Download a PDF of the Key Takeaways
On Thursday, June 11, 2020, Education Week will be hosting an online summit to examine how the massive school closures caused by the coronavirus and the rapid transition to remote learning across the country is re-shaping the role and use of technology in schools now and for years to come. During this virtual event, Education Week writers and editors and their expert guests will staff “discussion rooms” that tackle a set of issues that are very much top-of-mind for teachers, principals, and district leaders, who are arguably working under the most difficult circumstances ever.
Education Week’s newsroom offers you an opportunity to ask tough questions and better understand the educational technology challenges facing schools as they struggle to figure out what the next steps are for the K-12 system. In this Online Summit, Education Week journalists and their guests will be fielding your questions and guiding the conversations in discussion rooms on a host of topics, including:
• How the nationwide move to remote learning is expanding significantly the percentage of schools with 1-to-1 computing opportunities for students, and what that means for teaching and learning.
• What educators need to do to bridge tech equity gaps, which the coronavirus school closures revealed as schools moved learning from their buildings to students’ homes.
• How the scramble to put together remote learning programs was messy and frustrating but led to teachers developing valuable virtual teaching skills.
• Why the massive move to remote learning raised already heightened concerns about students spending too much time in front of computer screens.
• What technology steps schools need to take now to get ready for next year, whether school buildings are reopened or remote learning continues into the 2020-21 academic year.
• The lessons learned during this massive remote learning experiment about what might work better in training teachers how to use technology more effectively to improve student learning?
Agenda
1:00–3:00 p.m. ET | Discussions Open
1:00–3:00 p.m. ET
Teaching and learning in the new ed-tech landscape. Big disruption or business as usual?
The rush to get schools up and running with remote learning during the coronavirus school closures prompted districts across the country to scramble to purchase huge numbers of digital devices for their schools. The result, in the span of just a month this spring, there was a significant increase in the percentage of school district leaders who said they provided each student with a digital learning device, from 44 to 52 percent of district leaders saying they do so for elementary students, 68 to 84 percent for middle school kids, and 68 to 88 percent for high schoolers, according to an EdWeek Research Center survey. What impact will this rapid and massive shift toward 1-to-1 computing environments have on teaching and learning?
Sarah Porisch
Director of Technology,
Brainerd Public Schools, Brainerd, Minn.
Mark Racine
Chief Information Officer,
Boston Public Schools
Patti Salzmann
Chief Academic Officer, Division of Academics and School Leadership,
San Antonio Independent School District
1:00–3:00 p.m. ET
The big tech equity challenges schools are up against. Can they fix them?
Schools have made significant progress in improving access to technology for all students, thanks in large part to the federal e-rate program and other efforts to expand WiFi access. But the coronavirus school closures exposed huge equity gaps around access to technology at home. In districts with the lowest percentages of students from low-income families, just 1 in 5 leaders reported in late March that a lack of basic technology is a “major” problem, compared with nearly two-thirds of leaders in districts where the highest percentages of students are from low-income families, according a survey conducted by the EdWeek Research Center. That puts school districts, states, and the federal government in the difficult position of figuring out how to bridge those gaps.
Mark Lieberman is a reporter for Education Week who covers school finance.
Richard E. Ferdig
Summit Professor of Learning Technologies and Professor of Instructional Technology,
Kent State University
Antonio Romayor
Chief Technology Officer,
El Centro Elementary School District, El Centro, Calif.
Lisa Spencer
Executive Director, Instructional Technology & Support,
Prince George's County Public Schools, Upper Marlboro, Md.
1:00–3:00 p.m. ET
The rising value (or not) of virtual teaching skills.
The scramble to put together remote learning programs during the coronavirus school closures forced teachers across the country, most of whom had never taught a virtual class before, to jump online and figure out how to do it very quickly. It was messy and frustrating for many, but along the way they developed virtual teaching skills they never needed before. Will those skills be much more highly regarded not just while school buildings are closed but once they reopen too, and well into the future? Or, some experts suggest that once students and teachers return to their school buildings, there could be a backlash against raising the value of virtual teaching skills, because many teachers developed very negative feelings about remote teaching during the school closures. What virtual teaching skills have educators learned that will serve them well in the months and years ahead?
Sarah Schwartz is a reporter for Education Week who covers curriculum and instruction.
Brandi Argentar
Science Teacher and Technology Coach,
Adlai E. Stevenson High School, Lincolnshire, Ill.
Betty Chandy
Director for Online Learning,
Catalyst@Penn GSE, a center for educational innovation, University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education
Laura Haddad
English Teacher and Technology Coach,
Glastonbury High School, Glastonbury, Conn.
1:00–3:00 p.m. ET
Too much screen time. Should we be worried?
As millions of students nationwide participated in remote learning programs during the coronavirus school closures, a massive research analysis sounded another note of caution about the effects of exposing children, particularly younger ones, to significantly more screen time. The meta-analysis in the journal JAMA Pediatrics found that while high-quality educational screen content is associated with better language skills, more overall time on screens each day, regardless of its quality, is linked to lower language development. Those findings are important for educators to consider while students are learning remotely, but also if students return to schools in the fall where access to digital learning devices for all ages will likely be much higher than it was before the school closures.
Sarah D. Sparks covers the teaching profession and pedagogy for Education Week.
Jenny Radesky
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Medical School, Department of Pediatrics,
Division of Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics, University of Michigan
GG Weisenfeld
Assistant Research Professor,
National Institute for Early Education Research, Rutgers University, Graduate School of Education
1:00–3:00 p.m. ET
What technology steps schools need to take now to get ready for next year.
There is still quite a bit of confusion about what the next school year will look like as far as the use of educational technology. This discussion will examine the steps schools are taking to get tech ready for the 2020-21 academic year, based on three scenarios: 1) Buildings reopen and stay open 2) Buildings are still closed 3) Buildings reopen but then must close again. What should the preparation for these three different scenarios look like for the use of educational technology? And what might get in the way of making this a smooth transition?
Sean Cavanagh is the managing editor of EdWeek Market Brief.
Keith R. Krueger
CEO,
Consortium for School Networking (CoSN)
Steven Langford
Chief Information Officer,
Beaverton School District, Beaverton, Ore.
Tom Ryan
Chief Information and Strategy Officer,
Santa Fe Public School District, Santa Fe, N.M.
1:00–3:00 p.m. ET
Teachers, technology, and professional development. What’s missing?
The coronavirus school closures showed that while many teachers are quick learners when it comes to mastering new technologies, many others struggle to figure out how to use technologies to enhance student learning. This was the case before the coronavirus, but the wide disparities in skill levels became especially noticeable as schools made the wholesale shift to remote teaching. What lessons were learned during this difficult stretch about what might work better in training teachers how to use technology more effectively to improve student learning?
Kevin Bushweller oversees coverage of educational technology and learning environments for Education Week.
Amy Campbell
2019-2020 Washington State Teacher of the Year, and Special Education Teacher,
Helen Baller Elementary School, Camas, Wash.
Mike Flynn
Director,
Mathematics Leadership Programs, Mount Holyoke College
Melinda George
Chief Policy Officer,
Learning Forward
1:00–3:00 p.m. ET
Building Confidence in Remote Teaching and Learning
Content provided by MicrosoftEDU
No matter where you are on the journey to implement your blended or distance learning plan, Microsoft Education enables schools to continue building communities of learners while also achieving student outcome goals. Join Microsoft Learning Consultant, Danielle Olson, to experience how educators, district leaders, and administrators are using Microsoft Education Tools to seamlessly collaborate, monitor progress, provide individualized feedback, and engage with students and colleagues.
No matter where you are on the journey to implement your blended or distance learning plan, Microsoft Education enables schools to continue building communities of learners while also achieving student outcome goals. Join Microsoft Learning Consultant, Danielle Olson, to experience how educators, district leaders, and administrators are using Microsoft Education Tools to seamlessly collaborate, monitor progress, provide individualized feedback, and engage with students and colleagues.
Danielle Olson
Microsoft Learning Consultant
1:00–3:00 p.m. ET
How Educators Can Create Meaningful Learning Experiences Online—Now and in the Future
Content provided by Learning.com
In this booth, we will share strategies for designing high-impact learning experiences online.
Topics will include:
Our goal is to help educators make distance learning an active and creative experience, support the diverse needs of students, and lay the foundation for new approaches to learning even in the future.
• Empowering students with critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration.
• Connecting with students and fostering a virtual classroom community.
• Bridging the digital readiness gap by supporting digital literacy and citizenship.
• Committing to equity for all students with technology.
• Optimizing instruction for synchronous and asynchronous learning.
• Activating learning through student-led and hands-on activities.
In this booth, we will share strategies for designing high-impact learning experiences online.
Topics will include:
Our goal is to help educators make distance learning an active and creative experience, support the diverse needs of students, and lay the foundation for new approaches to learning even in the future.
• Empowering students with critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration.
• Connecting with students and fostering a virtual classroom community.
• Bridging the digital readiness gap by supporting digital literacy and citizenship.
• Committing to equity for all students with technology.
• Optimizing instruction for synchronous and asynchronous learning.
• Activating learning through student-led and hands-on activities.
Jake Jung
Mathematics and Computer Science Administrator,
Brooklyn, N.Y.
Nicasia Anzalone Caires
eLearning Instructional Design Expert & Senior Implementation Specialist,
Learning.com
1:00–3:00 p.m. ET
How to Successfully Implement At-Home Learning: One District’s Story
Content provided by Istation
Effectively implementing educational technology for school and home should be a top priority for educational leaders during these unprecedented times. Join the discussion with educators from across the country. Learn ways parents and students can transition to distance learning with ease. Plus, discuss how districts can keep students engaged and on track to powerful academic growth through summer school and the 2020-21 school year. Educators will hear implementation best practices, tips for solving ed-tech hurdles, and actionable next steps for leveling up their ed-tech implementation.
Effectively implementing educational technology for school and home should be a top priority for educational leaders during these unprecedented times. Join the discussion with educators from across the country. Learn ways parents and students can transition to distance learning with ease. Plus, discuss how districts can keep students engaged and on track to powerful academic growth through summer school and the 2020-21 school year. Educators will hear implementation best practices, tips for solving ed-tech hurdles, and actionable next steps for leveling up their ed-tech implementation.
Gretchen Kinghorn
Federal Programs Coordinator,
Pocatello/Chubbuck School District 25, Pocatello, Idaho
Kimberly Thompson
Pocatello/Chubbuck School District 25, Pocatello, Idaho,
ELA Coach and Consultant
1:00–3:00 p.m. ET
Bring SEL Home: Experts Share Tips and Resources to Use In Class—and Beyond
Content provided by Gale, a Cengage company
1 in 5 teens suffer from mental health challenges—and more than 75 percent don’t seek help. Now, more than ever, is the time to provide trustworthy resources that students can turn to when they need them most. In this discussion, social and emotional learning experts will share:
• How schools can support SEL now and in the fall
• Ways to help students cope with everyday stressors, adjust to social distancing and virtual learning, and understand they’re not alone
• Where to find credible, confidential online resources for students at every age and stage
• Tips for educators to manage stress and anxiety
1 in 5 teens suffer from mental health challenges—and more than 75 percent don’t seek help. Now, more than ever, is the time to provide trustworthy resources that students can turn to when they need them most. In this discussion, social and emotional learning experts will share:
• How schools can support SEL now and in the fall
• Ways to help students cope with everyday stressors, adjust to social distancing and virtual learning, and understand they’re not alone
• Where to find credible, confidential online resources for students at every age and stage
• Tips for educators to manage stress and anxiety
1:00–3:00 p.m. ET
Mind the Gaps: How to Identify Where Students Are and How to Support Their Learning Needs
Content provided by Voyager Sopris Learning
To support students at risk for falling behind in reading and math, educators need to quickly and efficiently identify learning gaps before they can provide interventions to raise proficiency and scores. For accurately assessing student learning needs, teachers must be equipped with valid and reliable assessment tools that provide early identification of students with skills deficits, highlight instructional needs, and offer ongoing progress monitoring. Join this informative conversation with respected researcher Roland Good III of Acadience® Learning as he discusses how to screen students and provide direction for targeted interventions that support RTI and MTSS to positively impact student outcomes.
To support students at risk for falling behind in reading and math, educators need to quickly and efficiently identify learning gaps before they can provide interventions to raise proficiency and scores. For accurately assessing student learning needs, teachers must be equipped with valid and reliable assessment tools that provide early identification of students with skills deficits, highlight instructional needs, and offer ongoing progress monitoring. Join this informative conversation with respected researcher Roland Good III of Acadience® Learning as he discusses how to screen students and provide direction for targeted interventions that support RTI and MTSS to positively impact student outcomes.
Carrie Doom
Vice President of Implementation,
Western U.S., Voyager Sopris Learning
Roland Good, III
President, Director of Research Analysis, and Associate Director of Research and Development,
Acadience Learning, and co-author of Acadience® Reading
1:00–3:00 p.m. ET
Taking Learning Online: Exploring Your Experiences and Insights
Content provided by Spectrum Enterprise
Data from the Speak Up Research Initiative indicates since March 2020
• 48% more teachers now say that they want to learn how to implement a blended class
• 70% more teachers now say they want to learn how to create teaching videos
• Teacher interest in learning how to teach online doubled in 8 weeks
Let's spend this time exploring our insights to questions like:
• What have we learned?
• What does learning look like today and how will it differ in 2020-21?
• What do you want to continue doing and what will you abandon?
• What are parents thinking and what are their expectations?
Data from the Speak Up Research Initiative indicates since March 2020
• 48% more teachers now say that they want to learn how to implement a blended class
• 70% more teachers now say they want to learn how to create teaching videos
• Teacher interest in learning how to teach online doubled in 8 weeks
Let's spend this time exploring our insights to questions like:
• What have we learned?
• What does learning look like today and how will it differ in 2020-21?
• What do you want to continue doing and what will you abandon?
• What are parents thinking and what are their expectations?
Julie A. Evans
CEO,
Project Tomorrow
1:00–3:00 p.m. ET
Digital Curriculum in the New Era of Distance Learning: What Really Matters?
Content provided by Apex Learning
Digital curriculum should support all students in achieving their potential. Visit proven industry veteran Apex Learning at their virtual booth to understand what to look for in a digital curriculum and why. Learn how pedagogy that engages students in active learning, content built to standards, and best-in-class success services can help support your students’ distance learning needs.
Digital curriculum should support all students in achieving their potential. Visit proven industry veteran Apex Learning at their virtual booth to understand what to look for in a digital curriculum and why. Learn how pedagogy that engages students in active learning, content built to standards, and best-in-class success services can help support your students’ distance learning needs.
1:00–3:00 p.m. ET
How Can School Districts Support and Secure Their Investments in Remote Learning Devices?
Content provided by Acer
As school districts across the country scramble to purchase large numbers of digital devices and get remote learning up and running, many are focusing only on the purchase without considering the quality of the support that comes afterward. Buying equipment that comes with customer service, software training, built-in warranties, and accidental damage coverage can reduce operating costs, ensure workable equipment, and free teachers from handling technical issues so they can focus on teaching. Learn more about the impact that post-purchase support can have on your district’s digital equipment investment.
As school districts across the country scramble to purchase large numbers of digital devices and get remote learning up and running, many are focusing only on the purchase without considering the quality of the support that comes afterward. Buying equipment that comes with customer service, software training, built-in warranties, and accidental damage coverage can reduce operating costs, ensure workable equipment, and free teachers from handling technical issues so they can focus on teaching. Learn more about the impact that post-purchase support can have on your district’s digital equipment investment.
Carlos D’Angerio
Territory Account Manager,
Acer
Lynne Edgehill
Territory Account Manager,
Acer
Nidhi Tassone
Senior Manager, Commercial Marketing,
Acer
Jessica Weng
Commercial Marketing Manager,
Acer
Jennifer Wadland
Senior Director U.S. Channel,
Acer
1:00–3:00 p.m. ET
Find Success in Online K-12 Learning
Content provided by Florida Virtual Schools
With so much uncertainty and questions about what school will look like, let our experts answer some of your most burning questions, including:
1. Is online learning as effective as classroom learning?
2. How do you support elementary learners online?
3. What are best practices for student/teacher and administrator/teacher engagement?
4. Is there a “getting started” roadmap?
5. How do you effectively support teachers and students in an online setting?
6. What are best practices for onboarding and training teachers and other staff?
7. What is the difference between asynchronous and synchronous learning? Is one more effective than the other?
With so much uncertainty and questions about what school will look like, let our experts answer some of your most burning questions, including:
1. Is online learning as effective as classroom learning?
2. How do you support elementary learners online?
3. What are best practices for student/teacher and administrator/teacher engagement?
4. Is there a “getting started” roadmap?
5. How do you effectively support teachers and students in an online setting?
6. What are best practices for onboarding and training teachers and other staff?
7. What is the difference between asynchronous and synchronous learning? Is one more effective than the other?
Donovan Hadaway
Account Manager,
FLVS Global Team, Florida Virtual School
Christy Cleugh
Digital Education Consultant,
FLVS Global Team, Florida Virtual School
Sarah Latimer
Account Manager,
FLVS Global Team, Florida Virtual School
1:00–3:00 p.m. ET
Homeroom to Home: Blended Learning Tools and Techniques to Build Instructional Resilience in 2020-21
Content provided by PowerSchool
The COVID-19 outbreak didn’t create the need for distance learning. But it certainly put a spotlight on the importance of building resilient instructional systems that support students, wherever they are, regardless of their individual situation, and in whatever manner they learn best. Whether you need to implement—or improve—your distance learning or blended learning program, PowerSchool and Schoology can help.
In this booth, we will discuss how to:
• Get started with distance learning
• Engage students remotely
• Deliver online PD to teachers
• Assess instructional gaps for students and teachers
• Connect special education to instruction.
The COVID-19 outbreak didn’t create the need for distance learning. But it certainly put a spotlight on the importance of building resilient instructional systems that support students, wherever they are, regardless of their individual situation, and in whatever manner they learn best. Whether you need to implement—or improve—your distance learning or blended learning program, PowerSchool and Schoology can help.
In this booth, we will discuss how to:
• Get started with distance learning
• Engage students remotely
• Deliver online PD to teachers
• Assess instructional gaps for students and teachers
• Connect special education to instruction.