David W. Deeds' presentation for the Alliance for International Education's 2016 World Conference: "Engaging with Digital Difference." Overall conference theme: "Engaging with Difference: Finding Ways Forward." Your students are (almost!) ready for technology integration. Are your teachers and administrators ready? Use the NMC K-12 Horizon Report as a framework to get started.

1. Engaging with
Digital Difference
David W. Deeds
Technology Integrator
Alliance for
International Education
World Conference
2016

2. Engaging with Digital Difference
Introduction
• Technology Integrator/Teacher for Yew Wah
International Education School of Yantai, China
• 15 years in education, 50-50 higher ed and K-12
• PhD in Educational Technology, MS degrees in
Education and Software Engineering
• Regular international edtech conference presenter

3. Engaging with Digital Difference
Recent Presentations
www.slideshare.net/davidwdeeds/uschina-smart-education-
conference-collaborative-knowledge-building

4. Engaging with Digital Difference
Recent Presentations
www.slideshare.net/davidwdeeds/2015-nmc-conference-full-
steam-ahead-via-change-management-david-w-deeds

5. Engaging with Digital Difference
Your students are (almost!) ready for technology
integration. Are your administrators and teachers
ready? Do you have checklists?

6. Engaging with Digital Difference
Administrators:
• Is technology integration your #1 budget priority?
• Is your Technology Integrator full-time?
• Is technology integration a vital (if not primary!)
factor re: teacher evaluations?
Teachers:
• Do you accept that technology integration is much
more than just using a PC and a projector?
• Do you understand what you need to do, and are
you willing to invest the time and effort (money)?

7. Engaging with Digital Difference
Students:
• Are you willing to meet the challenges involved
with being in charge of your learning experiences?

8. Engaging with Digital Difference
Why Technology Integration…Seriously?
• Necessary preparation for students’ futures
• Active vs. passive role, hands-on, collaboration
• Personalization, differentiation, individualization
• Assessment via projects, real-world scenarios
• Actualizes global (digital) citizenship principles
• Edtech is ultimate means of student engagement
The question is no longer WHY, it’s HOW!

9. Engaging with Digital Difference
Mechanics vs. Methodologies:
• Not simply a matter of knowing how to push the
buttons (use hardware and software)!
• Administrators, teachers and students all need to
be properly prepared for technology integration

10. Engaging with Digital Difference
What is Technology Integration?
• Seamless/transparent: Edtech used in every class, but
as a means to an end vs. an end in itself
• Student- vs. teacher-centric: Teacher is guide on the
side vs. sage on the stage (role changes)
• Problem-solving, including defining the problem itself!
• Project-based: Task- or goal-oriented, but the process is
more important than the outcome (cycle!)
• Built-in resilience: If it doesn’t work, try something else!
• Constantly changing: Everyone must evolve with it!

11. Engaging with Digital Difference
Debunking the Edtech Myths
• Technology integration = impersonal teaching/learning
• Online learning is not as effective as onground
• Classroom edtech use is distracting (who/what exactly?)
• Learning styles are real (except maybe hands-on!)
• Teachers must be omniscient to be respected
• Using the Internet is dangerous, mentally/physically
• Kids are already addicted to using their devices
• Playing games (having fun!) is not teaching/learning

12. Engaging with Digital Difference
Example Project #1:
Connect with China Collaborative
www.connectchinacollaborative.com

13. Engaging with Digital Difference
Example Project #2:
Humanities Urban Planning Unit: Minecraft

14. Engaging with Digital Difference
Need a framework? NMC K-12 Horizon Report:
www.nmc.org/publication/nmc-horizon-report-2015-k-12-edition
Available in English, Chinese and Korean!

15. Engaging with Digital Difference
Time-to-Adoption Horizons
One Year or Less:
• Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)
• Makerspaces
Two to Three Years:
• 3D Printing
• Adaptive Learning Technologies
Four to Five Years:
• Digital Badges
• Wearable Technologies

16. Engaging with Digital Difference
Impacting Trends
Short-Term:
• Increasing Use of Blended Learning
• Rise of STEAM Learning
Mid-Term:
• Increasing Use of Collaborative Learning Approaches
• Shift from Students as Consumers to Creators
Long-Term:
• Rethinking How Schools Work
• Shift to Deeper Learning Approaches

17. Engaging with Digital Difference
Impeding Challenges
Solvable:
• Creating Authentic Learning Opportunities
• Integrating Technology in Teacher Training
Difficult:
• Personalizing Learning
• Rethinking the Roles of Teachers
Wicked:
• Scaling Teaching Innovations
• Teaching Complex Thinking

18. Engaging with Digital Difference
Discussion: Trends
• Increasing Use of Blended Learning
• Rise of STEAM Learning (Makerspaces)
• Increasing Use of Collaborative Learning Approaches
• Shift from Students as Consumers to Creators
All inextricably linked, in my own humble opinion! Start
with one and you can create a “domino effect” re: other
implementations.

19. Engaging with Digital Difference
Discussion: Trends
What has worked?
• Mandatory online classes for teachers and students
• Makerspaces “easy win” because of low initial cost
• Global collaboration projects with infrastructure
What hasn’t worked?
• Making anything optional: always excuses
• Fear of linking progress with teacher evaluations
• Failure to prepare students for project-based learning

20. Engaging with Digital Difference
Discussion: Challenges
• Creating Authentic Learning Opportunities
• Integrating Technology in Teacher Training
• Personalizing Learning
• Rethinking the Roles of Teachers
• Scaling Teaching Innovations
Need to change perspectives to overcome challenges,
e.g., Getting Teachers to Rethink Their Roles!

21. Engaging with Digital Difference
Discussion: Challenges
What has worked?
• Using real-world scenarios as unit foundations
• Technology as (necessary!) means of differentiation
• Mechanics first, but not forgetting methodologies
What hasn’t worked?
• Enabling teachers to continue “business as usual”
• Failure to present “new model” and paths
• Isolating teacher training: individuals vs. subjects

22. Engaging with Digital Difference
Discussion: Solutions
• Use edtech to solve biggest problem (e.g., language)
• Teacher Technology Certification Program
• Plan: Deadlines for technology integration stages
• Eliminate testing for assessment, projects instead!
• Train teachers and students together (e.g., projects)
• Start with Makerspace, work up to STEAM
• Counseling approach re: identities (teacher, student!)
• Adopt standards such as ISTE’s for all involved

23. Engaging with Digital Difference
"Technology use must be placed in the context of
effective pedagogy and leadership. If the technology is
not in service of enhancing learning, then it risks being
just a set of devices. The NMC Horizon Report series
grounds the adoption of edtech in the reality of the
progressive trends and pressing challenges impacting
education. The publications also pinpoint positive
examples of schools and organizations that are making
great efforts to leverage digital tools to make learning
more hands-on, active, and engaging for students.”
Samantha Adams Becker
Senior Director, Publications & Communications

24. Engaging with Digital Difference
Follow my Scoop.it pages:
www.scoop.it/t/3d-virtual-worlds-educational-technology
www.scoop.it/t/integration-and-teaching-ed-tech

25. Engaging with Digital Difference
Thank you!
Questions/Comments?
david.w@ywies.com
davidwdeeds@gmail.com