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Day Four Friday, May 15, 2009

Posted by Rebecca Morrison in Promethean Activboard, Videoconferencing.
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new audio and Polycom mic Promethean Check out the ceiling in the photo on the left! New speakers for the audio system and a Polycom mic are now in the tele. Up next: hanging the Promethean Activboard (still in the box, see right).

Day Two Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Posted by Rebecca Morrison in Tech PD, VLC Programs, Web 2.0.
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new SMART Board ready to go flat screen

Day Two: the interactive whiteboards- SMART Board and Promethean Activboard- are going in, as is a new mounted, flat screen TV to go with the Polycom.

CSD’s 21st Century Classroom Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Posted by Rebecca Morrison in Promethean Activboard, SMART Board, Tech PD, Videoconferencing.
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tele revamp day 1

Day One

The Virtual Learning Center is updating our tele to truly be a 21st century classroom! Today is day one in the make-over!

The new set up will be ready in time for the summer tele classes, which begin the first week of June.

What does the new look include? A new HD Polycom 9000, a new Promethean Activboard with attached projector, a SMART Board 600I with attached projector, Benne’s tables specially constructed for the tele,  and an audio enhancement system.

Podcasts with Virtual Learning Center Thursday, February 12, 2009

Posted by Rebecca Morrison in Internet safety, VLC Programs, Web 2.0, podcast.
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podcastDid you know that Cooperating School Districts has a podcast series? To see a full list of the available podcasts, click here.

The staff of the Virtual Learning Center have been featured in some of the podcasts:

Nancy George, on the topic of Cyberbullying and Internet Safety for Parents.

Ruth Litman-Block, on the topic of Technology Integration in the Classroom.

Martha Bogart talks on the topic of the Midwest Education Technology Conference.

Is there a topic you would like CSD to feature in an upcoming podcast? Contact Craig George with your ideas.

SMART Board Training 3/2 + 3/3 Monday, February 9, 2009

Posted by Rebecca Morrison in Classroom Technology, SMART Board, Tech PD, VLC Programs.
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smiling SMART BoardCome learn how to use this great technology tool in your classroom (this class is for beginners; no prior knowledge of SMART Boards required).  The SMART Board is an interactive whiteboard that improves the way you teach, train and present. It combines the look and feel of a regular whiteboard with the power of a computer so you can save and print notes, collaborate on electronic documents, share information and run multimedia materials!  When combined with an LCD panel or projector, the SMART Board becomes a large, touch-sensitive screen (click here to see a video from a past tele class). Discover how to develop lesson plans that make use of this fabulous tool and that motivate students to learn! St. Louis area educators, the Virtual Learning Center’s next class is  March 2-3 at Cooperating School Districts’ tele. Space is limited, so sign up today.

METC Featured Speakers Announced Monday, September 15, 2008

Posted by Rebecca Morrison in Classroom Technology, Collaboration, Conferences, Distance Learning, Links, Tech PD, VLC Programs.
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Featured Speakers for the Midwest Education Technology Conference have been announced! For a complete list of names, program topics and biographies, please visit here. Registration starts Wednesday, 10/1/08.

just over a week to go… Friday, August 1, 2008

Posted by Rebecca Morrison in Blogs, Classroom Technology, Collaboration, Conferences, Distance Learning, Promethean Activboard, SMART Board, Tech PD, VLC Programs, Videoconferencing, podcast.
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… to get your METC 2009 presentation proposal in. It’s a busy time of the year, educators, but don’t forget to submit! Questions? Contact Nancy George. The METC 2009 program committee established two goals:

* Design a program based on strands that encompass technology in all aspects of education – classroom, library media center, school / district offices and network infrastructure.
* Offer a program that fits into educators’ individual learning plans and aligns with high quality professional development.

To reach programming goals, METC 2009 invites teachers, media specialists, administrators, technical support and other education-minded people who have effective instructional technology programs and management strategies to share their methods, plans & successes.

Midwest Education Technology Conference 2008 @ St. Charles Convention Center

Cooperating School Districts’ METC 2009 is January 26 through 28 at the St. Charles Convention Center.

KC3 Kids Creating Community Content – over Videoconference Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Posted by Rebecca Morrison in Classroom Technology, Collaborations, Conferences, Distance Learning, Links, Tech PD, Videoconferencing.
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Jan Zanetis of Tandberg presented at MODLA last week on KC3 Kids Creating Community Content. Last year was the first year of the student videoconference project, and they plan to continue it into this school year. Here are some details from the guidelines listed on the website:

PROJECT OVERVIEW

From east to west, urban or rural, we each live in a unique community. What can we learn from our area, from our varied citizens or natural resources? What can we share with others that will enhance their view of our country or our world? This standards based project seeks to tap into the creative nature of students as they look at their community with new eyes and explore ways to share their findings with others using videoconferencing and technology as a resource.

Requirements include, in part: 

  • Student Teams will research a topic in their community. Examples of this might include a historical place or figure, a natural resource, a unique place of interest.
  • Students will develop an informational program geared toward a specific audience educating them on the topic.

Students all over the country participated- from Oklahoma to Hawaii! Jan shared some clips from the videoconferences that were really great. Students were teaching others about their community; for example, the students in Honolulu taught their mainland peers and about hula and about aquaculture. Students in Texas educated others on Fire Ants. The kids on both ends were totally engaged, as were the participants in Jan’s session. I can’t wait to get St. Louis area schools involved.

What’s New with SMART Notebook Version 10 Monday, July 14, 2008

Posted by Rebecca Morrison in Classroom Technology, Collaboration, Conferences, Links, SMART Board, Tech PD.
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Martha Bogart

Nancy George

CSD’s Martha Bogart & Nancy George will be presenting at Successlink’s 6th Annual Technology Innovations Conference later this week on SMART Notebook Version 10.  

I thought I’d give you a sneak peek at some of the new features they will be using and talking about: 

  • Presentation Pen: spotlight, magnifier, invisible ink
  • Animations: fly-in, shrink & grow
  • Fill Effects: pattern, image
And what can you expect with the Successlink Conference itself? According to its website, a lot: “educators will learn how technology in the classroom can be utilized to improve student learning as well as assisting with multiple administrative tasks and responsibilities.  Participants will meet other teachers from around the state implementing various forms of technology in their classrooms. Each session will be a “hands-on” experience.  There will be sessions for beginner, intermediate and advanced users.  We will be highlighting sessions on blogging, handhelds, webquests, and podcasting to name a few.”

21st Century Learning Tools Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Posted by Rebecca Morrison in Blogs, Classroom Technology, Collaboration, Tech PD, VLC Programs.
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We have a really cool class coming up in mid-July about online communities and how you can integrate them into your classroom. What a great way to get students engaged! As you know, students are participating in online communities outside of school everyday. They text and instant message with their friends and update their blogs.

How can you as an educator, get in on using these devices in the classroom? Blogs, wikis, chat rooms, discussion boards, and classroom management systems— find out what these are all about & how you can take advantage of them as learning tools. Don’t shy away from these Web 2.0 applications! During this course, you will learn the essentials of how to create online educational communities to meet your students’ needs. And think about those needs inside and outside of school: students experienced in working in collaborative online environments have the advantage when entering the workforce.  During the workshop, participants will examine exemplary online communities & discover what makes them effective.

Participants will be able to create their own blogs and/or discussion boards for use in their classrooms- how very 21st century! When does 21st Century Learning Tools: Online Communities take place? Over two days, July 14 from 9 am to 4 pm and the class wraps up July 16, running 9 am-12 pm. The class costs just $153 for a CSD member. Not a member? The class is $229 for you. In addition to learning all of these tools, you can earn one graduate credit. For details and registration, visit the tele website.