Is your classroom technology not living up to its promise of changing classroom dynamics? It's a question that often takes a backseat as district leaders navigate the wide range of options available. From projectors to interactive whiteboards, from Chromebooks to iPads, the options seem endless and personal preferences can be tightly controlled. In an environment where budgets are tight, the pressure to make the right decision weighs heavily. For school district technology leaders, facing a potential upgrade to classroom technology can be daunting.
A technology upgrade isn't just about keeping up with the latest trends or adding the latest features. It's about ensuring that investments in educational technology support educators, giving them the tools to significantly impact student learning outcomes. This requires a shift in perspective, moving away from traditional purchasing habits and adopting a more strategic and inclusive approach that prioritizes the needs and goals of all stakeholders rather than preferences and familiarity.
#1 Break your assumptions: evaluate your current state
It's natural to be drawn to the appeal of interactive flat panels (IFPs) and their promise of touch interactivity, annotation capabilities, and seamless digital integration. They can be considered the “holy grail” of technology classrooms! But it's essential to thoroughly evaluate your current needs before making assumptions.
Start by asking specific questions of your key stakeholders (teachers, students, technology teams, and administrators) to understand what will be most useful to them now and in the future. For example, what interactive features do they use? What technology has not lived up to expectations? What technology is ignored because it is unreliable? And which one is collecting dust because it's too complicated? What functionality is missing that you would like to see?
One of the biggest changes in classrooms in recent years is the liberation of teachers from the front of the room. This new mobility allows teachers the freedom to interact with students on a more personal level by teaching alongside them while maintaining control of the classroom screen through wireless screen sharing. That flashy new IFP can counteract this important transformation, bringing teachers and students back to the front of the classroom to use the panel's functions.
Advice: Conduct a needs assessment to understand how teacher and student needs have evolved since the last classroom technology update. Next, develop a short list of non-negotiables shared by all your stakeholders.
#2 Think Big: Imagine Your technology-Enabled Classroom
What are your district's goals and priorities? Based on these priorities, what would your ideal learning environment look like? Prioritize technologies that directly align with your organization's goals.
For example when Corbett School District Was building a new middle school, the superintendent and director of technology reflected on the student and teacher behaviors they wanted to encourage rather than focusing on specific classroom technology solutions from the beginning. They wanted to inspire more student-centered learning and greater student agency, a quality highlighted as an accelerator in the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN). edtech-topics/driving-k-12-innovation/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener nofollow”>2024 K-12 Driving Innovation Report.
This perspective led to the design of a classroom focused on student engagement rather than solely focusing on a teacher positioned at the front of the room. They ditched rows of desks and a single classroom screen in favor of adaptive seating options, mobile teacher podiums, and televisions combined with Vivid on all four walls for maximum flexibility and versatility. The desired interactivity was provided by enabling better use of student devices through Vivi's reliable wireless screen sharing and built-in instructional features rather than relying on the interactive features of a single, expensive display panel.
Advice: Host a brainstorming session with your stakeholders. Imagine walking into your ideal classroom. How does it look? How do your teachers and students behave? Start from this vision and continue from there.
#3 Crowd source: Ask those who know
Which districts are changing the status quo and empowering their teachers through technology? What are your classroom technology stacks like? Reach out and ask what their experiences have been. Ask them about the pros and cons of different options and be open to exploring possibilities beyond your initial assumptions. Take advantage of online forums and attend conferences to start your research in the preliminary stages. When you are actively considering solutions, don't hesitate to ask about referral districts before making a final decision.
Advice: In addition to members-only online communities such as those hosted by cosn and QUOTEcheck out Reddit which has an active K-12 Sysadmins Subreddit with more than 40,000 members.
#4 Understand your total cost of ownership
While the base price is important, it is also important to consider the bigger picture when evaluating the total cost of ownership of any technology. Consider these factors when calculating ownership costs:
- Additional features: This includes accessories such as stands, cables and adapters.
- Support: Is ongoing technical support included in the purchase or subscription price? Is limited support included and premium support available for an additional fee?
- Training: Is training included for all users or only for administrators? How is it provided (e.g., asynchronous or live, virtual or in-person)? Is it limited in quantity?
- Maintenance and repairs: If something breaks, will it be covered? If not, what are the estimated repair costs over the life of the equipment? Is there a guarantee?
- Direct and indirect labor: Indirect labor costs, such as the time teachers spend training or troubleshooting technology problems, can be estimated through teacher surveys. Direct labor includes both personnel costs for full-time employees (FTE) and one-time labor costs, such as installation costs.
However, don't just consider costs; Consider potential savings or hidden benefits. These could include solutions that address other problems or provide more value beyond their core function. For example, districts that purchase Vivi for classroom screen sharing also get campus communication features, including visual emergency alerts, digital signage, and live video announcements. Turning every classroom screen into a signage opportunity will reduce the time and expense of needing a third-party digital signage provider.
#5 Try it before you buy
Before committing to a full-scale implementation, conduct a pilot program to evaluate how the technology works within your environment and your existing technology infrastructure. A well-managed pilot also allows you to build support and momentum for a new technology solution, facilitating post-purchase adoption.
Here are some tips to follow when setting up your pilot program:
- Plan ahead: Create a complete test plan for everything you want to test before you begin. This will help you go beyond testing basic functionality.
- Choose the right time: Pilot over a period where all stakeholders can devote time and energy to exploring the capabilities of the technology.
- Don't be too big or too small: Size Matters. You want to make sure you collect enough data from a variety of classrooms to inform your decisions. However, it may not be worth trying to do too much.
- Select the right participants: Include a mix of teachers with different technology skills, teaching styles, and experience.
By following these steps and considering your district's unique needs, you can ensure that your classroom technology upgrade reaches the most important stakeholders of all: teachers and students.
