Mobile Computing Strategy (MCS)

TO: ETT STEWARDS, MEMBERS TEACHING GRADE 6
FROM: MARTIN LONG, PRESIDENT
RE: MOBILE COMPUTING STRATEGY (MCS)
DATE: OCTOBER 29, 2010

The MCS is yet another new initiative being implemented by the Board without consultation with teachers or their representatives.

The following information has been gleaned from a memo that begins: “Hello Mobile Computing Strategy Principal,”
- The MCS will distribute 3500 laptop computers to 476 teachers of grade 6 and their students in 325 schools.
- It is evident that Apple Canada is part of the MCS, but the degree of corporate involvement is not known to ETT at this time.
- Under the heading “Rationale”, the top reason for the focus on grade 6 teachers and student is stated as: “The main curricular focus will be Mathematics/Numeracy as achievement data, particularly EQAO, indicates this as an area requiring focused attention.
- Principals are told to “Select the appropriate teacher(s)” as “...the success of the MCS rests...on the teachers selected...” “The selected teacher(s) should currently demonstrate:
• An interest in, or receptiveness to – new technology
• A willingness to participate in ongoing professional learning
• Considerable knowledge of grade 6 mathematics curriculum
• Experience with project based learning and designing authentic tasks
• Integration of higher order thinking skills (analyzing, evaluating and creating) in classroom activities
• Student-centred teaching and learning practice.”
- Teachers who are selected (and accept the assignment – editorial comment) will attend a half-day orientation at which they will receive their laptops.
- Principals are requested to: “Support and encourage your teacher(s) to identify and plan a specific area of focus in the Mathematics/Numeracy curriculum. These plans will be collected and shares with each FOS ICT committee and the Family of Schools Superintendents”.
- Teachers are encouraged to:
• Make frequent use of the laptops in Mathematics and other subject areas
• Utilize TDSB’s ICT Standards – Digital Learning for Kindergarten to Grade 12 as a planning resource
• Attend professional learning opportunities and participate in the online support forum – e-Community
• Share a minimum of one activity, lesson plan, student work sample with other teachers in the initiative and work collaboratively with other teachers and instructional staff
• Explore and develop innovative and creative ways of using technology for teaching and learning
- Under “Asset Management”, Principals are told to keep a record of the teacher(s) involved (in MCS) and the associated serial numbers of the laptops, and to account for each laptop at the end of the year. There is no mention of responsibility for lost, stolen or damaged laptops.
- Under “Building Capacity”, participating teachers are promised “...an opportunity to participate in a series of professional learning and training opportunities through a variety of methods” which include:
• Face-to-face sessions at the FOS level provided by the Teaching and Learning with Technology Team in conjunction with Apple Canada
• Demonstration classrooms
• On-line support
• Technology and Curriculum Integration Team (TACIT) – Teachers leading teachers through a series of after school workshops (my emphasis)
• Summer Institute (my emphasis) – Connecting Learners in a Wireless World
- Under “Personal Responsibility”, it is stated that: “Teachers may take the laptop home, provided the approval of their principal is secured.”
- Under “Communication with Parents...” the task will be to profile the MCS through newsletters, websites, open houses, parent-teacher interviews etc., as well as “Co-curricular clubs”, and “Mathematics, Technology nights, showcases.”

In summary, I was troubled but not surprised, to see yet another new initiative, involving significant potential additional workload and responsibilities for teachers, with no consultation with their representatives, and consequently many unanswered questions.

If I was back in my grade 6 class, and selected by my principal to participate in the MCS, I would feel flattered, of course, and intrigued by the possibilities of working with my students on a MAC platform. But overall, I would see a pig in a poke, with who-knows-what expectations would be made of me, and I would respectfully decline the opportunity.

As the President of ETT, representing 10,000 teachers, many of whom are telling us they feel overwhelmed, swamped, underappreciated and harassed, and are echoing Rob Ford and Wayne Samuelson (among many others) declaring “enough is enough” and asking “when will it end?”, the only answer I have is: “When we stop empowering all the change agents and initiative managers with answers like:
Couldn’t take it on now, too busy....
Too much going on, maybe next year....
I’d like to – what are you going to take away so that I can devote the time required?....
Maybe later, check back after we’ve solved the IEP/Progress Report problems....
Or simply, Thanks, but no thanks.”

Please call your Executive Officer at 416.393.9930 before committing to this, or any other new initiative which may be in the Board’s pipeline.

Thank you.

Mobile Computing Strategy (MCS) - Update