What is Digital Transformation?

The district is focused on transforming learning spaces as part of a larger shift that aims to give students more say in how they learn and express ideas, increase their access to information and challenging curriculum, help them engage in collaborative learning and teaches them key digital literacy skills. This larger shift also includes library transformations featuring updated, flexible learning environments that allow for collaboration and an environment more akin to today’s workplace and Maker-Spaces to support their creativity, imagination, and innovation through hands-on learning experiences.

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Why Do We Need This?

MMSD aims to transform our students’ physical learning spaces into flexible, active environments that offer better opportunities for discovery, collaboration, and creation with real-world application and that prepare them for the college and career environments of their futures. Both Madison College and UW-Madison are moving toward active learning classrooms. Madison College states “Active Learning classrooms are smart, technology infused rooms with movable tables and chairs, both on casters. They provide maximum flexibility and are especially suited for collaborative and interactive teaching methods and student learning. The capabilities available in Active Learning classrooms allow maximum flexibility and collaborative student engagement.” To best engage our students now and to prepare them for the future, digital transformations are needed across the district.

How Will We Achieve This?

MMSD’s Information and Technology Plan, Ignite, charts the course to enhance teaching and learning to ignite student potential. As part of Ignite, the district is updating library media centers to create inviting, flexible spaces with up-to-date digital audio/visual hardware. Our libraries are ideally positioned to serve as innovation centers where maker-spaces promote collaboration and creation, centered around technology, allowing students to produce things together that would be impossible alone and without the right resources. In addition to space upgrades, digital resources contribute as an essential part of a modern school library that allows access to quality digital media resources for anytime, anywhere access.

In the last 5 years, the district in partnership with community businesses has transformed six libraries at Gompers Elementary, Jefferson Middle, Van Hise Elementary, Hamilton Middle, Lincoln Elementary, and Hawthorne Elementary Schools. Digital implementation expanded to eight more schools in the 2016-2017 school year. Over the next few years, in alignment with the 2016-2021 Ignite Plan, expansion will continue to reach all 50 schools.

MMSD and the Bubbler at Madison Public Library are teaming up with Google and Maker Ed to create new innovative makerspaces, headspaces, and learning spaces in our community schools.

Making and thinking go hand in hand to promote critical thinking, problem-solving, and engagement, but can be approached in many different ways. In the first year of the Making Spaces project, six Madison Public schools ( Capital High, Franklin Elementary, Huegel Elementary, Sandburg Elementary, Toki Middle and Whitehorse Middle) have worked to design a project or space as unique as their community that will help their students thrive.

Interested in supporting Digital Transformation programs?

Questions?