Taskforce on Digital Learning Set to Examine Florida’s Path Forward

 - Group of state educators, parents, business and community leaders will work with national and international policy experts to help shape education’s digital future - 

TALLAHASSEE – Florida Department of Education Commissioner Gerard Robinson today announced the members of the Florida 2.0 Digital Learning Group, a new taskforce that will focus on digital learning in Florida. Following a series of presentations at the State Board of Education meeting on March 27 in Miami, the board voted to set up a taskforce to develop a comprehensive plan to make certain that the state has the infrastructure, instructors and institutional reforms in place by the 2014-15 school year to ensure that Florida remains a national leader in digital learning.

“Technology has changed the world we live in, the way we get our information, and the way we learn,” said Education Commissioner Gerard Robinson. “Many of today’s top careers did not even exist 10 years ago. Digital learning plays an important role in education in our state and it will become even more critical as we prepare students for college and challenging new 21st century careers.”

State Board of Education Chair Kathleen Shanahan stated, “The State Board urges the taskforce volunteers to think big and broad in the compressed timeline as we seek to move Florida forward on digital education. We look forward to hearing clear, directional recommendations at our May meeting.”

The Florida 2.0 Digital Learning Group includes 30 members, each of whom is assigned to one of three subcommittees: Infrastructure, Quality Instruction, and Institutional Reform. Similar to the approach used successfully with the Commissioner’s Taskforce on Inclusion and Accountability, each subcommittee will focus on a specific assignment and the entire group will convene to discuss all recommendations.

The digital learning group includes educators, parents, organization and business leaders, and legislative representatives from across the state.

 

Florida 2.0 Digital Learning Group
Name	Affiliation	Location	Subcommittee
Shirley Baker	Principal	Bay	Infrastructure
Pam Benton	Teacher	Pinellas	Quality Instruction
Jennifer Chapman	Business	Duval	Infrastructure
Marti Coley	Legislative	Multiple	Quality Instruction
Connie Collins	Principal	Seminole	Institutional Reform
Jimmie Davis	Organization	Leon	Institutional Reform
Erik Fresen	Legislative	Dade	Institutional Reform
Frank Fuller	Legislative	Leon	Institutional Reform
Sharyn Gabriel	Principal	Orange	Quality Instruction
Luis Garcia	University	Orange	Quality Instruction
Richard Hartshorne	University	Orange	Quality Instruction
Angela Holbrook	Teacher	Dade	Infrastructure
Lisa Jones	Organization	Clay	Quality Instruction
Nancy Kelley	Organization	Leon	Quality Instruction
Kim Kendall	Parent	St. Johns	Infrastructure
Steve Knopik	Business	Manatee	Institutional Reform
Michael Lannon	Superintendent	St. Lucie	Quality Instruction
Bill Law	State College	Pinellas	Institutional Reform
Michelle Licata	Teacher	FLVS	Institutional Reform
Jorge Martinez	Organization	Dade	Infrastructure
Lowell Matthews	Organization	Leon	Institutional Reform
Jim Miller	Business	Lake	Quality Instruction
Joe Pickens	State College	St. Johns	Infrastructure
Jeremy Ring	Legislative	Broward	Institutional Reform
Katrina Rolle	Parent	Leon	Institutional Reform
Robert Runcie	Superintendent	Broward	Institutional Reform
Cynthia Stafford	Legislative	Dade	Infrastructure
Kelli Stargel	Legislative	Polk	Infrastructure
Tom Townsend	Superintendent	Putnam	Infrastructure
Steven Wallace	State College	Duval	Quality Instruction

 

Commissioner Robinson also named the members of a Policy Advisory Group, comprised of national and international experts in digital learning, who will serve as a resource for content, policy and technical aspects as the Digital Learning Group develops their recommendations.

Members of the Policy Advisory Group include

• Peje Emilsson, Founder and Chairman of Kunskapsskolan Education Sweden
• Mario Franco, President of Mobile Communications Foundation – Portugal
• Michael Horn, Executive Director of Education of the Innosight Institute and coauthor of Disrupting Class
• Doug Levin, Executive Director of the State Educational Technology Directors Association
• Susan Patrick, President and CEO of the International Association for K-12 Online Learning
• Tom Vander Ark, Author of Getting Smart and CEO of Open Ed Solutions
• John Watson, Founder of Evergreen Education Group, which produces Keeping Pace with K12 Online Learning

Subcommittee members will meet via webinar between April 18 and 20. The group will meet in person April 24 and 25 at the Collaborative Labs of St. Petersburg College. The intent is to present a plan to the State Board of Education at their May 10 meeting.

 

 

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CONTACT: DOE PRESS OFFICE (850) 245-0413

 

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