Monthly Archives: March 2009
30/03/09 What is Collaborations Around the Planet?
I’ve referenced CAPSpace before, but I haven’t talked about it too much in detail. According to Polycom, “Polycom Collaboration Around the Planet – CAPspace is a professional K-20 network and global directory that enables educators with access to video conferencing technology to enhance their curriculum, connect with colleagues and peers, and expand the reach of their classroom globally with live, interactive learning experiences.
Polycom CAPspace is a free directory that is open to all educators that use videoconferencing technology. It provides access to over 4,000 professionals and an unlimited number of lessons throughout the year that educators can integrate into their curriculum. From the CAPspace site, educators can search, identify and request participation in special projects, classes and workshops or provide a listing of the lessons they would like to share worldwide.
The program is sponsored by Polycom and hosted by Two-Way Interactive Connections in Education Michigan’s video conferencing organization for education. TWICE promotes and supports collaborative connections for the benefit of all students.” The URL for CAPSpace is: http://projects.twice.cc/.
Tags: Collaboration Around the Planet, Two-Way Interactive Connections in Education
30/03/09 Classroom Wiki PD
Want to create a class website where you can post daily assignments and pictures and upload documents for parents and students to download, but don’t have the time? Wikis were designed for you! Wiki Your Way to a Classroom Website will be July 8 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Cooperating School Districts‘ tele. Come learn how to use this free, Web 2.0 tool to create quick websites that contain everything you are dreaming of. In no time at all, you will have a robust website that you will be proud of and others will be impressed with. Learn the uses and benefits of using wikis and see several examples of how they are being used in education. Participants will create their own wikis using pbwiki (a free Internet-based service) and learn wiki basics such as setting one up, adding pages, inserting links, uploading files, inserting images and adding tables. Walk away with your own website in less time than you ever thought. “Wiki” means “quick” in Hawaiian, and they truly are! ($138 CSD member; $214 non-member | One Graduate Credit Available)
Tags: csd, pbwiki, tele, Virtual Learning Center, wiki
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- Posted under Classroom Technology, Collaboration, Distance Learning, Links, Tech PD, VLC Programs, Web 2.0
30/03/09 new METC logo
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- Posted under Conferences, VLC Programs
27/03/09 Author Answers: Where Do Chicks Come From?
COMING UP! Eggs-periments Videoconference with New Links to New Learning Author Visit Amy E. Sklansky
Amy E. Sklansky has written five picture books including Where Do Chicks Come From? This book, part of the well-respected Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out Science series, explains what happens inside an egg from fertilization through hatching.
“Neither flowery nor clinical, Sklansky’s straightforward presentation hits just the right note for young children, who will find the details of life inside the egg fascinating.” – Booklist
Using visuals in a highly interactive videoconference session, Amy outlines various stages of writing the book — research, revisions, artist’s sketches, etc. Student questions are encouraged! The 45-minute 
program for K-2, but can be geared toward an older audience… please limit the number of participating students to no more than 30 children.
For first and second grade classes, Amy will also lead several hands-on eggs-periments while teachers do the same in their own classrooms with their own eggs. To read more about this videoconference, click here.
Amy videoconferences live from her hometown of St. Louis, Missouri, from Cooperating School Districts.
Cost: New Links to New Learning members, $135 | nonmembers, $175
Dates: May 12 | 3 site limit/ videoconference
Times: Kindergarten v/c starts @ 9:30 | 1st-2nd grade v/c starts @ 10:45 CDT
Registration: http://www2.csd.org/newlinks/reservationform.html
Tags: Amy E. Sklansky, Booklist, eggs, fertilization, hatching, New Links to New Learning, Where Do Chicks Come From?
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- Posted under Classroom Technology, Distance Learning, Videoconferencing, VLC Programs
27/03/09 March Madness!
It has been a busy Friday morning here in the Virtual Learning Center! Carolyn Lesser had a videoconference (which got rave reviews from the school!), Stacey taught a beginning SMART Board class in the tele, and Martha and Ruth connected to videoconference with other Missouri technology educators. (And I was running around, checking the vc connections [plus another one, off site] and taking photos!)
Tags: Carolyn Lesser, SMART Board, Tech PD, tele, videoconference, Virtual Learning Center
27/03/09 Poetry Hour with Carolyn Lesser
This spring morning Carolyn Lesser connected with Tammie Miles’ second grade class at Central Elementary in the Francis Howell School District for a distance learning poetry session. During the author visit, Carolyn shared some of her published work (see below), then collaborated with Tammie’s students, using both a document camera and SMART Board to put together some poems.
Prior to this New Links to New Learning videoconference, Carolyn and Tammie spoke by telephone about the goals and learning outcomes from 
this 1 hour program. As you can see, Carolyn comes with many color visual aids to help keep the kids engaged.
Teachers, contact Rebecca Morrison if you want to have Carolyn Lesser connect to your students over videoconference!
Tags: author visit, Carolyn Lesser, New Links to New Learning, poetry session
27/03/09 Differentiating Instruction with Discovery streaming
Discovery streaming is not just videos. Come to the tele this summer find out how to use this resource more effectively in your teaching; discover ways to develop curriculum based Writing Prompts, Quizzes and Assignments through the use of the Teacher Center. You’ll learn how to save time and make your teaching easier by creating common assessments and sharing them with your school and your district through the use of My Content. You can engage today’s learner by using images and videos in your PowerPoint presentations. Bring a lesson idea, its objectives or GLE’s, and be ready to develop easy to use resources for more differentiated instruction. Walk away with a lesson ready to use with your students!
WHEN, WHERE, and HOW MUCH?
Differentiating Instruction with Discovery streaming
June 5 from 8:30am-3:30pm at Cooperating School Districts
$138 CSD member; $214 non-member (One Graduate Credit Available)
Registration: www.csd.org/tele
Questions? Contact Joan Forrest at 314-692-1259
Tags: Discovery Streaming
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- Posted under Classroom Technology, Distance Learning, Links, Tech PD, VLC Programs, Web 2.0
26/03/09 NEW CLASS: Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works
Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works will be June 11 & 12, 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. on both days. The fee for this two day course at Cooperating School Districts is $276 CSD members; $428 non-members. In addition, two graduate credits are available if you elect to participate.
About the tele class Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works:
Educators, are you looking for research-based instructional strategies to improve student learning? Would you like to learn how to use technology with these instructional strategies?
During this workshop, you will 1) learn about Marzano’s nine research-based instructional strategies for enhancing student achievement, 2) discuss ways in which to use technology with these strategies, and 3) begin planning technology-infused lessons or units that use effective instructional practices.
This class is based on the material in Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works. Participants will use this book, along with a customized wiki and blog to get real, hands-on experience with technology integration.
Purchase of the book is recommended, but not required.
For information on the tele, visit: www.csd.org/vlc
Tags: blog, Cooperating School Districts, Marzano, McREL, technology infused, tele, Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works, Virtual Learning Center, wiki
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- Posted under Blogs, Classroom Technology, Collaboration, Distance Learning, Links, Tech PD, VLC Programs
26/03/09 Creating Activboard Lessons to Engage and Motivate Students
Here’s another new tele class offering: Creating Activboard Lessons to Engage and Motivate Students. This class takes place on June 9 and August 4 (choose one date) from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The cost is $138 for a CSD member; $214 for a nonmember.
Here’s the class description:
Do you already have a Promethean Activboard and consider yourself a user? This intermediate class is for you! Come learn the advanced features of the Activboard and create lessons. We’ll show you how to find hundreds of lessons that have already been created for use on the Activboard. You’ll be able to create your own usable lesson, either from scratch or by tweaking a downloaded lesson.
Tags: Activboard, tele
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- Posted under Classroom Technology, Promethean Activboard, Tech PD, VLC Programs
26/03/09 Global Nomads Group: Afghanistan
LIVE from the Field: CARE Afghanistan
WED, April 29 – WED, May 20 – 4 Part Series
Middle and High: 7:30-8:30 AM EDT
In partnership with CARE, one of the key NGOs that is supporting development in Afghanistan, this four-part videoconference series will allow students to go beyond the headlines and learn firsthand about the issues facing Afghans. What are the current challenges facing Afghanistan? How are students, young widows, and other vulnerable groups affected by these challenges? What role does CARE play in aiding the redevelopment efforts? How are the U.S. and other governments participating? Students will have the opportunity, first-hand, to speak with Afghan students and CARE staff members about the past, present and future direction of their country, despite the manifold issues they are facing, many of them life-threatening.
Afghanistan’s Widows: War’s Forgotten Victims
WED, April 29
7:30-8:30 AM EDT/4:00-5:00 PM Kabul Time
It has been said that Kabul is the “widows’ capital of the world,” housing as many as 50,000 widows. As the war in Afghanistan continues to affect the civilian population, the plight of the widows is a significant issue to be discussed as injustice surrounds this overlooked community of girls and women across the generations. In this follow-up session, students will have a special opportunity to revisit this issue from GNG and CARE’s videoconference from Spring 2008. Students will come face to face with this group of incredible women to learn of their resilience and the real challenges that continue to face them today.
Can’t join the videoconference? Then watch it live! All of GNG’sprograms can be watched via live streaming.
Instructions are as follows:
Visit Streaming.bcisd.org
Username: Polycom/ Password: specialClick on ‘Live Streaming’.
Hit the play button icon.
For more information about Global Nomads Group’s programs, please contact Grace@gng.org or 212.529.0377
Tags: Afghanistan, CARE, Flickr Creative Commons, Global Nomads Group, GNG, international videoconference, Kabul, videoconference
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Rebecca Morrison
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