CDE14 WHITE PAPER Laserfiche

---

A WHITE PAPER FROM

New Tools, New Opportunities Refinements to existing digital learning tools and a host of new innovations give school districts greater resources for engaging and inspiring students

Moving from Experimental to Essential As digital learning tools have progressed from being experimental to essential in K-12 schools across the country, two important trends have emerged. First, digital classrooms are delivering clear benefits in the area where it matters most — student outcomes. That’s evident at Union School District in San Jose, Calif. When instructors at one of its schools identify students with reading problems, they can use a learning program connected to a high-capacity network to intervene. “The district uses a variety of technology systems to support the regular curriculum with intervention programs. As a result, we have some of the highest test scores in the state,” says the district’s IT director.1 A second, equally important reality is that innovation is ongoing at a sometimes blistering pace. Even as schools capitalize on the devices and teaching methods that characterize the first generation of digital classrooms, a flood of new technology and related teaching techniques is expanding opportunities for engaging and inspiring students, as well as helping instructors and administrators achieve their goals more efficiently.

“The district uses a variety of technology systems to support the regular curriculum with intervention programs. As a result, we have some of the highest test scores in the state.” IT Director of Union School District, San Jose, Calif.

What transformational tools and trends should school districts watch for in the months ahead? This white paper examines how technology is evolving to expand personalized learning, foster competency-based education, promote student skill development, and impact other areas inside and outside of classrooms. But it goes a step further by presenting emerging best practices that help CIOs and administrators create a reliable and secure infrastructure to support the second wave of digital learning.

Current State of Digital Education Digital content is king throughout school districts — for a wide variety of reasons. In 2014, the Center for Digital Education’s (CDE) Digital Content and Curriculum

2

New Tools, New Opportunities

44%

of education decision-makers say digital devices enable interactions among students or between students and instructors, which provide a solid foundation for enhancing engagement inside and outside of classrooms.

Survey identified the five biggest drivers for embracing digital resources. At the top of the list, 53 percent of school officials said digital resources were critical to the increasing adoption of alternative learning environments, including blended, online and flipped learning. Significant percentages of respondents were also turning to digital innovations to improve student engagement and achievement as a way to cope with limited financial resources, and because students and teachers simply expect to access digital content from mobile devices. The fact that students and teachers have similar access expectations could translate into real-world benefits. For example, 44 percent of those participating in the survey said digital devices enable interactions among students or between students and instructors, which provides a solid foundation for enhancing engagement inside and outside of classrooms. Digital resources are transforming the typical school day in other ways as well. Wander through progressive classrooms today, and some fundamental changes become obvious, starting with the physical design of learning spaces. A teacher’s desk will likely not dominate attention at the front of a room, as in the days when lecturebased instruction ruled the day. Instead, digitally equipped students will break into small groups and collaborate on projects, often even after the end of formal class time. Online learning is also helping to extend students’ education beyond the typical school day, which many educators are seeing as an essential component in 21st-century learning. Half of U.S. states had some form of a virtual school in the 2013-2014 school year, according to the International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL). 2

The Virtual Instruction to Accentuate Learning (VITAL) program at Tennessee’s Putnam County Schools lets high school students attain college credits via online learning if they satisfy the district’s general requirements in certain subjects.

Surveys like these from CDE and iNACOL show the promise of digital learning. But school districts are moving beyond mere potential today — they’re transforming digital possibilities into classroom realities. Three areas illustrate some of the most important trends and opportunities in the months ahead.

1

Enhanced student engagement. Key tools include mobile apps and Web tools for creating new learning opportunities in a number of ways. For example, blogging can better engage students as they hone their writing and critical-thinking skills.3 What’s new: With the help of tablets, Chromebooks and smartphones that connect to wireless networks, school districts enable anytime, anywhere education. This means students easily connect to school-related blog sites and other Web-based resources, while instructors can push out assignments tailored to student workgroups

and individuals. In addition, blended learning becomes a natural extension of traditional teaching models as students use digital devices they’re familiar with in their personal lives to provide the foundation for what they’ll eventually rely on in the work world.

2

Data-driven student success. The combination of detailed data and sophisticated analytics offers valuable information about performance trends for entire school districts, specific classrooms and individual students. Maturing learning analytics and monitoring software provide these insights for tracking student progress and uncovering an emerging pattern that indicates where quick intervention can keep a student from falling behind in algebra or find the right challenge to keep a high achiever from becoming bored in a biology class. What’s new: Competency-based education — where students move ahead based off of certain learning

3

“Since ramping up our Wi-Fi with the capacity that we need, the wireless network is quickly becoming mission-critical, and we realize as a district we are depending on it more and more. I envision our entire district using the wireless network to a much greater extent as we begin to explore its vast potential.” Tim Rapoza, Director of Technology Services, Franklin Public Schools, Franklin, Mass.

achievements and not on specified timeframes — will evolve students from being passive consumers of information into active participants who seek out knowledge, analyze ideas and trends, and present reports in various formats to demonstrate their newly developed proficiency in a skill or topic area. To aid the effort, schools can increasingly take cues from developers of electronic games and assign digital badges as students progress to new skill levels, a move that further ties together student engagement and academic success.

20%

As of 2014, about 20 percent of states gave students the option to enroll in online courses offered by charter schools, in addition to institutions in home districts.

3

Personalized learning. Digital applications combined with secure wireless networks, video recordings, interactive whiteboards and mobile devices break the bonds of traditional textbooks and one-size-fitsall lesson plans. What’s new: Look for lecture capture to become a more common way for students to have ready access to classroom activities during the formal school day and beyond. Being able to review class projects at any time means students can revisit math problems, foreignlanguage vocabulary or other tough concepts as many times as necessary to gain mastery. The latest innovations in lecture capture enable students to submit questions as

4

New Tools, New Opportunities

they review presentations. This invites fellow classmates or instructors to chime in with responses and potentially extends the conversation beyond the classroom. Developments in online learning are also contributing to the growth of personalized education. As of 2014, about 20 percent of states gave students the option to enroll in online courses offered by charter schools, in addition to institutions in home districts.4 One of the overarching goals of diversified online learning opportunities is to give middle and high school students access to advanced courses to keep high achievers stimulated and better prepare them for college. For example, the Virtual Instruction to Accentuate Learning (VITAL) program at Tennessee’s Putnam County Schools lets middle school students work toward high school credits in algebra, geometry, Spanish, personal finance and English — all through distance learning instruction. 5 Similarly, high school students have the chance to attain college credits via online learning if they satisfy the district’s general requirements in certain subjects. As schools embrace technology, it’s becoming clear they need more than just a collection of mobile devices and new types of applications. To make everything run efficiently, and keep vital resources available to instructors, districts must also create a solid foundation, starting with a high-performance wireless networking infrastructure.

How to Build a Solid Infrastructure Ensure adequate access. The criticality of Wi-Fi networking is clear to officials at Franklin Public Schools in Franklin, Mass. In 2014, the district simultaneously built a new 300,000 square foot high school and rolled out a 1:1 program.6 “Since ramping up our Wi-Fi with the capacity that we need, the wireless network is quickly becoming mission-critical, and we realize as a district we are depending on it more and more,” says Tim Rapoza,

director of technology services. “I envision our entire district using the wireless network to a much greater extent as we begin to explore its vast potential.” End-user satisfaction with wireless network performance begins and ends with access points. The right number of these devices in the right locations goes a long way to determining if students and instructors see the response times and reliability required for a cornerstone of digital classrooms. Site surveys using specialized analysis applications can employ heat maps that uncover prevailing traffic patterns, including bottlenecks that build up because of bandwidth that’s inadequate for usage volumes. The surveys will also show where coverage is spotty, possibly due to physical barriers. The resulting data will identify how many access points are needed and where they would be optimally deployed. Because of the criticality of Wi-Fi resources in modern schools, some districts opt for widespread deployment of access points, such as requisitioning a device for each classroom. For example, to support a 1:1 initiative, Manteca Unified School District, which serves 23,000 students in California, installed wireless access points in every classroom — even ones that are now empty but are expected to be put to use in the near future.7 Similarly, Franklin Public Schools installed access points in outdoor courtyards to ensure coverage at any point on campus. Look to the latest technology. Determining how many access points are needed and where to install them

aren’t the only considerations for school IT managers. The technology staff should also look for networking gear that utilizes the latest technology. Controller-less devices come with internal intelligence that automatically establishes connections with mobile devices and other network resources. The automation enables each access point to operate independently of a traditional, central controller and relieves management headaches for

Controller-less devices come with internal intelligence that automatically establishes connections with mobile devices and other network resources. The automation enables each access point to operate independently of a traditional, central controller and relieves management headaches for resourcestretched IT staffs. resource-stretched IT staffs. After an extensive evaluation and testing process, administrators in the Franklin school district choose controller-less devices. “In education, it’s imperative to have a solution without controllers,” Rapoza says. “We needed an enterprise Wi-Fi solution that not only had robust features and great reliability, but the ability to plug it in and have it simply work.” Adopt industry standards. As school officials invest in new wireless networking technology, they’ll be able to take advantage of the latest industry standard, 802.11ac. Lamar County School District (LCSD), based in Purvis,

Easing Management, Controlling Network Access Galveston Independent School District (GISD) in Texas, with a student population of nearly 7,000 and 650 teachers, uses innovative tools to closely manage its wireless infrastructure. The district spans 14 campuses. In addition to its high school, three middle schools, seven elementary schools and one Pre-K-8 school, the district also offers alternative education and accelerated programs for elementary, middle and high school students. It faces rising volumes of mobile devices used by both students and faculty, along with state mandates to convert to online testing. John Mathis, management information systems

director at GISD, sought out a cost-effective, cloud-based and reliable wireless solution with sufficient bandwidth to meet all these requirements. His choice: a scalable, controller-less solution that came with a management program that provides client and performance information, which he uses to simplify troubleshooting and capacity planning. The application’s Web-based interface lets him remotely manage access points from a single location. As a result, GISD maintains full control over who and what is accessing the network at all times, Mathis says.

5

To enhance blended and personalized learning, the best programs let instructors create lesson plans based on multiple websites and direct students to specific online materials.

Miss., spans 15 schools and serves approximately 10,000 students. Lamar County ranks as the fastest growing district in the state. The school system outgrew its existing Wi-Fi network as it launched a 1:1 classroom environment and deployed more than 1,300 Chromebooks and 500 tablets. In addition, the majority of computers are now wireless, and science and learning labs are equipped with wireless technology. The district chose 802.11ac-based access points because they were seen as a way to future-proof and adequately provision wireless resources. Not only will 802.11ac access points and mobile devices achieve significant performance boosts compared to existing hardware, the new standard will for the first time achieve data rates faster than typical wired connections for desktops. This means that performance considerations alone won’t tie people to hard-wired networks, which will enable developers to create a wider range of sophisticated applications for

6

New Tools, New Opportunities

laptops, tablets and smartphones used in schools. For example, Franklin Public Schools’ new high school uses its 802.11ac wireless network to support mobile devices specifically designed for education, with an attachable magnifying lens to support digital microscopes, as well as built-in sound and light sensors, accelerometers and a temperature probe. The district anticipates an increase in cloud application use as more teachers begin to utilize technology in the classroom, another strong driver for deploying ubiquitous Wi-Fi. Simplify management. The right software can guide IT staff on an ongoing basis to keep them informed about constantly shifting workloads and traffic patterns. The best options are ones created for school environments. They include solutions with tools that work with vendor-agnostic student monitoring and access controls and reporting capabilities to help CIOs monitor wireless clients used in classrooms, schools and throughout districts.

Many of the most important building blocks for the future are being assembled behind the scenes, particularly in the wireless infrastructures that support personalized learning and anytime, anywhere education.

Look for applications that offer a simple-to-use Web interface that enables teachers to view classroom status without first pre-configuring the software or installing it on each student device. Graphical displays should also show teachers any online resources being used by students, and enable or disable access to the Internet and school intranets. To enhance blended and personalized learning, the best programs let instructors create lesson plans based on multiple websites and direct students to specific online materials. In addition, application visibility and control solutions enable administrators to not only see all network activities in real time, they also help administrators select “white lists” of acceptable applications, including choosing whether certain programs are right for some users (say, high school students) but not for others (elementary students, for example). Limits may also be imposed depending on the types of devices attempting to access an application or where and when these connections are being requested. Address future needs. As digital classrooms evolve to become fixtures in today’s schools, administrators, school boards and legislators will expect detailed data showing the effectiveness of technology investments, says John Watson, founder of the Evergreen Education Group, an industry advisory firm.9 This requires school districts to implement solutions that aggregate and summarize data that highlights the link between these investments and educational outcomes. Some of today’s commercial software packages can aggregate data from student information systems and multiple assessment providers to make it easy for teachers to see and understand the data in a single view.10 In addition, to make the business case for technology investments, administrators and IT departments can tap into nationwide data about strategic planning and budgeting for education technology from industry groups such as Speak Up, an initiative of Project Tomorrow, a nonprofit organization for educators.11

Easing the Way to Transformation Many school districts are well on the way to digital transformation as mobile devices, cloud- and Web-based applications, and new teaching methods continue to take hold. But many of the most important building blocks for the future are being assembled behind the scenes, particularly in the wireless infrastructures that support personalized learning and anytime, anywhere education. Fortunately for IT managers and administrators, today’s innovative wireless technology not only provides the speed and reliability digital schools need, it offers tools to make managing network devices and operations simpler than ever.

Endnotes 1.

www.aerohive.com/pdfs/Aerohive_Education-Case-Study_ Union-School-District.pdf

2.

http://e97f7d10b0a403e208e5-9fbee7de8d51db511 b5de86d75069107.r75.cf1.rackcdn.com/CDESR_Q4_ Interactive_V.PDF

3.

http://825d0007e19cfb8330f5-793aa0e2839afbbc4a0 b9a46376ed589.r13.cf1.rackcdn.com/CDESR14_Q3_ Interactive_V.pdf

4.

www.centerdigitaled.com/news/10-K-12-Digital-Trends-toWatch-in-2015.html

5.

www.centerdigitaled.com/paper/CDE-Top-30-2014.html

6.

www.aerohive.com/resources/franklin-public-schools

7.

http://825d0007e19cfb8330f5-793aa0e2839afbbc4a0 b9a46376ed589.r13.cf1.rackcdn.com/CDESR14_Q3_ Interactive_V.pdf

8.

www.aerohive.com/resources/lamar-county-school-district

9.

www.centerdigitaled.com/news/10-K-12-Digital-Trends-toWatch-in-2015.html

10. www.centerdigitaled.com/k-12/Data-Vision-PersonalizedLearning.html 11. www.tomorrow.org/speakup/speakup_services.html

ALL IMAGES PROVIDED BY SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

7

The Center for Digital Education is a national research and advisory institute specializing in K-12 and higher education technology trends, policy and funding. The Center provides education and industry leaders with decision support and actionable insight to help effectively incorporate new technologies in the 21st century. www.centerdigitaled.com

Underwritten by:

Aerohive helps simplify networking for K-12 and Higher Education by reducing the cost and complexity of campus deployments with award-winning, cooperative control, cloud-enabled Wi-Fi, routing and switching solutions. Aerohive’s award-winning cooperative control architecture, public or private cloud platform, and easy-to-deploy routing, VPN and switching solutions eliminate costly hardware appliances and deliver “business-grade” wired and wireless networks that are centrally managed and offer sophisticated security features — and more — so that schools can take educational technologies to the next level. For more information about enhancing learning and boosting productivity with an easy-to-use wireless solution that provides integrated classroom control, visit www.aerohive.com.

© 2015 e.Republic. All rights reserved.