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Building the Future of 5G Innovation for K-12 Education

,
Pennsylvania Convention Center, 201C

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Presenters

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Executive Director of Information Systems/CIO
East Aurora School District 131
Andrew Allen is a lifelong educator grounded in the use and promotion of educational technology throughout the school community. Mr. Allen’s experiences have created a well-rounded technology advocate who can analyze situations to ensure the best outcomes are achieved. Mr. Allen has participated in panel discussions for Juniper Networks and Google Workspace deployments. In 2023, the East Aurora School District 131 Technology Team he leads received the Illinois Those Who Excel Award for outstanding service to the school community.
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CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER
Jefferson County Public Schools
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Sr. National Education Administrator
Honored by the FCC Commissioner as a 2020 Digital Equity Innovator for providing millions of students across the country with vital mobile connectivity during the pandemic, Dr. King is an avid thought sponsor to many. In her current role leading T-Mobile for Education, Dr. King has provided critical connectivity for over 5 million students and leads Project 10 Million, a $10.7 billion commitment to students that was designed to provide free internet service and free wi-fi hotspots to 10 million student households in need across the country.
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Metaversity Director/Professor
Morehouse College
@drmuhsinah
@chemystree
Dr. Muhsinah Holmes Morris is a BS chemistry graduate of the HBCU Clark Atlanta University. She obtained an MS & PhD from Emory University in Biomolecular Chemistry. She is an Assistant Professor of Education. Dr. Morris has been part of and Director of Morehouse’s Metaversity project since Spring 2021. Awards for Teaching Excellence at Morehouse College, Best Emerging Technology and Innovation from CBRE, First Place Unconventional Innovation in Industry by T-Mobile, and 2022 Educator of the Year by STEM Women Atlanta. She resides in McDonough, GA with her husband and five sons. More recently, she founded Metaverse United (unitethemetaverse.com).

Session description

Top education leaders from suburban, urban and rural school districts will share their thoughts on immersive technology solutions harnessing the power of 5G to enhance the K-12 learning experience. Attendees will hear how education leaders across the country are creating access to future workforce opportunities for underrepresented student populations.

Purpose & objective

A glaring digital equity gap currently plagues our public schools and millions of students do not have access to the reliable internet connectivity and devices they need. This gap existed well before the COVID-19 pandemic but was exacerbated by the two years of inconsistent and mostly virtual schooling. This gap – often described as the “homework gap” or “learning gap” – disproportionately impacts kids from low-income households, Black and Latino populations, and rural America.

Tech companies like T-Mobile have a responsibility to our public schools to support these students – the future workforce of America – in narrowing the digital equity divide. As schools re-prioritize their funding to in-classroom learning, many students remain without adequate access to remote resources to aid and enhance their public school learning. Without broadband connectivity, students are not being prepared to compete – or even participate in – a 21st-century economy. With 5G already changing our lives, it’s clear that many of the roles, skills, and titles of the future workforce don’t exist yet. In order to prepare today’s students for this future workforce, we must eliminate the digital equity gap.

By participating in this panel discussion, educators will hear from top education leaders who are actively working against the digital divide in their school or district. Panelists will share their specific strategies and partnerships that are positively impacting their students – especially those from underrepresented populations – and will share how they have overcome barriers to success. As a result of information shared during this panel discussion, attendees will leave inspired and prepared to implement 5G innovation and collaborative partnerships in their own context so that current and future students have greater access to educational opportunities and the future workforce.

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Outline

Each panelist will be asked a series of predetermined questions from the moderator. The panelists will take turns responding to the questions, using firsthand experiences and details to support their answers. Sample questions may include:

-Students utilize multiple devices to access services and resources on a daily basis. What strategies do you employ to ensure ubiquitous access to digital services, especially on mobile devices?

-Digital equity is more than just connectivity and devices. Students and families need devices and the knowledge to use those devices to access resources digitally. How are you working to ensure that students have the right access to devices and the knowledge to be successful?

-What are some of the challenges you have faced as you’ve moved toward digital equity?

Audience members will receive a QR code with access to the presentation materials to jot down notes.

A portion at the close of the presentation will include a Q+A, allowing audience members to pose questions to the panelists.

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Supporting research

Resources on the digital divide and “homework gap”:

https://cepr.harvard.edu/road-to-covid-recovery

https://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/technology/459809-the-digital-divide-leaves-rural-students-behind-innovation-can/

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/featured-content/files/final_-_what_it_will_take_to_permanently_close_the_k-12_digital_divide_vfeb3.pdf

Resources on the future of the workforce:

https://reports.weforum.org/future-of-jobs-2016/chapter-1-the-future-of-jobs-and-skills/?doing_wp_cron=1660760338.3729140758514404296875#:~:text=In%20many%20industries%20and%20countries,that%20don't%20yet%20exist.

https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/services/people-organisation/publications/workforce-of-the-future.html

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Session specifications

Topic:
Technology infrastructure & connectivity
Grade level:
PK-12
Skill level:
Beginner
Audience:
Chief technology officers/superintendents/school board members, Principals/head teachers
Attendee devices:
Devices not needed
ISTE Standards:
For Educators:
Facilitator
  • Manage the use of technology and student learning strategies in digital platforms, virtual environments, hands-on makerspaces or in the field.
Disclosure:
The submitter of this session has been supported by a company whose product is being included in the session