2013 Technology Tour Program

Welcome to Minnetonka Public Schools
Since passing a Technology Referendum in 2002, Minnetonka has become a
national leader in using educational technology as an accelerator of learning.
In 2007, we were one of three Districts across the United States chosen by the
National School Boards Association to hold a technology tour for educators.
In 2008, Minnetonka was honored as a National School Boards Association
Technology Salute District. In 2010 Julie Carter, Executive Director of Technology,
was named one of National School Boards Association’s “20 to Watch” in
Technology. Minnetonka’s 1:1 iPad Pilot is being showcased as an 2012-13 Apple
Distinguished Program and a model for other school districts.
We have received five national awards for use of technology in the classroom
in the recent years. Four teachers were finalists in the SMART Technologies
World Teachers’ Day Video Contest. Clear Springs Elementary special education
teacher Kelly Kautz was the regional winner for North America. We have also
been recognized by the American Association of School Administrators and
eSchool news.
Thursday’s Schedule
8:00AM: Registration & Breakfast
at Minnetonka Community Education
Center (MCEC) Deephaven Room
8:30AM: Welcome/Presentation
9:15AM: Board Buses
9:30AM: Tour A – Scenic Heights
Elementary or Minnetonka Middle
School East
10:45AM: Board Buses
11:00AM: Tour B – Minnewashta
Elementary or Minnetonka High School
12:15PM: Board Buses
Technology has become an essential part of teaching and preparing our students
for the 21st century. All Minnetonka classrooms have SMART boards, allowing our
students to interact and participate like never before, and sound field solutions,
enabling all students to hear the teacher’s voice anywhere in the room during
a lesson. Handheld student response systems are used in classrooms E-12. And
this school year, 1,600 ninth and tenth graders are using iPads to access digital
curriculum materials and student collaboration tools while also receiving
individualized instruction in all subjects with the goal of enhancing student
learning. The use of technology in the classroom benefits all of our students.
They are more engaged in learning and student achievement has increased. In
Minnetonka, technology has changed the way teachers teach and children learn.
12:30PM: Lunch with Assistant
Superintendent, Q & A, Vendor Raffles
All of this is only possible because of the continued support of our community.
They continue to see and understand the difference that technology makes, and
voted in 2007 to extend our technology levy through 2017.
8:15AM: Registration & Breakfast
at MHS Theatre/Forum
Educational
technology
in
Minnetonka Public Schools has
allowed us to be accelerators of
learning and properly prepare our
students for the 21st century.
1:15PM: Breakout Session I
1:50PM: Breakout Session II
2:25PM: Breakout Session III
3:00PM: Adjourn
Friday’s Schedule
8:30AM: Welcome/Presentation
10:10AM: Classroom Tours – Group C
Breakout Sessions – Group D
11:12AM: Classroom Tours – Group D
Breakout Sessions – Group C
12:10PM: Lunch with Assistant
Superintendent, Q & A, Vendor Raffles
1:00PM: Teacher Presentations
Dennis Peterson
Superintendent
3:00PM: Final Vendor Raffles, Adjourn
Technology as an Accelerator of Learning
Technology literacy plays a vital role in preparing our
students for the 21st century. Minnetonka Schools
are national leaders in integrating technology into
the classroom to provide innovative and exciting
learning opportunities for students. Over the past
years, Minnetonka has continued to introduce new
technology to District students, staff and parents.
iPads in the Classroom
The changing landscape of the world’s information
to digital form will require today’s student to have
a different set of skills than what was required just
a decade ago. Students must be equipped with not
just the three R’s, but also with 21st century skills of
problem solving, critical thinking, communication
and technological literacy. Future graduates will
need to be able to quickly find, synthesize and
communicate information and collaborate with
colleagues—not just in their own office, but within
a global community of colleagues and customers.
To that end, in September 2011, Minnetonka Public
Schools launched a 1:1 pilot using the Apple iPad to
create a seamless and dynamic educational experience
for students. Because most ninth grade classes have
only ninth grade students, this grade level was selected
for the initial roll-out of iPads. Half the ninth grade was
provided iPads in September. Initial data from the pilot
supported expansion to all ninth grade students in
January 2012. The program was expanded to all ninth
and tenth grade students in 2012-13.
Schoology
Minnetonka uses Schoology for all K-12 teachers,
students, and parents as an extension of their classroom,
sharing content with students and colleagues.
Schoology is an easy-to-use, easy-to-implement
online learning, classroom management, and social
networking platform. Schoology enhances student
engagement and improves learning through better
communication, collaboration and increased access to
curriculum and supplemental content. Teachers can
use Schoology to post homework, calendar events,
photos, videos, files and discussions with their students.
Schoology has a dropbox, update feed and assessment
feature. Teachers can track student usage and view
course analytics.
Google Apps
Google Apps for Education is used by all Minnetonka
students in grades 3-9. Google Apps offers students
a full suite of web-based collaborative tools for use
in the classroom. Google Apps includes document,
spreadsheet, website and presentation creation online
which can be viewed and edited simultaneously by a
small group or entire class. Cloud storage makes files
accessible from anywhere, with the ability to share files
with other users. This suite also provides student email
that is stable, secure, filtered, archived and add free.
Technology Staff Development
Throughout the summer months, more than 500
teachers, paraprofessionals and staff members spend
more than 2,300 hours in technology training both in
the role of student and that of teacher. The District offers
more than 30 different classes including advanced
SMART Board lesson design, iPads, Schoology, Google
Apps, online assessments and classes on the newest
adopted technologies.
During the school year, teachers have the opportunity
to meet individually or in small groups with one of
three District Teachers on Special Assignment (TOSA)
for Instructional Technology Support or with their
building media specialist. Time is spent training,
planning, and team teaching using technology with
students to accelerate learning. Occasionally trainings
take place during the school day, but priority is given to
keeping teachers in their classrooms with students and
providing plenty of options and support before- and
after-school hours throughout the year.
Technology Hardware and Software
Technology Numbers
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
IT Support personnel: 13
IT Systems: 5,000
Computer to student ratio: 1:3
SMART Boards: all classrooms
Projectors: all classrooms
Sound Field Solutions: all classrooms
iPads/iPods: 2,500
Technology Deployment
•
All E-12 core classrooms are equipped with
our Interactive Classroom Solution containing
a SMART Board, Sound Field Solution and
Mounted Projector.
Standard Hardware
•
Standard Desktop: Dell Optiplex 390, Intel i3
3.1 ghz Processor, 250GB HD, 4GB RAM
•
Standard Laptop: Dell Vostro 3350 , Intel i3 2.2
ghz, 2GB RAM, 250GB HD
•
SMART Technologies Interactive Whiteboard
•
LightSPEED Technologies Wireless Voice
Distributed System
•
NEC M260X Projector
•
SMART Student Responders
•
Access Points: Aruba Networks, AP 105 and
AP-124
Use this QR code or visit
http://www.minnetonka.k12.mn.us/visit
to access all Tech Institute resources.
Operating System: Windows 7
Office Productivity Tools: Microsoft Office 2010 (Word, Excel,
Publisher, Outlook, PowerPoint, InfoPath, Access)
• Accelerated Math
• Adobe Creative Suites
• Adobe Photoshop
• Affinety
• AIMSweb
• ALEKS Math
• Apangea
• Applitrack
• Audactiy
• AutoCAD
• AutoDesk Design Academy
• Barnes Health Software
• Barracuda (Web
Content Filter)
• Biolab Fly
• Biolab Frog
• Blackboard Connect
• BrainPOP
• BrainPOP Jr.
• Camtasia
• Clicker 5
• Cyber Ed
• Destination Reading
• Destiny
• Discovery Education
• DORA Spanish
• Dynovox
• EasyIEP
• Everyday Math
• ExactTarget
• Exemplars
• Final Cut Pro
• Finale NotePad
• Geometers Sketchpad
• Google Earth & Sky
• Google Sketch Up
• iFlash
• iMovie
• InfraRecorder
• Inspiration 8
• KerPoof
• Kidspiration
• Kurzweil
• Midisaurus
• Music Maestro
• My Learning Plan
• Naviance
• NiHao/NJ Star Communicator
• NWEA Reports
• PhotoStory
• Pinnacle Analytics
• Planet Turtle
• Quizdom
• RevTrak
• Rosetta Stone
• rSchool
• School Dude
• Schoology
• Scratch
• SharePoint
• Skype
• Skyward
• SMART Notebook
• SMART Number Cruncher
• SMART Response
• SMART Speller
• SmartFind Express
• SmartMusic
• SnagIt
• Solo Suite (CoWriter,
Draft Builder, etc.)
• Sophos Anti-virus
• Study Island
• TI SMARTView
• TurnItIn
• Typing Pal
• Vernier Science Probes
• Windows Media Player
• Windows Movie Maker
• World Book
• Zoomerang
Thank you to our vendors for their support of technology use in education
and help to make this year’s Technology Institute possible.
CiscoEMC2
Thursday attendees will have the chance to win prizes
from the following vendors. Prizes include:
Now Micro
Skyward
Friday attendees will have the chance to win prizes from
vendors. Prizes include:
• A two-day registration to the 5th Annual
Minnetonka Summer Assessment and Leadership
Institute June 26-27, 2013
• A two-day registration to the 5th Annual
Minnetonka Summer Assessment and Leadership
Institute June 26-27, 2013
• One-year classroom subscription to Brain Pop,
Brain Pop Jr., Brain Pop ESL and Brain Pop Español
donated by BrainPop
• 25 Geometry Test app redemption codes donated
by Cotton Cola Designs LLC
• 2 Hokki Stools donated by Interium
• A REDCAT classroom sound system with two
microphones donated by Lightspeed
• 10 app redemption codes for “Math Formulas”, 10
codes for “King of Math”, and 10 codes for “King of
Math Junior” donated by Oddrobo Software
• 2 redemption codes for Reflector donated by Air
Squirrels
• One-year class subscription to Study Island donated
by Edmentum
• Toshiba 24” LED TV donated by RAV Technologies
• One license of DisplayNote software donated by
Tierney Brothers
• Schoology T-shirts and pens for all attendees
donated by Schoology
• Spigit T-shirts for each attendee of the Big Idea
Hunt breakout session
• One year-long teacher subscription to Shakespeare
in Bits Live donated by Mind Connex
• A complimentary six-month teacher license to
Brainingcamp and a one month subscription to
StudyIsland will be provided to each attendee of the
Technology in the Math Classroom breakout session
• Discovery Channel gift basket with three DVDs, a flash
drive and other items donated by Discovery Education
• Private screening for winning school of the new,
upcoming series on The Discovery Channel, North
America (http://goo.gl/vQjAA) donated by Discover
Education
• 10 app redemption codes for “Math Formulas”, 10
codes for “King of Math”and 10 codes for “King of
Math Junior” donated by Oddrobo Software
• 2 redemption codes for Reflector donated by Air
Squirrels
• 20 iPad cases donated by iRepair National
• One license of DisplayNote software donated by
Tierney Brothers
• 15 promo codes for SimplePhysics and 15 promo
codes for Dummy Defense donated by Jundroo
• Schoology T-shirts and Pens for all attendees
donated by Schoology
• Five iPad redemption codes for the Shakespeare
app/play of each winner’s choice donated by Mind
Connex
• 32” LCD 1080p TV donated by CDWG
Thursday, February 21: Breakout Session Descriptions
Breakout Session I: 1:15 – 1:45 p.m.
1a & 2a: Groveland Elementary Learning Commons Tour,
Greenwood Room 206C (two sessions long)
Colleen Small, Elementary Media Specialist
Groveland Elementary’s Media Center was completely remodeled
and expanded during summer 2012. It was renamed the Learning
Commons. Attendees of this double breakout session will take a bus
from the Minnetonka Community Education Center to Groveland
Elementary School to visit the Learning Commons. Meet with the
Media Specialist and explore the new space and its features.
1b: iPads in Elementary Classrooms, Deephaven Room 217
Kelli Whiteside, Deephaven Media Specialist and Department Chair
Shelly Traver, Instructional Technology Support Teacher E-5
Learn how our elementary buildings use 40-50 iPads in their buildings.
Get an overview of how we are managing the iPads and tips of how to
use iPads in a non 1:1 environment. Learn about the elementary apps
we use and obtain ideas of how they can be used in the classroom.
1c: Schoology, Excelsior Room 205
Peter Gausmann, Instructional Technology Support Teacher 6-12
Come see how teachers are engaging students in online learning
with Schoology, Minnetonka’s e-learning platform. The ease of use,
especially for staff and students who are accustomed to Facebook, will
be explored. Major features of Schoology will be highlighted as well as
a brief description of the back-end administration.
1d: 21st Century Fluencies, Shorewood Room 214
Sara White, Director of Staff Development
With great intentionality, Minnetonka’s staff development for the 201213 year is focused on the two 21st century fluencies that permeate every
grade level and subject area: solution fluency and collaboration fluency.
Teacher leaders at each site developed professional development
opportunities for their colleagues and created model units and
lessons that integrated the fluencies. See examples of professional
development as well as fluencies in action in the classroom.
1e: Google Forms: Putting the “Form” in “Formative” Assessments,
Chanhassen Room 207
Ben Stanerson, Teacher on Special Assignment for iPad Instructional
Technology Support
See examples of basic forms that can be used as instant questions
during class, formative assessments, rubrics, surveys, polls, exit cards/
slips, digital sign-up sheets and more. We will explore making Google
Forms, sorting and filtering data on the spreadsheet, using conditional
formatting to highlight results and generating an easy summary of
responses. Embedding a Google form into your school web page
and using edit confirmation to provide instant feedback will also be
demonstrated.
1f: Video Modeling, Tonka Bay Room 212
Brenna Nolan, Early Childhood Special Education Teacher
Sarah Murray, Early Childhood Special Education Teacher
Video modeling takes visual learning to the next level by using new
technologies to create an effective teaching tool. Professionals and
parents can use innovative video modeling techniques to support
the development of children (across age and ability levels) in school,
home or community settings. Meet two Minnetonka Early Childhood
Special Education teachers who have led this initiative in Minnetonka
and just published a book on it.
1g: Technology Department Infrastructure & Support,
Deephaven Room 220
Julie Carter, Executive Director of Technology
Aaron Farley, Network Engineer
Joe Seifert, Network Infrastructure Specialist
Learn about the IT organization behind the scenes of Minnetonka’s
technology. Find out about our staffing structure, infrastructure, and
standardized hardware and software. Hear about our virtualization
efforts, technology goals and our commitment to increasing student
access to technology.
Breakout Session II: 1:50 – 2:20 p.m.
1a & 2a: Groveland Elementary Learning Commons Tour,
Greenwood Room 206C (hour long, description above)
2b: Flipped Classroom, Deephaven Room 220
Ben Stanerson, Teacher on Special Assignment for iPad Instructional
Technology Support
Get a glimpse into the flipped math and science classroom pilots at
Minnetonka High School. Currently six teachers are “flipping” their
classroom in a variety of ways. Learn how it has been done with an
overview of tools, methods, tips and lessons learned to make your
transition to a flipped classroom smoother.
2c: Going Google, Shorewood Room 214
Peter Gausmann, Instructional Technology Support Teacher 6-12
In less than a year of experience with Google Apps for Education,
Minnetonka teachers and students have discovered the power and
convenience of cloud-based computing. Learn how Google Apps is
being used for collaboration and sharing in and out of the classroom.
2d: Students Create, You Differentiate with Kerpoof,
Chanhassen Room 207
Shelly Traver, Instructional Technology Support Teacher E-5
Kerpoof Studio is a free Disney© Web 2.0 tool that easily allows
students to create a variety of works such as cards, drawings, stories,
and movies. Quickly add technology to stations or differentiate your
projects using Kerpoof. We will explore lessons along with tips and
tricks for using Kerpoof.
2e: Assessments & Technology, Deephaven Room 217
Matt Rega, Director of Assessment and Testing
Technology is an integral part of administering, assessing, and
analyzing a wide variety of tests and benchmarks in Minnetonka.
Teachers administer external standardized assessments to all English
and language immersion students such as the MCA and NWEA as
well as internal teacher created common assessments. Teachers use
the Skyward information system daily to enter grades, attendance,
review curriculum maps and more. Parents and students access this
information as well. Learn how all of these systems are used to provide
teachers with the necessary data needed to make individual learning
decisions for students.
2f: The Big Idea Hunt: Innovation in Minnetonka,
Tonka Bay Room 212
Eric Schneider, Assistant Superintendent for Instruction
Learn how Minnetonka harnesses the power of social media tools
to engage all staff in the process of gathering, vetting, and selecting
innovative ideas designed to improve learning for our students. Hear
how these online tools (and the processes associated with innovation)
are helping us remain educationally relevant in a rapidly changing world.
Thursday, February 21: Breakout Session Descriptions
2g: Minnetonka High School 1:1 iPad Pilot, Excelsior Room 205
(Repeated with much more detail on Friday)
This breakout session is for Thursday attendees only who will not
be at Friday’s 1:1 iPad Visit. It will be a very brief overview of the
background, goals, findings and our process for implementing the
pilot, budget, setting up and managing the devices, training the
teachers, working with the students and communicating with the
parents and community. We will share our successes as well as the
limitations and problems we discovered.
Breakout Session III: 2:25 – 2:55 p.m.
3a: Deephaven Elementary Media Center Tour,
Greenwood Room 206C (walk next door to school)
Kelli Whiteside, Deephaven Media Specialist and Department Chair
Deephaven’s Media Center underwent a major remodel during the
summer of 2009 with a goal of increasing space flexibility, facilitating
collaboration, and updating technology resources within the space.
It is a wonderful inviting space enjoyed by all who enter. The tour
will include information about the design, planning and execution
process and highlight our favorite aspects of the space.
3b: Online Formative Assessment, Deephaven Room 220
Ben Stanerson, Teacher on Special Assignment for iPad Instructional
Technology Support
Interested in an efficient way to give more formative assessments in
class? Need to save time grading? Want your students to get more
from a formative assessment than just a score? Learn how Minnetonka
teachers have created Skyward and Schoolgy assessments online and
use the automatically scored multiple choice, matching and true/false
items to guide teaching and learning. Learn about other test features
such as inserting pictures, open-ended responses, randomizing
questions and teacher comments on student responses.
3c: Virtual Bamboo Feedback, Shorewood Room 214
Peter Gausmann, Instructional Technology Support Teacher 6-12
Improve the quality of feedback you give on student writing with
screencasting! Learn how teachers are giving feedback on student
writing by recording videos with an inexpensive USB tablet and
free screencasting tools. You’ll also learn how students are using the
recordings to improve their written work.
3d: Technology in the Math Classroom, Excelsior Room 205
Tom Condon, Grade 6 Math Teacher
Improving math student achievement is a result of increasing
student engagement, delivering creative and interactive lessons, and
incorporating 21st century skills. Various strategies/software for math
classes will be presented including Brainingcamp Software, Aegom
Math Lessons and StudyIsland.com. A complimentary six-month
teacher license to Brainingcamp.com and a one month subscription
to StudyIsland.com will be provided to each attendee of the session
3e: Images Before Words, Chanhassen Room 207
Shelly Traver, Instructional Technology Support Teacher E-5
Educators need to start looking at making our lessons more media
rich to coordinate with the world our students are immersed in. Come
see how the use of images and media with little to no words can
increase student engagement and learning.
3f: Early Childhood & Technology Tour, Tonka Bay Room 212
Mary Miller, Director of Early Childhood Special Education Services
Learn how technology is used in Minnetonka Community Education
Center’s Early Childhood inclusion classrooms. Tour two classrooms
to observe SMARTBoards and iPads in use. Meet with Early Childhood
Special Ed teachers to learn how they use iPads to keep track of IEP data.
3g: Q&A with District Leaders, Deephaven Room 217
Eric Schneider, Assistant Superintendent for Instruction
Deb Anderson, Supervisor of Student Support Services
Julie Carter, Executive Director of Technology
Dave Eisenmann, Director of Instructional Technology & Media Services
Matt Rega, Director of Assessment
Diane Rundquist, Director of New Teachers & High Potential Program
Steve Urbanski, Director of Curriculum
Sara White, Director of Staff Development
Meet individually or in small groups with Minnetonka District Leaders
to ask questions and share ideas.
Friday, February 22: Breakout Session Descriptions
iOS management: Myths, Realities & Lessons Learned
Julie Carter, Executive Director of Technology
Joe Seifert, Network Infrastructure Specialist
Learn about the background of our process for setting up and
managing 1,600 student iPads, buying and distributing apps, our
synching process and more. Hear about our successes as well as the
limitations we discovered and resolved, and plans for the future, and
ask questions.
The iPad Information Cycle with Google Docs & Schoology
Peter Gausmann, Instructional Technology Support Teacher 6-12
Learn how Minnetonka uses Google Apps for Education for cloud
storage with teacher classroom websites in Schoology to digitize the
cycle of curriculum delivery and collection in a paperless classroom
using iPads. Learn about PaperPort Notes and Office2 HD, the
productivity apps used in this process. Hear about successes and
problems encountered.
Good Teaching: There’s NOT an App for That
Dave Eisenmann, Director of Instructional Technology & Media Services
Ben Stanerson, Teacher on Special Assignment for iPad Instructional
Technology Support
Learn about the importance of quality staff development and
a reliance on good teaching (not apps) to produce educational
outcomes. The scope and sequence for our monthly teacher iPad
trainings, overview of techniques for support and best practices
learned will be shared.