Digital Learning Plan

Wyoming Department of Education > For Teachers > Digital Learning and Support > Digital Learning Plan

Wyoming’s Digital Learning Plan (DLP)

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The Digital Learning Plan (as described in Wyoming Statute 21-2-202 (a)(xx)) was developed to better provide equal access to education through technology. To address the Digital Learning priorities the Future Ready Framework was adopted to organize the Wyoming’s Digital Learning Plan.

7 gears in a circle. The 7 gears are as follows: Curriculum Instruction and assessment, Use of Time, Technology and Infrastructure, Data and Privacy, Community Partnerships, Professional Learning, Budget and Resources. Surrounding the gears is another circle of words, Vision, Plan, Implement, Assess, and Refine. Collaborative leadership enfolds the circle with a final layer.

Wyoming has emerged as a leader in statewide broadband connectivity which has improved internet access in classrooms. The next step is to aid educators in fully utilizing the resources now available.

To learn more about the Future Ready Framework and how your District can take advantage of utilizing the resources to create a District specific Digital Learning plan visit the WDE Future Ready page.

Vision for the Plan

The WDE Digital Learning plan is designed to provide a roadmap with recommendations for action that focuses on Digital Learning. Which empowers all stakeholders to provide and expand learning opportunities, to be adaptable, and to evolve with the ever-changing learning environment to meet the needs of all Wyoming students.

Guiding Principles

  • Focus on equity of educational opportunity for all students throughout the state
  • Plan and prepare thoughtfully to maximize success of this complex and significant change management process
  • Gain support from leadership, which is crucial for meaningful technology integration
  • Engage teachers, administrators, students, parents, and other stakeholders
  • Focus on the teachers as the key to quality instruction with support from technology
  • Support effective and ongoing professional development as an essential element for success
  • Acknowledge public schools are managed by elected local school boards with their own policies, priorities, and constituents who prefer local control of the education system for their students
  • Leverage the infrastructure investments, economies of scale, and planning teams in districts and across the state
  • Provide flexible guiding principles for school districts to craft and implement their technology vision for teaching and learning
  • Identify and share existing innovations, expertise, and resources throughout Wyoming, while also building upon national and international promising practices, models, and research
  • Plan for long term sustainability, continuous improvement, and educational return on investment

Gear 1: Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment

A blue gear with a teacher and student who is reading a book  Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment

Goal 1:

Provide a common understanding of what students should know, understand, and be able to do, specific to digital learning and digital citizenship.

WDE Strategies:

Hour of Code
Computer Science Education

Goal 2:

Technology is used to gather and utilize data to inform educators and students with personalized instructions.

WDE Strategies:

K-20 Statewide LMS
Open Range Wyoming
Data Retreats
Quality Matters Workshops

Goal 3:

Educators use instructional practices that shift their role to be facilitators of learning.

WDE Strategies:

Quality Matters Workshops
Innovative Educators Recognition

Gear 2: Use of Time and Space

A green gear with a clock in the middle. The hand is pointing to 9 o'clock  Use of Time and Space

Goal 1:

Students will be provided with a continuum of high quality learning opportunities that can be easily identified, personalized, and accessed.

WDE Strategies:

Virtual 307

Goal 2:

Educators across the state will have access to models of effective Digital Learning across time and space.

WDE Strategies:

Open Range Wyoming
K-20 Statewide LMS
Innovative Educators Recognition

Goal 3:

Offer quality online and blended courses for students that include opportunities for students to demonstrate mastery of content in a variety of ways.

WDE Strategies:

Quality Matters Online Teaching Certificate

Gear 3: Robust Infrastructure

Red gear with computer in the middle with wireless signals coming out of it Robust Infrastructure

Goal 1:

Every school has the capability to meet LAN/Wi-Fi standards.

WDE Strategies:

Wyoming Classroom Connectivity Initiative (WCCI)

Goal 2:

Support a technology infrastructure providing opportunities for equitable education for all children attending Wyoming’s K-12 public schools.

WDE Strategies:

Wyoming Classroom Connectivity Initiative (WCCI)

Goal 3:

Every school has the capacity to successfully plan, procure, and manage their LAN/Wi-Fi networks.

WDE Strategies:

Wyoming Classroom Connectivity Initiative (WCCI)

Goal 4:

Every school has the capacity to provide sufficient funding, staff, and expertise to manage LAN/Wi-Fi networks.

WDE Strategies:

Wyoming Classroom Connectivity Initiative (WCCI)

Goal 5:

Technology directors, superintendents, curriculum directors, and other stakeholders consistently collaborate to support a common vision for supporting teaching and learning.

WDE Strategies:

Technology Directors Conference
Technology Directors Workshop
Tech Hubs
Statewide Professional Learning Communities (PLC’s)

Goal 6:

All schools have the capacity to sustainably provide the devices needed for learning.

WDE Strategies:

Wyoming Classroom Connectivity Initiative (WCCI)

Gear 4: Data and Privacy

A green gear with a folder in the center. The folder has a lock on it Data and Privacy

Goal 1:

Student and educator data will be protected with privacy maintained in accordance with state and federal mandates.

WDE Strategies:

Data Privacy
Tech Directors Conference
Tech Directors Workshop
Data Retreats
Wy-Fi

Goal 2:

All teachers will use assessment data that enables them to personalize instruction and increase student achievement.

WDE Strategies:

Open Range Wyoming
Quality Matters Workshops
Wy-Fi

Goal 3:

All students will use data to understand their progression through the learning standards.

WDE Strategies:

Wy-Fi

Gear 5: Community Partnerships

A grey gear with shaking hands in the middle Community Partnerships

Goal 1:

Develop learning spaces in local communities that engage all learners (K-12, postsecondary, businesses, parents, and community members).

WDE Strategies:

Computer Science Education
Open Range Wyoming
Statewide Professional Learning Communities (PLC’s)

Goal 2:

Develop partnerships between K-12 systems, postsecondary institutions, and libraries that enable opportunities to learn from each other and leverage resources.

WDE Strategies:

Open Range Wyoming
Wyoming Innovations in Learning Conference
K-20 Statewide LMS

Goal 3:

Students have access to learning opportunities beyond the school walls by connecting to local community, national, and global partners.

WDE Strategies:

Open Range Wyoming
K-20 Statewide LMS
Computer Science Education
Wyoming Classroom Connectivity Initiative (WCCI)

Gear 6: Personalized Professional Learning

A blue gear with a head in the middle. The head has 2 gears as the brain Personalized Professional Learning

Goal 1:

Ensure all educators across Wyoming know what personalized professional learning opportunities are available.

WDE Strategies:

K-20 Statewide LMS
Open Range Wyoming
Statewide Professional Learning Communities (PLC’s)

Goal 2:

Provide educators with a continuum of professional development choices that can be easily identified, personalized, and accessed.

WDE Strategies:

Wyoming Classroom Connectivity Initiative (WCCI)
Computer Science Education
K-20 Statewide LMS
Open Range Wyoming

Goal 3:

Provide recognition (e.g. micro-credentialing, credit, higher degrees) for educators to continue their professional growth toward implementing effective digital learning practices.

WDE Strategies:

Quality Matters Teaching
Online Certificate
Quality Matters Digital Credential

Goal 4:

Statewide network of educators and organizations focused on sharing digital learning best practices, implementation strategies, and successful outcomes.

WDE Strategies:

Wyoming Innovations in Learning Conference

Gear 7: Budget and Resources

A orange gear with a money sign in the middle Budget and Resources

Goal 1:

Increase cost savings and reduce costs when appropriate for digital learning.

WDE Strategies:

Wyoming Classroom Connectivity Initiative (WCCI)
K-20 Statewide LMS
Open Range Wyoming

Goal 2:

Develop innovative use of funds to incentivize work on Digital Learning

WDE Strategies:

Virtual 307
Open Range Wyoming
Wyoming Classroom Connectivity Initiative (WCCI)
K-20 Statewide LMS
Technology Directors Conference
Tech Directors Workshop
Tech Hubs

Goal 3:

Leverage partnerships with businesses to increase funding opportunities.

WDE Strategies:

Coders of the West
Wyoming Classroom Connectivity Initiative (WCCI)
Computer Science Education

Goal 4:

Provide guidance for developing sustainable technology and digital learning procurement plans.

Goal 5:

Provide guidance for prioritizing investments.

FAQs

What is the Digital Learning Plan (DLP)?

The DLP is a five year education technology plan designed to enhance student access to digital learning opportunities.

Who is responsible for the DLP implementation?

By statute, the Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) is responsible for the development and implementation of the plan, in cooperation with other stakeholders and state agencies. The WDE has formed an Advisory Panel to guide this effort.

Why did the WDE conduct listening sessions, surveys and focus groups?

The WDE employed a broad and then more detailed approach to identify a wide variety of stakeholder needs and ideas.

How has the WDE used the information from stakeholders?

The DLP Advisory Panel made decisions and developed components of the plan based on the analysis of all the information gathered from stakeholders. The listening tour sessions provided a theme of eight areas of digital learning to address in the plan. The district surveys and focus group items were written based on the listening tour themes to gather more detailed information about how the needs could be adequately identified and addressed.

Who will benefit from the Digital Learning Plan (DLP)?

In short; everyone. Students, educators, boards of trustees, libraries, the community college system, the University of Wyoming, and individuals from both the public and private sector will all benefit from education technology access and network connectivity in and between schools, communities, and between the state and the world.

What are the next steps?

The plan is being drafted and revised through September 2016. With public comment collected in August, the plan is being finalized before submission to legislators in October of 2016.

How do I stay involved?

The WDE will post the plan by October 1, 2016 at edu.wyoming.gov/tech. Sign up at your listening session to receive the latest information.

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