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SchoolKiT Case Study
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Issaquah School District: Enhancing ‘Just in Time' Technology Integration Training
Using SchoolKiT, the Issaquah School District transitions from 'just in case' technology
skills training to 'just in time' technology integration professional development.
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| Customer Profile |
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| District: | Issaquah School District |
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| State: | Washington |
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| Area: | 110 square miles |
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| Schools: | 21 |
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| Classroom Staff: | 1700 |
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| Students: | 15000 |
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| Challenge |
Solution |
Results |
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The district was looking for a 'just in time' technology integration professional development solution
instead of the more traditional 'just in case' technology skills training. |
The district is deploying the edClass curriculum resource library for student learning and technology
integration. This rich library of resources provides teachers with immediate access to models of
learning using technology and guidance to increase their technology skill levels. |
- High quality resources for student Learning
- Embedded professional development for teachers
- ICT Literacy skills taught in contextual learning experience
- Effective low cost professional development for entire district
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Microsoft Office is the standard suite of productivity tools for teachers and students, and so it makes
sense that many technology training programs strive to improve teachers' minimum proficiency with
Excel, Word and PowerPoint. However, when teachers are only exposed to de-contextualized training on
Office tools, technology skills are learned in isolation and completely divorced from a meaningful
curriculum context. The unfortunate consequence of this type of training is that teachers never fully
understand or apply curriculum and technology integration - precisely what best practices research is
telling us they should be doing.
Issaquah Public Schools is using SchoolKiT's edClass to transition to 'just in time' technology
integration professional development for every teacher.
In the highly-touted Issaquah Technology Project (ITP), administrators are using
edClass to meet
their long-term goal of ensuring that all of the district's teachers become technology literate, not
just technology proficient. ITP Lead Trainer, Eric Ensey, explains the difference: "When teachers
pass technology proficiency checklists, that basically means that they can operate a computer, open
a program and do lower level file tasks. When teachers become technology literate, they're able to
continue to grow and adapt to existing and emerging technologies and effectively wield these tools
in order to achieve greater learner outcomes. They essentially model lifelong learning with technology
for their students."
Eric went on to say, "SchoolKiT's edClass is the best tool I've ever seen for helping teachers
realize what technology integration actually means and looks like. Our teachers get their first
'ah-hah! moment' when they see the clear, hands-on models of how to integrate Word, Excel and PowerPoint
into their content area through the templates in edClass activBooks. It immediately makes sense to them.
Their second and even bigger 'ah-hah! moment' comes when we show how they can modify these templates
using the embedded activBook guidance. They start with SchoolKiT's great template ideas, and then expand
upon them, improving their understanding of technology integration right along the way. Nobody else does
this, and that's why we've chosen SchoolKiT for our entire district."
| 'One of the great things about
edClass is that with
the step-by-step guidance in the activBooks, teachers do not need to be technology integration
experts to create great lessons.' |
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| - Colleen Dixon |
| Director of Educational Technology |
| Issaquah School District |
While the goal of technology proficiency training is to improve teachers' technology skills set,
the goal of 'just in time' technology integration training is to enable teachers to transfer their
new skills into their classrooms to improve student learning.
"Technology integration is essential," said Colleen Dixon, Issaquah's Director of Educational
Technology, "because, when effectively integrated, information and communication technology resources
help make learning more meaningful for students. These tools allow kids with unique learning styles to
tap into different modalities and meaningfully interact with information, expand their learning
horizons, and illustrate their learning in new and innovative ways."
Colleen also said, "One of the great things about
edClass is that with the step-by-step guidance
in the activBooks, teachers do not need to be technology integration experts to create great
lessons." She goes on to say, "Perhaps the most unique thing about SchoolKiT is that the activities
not only integrate the use of Office applications seamlessly, but also appropriately, because in
each activity the technology guidance is provided at the moment in the activity when that particular
technology skill is needed. Because of this 'just in time' focus, everything connects up for teachers
and students. It makes sense to them, and the next time they need that skill - since they have
learned it within a meaningful context - it will come back to them."
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About SchoolKiT Solutions
edClass is a complete library of classroom-ready integration activities that improve student achievement.
edClass activities are presented as small, interactive electronic books - called activBooks - that open on
students' and teachers' computers to guide them successfully through effective curriculum-based lessons.
pd21 enables an enterprise-level approach to professional development by equipping administrators
with the online content and tools they need to provide for and manage the learning of many teachers across
multiple schools in a cohesive and systematic manner. With
pd21's ongoing professional development
resources and classroom-ready 'best-practice' curriculum activities, districts realize an immediate increase
in the amount and quality of technology infusion in their schools, while achieving continuous school improvement
and institutional change.
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For More Information
For more information about SchoolKiT products and services, call us at 425-454-3373,
toll free 1-800-979-0373 or contact us
at service@schoolkit.com.
For more information about Issaquah School District visit the Web site
at http://www.issaquah.wednet.edu.
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