Learning Goes 1:1 @ Coachella Valley USD

The Coachella Valley Unified School District boldly deployed an iPad for every student this year. From kindergarteners through high school seniors, all 18,000 students of CVUSD were able to get an iPad checked out to them for the year. The CVUSD staff acknowledges that the road to a 1:1 implementation is not always smooth. But through hard work, perseverance and belief in what they are doing, the teachers and students have made great strides in using this technology to enhance teaching and learning.

I visited CVUSD's Cahuilla Desert Academy (CDA) on May 29th. On that day, a group of educators from across southern California were given a chance to see middle school students using their tablets to transform learning in their classrooms. The morning started in CDA's high tech library media center with presentations by several students. And the visit ended with presentations from Superintendent Dr. Darryl Adams, Director of K-12 Technology Michelle Murphy, and Mobile Learning Initiative Administrator Isreal Oliveros. In between those times, the group was able to visit many of the classrooms and see the technology in action. All of the visitors that day were impressed with the overall integration of technology into the curriculum.

In particular, I was struck with Mr. Ham's 7th grade biology class. Like many 7th grade science teachers in California, Mr. Ham had his students dissecting owl pellets. However, Mr. Ham's students were also engaged in a transformational use of technology. These students were using their iPads to capture snippets of video during each stage of the process of their owl pellet project. So by the time these students had gone through the process of dissecting the pellets, sorting and classifying the bones, and reconstructing the skeleton of the small mammal eaten by the owl, they had compiled a video montage of the entire process. Then they could then narrate their video in oder to deepen their understanding of body structures and to share their learning. With permission from Coachella Valley USD, here are a few of the final students video projects:
Video 1
Video 2
Video 3

During his presentation, Dr. Adams pointed out the importance of having access to technology available to every student in the district. He stressed that the students in his community deserved no less than what students in higher wealth communities have access to. It was a powerful sight to move from classroom to classroom seeing students engaged in their learning.and seamlessly incorporating technology into their activities.

Dennis Large
educator & learner
@dennislarge

DIGICOM @ Palm Springs USD

Palm Springs USD held their 6th annual DIGICOM Student Film Festival on Tuesday, May 6th. The event was a great success. It was fun to see the students, and their parents, and their teachers all dressed up and excited about the awards ceremony. But it was the digital media projects themselves that were the center of the show.

Graphic used with permission from Palm Springs USD

All of the projects were deserving of the DIGICOM showcase, but my favorites were the personal stories. It was surprising to see such honesty and depth of perception in these student films. That is what brought me back to the event this year, and DIGICOM 2014 did not disappoint. What struck me most deeply as I was watching the films was that these students, from primary grades through high school, are really finding their digital voices. They are telling stories from their own perspectives, and they are using a wide variety of approaches - from fantasy, to informational, to persuasive, to drama and comedy. The common thread is that these students have gone beyond having the technology be at the center of the projects. These projects focus on content and storytelling. That is the real accomplishment of Dr. Lee Grafton (Digital Media Specialist for Palm Springs USD) who heads up this year-round project for her district.

I would like to congratulate all of the students and teachers who put so much effort into making these wonderful projects. The projects will all be posted at the DIGICOM website soon. Dr. Grafton, along with all of the teachers, professional developers, and technical staff who work throughout the year to make digital storytelling a vital part of teaching and learning in Palm Springs USD would appreciate having you visit the website to view these projects.

Dennis Large
educator & learner
@dennislarge