Opening Remarks from AALF / Oklahoma SDE 1:1 Learning Conference #ok1to1

These are my notes from the opening remarks from AALF / Oklahoma SDE 1:1 Learning Conference, November 30, 2009. This event is organized by the Anytime Anywhere Learning Foundation, and sponsored by the Oklahoma State Department of Education.

Comments from Lisa Pryor:

Oklahoma has $6.5 million to invest in the next 18 months in educational technology

This opportunity is site-based

Federal government’s emphasis on 8th grade tech literacy is the reason we are focusing on innovations for the middle school years

Focus today is on LEARNING: This is not just about buying “stuff” (hardware)

This is a HIGHLY competitive application process
– will look at quality of applications
– will look at your commitment to transforming learning

Comments from Bruce Dixon:

This is my 56th time to the United States

this is a marathon, not a sprint
– this is about transformation of the learning experience for our young people

today we hope to share experiences with you
– we’ve worked in just under 30 states
– we’ve worked closely with those in Maine
– unfortunately Betty Manchester from Maine is afflicted with H1N1 and will not be able to join us

We’ll start today with Ron Canuel from Quebec, Canada: “Defining a Vision for Technology-Rich Learning”

Then we’ll hear from Carolyn Thompson from Louisiana: “Models of Contemporary Learning”

After our break, we’ll look at some of the challenges: “The Challenge of Leading Technology-Rich Learning Environments”

Panel discussion: Leadership, Vision, and Student Achievement
– Scott Parks, Scott Trower, Steve Shiever, Ron Canuel

Lunch will include vendor presentations

After lunch:
– Planning: 21 Steps to 21st Century Learning
– Implementation: 22 Steps to 21st Century Learning

End of day: OK SDE Information Session by Eric Hileman

AALF focuses on LEARNING more than LAPTOPS
– we started in 1996 up in Seattle
– have run workshops across the USA, got very popular
– decided to setup a nonprofit organization

This isn’t about the brand, the technology: this is about the experience for young people

Our mission has 3 parts:
1- evangelism: why we think this is important, what we believe in, and why we believe it
— we’ve done a lot of this over the past decade
2-

We developed program/framework “21 Steps to 21st Century Learning” with Queenstown, Australia schools and leaders
– this is normally a 2 day workshop
– we’ll cover the essential elements of this in 2 hours today
– first quarter is about vision and beliefs: what underpins the decision you’ll make
– next is about logistics: nuts and bolts
– then pedagogical implications
– then will finish off around important elements of policy development: this is a big key to success

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