Glenn Kleiman and Phil Emer gave a presentation to the NC State Board of Education about developing a digital learning plan for the state. They discussed establishing foundations for digital learning, conducting a planning process that involves stakeholders, and next steps. The presentation addressed topics like preparing teachers and infrastructure, developing standards for digital resources, and engaging in a needs assessment. The goal is for the plan to help North Carolina schools implement digital learning strategies to better meet the needs of modern students.

1. Glenn Kleiman and Phil Emer
September 2014 Presentation to the
NC State Board of Education

2. “Oh, we finished the basic
subtraction. Now we’re
designing a series of
interrelated transformational
geometric comparisons.”

3. Presentation Topics
• Foundations for the Digital Learning Plan
• Our approach to the planning process
• Next steps

4. Two Views
Digital Learning Plan
or
Digital Learning Plan

5. Our View
✔ Digital Learning Plan
✖ Digital Learning Plan

6. Consistent with NASBE
• “The real promise … is in using technology to rethink
what teachers, students and schools do, and how they
are organized to do it.”
• “The transformative potential [requires that] we employ
educational technologies to reshape teachers’ and
students’ roles, and that technology is coupled with
fundamental organizational changes that re-engineer
legacy school structures, processes, and all forms of
instructional delivery.

7. Builds Upon Legislative & SBE Actions

8. Addresses our students in whose world:
• All information is instantly available
• Multimedia, interactive experiences are the norm
• Communication and collaborative is constant
• Powerful creativity tools are readily available
• Change is constant and rapid
• Your online presence is part of who you are
• Options are abundant; personalization is expected

9. Elements of the Digital-Age Learning Model
Advancement based on demonstrated
mastery of the content and
competency in applying what has been
learned.
Anywhere and anytime learning,
inside and outside of schools, 24/7, with
most learning blending face-to-face and
online activities.
Personalized learning and flexible
resources optimized for each student.
Student-centered instruction,
combining large group, small group and
individualized learning, with teachers
serving as facilitators and coaches.
Digital content providing interactive,
flexible and easily updated educational
resources.
Assessments integrated into
learning activities to provide ongoing
information about students’ achievement
that can be used to improve teaching and
learning.
Parent portals provide 24/7 access to
their children’s assignments, grades, and
records, as well as a means to
communicate with teachers and
administrators.
Project-based and community-based
learning activities connecting to students’
lives outside of school.

10. Components of Digital Age Learning
(Preliminary Survey Data)
59%
57%
52%
48%
43%
46%
8%
18%
13%
15%
10%
20%
22%
34%
Student-centered instruction
Personalized learning
Competency-based learning
Anywhere/Anytime learning
Integrated assessments
Digital Content
Project-based learning
Note: Percentage of respondents selecting “very important” and “every school” on 2 Likert-scaled survey items (n=207).
70%
79%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
Parent portals
Very Important Implemented throughout LEA

11. The Plan Will Address
 Standards for digital resources
 Process for curating resources
 Preparing teachers and school leaders to make good use of
these resources
 Devices, network infrastructure, and supporting services
 Costs, budgets and funding
 Roles of the State, districts and schools
 Stakeholder engagement
 Transition strategies

12. The Plan will Comprise
• Feasibility study
– Functional and technical
– Economic
– Legal
– Operational
– Timing
• Readiness assessment
– State, district, school*
• Findings and recommendations
– Services, budgets, organization
and governance, funding, policy

13. It will build on existing statewide systems
and many more….

14. and on lessons learned in NC and elsewhere
• Research on digital learning implementations
• Effective practices and lessons from
– Mooresville and other NC districts
– Maine statewide program
– Summit charter schools
– Texas Power On initiative
– Alberta, Canada
– … many others

15. Organization and Collaboration
advises
DPI
Leadership Team
NC General Assembly
IT Oversight Ed. Oversight
State Board of Education
Digital Learning Advisory Committee
Policy and
Funding
Content and
Pedagogy
Technology
Infrastructure
Human
Capacity
Building
advises
Human Capacity Working Group
Infrastructure Working Group
Digital Content Working Group
Friday Institute
Leadership Team
Needs/Asset
Inventory
Project
Management
Stakeholder Advisory Groups
Policy & Funding Working Group
DL Plan Work Streams

16. FI Leadership Team
Glenn Kleiman – Project Director Jeni Corn – Project Manager
Mark Samberg
Phil Emer
Mary Ann Wolf
Ray Zeisz
Trip Stallings

17. We will engage stakeholders
• Advisory Board
• Regional town halls
• Meetings with
– Educators: superintendents, principals, tech directors, teachers,
– Policy makers
– Business leaders
• Webinars and online surveys

18. and use evidence-based approaches
• Extensive use of existing data
– Teacher working conditions
– School network analyses
– AMTR (DPI Annual Media and Technology Report)
– RttT data
– STNA
– Statewide student and teacher data
• Focus groups, artifact analyses and other new data
• Representative sample of districts
– Detailed analyses
– Model plans

19. Biggest digital learning challenges
(preliminary data)
55%
45%
42%
36%
29%
24% 23%
16%
Note: Data from open-coding of text-based responses (n=112).

20. Teacher Working Conditions Data
Teachers have sufficient
access to instructional
technology, including
computers, printers,
software and internet
access.
Teachers have
sufficient training to
fully utilize
instructional
technology.

21. Two views of Internet supporting DL
Proportion of teachers
responding to the TWCS
question about the
reliability of the school
Internet connection to
support instructional
practices
Actual Internet
usage per ADM as
measured on the
NCREN backbone

22. Towards High Density for All
None (70) Marginal (818) Intermediate (928) High Density (515)
3%
$6M
35%
22%
40%
$27M
$47M
To move all schools to high density requires ~$80M non-recurring
To maintain high density wireless in schools requires ~$25M annual recurring
E-rate modernization order figures ~$45M per year – NC cost ~$12-14M

23. Digital Resources 21st Century Pedagogy
Digital Learning is more than an e-book.
Content should foster collaboration and be
real world based.
Technology Infrastructure Any Device, Anywhere
Human Capacity Change Management
Enabling Polices Supportive Funding
Strategies
Ensuring that all state and local policies
enable and encourage digital learning.
Aligning all Federal, State, and Local
funding to support a sustainable digital
learning model.
Building capacity with teachers and
instructional leaders to shift the
classroom model.
Supporting multiple methods of
instruction to ensure that every student is
progressing.
Ensuring that robust and reliable
connectivity to every device, in every
school and public library.
Assessment is an ongoing process built
into the content model, not a one-time
event.
Organizing the Work

24. Deliverables

25. Final Notes
• NC is positioned to be a national leader in digital learning
• The Digital Learning Plan will move things in the right
direction, but the changes will be ongoing, not completed
by 2017, 2020 or any other year
• We believe there will be a good long-term ROI in terms
of educational outcomes, increased graduate rates,
workforce preparation and state budgets.
• Investments in infrastructure, digital content and human
capacity development will be required.

26. • For the Policy Brief and other
deliverables and information:
http://ncdlplan.fi.ncsu.edu.
• To submit inquires and
recommendations:
ncdlplan@fi.ncsu.edu.
• Digital Learning Plan Information
Gathering: http://go.ncsu.edu/n7f4nf
• Working Group Interest
Form:
http://go.ncsu.edu/ncdl.working.group