Comments on: Un-rollout to Fix Problems With Technology?

By: Marsha Scott

Marsha Scott — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 23:03:26 +0000

Great post! I was impressed with your well thought out process of dealing with an unsuccessful 1:1 rollout and how you plan to revamp the program. I love the title! I was thinking about this statement, “failure often comes from a “lack of teacher knowledge and buy-in, concluding, ‘It is impossible to overstate the power of individual teachers in the success or failure of 1:1 computing.’” Are teachers thinking about the next steps to the rollout? What a great opportunity for you to create an implementation plan to guide teachers to the next step. I also agree with Ellen’s statement about engaging the teachers into”refining their practices.” As always, the teachers and staff need to express their concerns and the needs of students in order to move forward. The project sounds promising and I look forward to hearing about your action plan.

By: Rolin

Rolin — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 16:08:45 +0000

Excellent, Becky. You have reframed your topic and come at it from a perspective that you see is necessary. I am excited to see how this turns out for you. You ask an important question. What makes your situation unique is that you cannot, so to speak, put the toothpaste back in the tube; faculty already have devices, so you have to work to solidify use and potency from that position rather than from a more controlled approach. What will that look like?

There’s lots to read on this:

Gary Stager, from 20 years ago http://www.stager.org/articles/edleadership.html and from 25 years ago http://www.stager.org/articles/forkids.html
Never Mind the Laptop – great history of how laptops came to be in schools and where they were successful https://books.google.com/books?id=RE6k6LA8HhoC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false (the book is $3 for full copy on Google Books)
Audrey Watters’ dives into One Laptop Per Child (2012) http://hackeducation.com/2012/04/09/the-failure-of-olpc/

What you end up with after all of this, to summarize, is a struggle: on one side you have devices linked to autonomy and agency and creation and collaboration and all the signifiers and verbs we like in education, and on the other you have standards and metrics and accountability and all of the things measured by formal education. Why are the two not closer together in aims or vision? That’s a good question — for now they are not, and you will need to know what your schools want from giving students computers. I’m sure they *want* both, but what is driving the conversation?

By: Annie Tremonte

Annie Tremonte — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 05:38:41 +0000

It sounds like you’ve really processed a topic that you started thinking and sharing about a few
months ago! I love following your thought progression. This really stood out to me: “How could it just fail? Couldn’t the school just change course and eventually be successful?” I would think the same thing! I’m fascinated by why that point of no return exists. Why do you think that is? Is it teacher burnout from being the one solely responsible for figuring it out? Is it about the lack of mentoring relationships? Is it about the school not having specific goals for use? Is it lack of time when so many other demands are placed? What is the teacher? Great job Becky! I can’t wait to read what’s next.

By: Ellen Dorr

Ellen Dorr — Mon, 20 Jul 2015 19:49:15 +0000

Becky,
I love this post! I didn’t read it as a dark take on the current reality facing your school; I read it as a thoughtful examination regarding what was happened. One strong point you mention is that technology is introduced to enhance what is happening in a classroom. We call it amplification and try to think really strategically about schools/classrooms that are ready for that amplification and supports to get those who aren’t there yet to get there. I think that your quote from Mark Edwards hits the nail on the head with, “This work is about teaching, learning, and authentic transformation of the education ecosystem.”
I’m wondering what this means for you in your position. In what ways can you influence the culture? Likely you can’t “unroll” devices, but how do you engage your colleagues to refine their practices? What bright spots can you identify and codify so others can replicate them? What ideas need complete revision? How will you scale and sustain these changes?
I appreciate your unabashed examination of your current situation and your thoughts on why it isn’t the stellar success everyone had hoped. What contribution can you make to improving it?