HISD school leaders recently got a closer look at the district’s new digital teaching and learning platform that will launch in the coming school year at 48 K–12 pilot schools. It’s called the PowerUp:HUB, and the online platform is part of the district’s larger initiative to digitally transform teaching and learning. During the 2014–2015 school year, all teachers will access the district’s curriculum through the HUB, and teachers at the pilot schools  will have access to additional features including a customizable planner, the ability to create assignments and deliver tests and quizzes for students, and the ability to collaborate with their peers to share ideas and education resources.

Principals and school administrators recently underwent introductory training on the HUB and will receive more intense training in early August.  “They were able to show us what it could look like and what it will look like in the coming year, and I am really excited about it,” said Highland Heights Elementary School Assistant Principal Raquel Sosa-Gonzalez.

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All teachers will receive an overview of how to access curriculum through the HUB at the district’s Personalized Learning Institute this coming August, during job-alike trainings, as well as through an online tutorial. Teachers at the 32 high schools that are part of the HUB pilot group will also receive specialized training during the institute, as well additional professional development through open labs, webinars, Saturday trainings, and early release day trainings throughout the school year. Teachers at the 16 elementary and middle schools in the HUB pilot will receive specialized training in October.

All of the high schools in the HUB pilot are also part of phase one or two of the district’s one-to-one laptop initiative. During phase one, laptops were distributed to students at 11 high schools during the second semester of the 2013–2014 school year. For phase two, students at an additional 21 schools will receive the devices during the second semester of the 2014–2015 school year.

Elementary and middle schools involved in the HUB pilot will not be receiving one-to-one laptops for their students, but instead, will use their existing campus technology including tablets, laptop carts, and computer labs to integrate the HUB into their planning and instruction.