Personalized Learning

Valerie Truesdale, Ph. D.Chief Technology, Personalized Learning, Engagement Officer

Center for Digital Education May 2016

CMS Private Charter Home Schooled

CMS 79.5%

Charter 6.0%

Private 10.8%

Home Schooled 3.7%

Approximately 180,000 K-12 students reside in Mecklenburg County

Nearly

144,000students and

families are served by CMS schools

36,770have made

choices other than

CMS

CMS Strategic Plan 2018For a Better Tomorrow

• Strategic Plan 2018 was developed in fall 2012 after 22 task forces helped CMS imagine an innovative, progressive school system in which all students graduate with a high quality diploma, college- and career-ready

• Six ambitious goals to be accomplished 2013-2018 were approved by the Board of Education in early 2013

• Due to large outreach and engagement, Strategic Plan 2018 has substantial buy-in from community and school personnel

Why is 21st century Learning important?

Why is there an urgency for a Digital Learning Conversion?

How important is infrastructure and digital resources in comparison with

other significant needs?

What North Carolina ParentsValue and Want in Public Education

Quality Education for All• Good public schools are essential to our

democracy

To Feel Like Accomplished Parents• Their child is:

- given opportunities to reach full potential

- provided with competitive life advantages

- encouraged to seize opportunity and overcome adversity

Affirmation• Education is not a system, but a personal

growth experience for their children made possible by smart, compassionate people working together

Source: Artemis Strategy Group: Supporting NC Public Education Research

Today, families are choosing from an increasing number of educational engagement options

Free and paid digital resources

To deliver on Strategic Plan 2018’ s promise to prepare every child for college- and careers,

we must strengthen students’personalized learning experience, tailored to their

needs, interests and aspirations.

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K - 5 CCSS Technology Reference

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Grade 6-8 CSSS Technology Reference

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Grade 9-12 CCSS Technology Reference

Goal 1: Maximize academic achievement in a personalized 21st century learning

environment for every child to graduate college and career ready

Goal 6: Inspire and nurture learning, creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship

through technology strategic school redesign

STRATEGIC PLAN 2018 GOAL 1:

Maximize academic achievement in a

personalized 21st-century learning environment

for every child

to graduate college - and career-ready

Advancing Personalized 21st c. Learning: Digital Learning Conversion

DIGITAL LEARNING CONVERSION GOALS

To develop infrastructure, improve teaching methods and use of technology tools in order to:

ENHANCE STUDENT ENGAGEMENT

EXTEND LEARNING TIME

INCREASE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT

DIGITAL LEARNING CONVERSION GOALS

To develop infrastructure, improve teaching methods and use of technology tools in order to

ENHANCE STUDENT ENGAGEMENT

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT

"Our students have become more engaged and active in their learning because of their interest in working with technology."

-Robert Ellyson(Sedgefield Middle School, Principal)

DIGITAL LEARNING CONVERSION GOALS

To develop infrastructure, improve teaching methods and use of technology tools in order to

EXTEND LEARNING TIME

LEARNING TIME

"We were able to complete MAP testing in two days… giving us more time for learning and instruction."

-Nicole Cathy (Professional Development Facilitator,

Carmel Middle School)

DIGITAL LEARNING CONVERSION GOALS

To develop infrastructure, improve teaching methods and use of technology tools in order to

INCREASE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT

Early usage data for adaptive learning tools such as Compass Learning indicate an increase in MAP scores for students who use the software regularly to stretch reading and math skills.

21st Century Learning Environment

• By fall 2014, all 1100 portable classrooms were provided with Internet connection, ensuring equitable access.

• DPI and MCNC conducted a network health assessment and upgraded CMS from 1G to 3Gs in 2014. MCNC upgraded CMS to 20 Gs in 2015. When CMS adds grades 4 and 12, MCNC will upgrade network to 30 Gs.

• Wide area network standards were revised from 10 MBs for elementary and middle and 100 MBs for high school to 50 MBs for elementary, 100 MBs for middle and 500 MBs for high schools in 2014. Standards are now at 100 MBs for elementary; 1GB for middle and high schools.

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Systematic Preparation: Equipping Teachers with Tech Tools

Laptops for teachers to build inspiring lessonsHP Revolves – 4,202 + iPads – 5,515

Building Capacity : Face training, push-in training, CMSLearns.org, Atomic Learning, App of the Week, Instructional Technology Weekly videos

STRATEGIC PLAN 2018 GOAL 6:

Inspire and nurture learning, creativity, innovation

and entrepreneurship through technology and

strategic school design

AnyWhere, AnyTime, AnyOne LearningPlace, Pace, Personal Pathway

Personalized LearningWhile working on infrastructure, CMS simultaneously launched an initiative to building understanding of the instructional shifts necessary to increase personalization of learning based on students’ interests.

Engaging teachers in the pedagogical shift needed to teach students in the way they learn best is the goal of personalized learning.

15 Schools began in cohort 1 of Personalized Learning schools in 2014-15

18 schools in cohort 2 in 2015-16; and

13 new schools for 2016-17

46 schools are engaged in Personalized Learning

Personalized Learning CMS Definition

• Personalized Learning in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools aims to develop the whole child and empower them to take ownership of their learning by providing them with multiple pathways to demonstrate mastery learning in order to be successful and productive 21st century citizens in an ever-changing world.

• Four corner-stones build the foundation in Personalized Learning classrooms: Whole Child, Student Ownership, Mastery Learning and Paces, Playlists and Pathways.

• CMS has developed a personalized learner profile, written and illustrated by students.

What is Personalized Learning?

Personalized Learning in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools aims to develop the whole child and empower students to take ownershipof their learning by providing them with multiple pathways to demonstrate mastery learning in order to be successful and productive 21st century citizens in an ever-changing world.

Whole Child Student Ownership

Mastery Learning Paces, Playlists and Pathways

Whole Child

•Learning environment

•Culture/Climate/Safe

•Space•Learning styles

•Passion/interest-based learning

•Opportunities for global relevance

that develop awareness of other

languages, culture and activities

through virtual opportunities•Strong relationships

•Growth mindset

•Social and emotional awareness

•Morning meetings

Student Ownership

•Student-led conference

•Classroom

•Parents

•Responsible for their learning

Metacognition/Reflection

•Creativity/Innovation

•Entrepreneurship

•Student goal setting•Student Reflection

Mastery Learning

•Using data and making informed

choices based on the use of data

•Resourcefulness•Standards-based learning

•Student growth/Data tracker

•Meta learning

•Understanding own learning

Paces, Playlists and Pathways

•Different learning levels

•Small group mini-lessons

•Learning opportunities outside of the

school day

•Meaningful technology integration

•Authentic and meaningful problems,

challenges, and ideas

•Gaming

•Makerspaces•Flexible schedules

What does Personalized Learning look like?

Cornerstones in Student Voice

The Personalized Learner Profile outlines the attributes teachers strive to foster in students. These skills seldom stand alone and are important for college- and career-readiness in a 21st century learning environment.

These descriptors were written by CMS teachers and school leaders and refined by students.

The Personalized Learner Profile encompasses the essential skills of critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, communication and entrepreneurship.

Supporting Instructional Shift

To support Personalized Learning with fidelity in fifteen Cohort I schools, the following process was developed:

● Intense design experience summer 2014 for school teams of 150 educators, repeated 2015 and 2016

● Learning walks with school teams using PL “Look For’s”

● Coaching teachers on next steps to continuously improve practice based on PL growth model continuum

● Supporting teachers with collaborative feedback about playlists, paces and pathways

Personalized Learning Support Model

Over 50 professional learning sessions described in the PL Course Catalog were provided in year one to support an instructional shift to personalization.

Growing SustainabilityFollowing a gradual release approach, the team focused on training educators to build support for personalized learning organically at the classroom and school levels to ensure success and future sustainability.

Example: FacilitatorAssistant Principal

Scaffolded

training in

schoolhouse

Ongoing Central Services

support

Identify PL LeadTraining and Professional

LearningIn House Support Shadow & Debrief

Based on Leveraging Leadership

Model

Growing Educator Capacity

Digital Responsibility• Teaching digital responsibility—digital literacy AND citizenship--

is essential for all students and staff. When teachers teach students about expectations for routines and behavior in using computers, CMS encourages that digital citizenship be taught. A toolkit with resources is available for all staff.

• Professional learning opportunities for teachers and media coordinators include training in digital citizenship. Media coordinators are our Information Engineers.

• Face and on line training includes SAMR, TPACK, Teaching with Mobile Devices and Digital Tools, Google Apps for Education, the new learning management system Canvas.

• On-line learning for staff and parents is available on demand at Atomic Learning via tutorials.

• Face trainings are provided during planning periods, after school, on Saturdays, on school-based half-days, teacher workdays and summer.

Personalized Learning = Empowerment

Intentionally

Transforming Schools

Takes the Entire

Community

Partnerships are Key to

Success

Increase Student Engagement and Extend Learning Time

Partnership: One Access

• In Fall 2015, CMS and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library launched OneAccess, a technology collaboration that provides every student with access to all resources of the Library, both digital and print.

• Using their CMS identification (ID) number, CMS students can access resources of the Library anytime, anywhere, on any topic of interest. Between October and December 2015, over 100,000 students signed in to the Library resources using their CMS ID number.

Partnership: One Access

• In Fall 2015, CMS and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library launched OneAccess, a technology collaboration that provides every student with access to all resources of the Library, both digital and print.

• Using their CMS identification (ID) number, CMS students can access resources of the Library anytime, anywhere, on any topic. Over 120,000 students have signed in to the Library resources using their CMS ID number.

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Extending Learning Beyond School: Before- and After-School Programs

Use mobile learning labs in before- and after-school programs to extend learning for students, using digital content, increasing confidencein reading and math

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Extending Learning Beyond School:Engaging the Community

Build awareness of expectations of technology integration so community knows what to expect with access to instructional tools and using on line testing to inform teaching

Build understanding of infrastructure need, involving business and community leaders: Tech Summit, Wifi DesertsIToLogy: nonprofit focused on building pipeline of IT workersCyber Saturdays, Day of Code, STEMersion, Microsoft DigiGirls, Geek Squad from Best Buy

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Extend Learning Beyond School: Engaging Parents

Communicate proactively: parents, teachers, community, business and civic leaders, media

Provide online parent links with transparent, real-time data and feedback on students’ learning

Teach parents about new expectations for student work, implications of online testing results

Provide schools with updates for newsletters, talking points for parent meetings, guidelines for device purchase

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Extend Learning Beyond School: Engage Parents

Volunteer coordinators help parents how to extend learning beyond the school day with instructional resources free to any student, accessible anywhere with Internet access. Examples of resources procured for all students include:

DreamBox MathReading A to Z (RAZ Kids)Compass Odyssey LearningDiscovery Education

CMS provides guidelines for preferred BYOD tools, using Smarter Balanced specifications

Extend Learning Beyond School: Engage Care Providers

• CMS Instructional Technology partners with Engagement team to provide training for parents, community partners, faith partners, after- school, and summer care providers. CMS teaches adults who care for students how to help connect students to myriad of digital tools 24/7/365.

• Wherever there is Internet access, students can log on to digital learning tools to extend learning.

• During Summer Learning Blitz 2015, 98% of schools had students engaged in extended learning opportunities using digital tools.

• Training for schools and summer caregivers has already launched for Summer Learning Blitz 2016.

Partnership: Eliminate the Digital Divide (E2D)

E2D is a non-profit founded in 2014 by a CMS middle school student and her family to answer these questions: How can all kids in our school do their homework and projects successfully if their families don’t have technology? What can we do to help?

E2D’s mission is to end the digital divide by equipping all economically disadvantaged students and families in Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools with at-home access to computers, digital broadband, and the digital literacy training necessary to stimulate academic and professional success.Superintendent Clark has asked business partners to donate used laptops to be refurbished and placed in students’ homes.

E2D, in partnership with CMS, has placed over 1100 computers in homes of families in Mecklenburg County.

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IT'S ABOUT THE LEARNING

CMS 79.5%

CMS 79.5%

CMS 79.5%