Differentiating Instruction with Technology

I am a digital coach at a large high school in Orange County, FL (the 11th -- or 10th, depending on whom you ask -- largest school district in the country).  This year, our school, along with every other high school in the district undertook a 1:1 initiative; that is, every student and teacher has a hybrid laptop which they bring to school every day.  Our teachers and students use Google Suite for creation and collaboration, online textbooks for core content classes, and a variety of assessment platforms and web 2.0 sites for instruction, practice, and evaluation.

As I write this, we are almost halfway through our first year.  This year the focus has mainly been on making the transition to digital curriculum.  Teachers and students have had to become proficient with using online textbooks and taking assessments online.  They have had to learn how to shift from paper and pencil tasks (e.g., worksheets) to digital formats.  Needless to say, there has been quite a learning curve.

Beginning next semester, we will start preparing for phase two, which is how to differentiate instruction and assessment for students using technology.  In other words, how can technology assist teachers in reaching every student?  And how can teachers allow for more student choice so as to increase student engagement and learning?

My job is to coordinate the training for this next phase.  All teachers in the school will need to be trained.  Instruction will take place in a blended environment; some of it will be face-to-face; some will be recorded; and some will take place live via video conference (Safari Montage Live or Google Hangouts).  I would also like to incorporate the use of social media, such as Twitter, by reinforcing the role of PLN's outside the walls of our school.  Next year our district will begin using Canvas as our LMS, so we will likely use it to facilitate the professional development so teachers develop experience with it in a practical way.

Though we have been working in a digital environment for five months, we still have many teachers who we know are not as "tech savvy" as others, and these will need additional support.  The training will be conducted by myself and a group of five other Digital Curriculum Teacher Leaders (DCTL's).  We have been working together this semester to create a training plan for next semester and throughout next school year.  I am the lead person for this group, but each will bear responsibility for assisting with their respective departments.

We have a busy semester ahead of us, but I am excited about the prospect of moving my teachers forward into the next phase of this digital initiative.