Created to assist executives and curriculum and technology directors in guiding the transition to digital curriculum and content, the survey also offers schools the chance win national awards

(Sacramento, CA) April 18, 2016 – The Learning Counsel today announced that it 2016 Digital Curriculum Strategy Survey and Assessment Tool is now available online. The survey tool was created to assist executives and curriculum and technology directors in assessing their readiness for a greater transition to digital curriculum and content. The insight you gain on where you stand and what’s really going on can give you stability and renewed vision to where you need to go from here. Educators can log in at TheLearningCounsel.com to start their assessment and help their school or district understand where they stand in digital transition.

“As our district was transitioning to digital content, it was critical to conduct a needs assessment early in the program planning and development process,” said Kahle Charles, the executive director of of assessment, curriculum and instruction at Saint Vrain Valley Schools (CO). “Without understanding the needs, interests, and objectives of our current state, we would not be able to provide the vision and resources that effectively meet the needs of our district. The Learning Counsel’s 2015 Digital Curriculum Strategy School Assessment Tool & Survey proved to be a valuable tool in this process! Through the survey, we were able to understand the extent of our digital content implementation, identify the gaps in our implementation of digital content, and gather the information about next steps in our action plan. This also provided a great opportunity to engage current staff members in the planning and implementation process.”

In its third year, the assessment tool and survey was inspired by the Learning Counsel Digital Curriculum Strategy Discussion Meetings, held in 54 cities across the U.S. “Every district and school executive, curriculum director or innovations specialist we met, no matter which city we were in, was running into similar frustrations, funding barriers, and PD problems,” said LeiLani Cauthen, the CEO and Publisher of the Learning Counsel. “Our friends—all the executives and instructors in education who we meet on the road—ask us pointed questions about strategy and tactics, which companies to look at and the best tools to use. They have all types of random hardware products, subscription sites, apps, digital content, and systems being used in an unaligned and disorganized manner. The survey was created for them.”

The survey findings over the years show an acceleration of the transition “curve” towards full 1:1 or BYOD, along with heavier focus on instructor PD, tech support, and network infrastructure build-out. The 2015 survey found that the the number one intention of district executives when it came to digital curriculum transformation was to achieve greater instructor effectiveness. This was followed by: 2) increased student engagement; 3) project-based learning for student instruction; 4) personalized learning; and 5) intervention for struggling students.

“The national perspective that the Learning Counsel provides regarding digital transformation has proven invaluable as we have embarked on this journey,” said Janell McClure, the director of digital and multimedia learning at Cobb County Schools (GA). “By sharing information, processes, and research that contribute to a successful transition, the Learning Counsel has helped education leaders chart a course that includes actionable data and current trends. The survey results guide our work as we continue to strive for excellence in teaching and learning through digital platforms, tools, and practices.”

The 2016 Strategy Survey and Assessment Tool focuses on the factors that have been found to be common pain points across the nation:

• Digital curriculum policy
• Transition barriers
• Next steps to move an initiative forward
• Network infrastructure and readiness for day-to-day operations
• Curriculum coverage
• Instructional models and instructional practices
• Professional development
• The impact of digital curriculum use
• OER versus paying for fully complete publisher products

National Awards for Schools and Districts

Based on their strategy, development, and execution at any point of the digital transition continuum, 10 winning schools will be chosen from the results of the survey. Senior education leaders, especially curriculum and technology executives or teams, will be invited to join the Learning Counsel at the Gathering and National Awards event ceremony in Orlando, Florida, on November 14th and 15th to have their achievements honored.

About The Learning Counsel

The Learning Counsel is a mission-based organization focused on helping education professionals in the K-12 sector gain context on the shift to digital curriculum. Serving as an intermediary between schools, curriculum publishers, and high tech companies, the Learning Counsel provides perspective and organizational tools on the transition to digital for school systems across the country.

For more information, please visit TheLearningCounsel.com.

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