Presenters
Assistant Director of Instructional Tech
Dr. Ingrid Abner has over 16 years of experience in both K-12 and post-secondary education. Prior to her current position as the Assistant Director of Instructional Technology for Jefferson County Schools, she served as a classroom teacher, instructional coach, technology director, and curriculum director. She also serves as an adjunct instructor of Instructional Technology for Coker University (SC) and an adjunct instructor of English for Miles College (AL). She is a member of the Alabama Leaders in Educational Technology (ALET), the Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools (CLAS), and the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), among other professional organizations.
Sara Fenn has over 16 years experience in K-12 public education. Prior to her current role as the Technology Director for Jefferson County Schools, the second largest district in Alabama, Sara was a classroom teacher, school librarian, instructional technology specialist, and technology coordinator. She holds a masters in Instructional Leadership from Auburn University and a masters in Library and Information Science from the University of Alabama.
Director of Federal Programs
Janet has worked for the Jefferson County School System for over 33 years in a variety of roles, ranging from teacher to administrator. She graduated from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) with both a BS and MA in Elementary Education then attended Samford University receiving Master’s and Educational Specialist degrees in Educational Leadership.
Janet’s career has focused on helping those in need by removing barriers and providing resources to increase opportunities for students. She is currently the Director of Federal Programs for the Jefferson County School System which is Alabama’s second largest district, serving over 35,000 students.
Dr. Laura Ware has over twenty-five years of experience in K-12 education. She has served as a classroom teacher, assistant principal, and technology director prior to her current role as deputy superintendent for the Jefferson County School System. Dr. Ware was a member of the inaugural cohort of the COSN Early Career K-12 CTO Academy. She received her Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Samford University.
Session description
The volume of digital resources available is growing every day. When inundated with tools, how do you ensure that your digital toolbox remains aligned to your district or school’s vision and goals? Learn about our ongoing journey in establishing a process for curating digital resources.
Purpose & objective
Participants will...
-Explore the various criteria to consider when vetting digital resources.
-Participate in a mock digital resource committee review process, according the model presented by Jefferson County Schools (JEFCOED).
-Identify methods for fostering a culture of collaboration and ownership among district leaders.
-Reflect on how the JEFCOED model may be adopted or adapted for their school or district.
Challenges: Fostering a culture of collaboration; communicating committee decisions; enforcing the decisions of the committee
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Outline
-Present an example of a digital resource that the JEFCOED Digital Resource Committee (DRC) has approved and one that the JEFCOED DRC has denied. Participants will respond through a digital tool such as a Google Form or Padlet to hypothesize as to the reasoning why the tools were approved or denied. (10 minutes)
-The JEFCOED Journey: Presenters will share the evolution of the model for reviewing digital resources– the why, the who, the how. (25 minutes)
-Participants will work in small groups to evaluate a digital resource using the JEFCOED model. Each group will share out or provide digital feedback including noted benefits and suggestions for improvements. (20 minutes)
-Participants will reflect and brainstorm how the JEFCOED model may be adopted or adapted in their own school or district. (5 minutes)
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Supporting research
Weinstein, N. (2019, January 19). ISTE. ISTE. Retrieved September 30, 2022, from https://www.iste.org/explore/Toolbox/7-sites-that-vet-digital-learning-tools
The EdSurge Guide to Choosing, Vetting and Purchasing K-12 Edtech Products. (n.d.). EdSurge. Retrieved September 30, 2022, from https://www.edsurge.com/research/guides/the-edsurge-guide-to-choosing-vetting-and-purchasing-k-12-edtech-products
Our Why. (n.d.). EdCuration. Retrieved September 30, 2022, from https://edcuration.com/ourwhy/
Student Data Privacy. (n.d.). CoSN. Retrieved September 30, 2022, from https://www.cosn.org/edtech-topics/student-data-privacy/
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