Access+to+Digital+Teaching+and+Learning+Resources,+Including+Digital+Textbooks

Chair -Lynette Members -David Lyndon, Wanda Humphrey, Angela Norris

Strategic Priority 3: Statewide Access to Digital Teaching and Learning Resources, Including Digital Textbooks Essential Questions What are digital teaching and learning resources? What are digital textbooks?
 * Digital teaching personalizes education for students, allows for flexible sceduling and differentiation.
 * Digital teaching extends learning anytime and anywhere, not confined to the 4 walls of a classroom.
 * Digital textbooks are electonic files that can be kept current with updates and new events as they happen without waiting for expensive revisions and reprints.
 * Digital textbooks provide links with addtional materials to promote understanding and provide differentiation for diverse learners.

Why do teachers and students need access to digital teaching and learning devices?


 * Digital learning allows for an individualized educational experience (self-paced)
 * Digital learning allows for blended learning both traditional setting/online setting
 * Digital textbooks provide high quality and up to date content
 * Digital textooks are cost effective and can be updated quickly without the cost of reprint
 * Digital textbooks allow for differentiation (can include simulations, links to addtional resources, learning games and virtual envirnoments)

What are open educational resources and how can they be used?
 * Learn NC digital Online History textbook
 * NC Wise Owl - free teaching and learning repository
 * Itunes U - free teaching and learning resources
 * Thinkfinity - Educational portal for teachers, parents and students
 * SAS Curriculum Pathways Science, Math, Language Arts, Social Studies, Foreign Language
 * NCVPS
 * Open Textbooks Digital History, CK-12
 * Microsoft IT Acadeny (MSITA)

How can access to these resources be increased in our LEA?
 * Staff development to provide awareness of resource availability
 * Hardware availability-labs, laptop carts, ipads, ipod touch devices, schools with 1:1 devices
 * Provide access as funds become available to improve infrastructure
 * Provide technical support for hardware

Notes to Self:

WCS Tech Plan;

** Goal 5: Wilson County Schools will be governed and supported by 21st Century systems. **
**__Objectives__**
 * Processes are in place for financial planning and budgeting that focus on resource attainment and alignment with priorities to maximize student achievement.
 * Twenty-first century technology and learning tools are available and are supported by facilities that have the capacity for 21st Century learning.
 * Informational and financial accounting systems will share data and maximize system resources and efficiency.
 * Procedures are in place to support schools that are not meeting standards for student achievement.