Technology in 2020-2021

technology

in 2020-2021

Technology at Marburn is not only a critical component for students and teachers for learning in the classroom, but it’s also essential for the administrative team for everything from marketing to fundraising. Director of Technology, Shane Spicer and Technology Support Specialist, Austin Kochs make up Marburn’s technology team and manage more than 1,200 devices, including laptops, iPads, televisions, monitors, projectors and more, as well as all the wires, plugs, and adaptors required to ensure everything works properly and can be charged. It’s no small task for the two of them, and the 2020-2021 school year brought with it a whole new set of technology challenges and learning curves.

the Marburn tech team manages more than 1200 digital devices throughout the school SHIFTING TO VIRTUAL LEARNING

At the end of each school year, student devices are typically returned to the technology team over the last few days of school, but students were learning remotely at the end of 2020 so collecting devices wasn’t as simple as usual. To drop off items that were taken home at the end of the 2020 school year, families were invited to a drive-through option at the school that was cleverly called the Panther Parade. During the spring 2020 Panther Parade, families delivered the devices they had taken home so Shane and Austin could collect them, sanitize them, update operating systems, and prepare them for the next school year.

The fall of 2020 presented a new challenge as all students continued virtual learning for the start of the school year. Each device is set up for a specific student with the programs and tools they’ll need, and the tech team was tasked with identifying those deMiddle Division teacher, Amelia Compton, checks in with students learning remotely during science class.

vices and distributing them to teachers to be included with other items families needed to pick up for the start of the school year. Shane and Austin worked directly with teachers to ensure that devices were going home with the correct students.

HYBRID LEARNING - VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON — —

After four weeks of virtual learning, students were invited back to Marburn’s campus for in-person learning while following state and local safety protocols. While some families were excited to have students learning in-person, others chose to keep their children home and take advantage of the continued virtual learning option. In preparation for hybrid learning where some students were at home and others on campus, the tech team provided televisions with webcams for every classroom so students at home could participate in lessons and classroom activities. New technology and processes brought with it chal-

lenges for everyone. Teachers struggled with audio issues, students worked through learning new programs, and the technology team handled troubleshooting for devices and programs that were sometimes completely new to them. Teachers introduced programs like Jamboard, a virtual whiteboard both students at home and those in-person could access, Formative (formerly Go Formative), an online quiz/test building program, and Edpuzzle, a video program that allowed teachers to add questions to pop up while students were watching the video. “I thought we would spend more time on professional development for technology with teachers than we did,” said Shane. “They were champs. They tried new programs and figured out the best way to use them for specific classes and lessons. They figured out how to dance together with virtual and in-person learning.” Shane also noted that teachers have continued to use many of the programs that were introduced during virtual learning now that students are back in the classroom.

COLLABORATION AND SUPPORT

The tech team also worked closely with teachers to identify what was working well and opportunities for improvement. The initial plan was to use PowerSchool as the learning management system for the entire school, but the program required many steps for some assignments, creating challenges for Lower and Middle Division students. After receiving that feedback, the technology team collaborated with teachers to determine a solution that would work better for them, and they collectively decided to use Google Classroom for Lower and Middle Division students while High School continued to use PowerSchool.

During the nine months of both in-person and virtual learning, Shane and Austin encountered some interesting situations. From a charging cord that was chewed by a pet bunny to students who were traveling and couldn’t get service to log on to classes, it was a year that brought about new challenges. In some cases, Shane or Austin would drive to a student’s home, collect their device from a parent (with sanitized, gloved hands and wearing masks), and sit outside the residence to fix issues with a computer or iPad. From Dublin to Pataskala, the tech team met students where they were to provide solutions.

By tracking devices, the tech team also discovered that students were attending class from all over the world. Students logged on from Chicago, Texas, California, and Oklahoma. A Class of 2020 graduate even sent his virtual senior video from Spain!

In the collective 15 years Shane and Austin have been at Marburn, they’ve implemented a system for maintaining devices and supporting the Marburn community with any technology needs, but the 20202021 school year was a year like no other. Their adaptability and rapid response to unprecedented and unpredictable situations was stellar. Technology will continue to advance and Marburn’s tech team will advance right along with it as they manage everything from missing chargers to upgrading every device to new operating systems. They are truly a team of two advancing innovation through technology at Marburn Academy.

Austin Kochs prepares laptops for remote learning.

tech TOOLS

Some of the tech tools that supported learning in the classroom over the past year and a half are still being used in classrooms today.

Google Jamboard

A digital whiteboard app to boost student collaboration and engagement. Teachers used Jamboard as a way to collaborate in the classroom with students who were learning remotely.

Labster

An interactive, virtual science lab with simulations to support investigation. Science teachers used Labster to engage students with virtual science experiments when they were unable to be in the classroom.

Edpuzzle

A platform for sharing existing or created videos with students that allows teachers to set up segments where the video pauses and a question pops up for students to answer. Lower Division teachers used Edpuzzle to track engagement and understanding as virtual and in-person students watched video content.

Formative (Formerly Go Formative)

An online testing and quiz builder used by Middle Division and High School that allowed students to take quizzes and tests both in the classroom and remotely.

Loom

A screen recording software. Students used Loom to record work that was being done on their screens that could be instantly shared and edited with teachers to ensure they were fully understanding the lessons.

FlipGrid

A video discussion software used by teachers and students to spark a discussion and enhance social connections.

Bitmojis

A big hit at every grade level, Bitmojis were a fun way for students to create characters to represent themselves and connect with other students.