According to MACUL, “Last year over 50 schools demonstrated technology-rich projects to legislators to help raise their awareness about how students learn in the 21st century. Last year’s displays included local history projects, robotics, student broadcasting, computer repair and support, digital storytelling, scientific classroom technology, and much, much more.”

The 2008 AT&T/MACUL Student Technology Showcase is free for participants and visitors. Registration is not quite ready yet but will be soon at www.classroomhelp.com/att (2007 info is still up). Keep updated through the MACUL website www.macul.org.

Power UP! 2008 Educational Technology Conference
Fri. April 11, 2008 – 8:00 am to 3:30 pm – Oakland Schools

Power UP! 2008 will feature discussions about Web 2.0, Michigan School  Technology Requirements, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and survey  information from the Pew Internet & American Life Project (conference brochure)

LISTEN to national and local professionals speak about  technology in education!
OBSERVE student demonstrations showcasing technology use!
VIEW an extensive technology vendor area!
Conference content questions? call Mike Souden at 248.209.2287

COST: $35 per person, which covers food and meals
Registration (online) accepted through 5 PM, Friday, April 4, 2008.
For registration questions please call Event Management at 248.209.2500.

This conference will be a mix of hands-on lab experience lead by a highly trained presenter as well as traditional lecture presentations by educators using Moodle with their students.  This powerful learning management tool provides educators with the means to expand their learning day beyond the 8-3 school day.  Participants will also earn credit towards the Michigan Online Learning requirement at the same time.

Register Now: http://tinyurl.com/38dczn

Conference sessions are still under development, but some examples include: Introduction to Moodle, Teaching In The Online Community, Managing Your Course, and Designing Course Elements. Wireless access will be available and learners of all skill levels are welcome to attend.  Please see the attached flyer for additional information.

If you are able to bring a wireless laptop, it is strongly encouraged.

All Lenawee County educators are being encouraged to take advantage of this learning opportunity!! FREE for members of the LISD Professional Development Consortium! $25 for non-members of the LISD Professional Development Consortium.

This presentation will feature an overview of Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Sue Hardin will demonstrate how educators can capitalize on students’ techno-enthusiasm, interests and skills in the school setting within the framework of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to meet the diverse learning needs and preferences of all students.

UDL is defined by the Center for Applied Special Technologies (CAST) as “an educational approach to teaching, learning, and assessment, drawing on new brain research and new media technologies to respond to individual learner differences.”

UDL promotes effective teaching and removes barriers to access for ALL students. “For students with disabilities, technology can be a lifeline that allows them to communicate and participate in school-based education in ways that would have been impossible a few decades ago.” (Joachim-Colmen, 2003)

The day’s sessions will demonstrate simple, effective technologies to ensure that every student succeeds in the core curriculum. Other sessions to be presented include:

• Digital Reading: Building a Talking Library to Support ALL Readers – using digital text-to-speech software and leveled text websites to create your own supportive text
• Three P’s in a Pod (Portable, Powerful, Phlexible) – using iPod technology to differentiate instruction by delivering information in flexible, engaging formats that meet individual

Register online through LISD’s CourseWhere (Continental breakfast and lunch will be provided for workshop participants.)

About the presenter: Sue Hardin, Macomb ISD Assistive Technology Consultant, is known across the state as well as nationally for her work in the field of assistive technology, particularly her leadership in the Michigan Region IV Assistive Technology Consortium STELA Project – Strategies and Tools to Enhance Learning for All, and Macomb ISD’s “Begin With Me” writing project.

The Collaborative Tools for Learning Conference will be held at Macomb ISD on November 12 from 8:30am until 3:15pm.  Registration is $85 for MACUL members and $105 for non-members and includes a MACUL membership and access to the conference wikispace and web site.  A continental breakfast and lunch are included.

Presentations at the conference include: collaboration tools, Blackboard and Moodle, social networking sites, Google Docs, technology and language arts, collaborative learning tools in science and mathematics, classroom 2.0, collaborative tools for professional development, Netvibes and iGoogle, universal design for learning and Web 2.0, and much, much more.

To register or for more information, link to www.macul.org

It is not too late to get things streaming. Some sessions are live. All sessions are archived. Check out the conference schedule here. First time attendees will find this section of the conference wiki helpful.

Video webcasts of various sessions
Highly recommend if you only have time for 1 or 2:

• Thinkfinity (formerly MarcoPolo) overview of free interactive web resources
• Closing keynote w/ Dr. Tim Tyson and students from Mabry Middle School, GA (start at 8:00 min.)

Podcasts
(When I try to play these audio files through the Apple Learning web site, they are making my browsers, Firefox and IE, crash. Try accessing them from iTunes > search: conference connections) Highly recommended: Ian Jukes, Mitchel Resnick

Links to people who blogged NECC 2007

Lastly, you can search for presenters’ handouts

Enjoy! ~ Greg