Karen Douse from Harpeth Hall (5-12 all girls school)
1:1 since 1999, teachers had the laptops one year in advance

5th and 6th use carts while 7th – 12th parents purchase the laptops/tablets.

It is not a Laptop Program, but an EXTENSION OF THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT!

Keys to success: They were successful with some areas and did not do others as well

• Preparation in advance. Attend AALF Summit and other conferences, Make sure your network is ready as they lived through many things not working and infections of the network and laptops. Have the infrastructure ready before!!

• Change is not easy so work on getting as many people on board in advance

• Administration is key because without it, there is no way it will be successful

• Board of Trust: Work with the Board if possible so they can assist in answering the Why

• Faculty – they did not ask them but did it and in hindsight it was not as successful because they said they were open to feedback, but it felt to the teachers like it was a done deal and has taken longer to bring all on board. They now take teachers to conferences and bring in many experts to their school. (Alan November, David Warlick, Ian Jukes). Let the teachers hear from other schools and take them to these schools. Set up electronic mentors. Include reluctant teachers as they can ask probing questions unless they are bringing the process down.

• Professional Development is best done in small groups. Do not teach software, but rather teach how to use new technology in their curriculum. Atomic Learning plays a role for many schools as well. Teachers have a one-hour training session when they get their laptops. Nothing is mandatory at their school.

• Parents – Make sure to give information on goals of program, what will happen and will not happen, how teachers will be prepared, FAQs, have an influential parent on the committee, have a variety of print, meetings, and other online materials. Only bring in the group of parents who will be purchasing the laptops.

• Students – Involve students in the process since they can be ambassadors and can help with admissions, parents and teachers. In addition students can manage the help center.

• Community – write press releases and involve alumni.

• Prospective parents – work with admissions to develop a brochure on the program

• Ongoing – Technology must work, cheerful customer service, treat their issues seriously without attitude, minimal stress (baby steps) keep them happy with giving them a mouse and flash drive, listen to them, and honor teachers who innovate.

• Keep PR going by highlighting glimpses into classrooms.

While following these ideas will not make everything go smoothly, it will help. I wonder how we can start a program without someone in charge of it.

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