| President's Message |
Sustaining What?
By Bruce Dixon, President
Anytime Anywhere Learning Foundation
For nearly 20 years I have preached the mantra that 1-to-1 initiatives had to be "sustainable, scalable and replicable". I'll speak to the latter two in later columns, but in the past few months I've become intrigued by what we might really mean by sustainability.
It's an issue that demands some serious dialogue, and I'm pleased to be part of a series of sessions that are being run on the topic by Holly Jobe in Pennsylvania in April as part of the great work she is doing supporting the Classrooms for the Future initiative across that state. Additionally I will be hosting a series of Critical Conversations for educational leaders, at the Penn State One-to-One Computing Conference on the days following, and then again at the Laptop Institute on July 13-15. Among the key topics we will be covering at both events, sustainability is right at the top. I'm also pleased that Gary Stager will be leading the conversation at both events, so I'm sure we will stimulate some worthwhile ideas from those forums.
However for now, I'd like to share my simple analysis of where I think we might be on sustainability. Firstly when we talk of sustaining 1-to-1, most people actually mean ensuring every child can continue to have his or her own laptop 24/7. This means ensuring, above all, that there is ongoing funding, not only for the core device and from whatever sources that may come from, but also, I think, for the necessary support infrastructure and professional development.
Let me clarify. I do not for one minute want to trivialize the magnitude of the challenge we have all faced in trying to inspire people to see the vision we have, support that vision, and fund it into a sustainable reality; not for even one second. It's been too big a part of the evangelism and speaking that I have done with so many others around the world over the past decade and more.
However, dare I say it, this was the easy part. Yes, I know we still have millions of kids who do not have their own personal portable computer, but dare I be so presumptuous to suggest, as I have in earlier columns, the days of "whether" are over, the question now is just "when".
What we must now turn much more of our attention to is the piece of the Foundation's mission which is "to ensure that all children have access to unlimited opportunities to learn anytime and anywhere and that they have the tools that make this possible"; and dare I say that those tools include an learning environment that grants them the freedom to explore far beyond where they could go before.
Many people recognize the contribution Seymour Papert has made to education. In speaking of this important contribution to educators at the recent CoSN Conference in Washington, D.C. Gary Stager quoted this seminal piece of Papert's thinking from 1998:
"My goal in life is to find ways in which children can use technology as a constructive medium to do things that they could not do before; to do things at a level of complexity that was not previously accessible to children"
Is there anymore we could ask of what we are looking to achieve? Now that is worth sustaining. What I worry about now, is that despite the energy they expended in initiating 1-to-1, too many people have spent too much time trying to sustain existing practice; that nowhere in that mantra I started with did we clearly articulate the ideals of which Papert spoke. This is indeed then our biggest challenge; for if we do not see more kids with laptops doing more worthwhile, seriously rigorous learning, and educators understanding and employing more widespread pedagogical innovation, then many will start to question just what it is we are sustaining.
I've now added a fourth tag to that mantra; sustainable, scalable, replicable, and disruptive! I look forward to your feedback and contribution to the conversation, both online and at the two conferences I mentioned.
Best!
Bruce |
| AALF Leadership: Executive Director News and Thoughts |
Leadership, Vision, Past and Present
By Susan Einhorn, Executive Director
April promises to be a very busy month for the Foundation. We will be holding two AALF Leadership Summits, one in Calgary, Alberta, on April 22 and the second in Seattle, WA, on April 23. As Bruce mentioned above, he and I will also be attending the Penn State University One-to-One Computing Conference in State Park, PA, from April 29-30, where Bruce and Holly Jobe, Project Manager for the Pennsylvania Classrooms for the Future initiative, will lead a series of "Critical Conversations" focused on school leadership, vision, and the process of change. But wait - that's not all! May 5-6 (yes, I realize this is not in April, but more like April+), the Foundation will hold an intensive 2-day institute entitled 21 Steps to 21st Century Learning. The institute is designed for superintendents, assistant superintendents, principals and other school leaders ready to start a 1-to-1 laptop program in their schools. If you've attended an AALF Summit and wanted to know what the next step is, this is it! Spaces are very limited, so register early if you want to attend. For more information, click here. We are in the process of scheduling additional summits and institutes for the summer and fall. The dates for these events will be posted in the May edition of the AALF newsletter and on the AALF web site by the end of this month. One of the biggest advantages of 1-to-1 programs in education is that they increase the opportunities for personalized learning. Although providing each student with a laptop does not guarantee personalized learning programs will develop, laptops certainly can be an integral component and their presence may well open the floodgates to personalized learning, whether intended or not. Although some think of personalized learning as a 21st century movement, progressive educators have discussed and practiced a more differentiated approach to learning for a long time. Recently, I heard Dr. Gary Stager rave about a book in which one such educator wrote about his experiences as both a teacher and principal in the New York City public schools in the early 1900's. The educator is Angelo Patri and his book is called A Schoolmaster of the Great City (originally published in 1917, re-issued in 2007). In it, Patri talks about his growing understanding of and adherence to progressive ideas in education and the challenges, triumphs, and failures he faced in creating the school he envisioned - one in which all children were engaged, active learners and where the school and the community were open to each other and worked together, focusing on the children's well-being and development. He encouraged teachers to develop their own special talents and take more risks in trying to engage even the most difficult to reach children. One can only imagine what he would have done with all the tools we have today! Ultimately, this book is about visionary leadership and the process of change and is as relevant today as it was when it was written. I look forward to meeting many of you at the upcoming AALF events! Susan |
| AALF Research-to-Action |
| Foundation for 1-to-1 Learning: Leadership!
By Karen Ward, Manager of Consulting Services and Communications
Anytime Anytime Learning
The first of three AALF Summits was held at California State University, Fresno on March 4, 2008. Along with hearing about 1-to-1 programs currently in place, participants who attended were challenged to think about providing 21st century learning opportunities for their students. At the end of the day a panel of three presenters answered participant questions. One question struck a chord for me, perhaps because AALF is so committed to providing support in this area. The question went something like this: "How do we get our head leader (headmaster, principal, or superintendent) to understand the importance and absolute need of having a 1-to-1 learning program at our school?" The question and answer are not simple by nature, as tends to be the case with most educational questions, but it directs us to the foundational element of all successful 1-to-1 learning programs: leaders who have a vision for the type of teaching and learning experiences laptops can provide along with the courage to make this a reality for their school. One of our AALF Research-to-Action learning communities is focusing on this type of leadership and we look forward to presenting their work to you in the future, but where in the meantime can you go for support with leadership needs? 21 Steps to 21st Century Learning Institute is a good place to start. Sponsored by AALF, this intensive 2-day institute for school leaders is being held on May 5-6, 2008 in Lambertville, New Jersey (see Conferences and Events section below). Designed for superintendents, principals and headmasters, participants will leave prepared with a clear understanding of where to start and how to develop their laptop programs. Bruce Dixon, President of AALF, will take participants through the 21 steps needed to successfully implement a student laptop program tailored to school needs. Focus areas include:
- Development of a strongly supported vision and culture across the whole school community
- An effective technical infrastructure and support
- Student-centered pedagogies
- Structured professional development
Registration and additional details for this dynamic two day event are available at the AALF website. Have a great month!
Karen |
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1-to-1 Teaching and Learning |
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The Challenge of 1-to-1 Distraction
By Brenda Fayerman, IT Director, Bialik High School
 At Bialik High School we are now in our third year of one-to-one learning and it is generally accepted that anytime-anywhere technology is a necessary feature of our pedagogical program. However, we still need to listen to the not-so-positive feedback and grow from it. The number one objection to one-to-one is "distraction". Teachers complain that because students have the freedom to surf the Net or play video games on their laptops, they are not as focused on lesson activities. Similarly, I have heard parents say, "My child is so distracted by his laptop that he is not taking notes in class or listening to the teacher." Even some students have admitted to me that they have a tough time quitting their recreational technology during class time.
In our school, we do not use web filters (our philosophy is to teach responsible use and use our heads as "filters") and we do not use monitoring software to watch the laptop screens in the classroom (because teachers want to use all classroom time to work with students). Students are allowed to install games on their laptops, provided that they have proper license. We do have our Responsible Use Agreement that all students sign which includes the rule that teachers' instructions prevail in the classroom. So how can we resolve this problem of distraction without forfeiting the clear advantages of one-to-one anytime-anywhere access to technology? I see this as an exciting challenge.
First and foremost, the solution is to make lesson activities more engaging. We need to make students' work more relevant to their world and more task-oriented. Most of the complaints about distraction arise with regard to note-taking and "listening to the teacher." This brings us back to the problem of using new technology to teach the old ways. When  students are actively involved in their learning, they do not play games or surf idly. We need to design more lesson activities that involve student creativity, team work, and global communication, and we need to minimize the passive lectures with note-taking. This paradigm shift is necessary for the 21st century learner and one-to-one is an impetus and facilitator for this change.
An important aspect of a one-to-one program is teaching young people to act with responsibility and civility in a highly technological world. Part of this is learning self-discipline with regard to a real-life distraction. No matter where these students will work as adults, they will be surrounded by technology: computers, telephones etc. They will need to focus on their work as required and to interact with colleagues as appropriate. For some students, this comes naturally. For others, it requires practice and experience, both of which are part of classroom learning.
For teachers, the problem of distraction can also be seen as an opportunity to develop better classroom management. With skillful lesson planning, there could be times when the laptops are not to be used (e.g. a class discussion). Students respect the fact that a lesson has been planned with a variety of activities, some of which will require use of their laptop and others not. It is also helpful to create digital notes templates that are given to students in advance of lectures so that note-taking is focused and organized. Teachers  should also identify individual students who are having serious problems with distraction. They could have personalized coping strategies such as responsibility for submitting something at the end of class to share with the teacher or with the class, responsibility for helping other students with their laptops, or maybe specific "time-out" minutes during class.
And is distraction all bad? It has always existed in less noticeable forms such as looking out the window, daydreaming, passing notes, talking, doing homework for other courses, flirting, etc. Technological distraction is less disruptive to the rest of the class but probably easier to detect by the teacher and more attractive to the student. The jury is still out on whether students can actually multitask effectively. Are they really hearing every word while checking Facebook? Maybe it is a needed diversion to cut boredom or allay some social concern before re-focusing on work? It is possible that these momentary distractions on the laptop replace some of the previous requests to leave the classroom.
The challenge of distraction is amplified in a one-to-one situation but presents opportunity for making learning more student-centered: relevant and creative, real-life, active and engaging, and sensitive to individual needs.
Brenda Fayerman is Director of Information Technology at Bialik High School
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1-to-1 Leadership and Learning |
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An Outstanding 1:1 Program
by Andy Zucker, Ed D.
During the past twenty years I have studied dozens of education initiatives, from large federal programs to activities at a single school. One satisfaction of doing the work happens when I have the opportunity to investigate a unique and successful program. The 1:1 laptop program at the Denver School of Science and Technology (DSST) fits that description well.
DSST, a public charter high school, opened its doors in the fall semester of 2004 and primarily serves students from Denver public schools. The school's charter requires at least 40% of its students to qualify for free or reduced-price lunch (that is, to come from low-income families). As in many charter schools, students are selected by a lottery  system; the school cannot simply select the best and brightest. This year the school has about 430 students.
The mission of the school is to provide its highly diverse student body an outstanding liberal arts education, with a science and technology focus. From the beginning, the school aimed to prepare 100% of its students for college and thereby increase the number of underrepresented students (minorities, women, and economically disadvantaged youth) who attain college science and liberal arts degrees.
As its first class gets ready to graduate, 97% of the seniors have already been admitted to a four-year college. The school's test scores are near the top for all schools statewide. Colorado's Commissioner of Education recently wrote that "DSST is the example of a model high school." The Gates Foundation has provided money to document DSST's program, and the Colorado Children's Campaign funded a study of the school's 1:1 laptop program, which I conducted this fall with my colleague, Dr. Sarah Hug.
The school considers its 1:1 computing environment-first funded by a $1 million grant from Hewlett Packard-only one of many tools for achieving its mission. The laptops are used for teaching, learning, assessment, research, administration, and communication.
More than 80% of the teachers report that computers and related digital tools are very important to them as a teaching tool. The great majority of students report that the  laptops have a very (65%) or somewhat (29%) positive impact on how much they learn in school. In addition, the students report that the laptops positively influence how well they work with other students, how interested they are in school, their grades, and other outcomes.
An excellent example of how laptops are used for instruction is in the school's physics program. DSST uses the "physics first" approach, so that all ninth graders enroll in physics. In addition, two-thirds of the seniors take either honors or Advanced Placement physics. As part of the survey of all DSST students, more than 120 students enrolled in physics provided information about the use of laptops in that subject. They use the laptops and "probes" (small devices to measure temperature, motion, or other variables) at least once a week to collect (86%) and analyze (92%) data. The majority use laptops to communicate about science at least weekly, and more than half use computer simulations at least once a week.
The physics teachers use online simulations developed by a Nobel Prize winner at the University of Colorado (http://phet.colorado.edu/new/index.php). They also use an electronic physics textbook, stored on each student's laptop. Students can click on animations or simulations included in the textbook. Responding to an open-ended survey question, one student wrote,
"I believe that the most helpful use of technology has been the use of technology to give us interactive lessons or lectures about specific topics. It makes it so much easier to understand a concept if you can see it happen in an animation."
The physics teachers also expect students to use their laptops in other ways, such as for writing and delivering lab reports. Some of the Advanced Engineering students use Solidworks software to design catapults, based on physical laws, which they later build.
A notable aspect of the school's 1:1 program is the use of ExamView software to assess students' learning. Among all students, 70% report using ExamView about once a week and another 21% report using ExamView nearly every day. The physics teachers use the software extensively, with more than 80% of physics students reporting use of ExamView at least weekly.
Every quarter DSST teachers use ExamView to find out which education standards students are, or are not, able to meet. Collecting data in digital form permits much faster, more thorough analyses. Based on the data, the teachers conduct a "reteach week" to help their students better understand topics not yet mastered.
Another benefit of the laptops has been to help bridge the "digital divide." Much higher proportions of DSST minority students than Caucasian students report that they rarely  or never used computers before attending DSST. Among Hispanic students that figure is 50%. One member of the faculty said,
"The 1:1 laptop program is a critically important element of our college preparatory program. It 'levels the playing field' between students across the economic spectrum. It gives all students access to the same data and develops technological skills essential to higher education and the world of work."
Among the lessons to be learned from the Denver School of Science and Technology about conducting a successful 1:1 laptop program, two stand out. First, this is a school that does not even mention 1:1 computing in its mission statement. Instead, the school is driven by its mission to provide an outstanding education and by its core values (Respect, Responsibility, Integrity, Doing Your Best, Courage, and Curiosity). Laptops are used to meet school goals, not as a separate goal and not to "replace or reduce the central human role of the teacher in a liberal arts education." By design, much of the demand for computer applications has been generated by teachers themselves.
The second lesson is that the school supports the laptop program in many ways besides loaning students computers. These include a rich vision of what constitutes excellence in teaching and learning, professional development, software, use of administrative applications (such as Infinite Campus), on-site technical help, and other supportive elements. The laptops do not stand alone; they are well integrated and well supported by the school.
As a result of the decisions that have been made by the school, DSST's 1:1 program provides a good model for other schools. (The full study of DSST's laptop program is available at http://scienceandtech.org/documents/Technology/DSST_Laptop_Study_Report.pdf .)
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| 1-to-1 Global Storybook |
Spotlight School
 This month we are spotlighting the Denver School of Science and Technology in Denver, Colorado. The high school serves the students primarily from Denver public schools. Since opening in 2004 the mission of DSST is to provide an outstanding liberat arts education for all attending students.
Technology is Everywhere!
By Mark Inglis, Director of Technology
There are two pivotal assumptions that drive and undergird DSST's (Denver School of Science and Technology) use of technology that are expressed every day at DSST. The first is that the foremost characteristic of any educational environment that promotes learning is a quality school culture. Without that, technology will be as ineffective as any other pedagogical tool, and perhaps more so. The second is that technology must build, support, enable and enhance high quality teaching, instruction and administration. After these assumptions, then flows DSST's Technology Vision, toward which we strive: Technology must transform the educational process."
Technology must not be a simple replacement of non-technological methods of learning. It is too expensive to be a substitute for the pencil and the chalkboard. Instead it must invite and enable higher order thinking, more creative thinking, learning and expression. It must engender more intense investment and engagement by the student. It must be more effective than traditional means and enable collaboration, extrapolation, projection, analysis, demonstration, and closer, tangible interaction with the subject under study that is extremely unlikely or even impossible without it. It must transport the student to places,  experiences, modes of thinking, cultures, and people otherwise impossible to reach for the normal high school student.
Despite its name, DSST is a liberal arts school, "with a science and technology focus." As such, we believe that technology should empower and enable, and never replace or reduce the central human role of the teacher in a liberal arts education. The role of a liberal arts education is to enable and facilitate the creation of leaders who value community, individuals and the creation of a truly human society. Technology must serve this end.
DSST's infrastructure consists of file, print, e-mail, backup and application servers, as well as Cisco network switches and access points all supporting a totally wireless laptop/tablet environment. DSST also takes advantage of a DS3 Internet connection as well as voice over IP (VoIP) telephone communications. Thanks to a unique partnership with Hewlett Packard (HP), DSST is the first public high school in Colorado where every student uses wireless networked laptops. This eliminates the "digital divide" and enables students to be able to operate at a very high technology level, both at school and at home.
During the fall of 2007, renowned educational technology consultant, Andy Zucker, conducted an in-depth study of DSST's 1-to-1 program. The results of that study confirm the value of DSST's technology as part of its overall strategy for student learning and  teacher effectiveness. In addition to the study, DSST has undertaken a TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) study to round out the picture of technology at DSST. The 1-to-1 study is available now on our website
(http://scienceandtech.org), and the TCO study will be available there soon.
So what does this learning look like at DSST? As with any 1-to-1 school, when you walk in before our daily morning meeting (MM), you will see kids littered everywhere with laptops or tablets open. Some will be hurriedly working on their math or English homework (they get an hour or more of "CP" (College Prep) after school if they aren't ready with quality work by class time), others will be playing games or checking out YouTube. Besides announcements and suspension apologies, MM will often contain short digital presentations from students, staff or outside presenters.
Besides attendance and grading, teachers and staff track CP, other disciplinary actions, fees, and all equipment in's and out's on a custom database. After advisors have entered comments, this database delivers a "culture" report card, as well as the traditional grades.
Different classrooms will use their laptops or tablets differently and to varying degrees. A trip into one English classroom will find some students viewing a Camtasia video, while others are engaging in a classroom discussion with most computers closed and one  student or the teacher recording notes on the discussion in OneNote that will then be posted either on Moodle or our shared file server for access by all. This maintains the focus on the discussion while still allowing everyone access to the shared results.
Prep
Academy students (Grades 9/10) all have laptops, while Senior Academy students (11th/12th) use tablets, as do all the teachers. Each classroom contains a projector and access panel. Most teachers use this some or all of their class period, interspersed with student sharings, presentations or other contributions. Teachers regularly use the "inking" capabilities of the tablets for their demonstrations & instruction, often saving those to shared spaces for student access and review. It is school policy that all students have digital access to homework assignments and necessary resources. Between this and web access to the district's grading web portal (Infinite Campus), complete with email links to all teachers and staff, parents can and do maintain an almost complete picture of what is going on in their student's education. Even our voicemail is forwarded to teachers' email via wav files, so many teachers do virtually all of their communication from their computer.
One of the hallmarks of DSST's culture is that we are all learners. As such, we are constantly examining what we are doing and evaluating how well we are doing it. Multiple performance reviews, including 360 degree feedback, for ourselves, and rigorous student assessment provides data that we analyze frequently and scrupulously. ExamView  assessment software allows us to tie each exam to specific and fairly detailed standards and benchmarks and break results out by any number of parameters. Instant or nearly instant feedback provided to students, teachers and administrators allows each level to examine, reevaluate, re-strategize, and review or re-do what has been done. The software allows a teacher to set up assignments, quizzes, etc. that are not only self-administered, but can contain layers of helps and hints for independent study and review. Teachers, classes, demographics, small groups, even structures, pedagogies and schedules can be evaluated for effectiveness.
A couple of things that some find surprising upon visiting DSST; you won't find a lot of bells and whistles programs here. While our filmmaking elective continues to be popular, and there are a lot of Senior Projects (that's a whole other story) that involve video, we don't have our own television show or studio. DSST is all about basic education. Our aim is 100% acceptance to a four year college for all of our students. Right now, we project that 97% of our first graduating class of 2008 will in fact go off to a four year college or university after high school graduation. The other surprise for some is that we have a very small technology track. Freshmen get a two week orientation to technology then one hour a week throughout their freshman year. Students have room for one of our assorted technology electives each trimester during their 10th and 11th grade years. Students then have the ability to take either an AP or non-AP programming course (Java) their senior year.
DSST has a very strong science and engineering program, with Physics taught the freshman year, and advanced physics offered the senior year. All students end up with five years of science and they take either an advanced engineering/physics or biology course their senior year.
So, where, some may ask, is the "technology" in the Denver School of Science and Technology? Everywhere!
Mark Inglis is the Director of Technology at the Denver School of Science and Technology. He can be reached at [email protected] |
| AALF Consulting and Coaching Support |
 The primary purpose of the Anytime Anywhere Learning Foundation is to serve as an advocacy vehicle for anytime, anywhere 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 effective 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 1-to-1 initiative. This includes creating a vision, designing appropriate goals, translating plans into action, choosing the most effective technology tools and designing technology support, providing 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 1-to-1 offers and the best possible manner in which leaders 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. |
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 AALF 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. You can register for either of the two Summits detailed below at the AALF web site. Summit dates and locations include:
- April 22, 2008; Calgary, Alberta, in conjunction with Alberta Education and the Emerge One-to-One Laptop Learning Project.
- April 23. 2008; Seattle, Washington, in partnership with the Northwest Council for Computer Education.
21 Steps to 21st Century Learning Institute
This two-day institute, designed for superintendents, principals, and headmasters, will focus on the 21 Steps needed to provide successful 1-to-1 learning cultures on their campuses. Sponsored by AALF and b ased on the experiences of thousands of laptop schools around the world, the 21 Steps to 21st Century Learning range from research and resource assessment, through all stages of project and financial planning, communications, professional development, and deployment. Space is very limited for this institute which will be held on May 5-6 in Lambertville, New Jersey. Click here for more information or to register.
- 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, teacher education, and a series of "Critical Conversations" led by AALF President Bruce Dixon. 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/ .
 The Laptop Institute
The Anytime Anywhere Learning Foundation 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. AALF President Bruce Dixon will lead a series of sessions on leadership and vision in anytime, anywhere learning that promise to be provocative as well as informative. Online information is now available at www.laptopinstitute.com.
 Eastern 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. | |
This year's exciting fourth annual 
