and Innovation, Schoolwires, Inc. "We are excited and pleased with the success of the project. "

Current features include access to the district's News section, which provides daily stories on student achievement, new programs and innovative school programs, an address and telephone number listing of all district schools, staff directory and links to the district's Facebook and Twitter pages. Additional features will be added to the app in the coming months, including an iPad version and Spanish-language support.

“As one of the first large urban school districts in the country to offer a mobile information application," said Rhinerson, "San Diego Unified continues to be on the leading edge in using new technologies to stay connected with our stakeholders.”

For more information on the app, contact District Webmaster Geoff Smith at webmaster@sandi.net.

'Geek Squad' — The Next Generation Growing Up at iMiddle

If a student's netbook has a problem at Innovation Middle School in Clairemont, chances are she won't be taking to an adult for repair; her customer service representative and -- in many cases -- the person who repairs the machine, will be a fellow seventh or eighth grader.

At the trend-setting north Clairemont campus, each student receives a netbook computer to use in all their classes and take home. But when things go wrong, they go to another class, the Technical Support Services class, for help. Students organize and operate a customer service center for computer users who are experiencing problems. The classroom was set up with a check-in booth to document the customer concerns and tech support squad, similar to that of the Geek Squad at Best Buy stores, which verifies and diagnoses the problems.

"The curriculum goes far beyond repairs to include internet ethics, customer service and the implications of new technology," said Principal Harlan Klein. If a student experiences any software or hardware problems with the netbook computers, the student can bring it to school and drop it off to be worked on by the Intro to Technical Support Services students on campus.

Teacher Frank Carmody's curriculum includes an overview of jobs in the tech industry, video lessons about printer interfaces and other computer systems. Students are learning teamwork, problem solving and critical thinking skills by operating their repair facility. Carmody is also the school's robotics program advisor and students are encouraged to work on this extra-credit program.

Innovation Middle School is part of the Federal Communications Commission-sponsored Learning On the Go (LOGO) program, part of San Diego Unified's i21 Interactive Classroom initiative. The program supplies middle school students at iMiddle and nine other schools with netbooks and iPads at home and school. The computers are equipped with wireless access cards, allowing students to access the internet from virtually anywhere.

For more information, please contact Greg Quirin, CCTE Program Specialist, at gquirin@sandi.net.

Marines and Technology Engage Students at Lindbergh/Schweitzer

It's not just the iPad that has students excited in Daphne Terrells' classroom at Lindbergh Schweitzer Elementary Schoo, it's getting to use the iPad along with United States Marine partner Jesus Silva, who used the tap-and-touch iPad technology for the first time when visiting the school recently.

"It was amazing to see how much he (the student) knew," said Silva, who added that he wants to come back another day to help at the school. That will be no problem because the Marines have been partners with the school for over 25 years.

Technology and the partnership with the United States Marine Corps are successful ways Lindbergh Schweitzer keeps their students engaged and learning every day.

For additional information contact Media Production Assistant Julie Harris at jharris2@sandi.net or 858.496.8400.

iMiddle School, San Diego Unified iPad Use Highlighted

IN THE NEWS: More than 25,000 devices helping student learning in district. Read more from Bloomberg News»

Promethean and Channel One News Announce The Parent Connection

In a joint announcement made today at ISTE 2012, Promethean, Channel One News and the National PTA launched The Parent Connection, a new program that delivers daily Channel One News InterActiv broadcasts shown in the classroom directly to parent’s mobile phones. Representatives from San Diego Unified School District join today’s announcement and will be the first school district in the country to offer the service to parents.

“This is truly good news for parents and our entire school community. One of our objectives is to continually look for opportunities to strengthen and grow parental involvement in schools across the district. Without involvement of parents, we would not be successful and we are delighted that next year, we will be able to offer yet another avenue to strengthen the school to home connection,” said San Diego Unified School District Superintendent Bill Kowba.

“Today’s announcement is an terrific addition to our i21 initiative. Combining current events with standards aligned content will advance our efforts to helping all students build 21st Century skills,” said Darryl LaGace. “We are delighted to work with all the partners of this effort to enhance to increase parental involvement in the academic success of students.”

“Students are more successful when parents are engaged and when school-to-home communications are strong. The Parent Connection will change dinnertime conversations around the country because parents will receive the same daily news broadcast their child viewed in the classroom via a text message with an embedded URL,” explained Jim Marshall. “Boosting parent engagement is a critical intervention strategy and one that will help districts maximize return on other investments in education.”

Once enrolled with The Parent Connection, parents would receive a daily update with a video link to the Channel One News InterActiv broadcast shown in classrooms that day. Parents can also view updates in their existing district's parent portal. For districts using Promethean ActivProgress, an adaptive, personalized learning environment for students, parents can see how well their child performed on any Channel One broadcasts, their school performance, and have topics for discussion based on the broadcast content.

“Since Channel One News launched over two decades ago, we have served as a window to the world for America’s youth. The experience we provide each day to millions of young people has fostered countless formative conversations at the dinner table with parents,” commented Kent Haehl, CEO of Channel One News. “This latest innovation will power these discussions and we are extremely proud to offer this as a companion to our expanding interactive services.”

The Parent Connection will kick-off in the San Diego Unified School District in grade 3 through 12 classrooms. Over the course of the year, The National PTA will work with school districts implementing The Parent Connection to determine its overall impact it has on achievement.

“Studies continue to show that family engagement is a critical ingredient for student success,” said Betsy Landers, President, National PTA. “"We are excited to be part of today's announcement and look forward to examining how this program will help families and what, if any, impact it will have on the types of family engagement behaviors that ultimately lead to positive student outcomes such as improved student academic achievement."

Launched last year at ISTE, Channel One News InterActiv delivers daily news with embedded assessments conducted using on screen buttons and Promethean Learner Response Devices. The subscription service also includes just-in-time professional development to support teachers’ efforts to build instructional technology skills. Additional resources linked to the daily broadcasts are correlated to Common Core State Standards providing teachers’ ready-to-use interactive, digital content on a range of subjects connecting classroom learning to the real world.

An informal survey of the services reported that for 57% of teachers using C1Ni lead to an increase in their overall use of technology in the classroom. Teachers also reported that 87% of students were highly engaged and interacting with the content.

Additional information about Channel One New InterActiv can be found online at www.PrometheanPlanet.com/ChannelOne (registration required). The Parent Connection App can be downloaded for free in the education section on both Google Play (for Android) and the Apple App Store (for iPhone).

Broadband Effort Kicked Off at Mann Middle School

 

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In The News

Carlos Slim, FCC chief tout pilot project to erase digital divide -- San Diego Union-Tribune» FCC Chair, Connect2Compete partner on national campaign  -- RBR.com/TVBR.com Why Mexico's Carlos Slim Is Donating Millions To Help Latinos In The U.S. -- Forbes.com World's Richest Man Joins Governing Board of Initiative to Extend Broadband to Low-Income Children -- Multichannel News

 From the Federal Communications Commission

FCC Chairman Genachowski and Connect2compete Partners Announce Adoption Pilot Program

The Carlos Slim Foundation Joins Connect2compete; Focuses On Digital Literacy

C2c Program To Expand Across The U.S. In Fall, Will Include All 50 States In 2013

First Multilingual, Multimedia, National Ad Council Campaign On Digital Literacy To Launch In January 2013

Chairman Genachowski was joined by Connect2Compete (C2C) members, including Cox Communications, Redemtech-GoodPC, The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), and Carlos Slim at Horace Mann Middle School in San Diego, CA, to announce progress on a national effort to close the broadband adoption gap. C2C is piloting their program with 39,000 eligible students in San Diego, and includes $9.95 monthly broadband service and discounted computer offerings for eligible school lunch children & their families.
I. Connect2Compete San Diego Broadband Adoption Pilot Program

• The C2C San Diego pilot program is designed to test key elements of the national broadband adoption initiative set to launch across the country in fall 2012. The pilot program runs through June 30, 2012, across six San Diego County school districts, comprising 56 schools, and nearly 39,000 students.
• Broadband Offering: Pilot offerings include $9.95 + tax monthly broadband service from Cox Communications. The service is available with no installation, activation, or modem fees.
• PC Offering: GoodPC is offering either a $150 + tax laptop or desktop with LCD monitor. Both are equipped with Windows 7 Home Premium and MS Office 2007 ($250 software value) and include free shipping, 90 days phone PC tech support, one year software tech support, and 90 day extended warranty.
• Eligibility: Eligible families must (1) have at least one student enrolled in the Free School Lunch Program, and for the broadband offering, also (2) not be a current Cox broadband subscriber (or have subscribed in the last 90 days), and (3) not have an overdue bill or unreturned equipment with Cox.
• Partners: Additional pilot partners include: The National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA), Connected Living, Solix, and Altman Vilandire & Company.

II. Carlos Slim Foundation (Fundación Carlos Slim) announces support for Connect2Compete

• Will support C2C’s efforts to extend broadband to unconnected Latino households across the country.
• Includes support for a nationwide bilingual Ad Council campaign on digital literacy and broadband adoption, support for digital literacy training materials, and operational support for partnerships with schools, cities, countries, non-profit organizations, and technology companies.
• Will share best practices learned from its years of international broadband adoption and digital education advocacy.
• Carlos Slim Foundation joins C2C governing board as a founding member.

III. Connect2Compete Phase One Launch and Leadership

• Beginning in Fall 2012, C2C will launch phase one of its low-cost broadband connectivity initiative across the country; the C2C program will expand to all 50 states in January 2013.
• Participating Internet service providers include: Bend Cable, Bright House Networks, Cablevision, Charter, Comcast (via their Internet Essentials program), Cox Communications, Eagle Communications, GCI, Insight, Mediacom, Midcontinent, Sjoberg’s Cable, Suddenlink, and Time Warner Cable.
• Digital literacy includes in-person training, through coordination with Best Buy’s Geek Squad and thousands of other partner training locations, including America’s schools and libraries. C2C will also launch an online basic and advanced digital literacy training curriculum.
• C2C is incorporated as an independent, national non-profit and named Ben Hecht, currently President and CEO of Living Cities, as Chairman of the Board.

IV. Connect2Compete and Ad Council will launch first national campaign on digital literacy

• Ad Council campaign will begin in January 2013, will run for three years, and will focus on promoting digital literacy training and broadband adoption for all Americans in English and Spanish.
• The campaign will also promote the existence of free digital literacy training classes in thousands of communities nationwide.

V. The Broadband Adoption Challenge

• One-third of all Americans – 100 million people – haven’t adopted broadband at home. Broadband adoption is key to America’s competitiveness – to jobs, e-government, education, and energy. Compare that to South Korea and Singapore where adoption rates top 90 percent. (FCC research study, 2010)
• There is a growing divide between the digital-haves and have-nots.
• Less than one-third of the poorest Americans have adopted broadband, while more than 90% of the richest have adopted. (Connected Nation Survey, 2011 Digital Nation, NTIA).
• Less than 50% of African Americans, Latinos, elderly and rural populations have adopted broadband. (Connected Nation Survey, 2011 Digital Nation, NTIA).
• About 46% of low-income families have adopted broadband at home compared with over 90% of higher-income families. (Connected Nation Survey, 2011 Digital Nation, NTIA)
• A Federal Reserve study found that students with a PC and broadband at home have six to eight percentage point higher graduation rates than similar students who don’t have home access to the Internet. (Federal Reserve Bank, 2008)
• Studies have shown that broadband adoption efforts have resulted in increased test scores and that students actively and regularly used their computers and the Internet for learning. (CFY)
• 50% of today’s jobs require technology skills, and this percentage is expected to grow to 77% in the next decade. (IDC Research)
• Closing the broadband adoption gap will create $32 billion in annual economic value, or about $100 for every American, every year. (Microsoft)
• Consumers with broadband at home can save more than $7,000 a year. (Internet Innovation Alliance)

VI. Barriers to Broadband Adoption

• Digital Literacy: 22% of non-adopters say they feel uncomfortable or fearful using technology.
• Cost: 26% of non-adopters say they can’t afford broadband or a computer.
• Relevancy: 19% of non-adopters fail to recognize the potential benefits broadband would bring to their lives.
• Marketing: Most non-adopters are not receptive to traditional channels of marketing.

VII. Horace Mann Middle School and the San Diego Unified School District are FCC Learning On-the-Go Recipients

• The FCC launched the Learning On-the-Go program to explore how E-rate can help schools and libraries offer off-premises wireless Internet access for digital learning and digital textbooks.
• The San Diego Unified School District was one of 20 recipients of funding under the pilot program.
• The district established a Mobile Learning Program to seamlessly integrate ubiquitous, one-to-one computing and other 21st century technology into all teaching and learning throughout the curriculum.
• Program serves 6th graders in eight middle schools and all grades in two middle schools.

IN THE NEWS: SD Unified rolls out iPads in a big way

After putting more than 75,600 netbooks into the hands of students, the San Diego Unified School District has switched its focus to Apple iPads and will buy devices to outfit 340 classrooms before the end of the school year. In all, the district plans to purchase around 25,700 iPad 2s at a slight discount from retail to roll out to its fifth- and eighth-grade classes as well as some high school classes by next fall. It is one of the largest deployments of iPads in K-12 schools in the nation and will cost the district more than $15 million.  Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune»

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iMiddle Students Demonstrate Projects at Conference

 An iMiddle student demonstrates his netbook.

Many of the 3,500 attendees at this year's Computer-Using Educators (CUE) Conference in Palm Springs were impressed by the student-created projects from Innovation Middle School.

Students from iMiddle demonstrated their curriculum-based technology projects at the Student Technology Showcase, including math podcasts, science simulations, 3D models of the Great Wall of China, history videos and much more.

The showcase was sponsored by The California Department of Education, California Technology Assistance Project and CUE. The showcase was a great opportunity for teachers and others conference attendees from around California to see effective technology integration in student-generated classroom projects.

For more information, contact Harlan Klein, Principal, at (858) 278-5948.

Pt. Loma Schools Hold Computer Classes for Teachers

The Point Loma Cluster Digital Literacy Committee and the SDUSD Educational Technology Department recently held  a cluster-wide Digital Literacy Day for i21 classroom teachers in the Point Loma cluster. Our Digital Literacy Day provided i21 teachers from elementary and secondary schools with opportunities to share ideas and explore the use digital tools to support instruction in the classroom.

Our Digital Literacy Day was organized into a series of 14 small-group sessions topics covering different content areas, grade ranges, and ability levels, such as: Digital Assessments, Digital Resources and Dropbox.

The Point Loma Cluster Digital Literacy Committee was founded in 2010 with the purpose of supporting the use of digital tools in the classroom. The committee consists of representatives from the ten schools in the Point Loma cluster, the Point Loma Cluster Foundation, and the Educational Technology Department. The committee developed the “K-12 Digital Literacy Matrix” to coordinate the use of digital tools in the classroom and support the district goal of insuring students are technologically proficient by 8th grade. The Point Loma Cluster Digital Literacy Day was creating by the committee to provide professional development in support of the implementation of this matrix.

For more information please contact Scott Irwin at sirwin@sandi.net.

IN THE NEWS: San Diego Teachers ‘Flipping’ The Classroom Script

Using technology in the classroom can mean using a digital whiteboard instead of a blackboard and chalk or accessing textbook chapters online. But two San Diego teachers are leading the way in using the internet to flip the traditional classroom. Find out more from KPBS»

IN THE NEWS: Conference to focus on school tech

Program at Innovation Middle School featured as SD Unified was only local district to gain federal Internet grant. Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune»

IN THE NEWS: Reinventing Education, Revisited

Two years into San Diego’s plan to transform education with the help of technology, here’s a look at how the project is going—and what the district has learned. Read more from eSchool News»

IN THE NEWS: FCC Grant Helps Learn-On-The-Go

News coverage of the announcement that the district has received a $1 million grant from the Federal Communications Commission to expand the netbook-based program. Watch video»

Learning On-The-Go Grows With FCC Grant

A student at iMiddle is interviewed during the grant announcement.

In the News

San Diego Union-Tribune» KBNT-TV (en Español)» KPBS-FM»

The sight of students walking home from school with a netbook computer and using that computer at home on a wireless network will grow in the 2011-12 school year thanks to a $1 million grant from the Federal Communications Commission.

Under a pilot program at Innovation Middle School in Clairemont, students have been supplied with netbooks and 3G wireless access at home. With the new grant, this off-campus technology will grow at eight other schools.

"The San Diego Unified School District prides itself on access to technologies that can enhance learning," said Darryl LaGace, Chief Information and Technology Officer. "On-campus, students have access to a variety of learning technologies across a 65,000-workstation network. But to extend learning beyond the walls and wires of the high-speed network, we've established and are growing the Mobile Learning Program."

This program takes on-campus technology beyond the school fence. Off-campus, the small, netbook computers access 3G networks -- the same used by smart phones, tablet computers and other wireless devices -- so students can do lessons, research and other tasks using the internet at home.

"Giving students access to learning resources anytime and anywhere is key to keeping them engaged, promoting a real love of exploration and discovery and providing a true 21st-century learning experience," said LaGace.

More than 30,000 netbooks are currently in use, funded through Prop. S. About 3,000 will be used by sixth graders in eight middle schools, plus school-wide in two, as part of this project.

Schools receiving the assistance for the 2011-12 school year are Innovation in Clairemont; Millennial Tech in Emerald Hills; Dana in Pt. Loma; Knox in Lincoln Park; Lewis in Allied Gardens; Longfellow in Clairemont; Mann in City Heights; Montgomery in Linda Vista; Pershing in San Carlos and Wilson in Mid-City.

The same internet-safety standards must be in effect whether the student is on- or off-campus, so, Lightspeed Systems is working with San Diego Unified to adapt its filter to the netbooks.

"The Lightspeed Mobile Filter helps us safely and securely open up new learning opportunities when students leave the campus," said LaGace, "at home, at the park, at the pizza parlor, at their sister's dance recital."

IN THE NEWS: How Do You Say 'Here' in a Virtual Classroom?

Sixteen-year-old Abdi Buul might log in to his chemistry class while sitting at his aunt's pizzeria off University Avenue. Or he might stop in to see a teacher in Old Town to ask about geometry. Read more from Voice of San Diego»

New Technology Yields Positive Results in Classrooms

Thanks to Prop S, many classrooms have been transformed into Integrated 21st Century (i21) Interactive Classrooms. The i21 technology includes student netbooks, student response systems, teacher tablet PC laptops, presentation stations, interactive whiteboards and new audio and video systems.

Since i21 technology has been introduced into classrooms around the district, teachers have reported positive results that offer a sense of optimism and assurance for the future of our education. Read what Dana Middle School teacher, Shereen Bastani, had to say:

“For my Language Arts classes, i21 technology has given students the ability to use real world tools in their assignments. This helps prepare them for the work that they are going to do in a future profession. This new technology has pushed students to create a higher quality of work. As a result of using online tools, students are writing with a higher level of vocabulary. Students are paying more attention to details than they ever have in the past, and the quality of their editing is much better because they are more invested and engaged in the process. The use of technology in the classroom enables me to differentiate instruction to meet the needs of all students.”

Learn more about the i21 Classroom.