Caught a vision at NCCE?

Bring it home with a district technology event

Bernadette Sexton and Pam JuelJoint School District No. 2Meridian , Idaho

Conference Brain:

Our burning question:

How do we share what we have learned?

The Problem:

All this great information

People to train: over 1,800 teachers

Resources:four trainers & a library coordinator

Our First Solution:

Taught a class 30 people learned how to use tools like

blogs, wikis, YouTube (this was 7 years ago!)

Taught the class again… 30 more!

Kept thinking…

More about “The Problem” Clicker Training Interactive Whiteboard training

Teachers were using technology, but wanted to know more about what was “out there” and what other teachers were doing

Needed our IT department to see what teachers needed and were doing

We knew the RESULT we wanted:

A GREAT CONVERSATION about technology’s place in our

district…

Tech Expo: Year 1

Second day of teacher contract

3 hour session (3 pm to 6 pm)

Attendance: 308

Success! Vendors and teachers liked it!

Tech Expo: Year 2

1/2 day “On Contract” Schools came as a group

Added more vendors Added more sessions Added sessions taught by our

teachers

Attendance: 567

Tech Expo: Year 3

1/2 day “On Contract” Schools came as a group

More vendors More sessions taught by our

teachers 21st Century Skills website

Attendance: 770

Tech Expo: Year 4 & 5

2011 Off contract Attendance: 411

2012 Off contract Attendance: 588

Offered one credit

Economic

Recession!

What Works:

No district funds used No registration fees for our teachers

XNo Money!

What Works: Keep Sight of Goals Audience is our teachers

Exposure to new technologies, new applications Training on specific devices or software Training on strategies that work Build our own in-house technology experts

Other audience PTOs, JSD2 school board, State Dept. of

Education, our community Neighboring school districts, private and

charter schools (charge a small registration fee)

What Works: Planning Committee

“Other duties as assigned”

Steering committee – Start in November Vendors Promotion Registration Facilities Students Signs Food

What Works: Timeline

February Start contacting vendors

March Start getting teacher-speaker commitments

April Google Form for Expo registration

Miscellaneous Tech Expo Website (Hide site September – April) Establish a separate account for Expo funds Coordinate with Maintenance Department

What Works: Expo Dates & Schedule

Mid-August seems to work well Teachers have time to incorporate They are excited to start something new Time to socialize and learn

Expo schedule AM sessions:50-minute PM sessions: three-hour

What Works: Location

Choose a central location We use a high school Plenty of parking Classrooms all have computers & projectors AC in August!

Need a large Keynote Session area Chairs, sound system, AV requirements

Need a large vendor area Electrical outlets, wireless access

What Works: Maps

Use for planning Traffic flow Vendor tables Electrical outlets Wireless access Sessions Computer labs Food area Keynote &

Registration

What Works: Who Are the Vendors? Those we purchase from (list from IT dept) New educational technology vendors Local universities Local businesses (book store, office supply) Teachers’ Credit Union Idaho Commission for Libraries (state

library) State Department of Education Coffee shop, toy store

Benefits Fair

What Works: Working with Vendors Email vendors

Charge a fee for tables and for rooms, (extra for premium space)

Levels of sponsorship They need to bring tablecloths, electrical cords, etc. They can show any product, but some may require

district approval before teachers can use them Credit cards Arrange with local hotels to give a room discount

Ask vendors for donations Little giveaways and/or big prizes or grants Sponsor food, flyers, items, t-shirts, or keynote

What Works: Thank You’s for Vendors

Thank You postcards ($30) Student photography

What Works: Keynote Sessions Keynote speakers

Local university professors Cisco – Internet Security Discovery Education

Final Keynote is always our superintendent Drawings for bigger door prizes Grant application process

announcements

What Works: Sessions

Staff presenters Teachers, teacher-librarians, IT staff, grant winners Gift certificate for teacher presenters

Vendor sessions Include a teacher in each vendor session Work with them to make sure their session topic works

with our district and our curriculum

Planning the sessions Note the grade level focus: elementary and/or secondary Try to include something for every curriculum area Work with Curriculum, Administration, Special Services,

Librarians, IT department, & Department Chairs to address their training needs

What Works: Grants

Announce Innovation Grant applications at the Expo

Celebrate previous grant winners at the Expo with posters and sessions

Some funded by the district

Some funded by vendors

What Works: Credit

Work with a local university Teachers sign up online (saves money & time)

To earn the credit, teachers Must attend the Expo Must teach 3-6 other teachers something they

learned

Manage the class Google Form Stipend for the “teacher-of-record”

What Works: Student Helpers Honor Society students Grade 4 & 5 students

Shirts

Warning to the kids: “Do not collect the give-aways!”

Feed them…. Candy bars Pizza

What Works: Food

Keep it simple! Bagels, juice & coffee Honor Society students organize and serve

the food

Sponsored by a vendor

Lunch trucks

Have break/food area for vendors

What Works: Technology

Logistics

Wireless access Password Eased filter restrictions

Tech support Techs assigned to Expo day-before &

day-of August IS a very busy time for the IT

dept, so plan ahead

What Works: Signs & Posters

Logo created in a high school contest

Signs and posters made by a committee member; printed at a high school

What Works: Programs

At first, with a large printed program -- Cost was high Outdated the minute we printed it Most were thrown away

Now -- Detailed session descriptions are online Print and post maps in strategic locations at Expo Print and post schedules beside the maps Post session titles & times by each room 2-page Conference-at-a-Glance in each packet,

printed in black & white right before the bags are stuffed

Sample Program (PDF) - Online

Sample Expo Handout – B&W

What Works: “Day-Before” Logistics

Setup Signs/maps for vendor setup Rent tables from local rental store (delivered) Chairs from the school Sign-in tables (alpha order, pre-stuffed bags) Separate sign-in stations for attendees, teacher-

presenters, vendors

Students Help with setup Help vendors & speakers find their spots, and carry

equipment and supplies

What Works: “Day-of” Logistics

District Administration as greeters

Students help vendors, direct speakers and attendees

Expo staff shirts for staff and student helpers

Sign-in tables

What Works: Keep Spreading the News Take technology “on the road” to staff

meetings “Show-and-do” classes

Showcase events in the community for teachers to share what they are doing

More Resources

Meridian Joint School District #2 websitewww.meridianschools.org

Tech Expo websitewww.meridianschools.org/Staff/TechExpo2013/Pages/TechExpo2011.aspx

21st Century Skills websitewww.meridianschools.org/teaching21stcenturyskills/Pages/Teaching21stCenturySkills.aspx

Planning a conference (helpful website)goo.gl/ad0Bx

“Passport Stamps” at a trade showgoo.gl/h9mJK