It would be difficult to find a school district today not preoccupied with technology tools and digital learning. However, despite their best efforts, many school districts have fallen victim to botched rollouts and ineffective strategies that have wasted time and money — and hurt their reputations with students and parents. This guide from the Center for Digital Education looks at the key elements of a successful digital education transformation, focusing on the 3 Cs of conversion, curriculum and collaboration.

1. SUCCEEDING
WITH EDUCATION
TRANSFORMATION
Tackling technology initiatives is rarely easy,
but districts can help ensure success with a
different approach.

2. I
t would be difficult to find a school district not preoccupied with
technology tools and digital learning. According to a 2015 Center
for Digital Education (CDE) survey of nearly 300 education leaders,
more than half of IT decision-makers say the need to improve student
achievement is driving the adoption of classroom and instructional
technologies, while an overwhelming 94 percent say these
technologies are extremely or very important to learning. However,
despite their best efforts, many school districts have fallen victim to
botched rollouts and ineffective strategies that have wasted time and
money — and hurt their reputations with students and parents.
A hallmark of these failed technology implementations is siloed decision-
making — or decision-making that occurs when each department
operates independently without accounting for the needs and goals of
others. Evidence of mismanaged technology projects can be seen with
donated or grant-purchased software that never gets installed, digital
subscriptions that never get used and boxes of equipment that are
incompatible with existing infrastructure and systems.
Today’s education technology projects have what it takes to transform
learning and student achievement, but they require coordination and
buy-in from all parts of the organization. Planning around conversion,
curriculum and collaboration (the 3 Cs) is one key to success.
of IT decision-makers say
classroom and instructional
technologies are extremely or
very important to learning.
94%
CONVERSION
Mobile and cloud-based solutions are the baseline expectations for many
students and teachers. Converting legacy technology to mobile, cloud-
based solutions allows students and teachers to partake in anytime,
anywhere learning and flexible learning environments.
STEPS TO IMPLEMENTATION:
DEVELOP A SHARED VISION FOR THE CONVERSION
If a holistic plan does not yet exist, consider tapping a few classrooms to
pilot a cloud-based mobile environment and give teachers extra time to
experiment with new devices and technology. Generating school-specific
feedback from front-line users will help shape a plan to keep participants
energized from initial rollout through implementation.
ASSESS INFRASTRUCTURE AND DEVICE ENVIRONMENT
Assess the existing environment to help determine gaps in infrastructure.
An inventory of wireless networks, existing devices and software will
provide the basis for a fresh start.
ESTABLISH TIMELINES AND ACCOUNT FOR THE UNEXPECTED
Aim for a timeline that is assertive without being unrealistic. One area
in which many projects fail is the time needed to work out unexpected
problems. Plan for unforeseen events to retain control over the conversion
and, if needed, the public relations narrative.
KEY QUESTIONS TO ASK:
Is there a plan for continual, comprehensive professional
development that addresses pedagogy changes as well as
technology?
What are the timelines and rollout procedures?
What are the goals and vision for transforming the
learning environment?
What kind of technical, instructional and leadership expertise
is needed to make the transformation?
What are we trying to achieve with the devices?
Will schools provide the devices?
Who will manage the devices? Will students be allowed to take
them home?
Will every student be given a device?
Will the current network bandwidth be adequate?

3. COLLABORATION
Transitioning to project-based and team-oriented learning benefits
students by building real-world skills coveted by employers. Conflict
resolution, critical thinking and public speaking are just some of the
skills that develop when collaboration and active learning occurs in
the classroom. Teachers also benefit by collaborating with colleagues
across campuses.
STEPS TO IMPLEMENTATION:
PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Many teachers and administrators embrace the idea of project-based
learning, but often need professional development and mentor support
to get started. Develop a culture of experimentation by encouraging
teachers to test new strategies without fear of failure.
CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT CONDUCIVE TO GROUP WORK
Configure classrooms to support peer-to-peer learning and group
creation. This can include flexible furniture layouts, moving the
instructor to the middle of the room, and offering varied seating and
presentation options.
EQUIP STUDENTS AND TEACHERS WITH TOOLS FOR SUCCESS
Find solutions that facilitate group work and support multiple
devices. Students may be most comfortable with their own devices,
or schools may be more comfortable providing standardized devices
to all students. Technology should capture students’ creativity
instead of constraining it.
KEY QUESTIONS TO ASK:
Can students capture and transfer their ideas using the
technology provided?
Do students and teachers have the tools to continue
classroom work at home or in virtual spaces?
Do students have access to physical and digital technology
that facilitates collaboration?
Can collaboration extend to other schools, countries and
learning environments to maximize academic growth?
CURRICULUM
Moving from print content to anytime, anywhere digital curriculum
is an important step for many schools and districts, and it
prepares students for the future. Students who move onto college
will most likely encounter a fully digital curriculum, textbooks and
other learning materials.
STEPS TO IMPLEMENTATION:
MAKE DEVICE AND CURRICULUM DECISIONS AT THE SAME TIME
In today’s exploding curriculum environment, options are not device
neutral. Save time by comparing digital curriculum that is offered or
supported by each device, and vice versa.
PREPARE THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND NETWORK FOR GROWTH
Wireless networks and infrastructure must be buttressed to support
digital curriculum, particularly at peak hours. Plan for increased
usage among students who may be offline during the initial
rollout. Expect the move to digital curriculum to continue into the
foreseeable future.
INCORPORATE DIGITAL AND INFORMATION LITERACY
Moving to digital curriculum involves cultural changes and different
expectations. While many parents take a lead in monitoring habits
and students’ digital footprint, teachers can also prepare students to
safely navigate their digital environments.
KEY QUESTIONS TO ASK:
How is the digital content strategy aligned to student
outcomes?
How is existing digital content being leveraged to impact
student learning goals?
Should the curriculum be cloud-, device- or server-based?
Will devices be provided by the school or students?
How will the curriculum be delivered and is it compatible
with offered devices?
Who will manage the subscriptions, licensing and logins?
Will digital curriculum decisions make sense for all ages,
grades and abilities?
What supplementary technologies — such as digital
whiteboards, printers or e-readers — may be needed?
Who will offer ongoing training and support —
especially during after-school hours?
How will we assess student learning?
What professional development and training will
teachers receive?

4. STAKEHOLDER
SPOTLIGHT
Successful digital transformation requires orchestrated
efforts among many players to reap the advantages of powerful
technologies. Here are the principal stakeholders and the role each
representative plays in the digital transformation:
IT: Today’s IT leaders play a crucial part in making sure purchases
properly mesh with current and future infrastructure. They can
predict help desk issues, assess security issues and advise on details
that non-techies may overlook, such as data ownership and login
problems.
Academic curriculum representative: This resident pedagogy
expert assesses whether technology aligns with current research,
curriculum goals and state-instituted standards, and determines
which products will deliver results across ages and abilities.
Administration: Superintendents, principals and other administrators
can clear a path to success. They know if the investment is the best
use of time, human resources and dollars.
Teachers: These front-line professionals are able to discern whether
the technology will succeed with students and address day-to-day
teaching challenges. Their definition of return on investment is in terms
of precious classroom minutes to help improve student achievement.
Students: Five minutes with your students will tell you more than
reading through long manuals and tutorials. Don’t just stick to tech
whizzes to test out your options, solicit input from students
of all ages and abilities.
Parents: Parents, particularly those with
students in lower grades, will raise
important questions around student
privacy and device ownership. They also
have valuable information about whether
students have home internet access.
Tip from the pros: Put procedures in place
that require sign-offs from necessary
stakeholders. For instance, at Shelby County
Schools in Memphis, a signature from every
teacher is required before a school can
be selected for choice technology
implementation projects.
ACING THE 3 Cs
When the 3 Cs are used to achieve digital transformation, schools receive
the following benefits: improved learning outcomes, increased engagement,
and college and career readiness. Cleon Franklin, director of virtual schools
and online learning for Shelby County Schools in Memphis, has led many
technology implementation projects throughout his district and can testify to
the power of conversion, curriculum and collaboration.
Digital projects have allowed Shelby County students to take advanced classes, seek
personalized help from teachers and even improve family life. Parents in Franklin’s
district can use school devices to access student grades, communicate with teachers
and even tackle their own higher education goals, such as completing college.
IMPROVED LEARNING OUTCOMES
In 2012, Franklin helped Geeter Middle School pilot a program that incorporated
35 tablets into a 6th
-grade math classroom, impacting more than 500 students.
He characterized the results as nothing less than phenomenal. “Those students
outpaced every mathematics class in the district as far as growth goes,”
Franklin said.
INCREASED ENGAGEMENT
“The excitement levels in the classroom grew drastically. That is really what
the gains can be attributed to,” he said. According to Franklin, features that
felt natural and apps that provided immediate feedback excited a classroom of
digital natives. “I can remember, on the day of the launch, sitting in a classroom
and hearing a student literally say, ‘Today is the best day of my life.’ I cannot
recreate how excited they were.”
COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS
The shift to digital, adaptive technology allows teachers to create individual
pathways for students. “As each year passes, we have students at younger
and younger ages whose parents request to take more and more rigorous
content. This year, for the first time, we had a student in the 4th
grade taking
Algebra 1 for credit,” Franklin said. “The more rigorous courses we can
expose our students to, the more prepared they will be for college.”
CONCLUSION
Despite the pitfalls publicized with implementation failures, it’s important to
remember that students, schools and districts have much to gain from digital
transformations.
“Don’t let the ‘Why not?’ dominate the conversation,” Franklin said.“We can think
of 1,001 reasons why we should not give a device to kids, and we’ve heard a lot of
them. For all of that that is true, there are also those students who will give you an
extra five to seven hours per week of focused teaching and learning.”
Decision-making silos are a common problem, but with the potential for
improved teaching and learning on the line, it’s time for stakeholders to join in
the transformation.
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