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One-to-One
Volume 4, Issue 2
March 2008
In This Issue
President's Message
AALF Leadership: Executive Director
Research-to-Action
1-to-1 Leadership
1-to-1 Global Storybook
AALF Consulting and Coaching Services
Conferences and Events
Quick Links
 
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Dear Colleague,

 
We are including multiple articles this month that address the question:   As an international community of educators, what can we learn from one another?  
Newsletter contributors Bruce Dixon, President of AALF, Will Richardson, author and presenter, and Karen Ward,  Manager of Communications and Consulting Services, address aspects of this simple yet powerful question.
 
Susan Einhorn, Executive Director for AALF, shares her perspective on the changing landscape of 1-to-1 learning as well as some experiences she has had recently.  Reyburn Intermediate School educators and students share information and experiences about their 1-to-1 school in Clovis Unified School District.  We also share information about some upcoming international conferences and events for all Foundation members, including the AALF 2008 Leadership Summits.
 
Enjoy!
President's Message
Very Slow Learning for a Digital Revolution
By Bruce Dixon, President
Anytime Anywhere Learning Foundation  
 

Dixon

Following a flurry of media interviews in Queensland, Australia this week, it is probably an opportune time for me to make comment on the recently announced Digital Education Revolution initiative by the Australian government.  This initiative will fund "access to a computer for every child in Grades 9 to 12" over the next four years. As this initiative that will potentially impact nearly one million Australian students, it seems at first glance something well worth celebrating; or is it?

 

While final details are being completed as you read this, it is fair to say that the information released to date gives cause for serious concern.  As I expressed in my statements to the press last week. You see, despite the fact that 1-to-1 has its origins in Australia nearly 18 years ago, and despite the fact that initiatives like Angus King's in Maine provided clear lessons in taking 1-to-1 to scale; it seems sadly that the experience or those lessons have not been heard yet by the Australian politicians.

 

In 2008, you would surely think that any government, anywhere in the world, that was trying to give "access to a computer for every child" would realize that the only option that would achieve this goal would be to buy laptops so that they could be used by students to learn -- anytime, anywhere. No, this newly elected Rudd government's guidelines released to date state clearly the funds can be used to purchase desktops, or even thin-client machines.  As is obvious, neither of those devices have anything like the flexibility of a laptop. Indeed you might suggest that the government Down Under might have a little too much money if they think that investing A$1 Billion in providing computer access for a child only while they are at school makes economic sense!

 

As I said to the press this week, providing large sums of taxpayers' money for schools who in turn will provide access to a computer for learning only while they are at school, is NO revolution. John Bransford's research in the LIFE center at the University of Washington clearly shows that a child is only at school for just under 20% of his or her waking hours each year; a billion dollars is a lot of money wasted if it can only be productive for 20% of a child's time.

 

What a pity there wasn't a bit more thought given to what could have been an extraordinary leap forward for young people across Australia. One can only hope they have been listening to the Foundation's lobbying over the past weeks and take heed before releasing their details next week.

 

There is some sense of appropriateness in the idea of the country that lead 1-to-1 in the early 90's being the first to fund universal access to all their students. Let's just hope that they continue to lead, and ensure the funding they provide is for their students to have portable personal computers, rather than fall back and relive the school-based desktop cargo cult days of the 80's and 90's.

 

Best regards!

 
Bruce
AALF Leadership:  Executive Director News and Thoughts
Changing the 1-to-1 Landscape
 
By Susan Einhorn, Executive Director
 

seinhorn

It's hard to believe, but it's already March. For those of us in more northern, wintry climates that means only a month more of snow (don't get me started about snow this year!!). For educators and children in Australia, it means the beginning of a new school year. For AALF, it means the start of the spring 2008 series of AALF Regional Leadership Summits, the first of which will be held on March 4 in Fresno, California. We have lined up an excellent array of both regional and national one-to-one leaders and they will answer many of your questions about implementing a one-to-one program at your school or district. If you cannot make it to the Fresno Summit, there are two more summits scheduled for April  - one in Seattle, WA, on April 23 and the other in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, on April 22.


AALF will  also be partnering with Penn State University's One-to-One Computing Conference in April, where Bruce Dixon and Holly Jobe, Project Manager of Pennsylvania's Classrooms for the Future project, will host a series of "Critical Conversations" with an array of experienced one-to-one leaders. Additional information is provided below.

 A+ grade

This past month I attended the Eastern Township School Board (Quebec) Literacy and Technology Symposium. The ETSB is the only district in Canada that has a laptop program for all its students in grade 3 or higher. Over 450 educators, representing 25 schools and adult education centers in the district, ignored snow, strong winds and temperatures that hovered around minus 20C (approximately minus 4F) to participate in the dozens of curriculum linked workshops and sessions, most led by ETSB educators. The goal of the symposium was to generate interest and ideas for follow up training, and sessions ranged from using laptops in literacy (a key theme of the symposium) to using laptops and technology in physical education. 

 

According to Ron Canuel, Director General of ETSB, "In effect [ETSB] truly represents one of the few real "systemic" technology deployments in education in North America, and not a deployment limited to a few schools, one school or a restricted area." You can learn more about the ETSB's laptop program and Enhanced Learning Strategy here.

 

I want to thank all of you who responded to the questions I asked in the previous newsletter about low-cost ultra-portable laptops. Since the release of the last newsletter, at least three more companies announced plans to launch low-cost ultra-portables this year. The One laptop from Elonex is launching in the UK this spring and both Acer and Dell announced plans to release low-cost laptops this year. Nicholas Negroponte, founder of the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) organization, predicts that eventually laptops will cost no more than $50. No longer will the focus be on the question "to be or not to be (laptop)" but, instead will be on the real issue of how to use these tools to transform learning.

 

One of the emails I received was from Dr. David Thornburg of the Thornburg Center. He wrote that, as a member of the OLPC developer community, he's been working with the XO laptop (also known as the "$100 laptop") for some time. In his opinion  "the biggest innovation is the Sugar user interface, which can be incorporated on any computer. It is the first user interface designed for kids."

 

This is an interesting observation - How necessary is it to design interfaces for kids? Does this enhance learning? Many would argue that our young "digital natives" have no trouble handling interfaces designed for adults, that, as a matter of fact, it may be the adults who need a different interface. For an interesting discussion on why this redesign is important for how children think about technology and learning, read Dr. Thornburg's whitepaper, "Is there Enough Sugar in Your Educational Technology Diet?" It can be found at: http://www.tcpdpodcast.org/briefings.html

 

I look forward to hearing your comments on these topics.

Enjoy your March, whatever it brings!

 
Research to Action
Together, What Have We Learned? (Part 2)
 
By Karen Ward, Manager of Consulting Services and Communications
Anytime Anytime Learning
 

kward

 

The struggle to solve a problem can be frustrating, but the thrill of success is often proportional to the intensity of the struggle.

B. Shneidermann
Several months ago I introduced the AALF 2008 Research-to-Action groups (RTA) in December 2007.  I compared educator learning communities to a chain link fence.  When a series of links are interconnected, they provide support to the whole fence.  In the same vein, A+ gradeeducator learning communities, when linked together, provide support for deeper understanding of practices and continued professional growth.  As educators around the world, we face challenging issues and times.  The struggle to provide excellent learning environments for our students can be overwhelming and frustrating, as the quote above implies.  However current research informs us that when educators 'link' themselves together in regular learning, planning, and reflection they not only grow and improve themselves, but they help others around them do the same.  These types of educator learning communities provide opportunities for adults to learn and think together about how to improve their own practice in ways that lead to improve student achievement. When educators experience what it's like to work as part of a professional learning community in which professional practice is shared and the challenge of improvement is taken up jointly, their lives are transformed and there's no going back (M. Vargo). 
 
I am pleased to announce that our first RTA for 2008 are beginning their collaboration and investigation.  Focus areas include
  • 1-to-1 leadership
  • 1-to-1 technology mentors (instructional peer mentors)
  • 1-to-1 instruction

My goal is to make one of these invaluable learning experiences available for everyone, so A+ gradeplease contact me if you are interested in participating in one of these groups.  What can you expect from your participation?  Along with professional camaraderie and support you can also expect to build a common vocabulary and understanding that you can then take back into your schools and districts.  Resources for this work will include your own 1-to-1 expertise as well as reliable published research reports.  Support and guidance will be provided by the Foundation as you work to identify those best practices that insure success within each of the focus areas.  As a group you will provide input in developing a resource which can then be shared by all Foundation members. 

 
Karen

1-to-1 Leadership and Learning

Professional Learning for the 21st Century 
by Will Richardson
 
Each day, the world becomes a more connected place. With well over a billion people now online, and tens of thousands more joining them each day, we are building a complex human network of mind boggling proportions, one filled with rich and engaging new opportunities for learning.A+ grade

Our students are participating in this network in increasing numbers and with increasing sophistication. They are creating global connections, building communities around their passions, and they are beginning to leverage these connections in powerful ways to create and collaborate and learn. Learning in their world is on demand. It is highly social, occurring through conversations and interactions with others. And it is self-directed and deeply personal.

In short, it looks very little like the traditional classroom.

This new learning landscape is challenging our traditional roles as teachers and educators. And, more importantly, it demands we re-examine our own learning, magnifying glassand, through that lens, our own practice. This is our central challenge right now: how do we begin to fully understand the implications of these social, online learning environments for ourselves so we can fully understand the pedagogical shifts they demand in our classrooms?

Traditional professional development for technology, the one-day or perhaps one-hour hands-on training that most educators are offered, cannot begin to address the complexities and literacies of learning in these networked spaces. We can certainly teach teachers how to start a blog, collaborate on a wiki, or create a podcast to use as a publishing platform for course content or student work. But understanding how to use those tools to create connections and, in that context, to begin to construct lifelong personal learning networks is a much more nuanced process.

What Powerful Learning Practice oconnected handsffers is a unique opportunity for educators to participate in a long-term, job-embedded professional development program that immerses them in 21st Century learning environments. It stresses both the skills necessary to participate in these spaces and, most importantly, the network literacies necessary to leverage the connections that can lead to deeply personal and powerful lifelong learning.  In addition, it nurtures a teachers' own understanding of what it takes to deliver these potentials to students in effective, ethical and safe ways., while preparing schools and districts to move forward in systemic ways after the one-year commitment ends by laying the groundwork for three and five-year community building project plans.

PLP's learning cohorts are led by internationally recognized voices and practitioners in the field of educational technology. The model is built on a blend of face to face and online sessions and an ongoing, asynchronous conversation online that deepens participants' understanding of what learning in the 21st Century means. In short, it prepares teachers to understand fully the transformative changes that are afoot and the implications for how to prepare students for a much more complex, much more networked and connected future.


will richardsonWill Richardson is an internationally noted speaker, blogger and author whose focus is on helping educators understand the power of Web 2.0 technologies in their instruction and learning.  He has been blogging about teaching, learning, and the Read/Write Web for 6 years at Weblogg-ed.com
 
1-to-1 Global Storybook
Taking Paper and Pencil Learning to the Next Level
 
reyburn intermediate school
 
This month we are spotlighting Reyburn Intermediate School In Clovis, California.  The school is one of five intermediate schools, which includes grades 7 and 8, in the Clovis Unified School District.  The articles below provide insight from the school's technology coordinator and two year 7 teachers as well as multiple year 7 and 8 students.
 


Necessary Changes--Exciting Opportunities
By Debbie Allee, Technology Coordinator
 

When the doors of Reyburn Intermediate School first opened nearly ten years ago, I accepted the challenging opportunity of teaching 7th grade Academic Block (literature, language, and history) using laptops. Reyburn is a school encompassing students from many different cultural and economic backgrounds. Using a variety of funding sources, the principal of our brand new school purchased 700 laptops to be used in 7th grade. It was a glorious vision: every 7th grade student would have a laptop to use while attending literature, language, history, math, and science classes; students who paid a $75 insurance feeA+ grade could take the laptop home evenings and weekends; and every student would carry the laptop from class to class, using their computer to deepen their understanding of the curriculum. We started slowly, with students learning to take care of their computers and use basic software applications while keeping the laptop only in their Academic Block classes. After a few weeks, we began the process of allowing students to transport them from class to class, a daunting task for 700 students. It was chaotic at first and required some adjustments to our expectations, but eventually we settled into a routine.

 

We learned a lot that first year: not all of the students paid the $75 insurance fee, so not every student was able to continue working on computer-based assignments at home; many of the students who did take the computers home used them to play games and they downloaded unnecessary programs on them, which caused multiple problems on the computers; because the students did not own the laptops, they did not treat them as responsibly as they should have, and the parents did not reinforce proper care because they had not made a large financial investment; students who lacked responsibility caused damage to the computers; and a small handful of laptops disappeared completely due to theft.

 

We began to formulate necessary changes to the laptop program and over the next few years, implemented the following structure which is still in place: 1.) Participation in the laptop program is optional. 2.) Students and parents have the opportunity to purchase a laptop of their own that is used every day in most classes. These students are enrolled in academic courses where the laptop is a tool used by all of the students in that class. Laptop classes are offered in both 7th and 8th grades. 3.) We have about one-third of the students in each of these classes who use a school-owned loaner laptop. 4.) The school-owned loaner laptops remain at school. Students save their work to a USB memory key which they take home to continue their assignments on their home computer (a requirement for being in a laptop class). 5.) My job position changed so that I now serve as a Teacher on Special Assignment overseeing the technology program at our school.

 

Although the actual numbers of students participating have decreased from our first two years of 100% involvement, the next seven years have shown a steady increase in the percentage of students joining the program. Parents who have had students in the program A+ gradein the past generally want to have their younger children participate when they reach intermediate school age. Students also see the value in using a laptop as well as an improvement in their school work. Teachers who have taught laptop classes don't want to teach any other way.

 

As the program coordinator, I have served as a site-wide resource for staff development, meeting with teachers to train them in the use of numerous software applications and to support them when they have questions. I also teach demonstration lessons in laptop classes. We have several laptop carts available and a thin-client lab that teachers can use to provide technology instruction for their students. I am available to team teach in non-laptop classes when the teacher wants to provide technology instruction integrated with the curriculum.

 

Getting as many students as possible involved in a technology-rich program has become a driving force at Reyburn. With continued support from our district administration, we will be able to improve our program and offer more opportunities for our students. With the involvement of a creative team of teachers, our program will continue to evolve in exciting directions.

 
 
The Ultimate Hook
By Becky Maldonado, 7th Grade 1-to-1 Academic Block Teacher
 

Ten years ago, when I was told I would be teaching 7th grade literature, language, and history to laptop students I was hesitant and anxious because my own computer skills were minimal. Today, I can't imagine teaching any other way. Curriculum delivery through laptops is the "ultimate hook" to keep middle school students engaged in their own learning. Each week my students are learning through a variety of laptop activities. The A+ gradefollowing is a sample list of what they currently are engaged in: check my web page for assignments and downloads, create a range of documents from newspapers to poetry, complete teacher created web quests, build a knowledge background through selected educational websites, use online versions of the textbooks, read publisher created chapter outlines with crossword puzzles and flash cards, create PowerPoint or Photo Story presentations, and e-mail me on-line self check quizzes. I realized a laptop gives equal access to all when one of my English Language Learner (English is their second language) students shyly stated when reviewing her work, "I never knew I was this smart."  I've also never heard a student mutter the phrase "this is boring."   I love my job!

 
 
An Amazing Learning Tool 
By Alison Gaede, 7th Grade 1-to-1 Science Teacher
 

Using the laptop computer in Science is a wonderful and amazing tool.  As a teacher I use my laptop to help me find current and relative material so I can then engage students in learning the state science curriculum.  As a student, laptops provide the opportunity to have the world at their fingertips.  Whether students are using Microsoft Excel creating graphs from their experimental data or doing research about endangered species, the laptop computer certainly makes learning fun and easier while students are completing their task at hand. 

 

My students learn curriculum by creating a labeled plant or animal cell using Microsoft Paint, keeping a record of their academic progress by using Excel, or surfing the net using an award winning site which helps them learn what a cell really looks like or what mitosis mitosisis all about.  Virtual labs, tests and quizzes are even more appealing when viewed on-line, especially when there is instant feedback that provides students with a quick assessment of their performance and understanding. 

 
As a laptop teacher, it is always exciting to see students empowered at that moment they understand how to create a graph from their experimental data or utilize their new found discernment for finding the most accurate, current information on-line in order to complete Powerpoint projects.  Students who learn how to use their laptops as a valuable tool will be able to use these computer skills for the rest of their lives. 
 

1-to-1 Student Perspectives

 
Kaleigh C., 7th grade student

The laptop program at Reyburn Intermediate is a new and fun way for me to expand my education. I believe laptops help take the education of a child to the next level because as a laptop student I feel more like a professional learner.  Professional learners stay organized and research topics or assignments. We create new projects and documents, and use the class website to always stay connected.  Sometimes we get distracted with something online, which I know is a problem.  

My two favorite assignments that I have done on the laptop are both from my Academic Block class. One of them is a literature assignment that we do weekly in class called Idioms. This assignment is an exciting way to help students learn about language so that it can be used in daily life.   

Laptops have really helped students at Reyburn intermediate reach their expectations. For me it is such a wonderful chance to advance my education and to actually have fun doing it. I hope that every child gets to have the chance to enjoy this opportunity.

 
Brittni B., 7th grade student
Being in the laptop program gives us, as students, many more opportunities.  Without excess papers and hand-outs, we are able to keep all of our work on our laptop. This helps in staying organized and getting work turned in on time.  Not only does the laptop program A+ gradehelp with organization, it helps give us new ways of learning.  We learn to use new programs and the Internet gives us the resources we need to do assignments and projects.  Being in the laptop program is a great experience.  We are able to do a lot more "hands-on" activities and many different projects and assignments.  In this program, we have taken the simple "paper and pencil" to the next level.
 
 

Jenna S., 7th grade student

As a student, I can honestly say that my laptop has served as an important tool in my education. My laptop isn't a portable distraction that keeps me from completing my work. In fact, it's the opposite. Recently, I have used my laptop for my science, literature, history, and language classes. I have done everything from completing online science labs to finding definitions of words to typing lecture notes. With my laptop, I can complete homework, research for projects, and download assignments off my teachers' web pages. Altogether, I am very glad that I am in the laptop program because it has had a positive effect on my schooling.

 
 
Elizabeth R., 7th grade student

Being in the laptop program is a great experience. Having the opportunity to work on a computer instead of by hand makes schoolwork so much easier. The interactive sites and assignments teachers require are much more interesting than any book assignment. I don't have my own laptop so I use a classroom laptop. Using a classroom laptop is another reward ribbonadvantage; it means that I can use a computer in class and not have to carry it across campus. All of these characteristics show how rewarding this program can be, but to me, being in the laptop program means completing work more efficiently and better.

 
 
Hannah S., 7th grade student

I think it is great to be in a laptop class because we have more opportunities than when we are in a regular class. For example, we can keep all of our work saved neatly in files on our computer instead of stuffing papers in our backpack with them getting all crumpled up. Another reason is because it takes less time to type a document than it does to write by hand. The last reason is because if a teacher needs to show the class something on the computer, the students can just pull it up too.

 
 
 
Laptop Learning Changes Achievement Standards for Students
By Zachary C., 8th grade 1-to-1 Student
 

The reason I enjoy the laptop program at Reyburn Intermediate is because we can focus on our education by using technology. We have the opportunity to be able to use the computer more as a tool than a media device. As a student in CUSD, I believe that district leaders should not be satisfied until all students in middle school and high school are in laptop classes.

After being in elementary school for 7 years, I can honestly say that the laptop program is more affective then normal classes. If, for example, I forgot to write in my daily planner for plannerAcademic Block, I can easily access my teacher's website from my home. Also, research for a project is a lot easier. Instead of going through books in class, we use the web which is a lot more effective since we have more resources. Another great thing about the laptop program is that you stay organized. Instead of shuffling around for papers in your backpack, you can easily access your assignment without the mess and havoc. This alone would help a lot of students I know be more affective.
 

There are a few challenges when using a laptop. Along with their laptop, every student needs to bring their power cord and memory key. If this is not done, the student may get punished with a warning or detention. Another is carrying around your laptop everywhere. In middle school we move from class to class everyday. The average student in a laptop class carries two bags: their normal backpack with books and binders and their laptop bag.  A+ gradeSome carry sports bags as well.  Carrying multiple bags everyday can be a challenge! Besides that, there really are no obstacles to participating in our laptop program.

Probably the best thing about learning in a laptop class is the assignments because they are not the usual worksheet assignments. One assignment that I did earlier this year was a product project. For the assignment, we had to create an item that would sell on the market. Requirements for this project included creating a sales contract, a service contract, a warranty, product information rundown, and instructions for using the object. We also were required to present our product to the class. We had the option of using any type of presentation we thought would best sell our product including a simple oral presentation, a Powerpoint, or a video. It was amazing to see all the creative ideas from all the students! Almost everything, except for the actual object, was made on the computer.
 
I think that non-laptop students should take the opportunity and become laptop students. If they can't afford a laptop, then we should provide them with a loaner laptop. I believe that laptop learning can change the achievement standards for many students.
AALF Consulting and Coaching Support
A+ grade The primary purpose of the Anytime Anywhere Learning Foundation is to serve as an advocacy vehicle for anytime, anyhwere learning.  Through AALF members access research, resources, and a professional network that will enable them to create strong sustainable, learner-driven one-to-one environments.  AALF coaching and consulting is designed to further this purpose by providing ongoing support for educators and policy makers at the school, district, state or country level.  AALF coaches and consultants represent a broad range of experts who are knowledgeable and experienced in designing and implementing highly effectrive 1-to-1 learning programs.
 
Working either individually or in expert teams, coaches and consultants support educators and policy makers at every phase of their one-to-one initiative.  This includes creating a vision, designing appropriate goals, tanslating plans into action, choosing the most effective technology tools and designing technology support, provding professional development opportunities, and using data to reflect on the effectiveness of their program.
 
Working with individual leaders and educator teams, AALF coaches and consultants incorporate face-to-face sessions, online synchronous learning sessions, and the use of Web 2.0 online collaborative communication tools such as blogs and wikis.  They help educators build their capacity to understand the issues and opportunities that one-to-one offers and the best possible manner in which eaders should address them, lead pedagogical improvement and innovation, and make informed decisions about technology and the appropriateness of its use.
 
Consult the AALF website to access additional information, express interest, or have your questions addressed.
 
 
 Conferences and Events
AALF 2008 Leadership Summits

A+ gradeAALF Leadership Summits are designed to equip educational leaders with the knowledge and vision needed to guide school or district programs towards a successful anytime anywhere learning environment.  Join AALF and a distinguished array of educational leaders to learn about the components of visionary leadership in 1-to-1 learning.  Summit dates and locations include:

Registration for the Calgary and Seattle Leadership Summits is now available at the AALF website .

 
 

A+ gradeThis year's exciting fourth annual One-to-One Computing Conference is being held at the Penn State Conference Center Hotel on April 28-30, 2008.  The conference will have special emphasis on sharing and supporting Pennsylvania schools in the "Classrooms for the Future" process.  Organizers and sponsors are delighted to have the following experts presenting:

  • Paul Curtis, Chief Academic and Innovation Officer for the New Technology Foundation.  Mr. Curtis is responsible for defining and refining the New Tech High School model that has been increasingly recognized in the U.S. as a national leader in producing 21st century students.
  • Bernajean Porter of Bernajean Porter Consulting.  Ms. Porter is a professional speaker, consultant, digital storytelling pioneer and educational motivator.
  • Bruce Dixon, President of the Anytime Anywhere Learning Foundation.  Mr. Dixon consults with schools, districts, education departments and ministries of education and corporations in the U.S., Australia, Canada, Germany, the U.K. and New Zealand.  He has been invited to speak across the U.S. as well as in Korea, Thailand, Italy, South Africa, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan, Australia and the Philippines.
  • Wade Pogany, Director of Curriculum and Instruction for the State of South Dakota.  Mr. Pogany is leading the 1-to-1 initiative in his state.
  • Dr. Gerald Zahorchak, Secretary of Education for the state of Pennsylvania.  Mr. Zahorchak is a supporter of the state Classrooms for the Future program.

The conference will kick-off with a welcome reception on Monday, April 28th at 7:00 p.m. with informal conversations following.  Tuesday will be a full day of concurrent sessions and keynote speakers, as well as an evening banquet.  Wednesday will conclude at 2:15 p.m. following another action-packed day of sessions.  Session strands identified this year include math, language arts, science, social science, leadership, technology, 21st century skills, and teacher education. 

Please register as soon as possible to be a part of this wonderful networking, educational opportunity.  Additional information and registration information is available online at http://www.outreach.psu.edu/programs/one-to-one/ .  You can contact the following people for our specific questions regarding the the conference:

  • Catherine Augustine at [email protected] or (814) 360-5059
  • Nancy Eckard at [email protected] or (814) 863-5100 for questions about registration, lodging, or conference materials
  • Larry Wess at [email protected] for questions from potential sponsors or vendors about sponsoring a special event
 
 

The Laptop Institute

The Anytime Anywhere Learning Foundation (AALF) and Lausanne Collegiate School (LCS) have joined forces to co-produce the 2008 Laptop Institute to be held at Lausanne Collegiate School.  The Laptop Institute, the world's major educational conference devoted solely to K-12 laptop learning, will be held on July 13-15, 2008, at LCS in Memphis, Tennessee. The Laptop Institute is designed to be an international think tank for schools using or considering laptops or tablets as tools for learning.  We encourage AALF members to consider both attending the institute as well as applying to be presenters or panel discussion leaders. Online information is now available at www.laptopinstitute.com.
 
 
 
 

kent washington logoKent School District in Kent, Washington will host a National School Board Association 2008 Education Technology Site Visit on March 24-25, 2008.  Site visits will include touring 1-to-1 Technology Academy classrooms at the middle school and high school levels.  Kent School District is the fourth largest school district in the state of Washington.  They have "long been a nationally recognized leader in implementing cutting-edge technology..."  The event includes school and classroom visits as well as break-out sessions.Kent School District in Kent, Washington will host a National School Board Association 2008 Education Technology Site Visiton March 24-25, 2008.  Site visits will include touring 1-to-1 Technology Academy classrooms at the middle school and high school levels.  Kent School District is the fourth largest school district in the state of Washington.  They have "long been a nationally recognized leader in implementing cutting-edge technology..."  The event includes school and classroom visits as well as break-out sessions.

 
 
 

eastern townshipEastern Township School Board in Magog, Quebec, Canada is eager to share their 1-to-1 learning experiences, best practices, and learning curve at their Spring event titled, 1-to-1 Laptops: Why It Works. The event will be held on May 8-9, 2008.  Interactive breakout sessions, school visitations, and a well-known keynote speaker are planned.  A

brochure and online registration is available.
 
 
 
Over the past 12 months AALF members would have attended collectively possibly hundreds of Conferences and events, and we'd like to know what you learnt! Too often we don't have a forum to share the wisdom and ideas that we hear either networking or from speakers at Conferences.  So here's your chance!  Set 20 minutes aside during or after your next conference, or one you have recently been to, and share your thoughts with us, so that thousands of your AALF colleagues in schools around the world can benefit from your experience. 
The Foundation thanks its partners for their support:
 
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