Making the Shift from Traditional Textbooks to Digital and Open Content
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Participants will discuss the future of instructional materials and identify best practices and policies to help district and school officials make a successful transition to digital content to benefit all students. The opportunities for flexible, customizable, and robust content are limitless in school reform initiatives. This session will also be the launching point for a SETDA white paper on Digital and Open Content.

Facilitators: 

• Karen Kahan, Manager, Educational Technology
  Texas Education Agency
• John Keller, Assistant Superintendent for Technology, Indiana Department of Education

Resource Specialists: 

• Greg Grossmeier, Education Technology and Policy Coordinator, Creative Commons
• Chuck Hitchcock
  Chief Officer, Policy and Technology & Director, National AIM Center
• Glenn Kleiman, Executive Director, Friday Institute for Educational Innovation and Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, NC State University College of Education
• Tom Woodward,
  Assistant Director of Organizational Development- Instructional Technology, Henrico, Virginia

Increasing Access for All Students
Azalea 3

In 2008, SETDA published the paper, High-Speed Broadband Access for All Kids: Breaking through the Barriers. This paper tackled the issues facing full implementation of broadband into schools. This session will be the launching point for an updated Broadband paper to be published by SETDA in 2012. In addition, discussions will focus on the need for systemic approaches when implementing high access computing environments, including 1-to-1 initiatives and 21st Century learning environments that include high access to computing devices.

Facilitators: 

• Laurence Cocco, Director, Office of Educational Technology, State of New Jersey Department of Education
• Jeff Mao, Learning Technology Policy Director, Maine Learning Technology Initiative, Maine Department of Education

• Marie Bjerede, Founder e-Mergents
• Jeanne Hayes, President, The Hayes Connection
• Steve Midgley, Deputy Director, Office of Educational Technology, U.S. Department of Education
• Stephen Sanders, Director, Instructional Media and Technology Team, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (eRATE)
• Bruce Umpstead, Director, Office of Education Technology and Data Collection, Michigan Department of Education (BTOP)
• Andrew Zuckerman, Director of Instructional Service, Lawrence Township Public School

Innovations in Education: Focus on Science Technology Engineering Math (STEM)
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This session will provide participants the opportunity to work collaboratively with leaders in the STEM field to share resources, build communication and develop a matrix of STEM initiatives to help guide state work. Session participants will also explore how technology can impact each of the STEM curriculum areas.

Facilitators: 

• Melanie Bradford, Division Leader, Division of Research and Technology, Arkansas Department of Education
• Carla Wade, Technology and STEM Education Specialist, Oregon Department of Education

Resource Specialists:

• Vince Bertram, CEO, Project Lead the Way
• Melinda George, Vice President, National Commission on Teaching and America's Future (NCTAF)
• Robert Richardson
  Director, Member Relations, Change the Equation

Preparing for High Quality Online Assessments
Camellia Room

Discussions will focus on planning for state-level online assessment efforts.  Representatives from PARCC and SBAC will provide the latest information from the consortia. Participants will discuss the information they believe necessary to include in a "readiness tool," including rolling out and implementing the tool, and identify best practices in planning for new online assessments, including requirements for bandwidth, hardware, networks, training for students and professional development for teachers and administrators. Participants also will discuss how policy and testing implementation decisions such as length of testing window can affect technology requirements.

Facilitators: 

• Peter Drescher, Education Technology Coordinator, Vermont Department of Education
• Jayne Moore, SETDA Emeritus Member

Resource Specialists:

• Jill Abbott, Executive Director, SBAC System Architecture Development, Measured Progress
• Wes Bruce, Chief Assessment Officer, Indiana Department of Education
• Bill Tucker, Managing Director, Education Sector

Improving Educator Effectiveness - Teachers as Co-Learners
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Through the appropriate use of technology, teachers can completely change their approach to teaching. Technology is not a "nice to have" or an “add-on” to their current daily activities but should be infused into all aspects of teaching and learning. Focus areas will include the power of instructional technology mentors/coaches and tools for administrators to identify true technology integration.

Facilitator: 

• Kathy Barnhart, Principal Education Consultant, Illinois State Board of Education
• Kathleen Webb, Educational Technology Coordinator, Utah Department of Education

Resource Specialists: 

• Al Byers, Assistant Executive Director, National Science Teachers Association
• Thomas G. Carroll, President, National Commission on Teaching and America's Future (NCTAF)
• Barbara Treacy, Managing Project Director, Education Development Center (EDC)