The ABCs of school technology programs

Miami-Dade Superintendent Alberto Carvalho shares his district’s experiences and priorities when it comes to supporting school technology

school-technologyMaking the decision to allocate school district resources to a digital conversion, and planning for and sustaining that technology conversion, requires effort and dedication.

And while no time will ever be the perfect time to make the digital transition, any time is the right time, said Alberto Carvalho, superintendent of the Miami-Dade Public Schools, a 2011 eSN Tech-Savvy Superintendent Awards winner, and 2014 American Association of School Administrators Superintendent of the Year.

The need for technology-rich school environments that mimic the environments in which today’s students will one day work and compete becomes evident “when we acknowledge the fact that, from zip code to zip code…there are significant gaps. There are literally and figuratively digital deserts in our communities,” said Carvalho, speaking during Discovery Education’s second annual Future@Now event on Feb. 26.…Read More

TCEA: Digital content’s impact on teaching and learning

Annual survey data reveals benefits, barriers to digital content

digital-contentDuring a crowded TCEA 2014 session, attendees received an exclusive look at the upcoming Speak Up 2013 survey data from Project Tomorrow, a nonprofit that researches and evaluates the impact of digital learning on students.

A digital conversion is occurring in schools across the nation, with many schools moving from printed textbooks and computer labs to digital textbooks and content, and one-to-one or bring-your-own-device initiatives.

But how, exactly, are schools going about this digital conversion? What benefits are there to using more digital content? The 2013 Speak Up results have answers.…Read More