The Park City School District has long been considered a torch-bearer in the state when it comes to technology-based learning.
But district officials say a recent trip they took to the headquarters of Apple in Cupertino, Calif., to examine how other districts around the country are using technology opened their eyes as to how much more the district could offer students.
“I think we all went thinking we were doing all we could do,” said Ember Conley, district Superintendent. “But we all walked out of there very humbled, realizing that we’ve barely skimmed the surface. We have a long way to go and a lot of improvements to make.”
The district visited Cupertino because it has been nominated for the prestigious Apple Education Recognition program, which honors schools and districts that excel at using technology to teach their students.
The Park City School District will find out if it will be recognized with the honor in late October or early November, but the district has already reaped rewards just from being nominated. During the visit to Cupertino — Conley, Park City High School principal Bob O’Connor, Ecker Hill Middle School principal Traci Evans, Associate Superintendent Kathleen Einhorn and district technology coach Sam Thompson were the representatives on the trip — Apple modeled technology suited specifically to the district.
Thompson said that, combined with getting a look at what other high-achieving districts are doing with technology, gave them a sense of the next steps they can take to further implement technology-based education.
“There’s a reason why (Apple) has been so profitable in their devices,” Thompson said. “Well, they bring that same flavor to their education presentations. You definitely leave feeling inspired. There’s always more you can do to continue to push those boundaries and meet the kids where they are in their learning.”
One area in which Thompson sees an opportunity for growth is in using technology to create a project-based learning environment, in which students learn not from merely reading or listening, but by doing. It’s a large shift from traditional teaching methods, but Thompson said it’s also one of the most promising frontiers when it comes to technology in education.
“They learn the content through the process of solving that problem,” he said. “That seems to be a really cool trend. That, to me, is sort of the big ‘aha’ of technology.”
For Conley, one of the most exciting uses for technology in the district is allowing students to take classes from college professors while still sitting in Park City classrooms. She pointed to the district offering college-level Spanish and French classes, something that is only realistic through the use of technology.
“To be able to hire someone on staff who teaches that maybe one or two periods a day is totally not feasible,” she said. “But to have some technology where the kids can have an interactive experience with a professor, at BYU or Utah State or anywhere in the United States — that right there is going to be powerful.”
If Apple does choose to honor the Park City School District, the benefits would continue. Conley said that other schools and districts in the state often seek it out to learn from how it uses technology. Apple would help formalize that process so that fewer district resources are used.
“That was really one of my pressures, because we need to really honor the time of our principals and staff,” she said.
Additionally, the district would then be part of a network of other schools and districts Apple has honored, allowing it to remain on the cutting edge of what is going on nationally. Conley said that is particularly important because a groundswell of optimism about the possibilities of technology-based learning is beginning to sweep the nation. And it’s crucial for the Park City School District to be a part of it.
“To learn what they’re doing with technology is incredible,” Conley said. “It gets us out of our bubble in Utah.
“For us to continue being a quality district, we need to be at the top of the game.”