Arlington, Virginia, March 11, 2008 –- Brewster Academy Dean of Studies Peter Hess was part of the panel “Sustainability of One-to-One – Essential Skills: Leadership and Vision, Education and Training” at the recent Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) Visionary Leadership conference.

In an era of mounting pressure to show the effect of technology on student achievement, it is essential that education and IT leaders understand the key characteristics of successful technology deployment and the steps required to put those characteristics in place and at scale in schools.

Hess’ panel presentation focused on how the first and longest lasting one-to-one deployment in the world (started in 1993 at Brewster) is a model for how thoughtful design can lead to truly embedded technology use in a school. The presentation was based on Brewster’s 10-year program of published research and a 2007 independent evaluation of implementation integrity.

Other panelists included Mark Weston, Ph.D., researcher and professor at the University of Colorado, Denver; Bruce Dixon, president of Anytime Anywhere Learning Foundation; and Gary Stager, Ph.D., senior editor at District Administration magazine and an adjunct professor at the Graduate School of Education and Psychology at Pepperdine University.

Panelists discussed the key concepts for a successful one-to-one effort, how to use those concepts, and how schools can move on a trajectory from their current technology deployment to a comprehensive integration of technology that produces dramatic gains in student and teacher performance.

CoSN is the country’s premier voice for K-12 education leaders who use technology strategically to improve teaching and learning. CoSN provides products and services to support leadership development, advocacy, coalition building, and awareness of emerging technologies. Members include education and technology leaders, policy makers, and influencers from the public and private sectors.