Idea: #TechNation.
Learning communities: #Postville #CRCSDeagles - Clayton Ridge
We are both schools in a 1:1 computer learning environment. Postville is in their first year. We are in our 3rd year. Both schools are constantly looking at ways to improve learning while using technology as a learning tool. So with brothers being the principals in the two middle schools, the connection was easy to make. Willingly, for the sake of learning, both CR and Postville opened their doors for staff and students from each school to visit, participate and observe different uses of technology in the classroom. The decision to collaborate and mentor one another was to inspire learning for teachers and students alike, and foster a connection for future collaboration efforts using technology.
The first component to create a TechNation was planning.
We took a day during our PLC time in early April to go to Postville to plan the #TechNation experience and establish a community by meeting face to face. We explored the following questions at our meeting: What do we want to get out of our collaboration? How will it impact teaching and learning? How can AEA1 support our efforts?
 |
| Clayton Ridge student using Skype to meet Postville peer. Mrs. Stannard is looking on. She is a fantastic teacher leader who uses technology to impact learning. |
 |
| Clayton Ridge 8th grader meets her Postville partner via Skype. |
April 25 and April 26 were the decided days for the visits to take place. The flow of the day was to showcase some work students have done with technology. Also students participated in a panel discussion where teachers and students could ask questions about our digital learning environment. Another part of the day was to have teachers showcase some of their planning and work while using technology. Lastly, students and teachers participated in classes. Students partnered with another student from the home school and shadowed their schedule that day. Teachers were free to roam throughout the building. They were encouraged to do interviews, sit in classes and complete walk throughs as they observed.
 |
| Clayton Ridge MS student demonstrates to Postville students a RAP they created in Writer's Workshop using Garageband. |
 |
| Student shadows. Clayton Ridge Students were paired with a Postville student to shadow for the day. |
 |
| Clayton Ridge MS teacher C. Werges demonstrates some of her favorite web tools to use to engage students. |
 |
| Postville students demonstrating a project they created using Popplet. |
 |
| Mrs. Salinas and Mrs. Olson from Postville hash over ideas after their visit to CRMS classrooms. Photo submitted by Deb Henkes from Keystone AEA |
To end the day - we sat in a round table discussion and debriefed one another about the day's events. Both days were great days! We learned so much about each school, that lead far beyond just using technology as a tool for learning. There is so much potential with creating a collaborative learning environment outside of our District walls. As our tech integration specialist, I would love to see CR students and teachers getting out of our comfort zones and reach out to more 1:1 schools for better teaching and learning experiences. We are doing some fantastic things with technology in our District and I would really like us to continue to be a leader 1:1 school in many different ways.
 |
| Clayton Ridge MS 6-8 students arriving at Postville. |
 |
| Clayton Ridge 7th grader demonstrates the making of a stop motion video to a Postville student. Photo submitted by Deb Henkes - Keystone AEA. |
