Google doc version (to view or copy): Technology Tools (Tool #2: Family Technology Night)
Family Technology Night
Planning guide and resources
Overview
With the influx of devices in remote learning environments, partnering with families to learn more about the technology students are using in the classroom. Hosting a family technology night varies upon your school – it could be part of a back to school night or a separate event. It may start in one classroom and grow to a schoolwide event.
The planning guide below provides items to consider. Feel free to customize it to meet your needs. Sample resources are also provided on additional pages.
Planning Guide
Identify the planning team members
- Ideas for schoolwide planning team members: technology committee, IT Support, PTA/families, students, teachers, support staff, custodial staff, food services staff.
- If this is part of your classroom back to school night, involve students as part of the planning team.
Schedule planning meetings
- Establish a regular schedule for meetings—try to leverage existing time during the school day if possible (before school, lunch, after school).
- Share the agenda in advance of the meeting.
- Offer a virtual meeting option.
Planning for the meeting (sample agenda provided below)
- Determine the outcomes/goals of family technology night (e.g. Understand how children use devices for learning, Stay up-to-date with new information and apps, Begin meaningful and ongoing conversations about Internet safety, Parent features of technology apps, etc.); you may want to consider a survey to help inform needs and create outcomes/goals based on the needs.
- Logistics (session topics, number of sessions, speakers, session length, refreshments?, date and time – consider what works best for families, registration, advertisement, feedback form, set-up, event reminders).
Promoting the event
- Identify the different channels and the information that will be shared (e.g. social media, district website, auto notification system, local news, mailings/email messages, flyer, community partners).
Registration and feedback
- It may be helpful to have families register so adjustments can be made along the way (e.g., space, refreshments/raffle prizes/door prizes, handouts, etc.).
- Gathering feedback at the end of the event is helpful to inform future events.
Funding
- Solicit donations from technology vendors/partners for door prizes/raffle prizes. If there are financial needs to support the event, consider grant funding or partnering with local businesses/parent organizations.
Sample agenda
Meeting Information
- Date and Time
- Connection Information: (include this information if you are hosting a virtual meeting)
- Attendees
Sample agenda topics
For each agenda topic provide a discussion summary, and follow-up information (who, what, and when)
- Welcome
- Establish outcomes/goals for the family technology night
- Determine logistics
- Identify session format (different sessions offered at the same time, one large
- session)
- Identify session speaker(s)
- Refreshments (if in person event and allowable)
- Raffle prizes/Door prizes
- Date and Time
- Registration
- Advertisement
- Event reminders
- Feedback Form
- Set-Up (in person – custodial staff and/or food service; virtual – technology
- supports)
- Roundtable