This page was created by Lorena Rojas. 

Teaching & Learning in the 21st Century

Infrastructure

In order to support each instructional recommendation, the following sections outline infrastructure needs in order to realize the task force’s proposed instructional vision. The District’s approach to developing a sustainable infrastructure should be founded on three key principles: creating access, providing a variety of support, and developing appropriate processes and procedures. 

Creating Access

Need 1: Ensure students and educators have broadband access to the internet and adequate wireless connectivity at school. Ensuring schools have connectivity means learners have access to a global knowledge base, such as streaming videos for instructional purposes, participating in synchronous or asynchronous digital groups, and using cloud-based tools. Without reliable connectivity, however, learners will be unable to leverage digital tools and resources that enhance instruction. Moreover, the U.S. Department of Education has declared access to the internet as a civil right due to its critical role in today’s society.

President Obama had set an internet access minimum of 100 megabits per second per 1,000 students with a target speed of 1 gigabit per second by 2018 (NETP, 2015). This translates to a per-student target of at least 1 Mbps to meet the the 2018 goal. L.A. Unified currently meets and exceeds this goal. The District has the following connectivity standards:Need 2: Establish a baseline minimum that every learner has access to at least one device that connects to the internet. The U.S. Department of Education recommends that Districts across the nation strive towards providing 1:1 learning environments, which begins with an internet-capable device. Whether it should be a tablet, a desktop, or a laptop is dependent on the established instructional goals. For example, creative activities are often best served by nimble mobile devices such as small tablets while instructional activities requiring research and writing may be better served through laptops. Thus, the type of device selected should be based on its appropriate use according to the instructional goals and vision. 

The District’s current student to device ratio is now under 2:1. L.A. Unified currently has the following device access across the District:As the District continues working towards providing access to schools, there are a number of external programs that offer internet-access support, especially at home. The following low cost internet options for families were identified as of Spring 2016:Ultimately, to achieve personalized learning for all learners, having access to a device that connects to the internet is paramount in order to take advantage of the countless resources and content available on the web.

Need 3: Ensure interoperability between a District-wide Learning Management System (LMS) and the District systems. To support the instructional recommendation in adopting a learning management system, it is imperative that the District ensure it works seamlessly with current District systems, such as MiSiS. Interoperability is critical so as to not disrupt instructional practices and other processes needed to support student success. L.A. Unified is currently conducting a pilot program to determine the interoperability between Schoology and the District’s student information system (MiSiS).  Thus far, a pilot has been completed that demonstrates successful integration of Schoology and MiSiS.  

In using an LMS, the need for acquiring and implementing digital content will be critical. L.A. Unified is pursuing the use of digital content in blended and virtual learning opportunities. By using online content, LAUSD will be able to increase the number of A-G credit bearing courses across secondary schools in the District. Such access to digital content allows for:To support the ongoing adoption and implementation of digital content, the District has issued a “Unified Digital Instructional Procurement Plan” (UDIPP) to prospective providers of digital content including online course providers and textbook publishers. There are five (5) main requirement areas in this plan that vendors must address:
 This plan ensures that companies offering various digital instructional software, licenses, or online subscriptions meet the District requirements.

Providing Support

Two levels of support are needed to carry out each instructional recommendation: resource support and personnel support.

Resource Support

Need 4: Ensure District leaders understand and adopt a change management approach to leveraging digital tools and resources for instruction. Utilizing the full potential of digital tools and resources requires an instructional paradigm shift that is gradual in its implementation and supported by an infrastructure that is prepared to address it.  In order for all levels of the District to embrace this shift, a change management model is needed to guide its implementation across the District. The ADKAR Model addresses the following goals for change:    Personnel Support

Need 5: Repurpose staffing according to the instructional goals and vision to achieve personalized learning. Using digital tools and resources for instruction is no longer an option. With the plethora of hardware and software to monitor, it is important that each school identify a staff member to fulfill two critical roles: 1) an Instructional Device Manager and 2) a Mobile Device Manager.

An Instructional Device Manager (IDM) is responsible for managing learning device inventory for a school site. Thus, devices under the purview of the IDM are limited only to devices used for instructional purposes.

The safety and security of the District’s network and, more importantly, its users is a priority.  In order to achieve this goal, a Mobile Device Management  (MDM) system is required to provide positive identification of all devices on the District’s network to monitor applications, software, and system updates across all devices. L.A. Unified has taken the following steps to provide support:


Develop Processes & Procedures

Need 6: Implement a process for annual review and update of related policies that support the instructional vision of personalized learning. In order to support a learning environment that takes full advantage of digital tools and resources, the District needs policies that are up-to-date reflecting the dynamic nature of using technology for instruction. 

The following policies have been identified as critical and in need of consistent review:Need 7: Establish pathways for collaborative partnerships between the Division of Instruction and key departments within the District. Pursuing an instructional practice leveraging digital tools and resources is a collaborative effort, especially in a District the size of L.A. Unified. For this reason, it is imperative that the Division of Instruction partner with various departments to provide a unified message and ensure the instructional vision is threaded throughout District efforts. Key department partnerships include: