Two Minds: Business & Education Work Together at NTN

March 18, 2011

New Tech Network President Lydia Dobyns leads a national high school development organization as her encore career. At first, her journey from Silicon Valley executive might seem unusual. However, what started 16 years ago as a parent volunteer stint led to successive education roles that culminated in a complete career change.

Considered a promising, but novice, political candidate, Ms. Dobyns was elected to the area school board.  Becoming versed in education policy, construction bond challenges and spearheading tax levies, she “learned a lot about school finance and the importance to involve all stakeholders in the local community.”   As someone who has always maintained interest in effecting public policy, Lydia began to apply local lessons to a broader education agenda.  Most importantly, she experienced an awakening to the importance of “education’s role in our country, and how important quality education was for the health of every community.”

Convinced that creating highly effective schools was indeed often “about finding adequate sources of funding”, Lydia co-founded a nonprofit organization committed to raise funding for schools.   More than ten years later, the foundation now plays a significant role in providing funds for innovative education programs.

After seeing her own children graduate from middle and high school, Dobyns decided it was time to make a larger impact in education. She joined New Tech Network (NTN) as Chief Operating Officer and was promoted to president in 2010. New Tech Network works nationwide with schools, districts, and communities to develop high schools that fundamentally re-imagine teaching and learning. Through project-based learning, technology that is deeply embedded and a school culture that promotes collaboration and deeper learning skills like critical thinking and communication, Dobyns realized she had the opportunity for large scale change.

Much like her own career, NTN straddles both the education and business worlds, offering project-based learning incorporating multiple (and sometimes competing) viewpoints.   Students are required to think outside typical parameters, and practice their theories in real-time settings. At New Tech, students work in groups and present findings to teachers as well as community members just as they would in a business setting.

Touted as a 21^st century learning network, NTN serves as a consulting organization providing training, coaching, and an online learning platform to a designated schools. Hired by thea school district, NTN helps with implementation of the New Tech school model, and advises on administrator and teacher roles, classroom layout, instructional format and technology parameters.  Even before New Tech helps to establish a school, Ms. Dobyns noted that a school needs “champions who can establish widespread community support among business leaders, teachers, administrators, parents, and students.”

New Tech classrooms and teachers adhere to rigorous, project-based curriculums. Typically, classes are team-taught with 60-70 students in double size classrooms. Teachers act as facilitators and collaborate to team- teach subjects such as science and language arts.  Kids work in groups and collaborative teams, offering solutions to real-world problems.

Yet with all these changes, does NTN help facilitate academic achievement and career readiness?  After 14 years of operation and data collection, the results are promising.  With 62 schools now operating as New Tech models, graduation data from the first school, established in 1996, indicate an average of 98%, compared to the average 68% high school graduation rate.

As with all re-design efforts, the investment to transform schools is significant. Currently, it costs about $125,000 a year for the initial 4-year implemention. As the New Tech Network grows, the cost to stay connected is expected to decline.

How does Ms. Dobyns discern the NTN future? She believes a primary focus lies beyond physical plant and school site requirements.  New Tech Network’s learning management system is designed to support project-based learning (PBL), facilitate communication and collaboration, and improve teacher practice. Using a unique software and curriculum platform, New Tech foresees the opportunity to reach entire districts.  With a centralized in-house school district presence, new Tech can provide targeted solutions for administrators with flexibility and measureable success.  For instance, NTN has a high success rate with facilitating and broadening STEM-focused programs and other value-added portfolio programs.

Combining her business and education experience proved a successful marriage for Lydia Dobyns.  The goal remains in teaching NTN students the same skills that provide opportunities in seemingly “unlikely” places.  As Ms. Dobyns confides, such “opportunities grow entrepreneurs” and “provide long-term economic insurance in an increasingly competitive global market.”   Classroom volunteers anyone?

About the Author:

Lydia Dobyns has combined careers as a technology entrepreneur and executive with education policy and non-profit service. She served two terms as a school board member, led an education foundation and directed replication strategies in the education sector. As President of New Tech Network, she oversees the organization’s strategic direction, school development and operations. Among the chief initiatives for New Tech are expanding its network of 62 high schools and further development of the learning management platform, NTN Echo. Lydia’s career includes work in the high technology, online services and consumer products industries. She graduated with a B.A. in English from the University of California, Berkeley.