Digital Transition Discussion Recap – Orlando, FL October 16, 2018

The Learning Counsel event in Orlando started with a new Learning Counsel market briefing covering the use of student devices, K12 hardware spend, teacher use of digital curriculum and many other areas of the current education market. Throughout the day there were workshops on data analytics, presentations by educators and vendors, with a panel discussion at the end. The panel consisted of:

Caitlyn Distler, Coordinator for Learning Technologies, Volusia County Schools

Anne Lynaugh, Principal, Millenial Gardens Elementary School, Orange County Public Schools

Rob Bixler, Associate Superintendent Curriculum, Instruction and Digital Learning, Orange County Public Schools

Dr. David Kafitz led the panel for the Learning Counsel and he asked questions of the panelists regarding the digital transition in their districts. He asked the panel “What are the next steps to keep moving forward? Where are you going, two or three years from now?” Anne had this to say, “I think we have to be researchers to see what’s next and what’s out there to bring it back to our area and make it exciting for the kids so that they want to keep learning.

Other questions were asked of the panelists and they all gave the attendees insight into what they were doing by introducing the changes to their team and at the same time keeping them at ease and what excited them about the future of learning given the advances in digital curriculum and content.

Dr. Kafitz asked one final bonus question “What are doing to sustain these efforts to keep pushing forward. “Sustainability start with something as easy as increased access to resources to they’re able to be accessed easily and that takes some pressure off of the classroom teacher. That’s the first step.” Rob then added, “When a kid comes home to their parents and says ‘I had a fun day’, it’ll be sustained. It’s the meaningful use of the technology. When they go home and say, ‘I was able to…’, and they beam, it’ll be sustainable.”

Watch the highlights from the panel below and stay tuned for more event Recaps from the Learning Counsel’s tour of cities this Fall - coming soon.