Bridging the Gap: Digital Video Use in SAISD

OVERCOMING GAPS
These positive comments and level of effectiveness in the teaching and learning environment are astonishing in spite of the challenges SAISD educators faced in Year 1 of implementation. Based on the study conducted, it became clear that all teachers in SAISD will not realize the benefits of digital video until the District bridges these gaps. These gaps include the following: 1) Bandwidth; 2) Hardware available in the Teachers' Classrooms; and 3) Professional Development.

GAP #1: Bandwidth
Bandwidth was a clear impediment to implementation in the early 2003-2004 school year. A middle school teacher, shared that, "Bandwidth is too narrow." And, that was undeniable during the first year of implementation. While many elementary schools had the necessary bandwidth to view videos over the network, middle and high schools did not except at non-peak use times. This was reflected in comments such as those shared below:
  Students are frustrated when they attempt to access a video for an assignment...Bandwidth is ridiculous...those teachers without access to a CD burner give up trying to use AIMS DC...bad internet connections...many times the video does not show—can only hear sound...here at the high school, download is too slow


BRIDGING THE Bandwidth GAP
Since implementation in September, 2003, the District has added Gigaman, ensuring high speed access to digital video. It has also purchased a digital video server that will be placed on the District’s backbone. Combined with Gigaman, the digital video server will enable SAISD campuses very quick delivery of digital video to teachers’ desktop computers.

By Fall, 2004, the entire District will enjoy the benefits of faster access. Bandwidth and increased access to videos will enhance the experiences of those users represented in the comments above, who made comments prior to the acquisition of increased bandwidth and video server:

GAP #2: Hardware Access
Yet, increasing bandwidth was not enough. Another chasm to cross, writes one teacher, is the "lack of hardware to go around. Our computers are old and the ones fast enough to show the videos are limited in number." The teacher goes on to write, "You cannot download a video to CD and show it on anything but a computer." Once again, digital video calls attention to a challenge that the entire District faces. Due to other funding priorities, the District could not fund in its entirety a replacement cycle for computers, digital projectors, scan converters to connect computers to televisions, and S-Video televisions. Through previous funding efforts, some digital video equipment was purchased for campuses. Also, through an enhancement program, campuses received funding through TIF grants for additional items. Comments reflected in this gap include the following:
  Having the equipment to do this—s-video, tv, CD burners, etc....don’t have appropriate hardware to project videos...lack of hardware...don’t have enough computers—the computers we do have are being used for Successmaker...not enough headphones in the classrooms or with the portable lab that have the proper jacks...lack of a technology assistant to assist in set-up and lack of hardware needed to hook up everything...lack of equipment for implementation...dependability of hardware/computers; often they freeze, have trouble with plug-ins.


BRIDGING THE Hardware Access GAP
With these issues in mind, this resulted in the need to pursue a multi-million dollar request for proposals in the Spring of 2004. On April 27th, the School Board approved selection of Dell Computer as the vendor of choice for new equipment coming into the District. Now, based on student enrollment, mobile laptop carts will find their way into all schools. The Dell laptops come with CDRW/DVD-R combo drives, digital projectors, and the necessary equipment to show and edit digital videos in the classroom. Increased access to new hardware, preloaded with the software and plug-ins needed to ensure successful display of digital video will find their way into SAISD campuses by Fall, 2004, if not sooner.

GAP #3: Transforming Attitudes Towards Digital Video through Professional Development
As bandwidth and hardware access increase, it is important to involve key personnel from every campus in the District over 90 campuses and bring them in for professional development. Knowing “how to use” a new technology, while important, pales in importance to using it appropriately in the classroom. Several questions need to be considered, including the following: a) How is AIMS DC being used currently?; b) What professional development is needed?; and c) How does the District staff’s low level of technology implementation (LOTI) affect any technology implementation?

a) How is AIMS DC being used currently?
Increasing teachers' level of technology implementation (LOTI —http://itls.saisd.net/loti) to the target technology level required by state and federal legislation, has been an ongoing goal. Pressure mounts for teachers to find "time to browse, practice and learn." Perhaps, more importantly, time is needed for district curriculum specialists to "include it in the scope and sequence." The study showed that only 26.6% of the survey respondents—specifically, academic coordinating teachers—stated that AIMS DC was being used for teaching and planning, even though students are using AIMS Digital Curriculum about 65.9% of the time each month. Student use has focused primarily on research (32%), assignments (29.6%), and browsing (28.5%). It was clear that respondents used AIMS Digital Curriculum as an add-on, rather than central to the curriculum. This can only be replaced if AIMS Digital Curriculum is fully integrated into the scope and sequences, a project that is underway with the approval of Curriculum & Instruction Department and the Offices of Instructional Technology and Library Media Services.

b) What professional development is needed?
The two key areas for additional training include burning CDs and learning how to “integrate AIMS Digital Curriculum” into the curriculum. Yet, teachers have trouble with being “unable to find appropriate videos,” “finding the video and knowing what to look for,” and finding the “key words in search” highlight additional professional development needs for teachers. Additional training is also needed. With LOTI data in hand, it is clear that most SAISD campuses simply need more training that builds up their comfort level with using technology. “Lack of time and training” was the most often mentioned point that teachers shared.

c) How does the District staff’s low level of technology implementation (LOTI) affect any technology implementation? It’s about professional development, not just hardware and bandwidth.
Using the CEO Forum's StaR Chart, adapted for Texas, San Antonio ISD is measured at "Developing Technology" level. The StaR Chart serves as a measure used by No Child Left Behind, as well as the Texas Education Agency for funding purposes. Dr. Chris Moersch, creator of the scientifically validated and reliability-tested Levels of Technology Implementation (LOTI) Instrument characterizes "developing technology" in the following way:
  Technology-based tools supplement the existing instructional program (e.g., tutorials, educational games, basic skill applications) or complement selected multimedia and/or web-based projects (e.g., internet-based research papers, informational multimedia presentations) at the knowledge/comprehension level. The electronic technology is employed either as extension activities, enrichment exercises, or technology-based tools and generally reinforces the content under investigation.

In other words, technology integration at this level is primarily teacher-directed and serves as an add-on—exactly the way that AIMS DC is being used according to the AIMS Digital Curriculum Usage Survey conducted. In SAISD, which just went through a comprehensive needs assessment process, the primary level of technology implementation was shown to be: Level 0 — NonUse at 32% to Level 1 — Awareness at 12.8% district wide with a total of 44.8% at what the Texas StaR Chart calls "Entry tech."

Since 44.8% teachers are at a Entry tech level of progress, those teachers needed additional professional development to use technology, in particular digital video. Teacher technology end-use calls for a generalized focus on developing those skills. There is a clear need for infusion of technology at the target technology level within the scope and sequence. This difference explains why half the District is using digital video, while the other half is wondering what is going on. This is the digital divide, the gap between what could be and what is.
 

BRIDGING THE Professional Development GAP
Bridging the gap in SAISD must be focused on professional development. Not just how to burn CDs of the videos, but also how to integrate it into classroom lessons. It is integration that must be modeled, not just by Library Media Services and Instructional Technology, but every curriculum specialist, CIC, department head, librarians, and academic coordinating teacher who works with teachers and students. As AIMS DC is infused in core content area resources as part of the scope and sequence, then this gap will be lessened.

ENHANCING LESSONS
Enhancing lessons that employ technology so as to impact student achievement can be done through use of a lesson design rubric.
Enhancing lessons with the use of technology impacts student achievement will be done through the use of the lesson design rubric. The rubric focuses on guiding lesson planners in 7 areas. These are outlined below:
 
  1. Motivational effectiveness of introduction: Look for an introduction that engagingly describes a compelling question or problem.
  2. Connection of task to district's scope and sequence: Look for a task that requires synthesis, analysis, and/or evaluation and specifically addresses objectives within the district's scope and sequence.
  3. Cognitive level of the task: Look for a task that elicits thinking that goes beyond rote comprehension and is at the higher levels of Bloom's Taxonomy.
  4. Clarity of process: Look for clearly stated steps and that students know exactly where they are at each step of the process.
  5. Relevance & Quantity of Resources: Look for a clear and meaningful connection between all the resources and the information needed for students to accomplish the task. Each resource carries its weight addressing various objectives of the entire lesson.
  6. Quality of resources if Applicable: Look for varied resources that provide meaningful information that students can use to evaluate and create products appropriate to their comprehension level.
  7. Clarity of Evaluation Criteria: Look for rubrics that include qualitative and quantitative descriptors, measuring what students must know to accomplish.

Not surprisingly, the higher the level of technology implementation (LOTI), the higher lessons score on the rubric. When technology is used as a tool to identify and solve real life problems (LOTI 4), the motivational effectiveness of an introduction can be enhanced.

The Offices of Instructional Technology and Library Media Services will launch an aggressive training schedule that will mark the beginning of Year 2 implementation. You can find classes on AIMS DC integration and other related topics online at http://itls.saisd.net/pd

We hope that you will take advantage of these opportunities to enhance how you approach teaching and learning in your classroom, and how you make connections to digital video in the scope and sequence.