In her blog at the 21st Century Connections web site, Elizabeth Helfant, upper school coordinator of instructional technology at the MCIDS independent school in Saint Louis, MO, describes the launch of an ambitious one-to-one tablet program involving 450 7th, 9th, and 10th graders. In “Ready Set Go” she talks about ways of ensuring that “all cylinders [are] firing for what is sure to be an interesting ride.” The six cylinders that Helfant cites as being crucial to a successful one-to-one launch are:

1. School Culture – including an atmosphere in which change is embraced.

2. Leadership – linked closely to school culture since it’s the school or district leaders who support the new school culture and bring clarity to the mission.

3. Curriculum – involving a variety of creative approaches to rethinking the curriculum and using the technology to help build a community of learners.

4. Technology Tools – including the hardware, software and workflow processes that make revamping the curriculum possible.

5. Sustainability – including ongoing professional development, sharing and cross-fertilization.

6. Accountability – with ways for educators to document progress towards their own goals.

To learn more read the blog at the 21st Century Connections web site.