January 2005

Supporting Digital Learning throughout the School

Squalicum High School, David Engle, Principal

"For me, it's an equity issue, it's an access issue, and it's an opportunity issue," says Squalicum Principal David Engle in regard to online learning. "I also happen to think that a lot of the online tools that kids have at their fingertips can be used powerfully to learn in new ways, especially in science and math."

Squalicum High School's involvement in the Digital Learning Commons (DLC) is part of a larger districtwide initiative. The Bellingham School District is just beginning to investigate and use online resources in its schools this year.

Working with students

This fall, Engle worked closely with a small group of students taking online courses through the DLC. "I wanted to see how online classes work at the teacher and student level so that I'd have a better understanding as an administrator of how to support them." Engle's hope is that online classes will become an integral part of the district's offerings in the next couple of years.

But the majority of Squalicum students are engaged with online learning via the DLC Library. "Every day I walk through the library to see what kids are doing online. I see a real trend away from 'Googling' everything and going right to some of the DLC resources. I see almost a fifty-fifty split now, whereas at the start of the school year I would have seen one-hundred percent of the kids 'Googling.' So they know that these tools get them to what they need quickly."

Engle credits the school librarian, Carol Wintercom, for getting students up to speed. "If you come into our library, you'll see that the whiteboards in here have all the DLC info and helpful hints and tips…When the librarian works with classes on online research, she takes them right there. She's been a key support person with the project."

Working with teachers

To support online learning, Squalicum staff have been trained in using DLC resources. Administrators use technology all the time in front of teachers. And Engle has worked hard to remove bottlenecks to technology, whether they be hardware or software issues.

Engle also believes it's important to find ways to engage teachers' curiosity and interest in digital resources. "If they don't connect with it on a personal level, they're not really going to work too hard on it…As interest and confidence grows, they start sharing more with the kids and bringing it into the classroom…When teachers are personally engaged, the kids get really excited too."

Working with parents

Engle has talked up the DLC at parent groups and PTSA meetings. In addition, Squalicum held an information night early in the school year. They gave out log-in information and showed parents how to support students in using DLC tools.

"There's been a lot of parent interest and a high level of awareness," Engle says. "Parents glom on to those things their kids need the most, like discipline-related tools that will help them do better with math or research or reading. They know their kids better than any of us."

Supporting the infrastructure

For online learning to be successful, according to Engle, principals must do the following:

• Take the time to know what it is at a basic level.
• Use the tools in their work so that they become a given.
• Be tireless advocates for creating expanded access and removing bottlenecks to that access.

"If teachers have to struggle for five minutes around access or usage, they will drop it and go back to the old model. Principals cannot expect results if they're not willing to attack those bottlenecks."

To this end, principals must meet with their district's technology staff and be in conversation about the whole infrastructure. "Principals would never say they didn't know anything about their school’s plumbing or heating. That's how important the network infrastructure is in a building."

Parting words about the DLC

"The DLC lends cohesion, efficiency, and a networked and more powerful community for learning. The fact that it's got vetted sites, vetted tools, more articulated tools, and connected tools—that's huge. To do that on your own would be an organizational challenge," Engle says.

"We've been a frontier in terms of technology as a state. I really think we need a place for shared experience in the K-12 environment so that we develop some common terminology, tools, and frameworks across the state."

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