LISD Ed Tech Connection

The date was just announced for the Fall 2007 AT&T/MACUL Student Technology Showcase. The showcase will be held on September 26th, 2007 in the Capitol Building in Lansing, Michigan.

This event is a wonderful opportuninty for schools to demonstate to elected officials one of the many innovative ways we use technology to enhance the learning process. Michigan teachers and other educators are invited to submit a proposal to participate. Information about the showcase and registration can be found at http://www.classroomhelp.com/att/.

Students in classrooms from many Lenawee County schools have been using technology this month to interact with other students, educational institutions, and experts all around North America without ever leaving their classrooms. Some of the events our students have participated in include:

• Studying simple machines with educators from COSI Columbus
• Using American Sigh Language to retell a Dr. Seuss story
• Reading original stories, riddles, and poems with other students in places like McGregor, El Paso, and Paris, TX, Eagleville, PA, and Edmonton and Coaldale, Alberta, Canada
• Learning basic words of the Japanese language with LISD’s Nina Howard

All of this has been done by using videoconferencing technology which allows for two-way audio and video between two or more locations for live, real-time interaction. The events allow our students to use 21st Century tools for learning and were made possible by the hard work of all of the students, educators, and technology staffs of multiple Lenawee County districts.

(Click on photo for larger image.) On Fri. March 23rd, a 4th grade student of Ms. Whaley’s class in Sand Creek waits to ask question of students in McGregor, Texas as part of the annual Read Around the Planet celebration of reading month organized by Michigan’s Two-Way Interactive Connections in Education.

The 2007 MACUL conference was a success. There were many attendees from Lenawee County, including a strong contingent from Onsted. There were many fine presentations from some big names in educational technology such as Patrick Crispen, Leslie Fisher, Annette Lamb, Will Richardson, and Macomb County’s Jim Wenzloff. Click on each of their names to access the presentation material related to the conference.

Perhaps the best way to get a sense of what some of the sessions offered is to check out the MACUL Conference blog which was written on the spot by reputable conference attendees with blogs of their own.  They worked hard throughout the conference to capture information that we could all use and access later. Thanks!!

Michigan 4th GRADE TEACHERS: Consider a new learning event this spring!

Using videoconferencing technology you and your students can take a virtual journey to another location in the state of Michigan during May 2007.

You may choose from two different opportunities:

Michigan Exchange Projects
45 minute exchange connections via live, interactive video where partner classes each give a 15 minute presentation about their community and then spend 15 minutes asking each other questions about their respective communities.

Where in Michigan?
2 hour multipoint interactive video connection where students present clues about a city in Michigan and try to guess based on the information presented. Usually 5-6 classes participate.

In Lenawee County, students and their teachers may be able to videoconference right from their buildings, or they may go to the ITV room in the Porter Center on Sutton Road on the day of the event. The exact date and time for each video connection will be determined later, but connections will take place in May 7 – 18, 2007.

Registration is from March 1 to April 4, 2007. If you are in Lenawee County and interested in either opportunity, contact Greg Marten, LISD Coordinator of Distance Learning at 265-1694 or greg-dot-marten-at-lisd-dot-us. We will work together to register your class. Full assistance in the planning and implementation of your students’ presentation will be offered to each Lenawee teacher who decides to participate.

For more information, contact Greg Marten or visit: http://www.twice.cc/MI

PDF flyer for download:
Michigan Week 2007

Special Interest Group Multimedia of Michigan Association for Computer Users in Learning (MACUL) will be holding its annual multimedia contest contest this winter. According to the group website, the purpose of the contest is “to encourage students to use their creativity to produce an interactive multi-media project of educational value.” Download the guidelines and entry form here. The rubric for judging can be downloaded here. The deadline for entries is Feb. 1, 2007. Feel free to spread the word of this opportunity. Good luck!

Two small groups of students from Britton-Macon Area High School and Adrian’s Michener Elementary traveled with their teachers to the State Capitol building in Lansing on November 14th to showcase some of the technology-enhanced projects that they have been engaged with in their classrooms. Government dignitaries, other students, educators, and media personnel walked the halls of the Capitol to see the amazing ways technology is being used in classrooms around the State. Each student team was responsible for explaining their projects to those who stopped at their table.

Two Britton-Macon students, under the tutelage of teacher Jon Musolf and student-teacher Kayla White, demonstrated how they use dynamic geometry software on a laptop and graphing calculator to support their learning. They also showed how they interact via their classroom blog to extend learning outside of class.

(click for full size image)

The team of four from Michener Elementary, who came with their teacher Lisa Overton, also highlighted how they use their classroom blog to inform parents of classroom activities, discuss topics of value, and post and respond to students’ writing. In addition, they displayed how they created a multimedia project in Photo Story to compare the jobs of school workers to those of people who work in local and state government.

(click for full size image)

For your consideration ~

The 6th Annual Michigan Handheld Computers in Education Conference, Hand in Hand: Technology and Teaching, will be held at Washtenaw Intermediate School District in Ann Arbor on November 9 through 11, 2006. Registrations are now accepted online at www.macul.org.

The conference highlights the latest and greatest in handheld computing, as well as the best practices of handheld computer use in

K-16 education. The event is sponsored by the Michigan Association for Computer Users in Learning (MACUL), with corporate sponsors Apple, Easy Graphics, EduTek, PASCO Scientific, Prismworks, Qwizdom, and Sehi.

The schedule for the conference includes a preconference of half day workshops on Thursday, November 9, the conference on Friday, November 10 and a special post conference day for preservice teachers on Saturday, November 10, held at the University of Michigan.

Keynote speakers for the conference on Friday are Dr. Elliott Soloway of the University of Michigan and Dr. Cathie Norris of the University of North Texas. Other presenters over the three day conference include Steve Best, Jason Carnes, Mike Curtis, Jane Frank, Mike Glumac, Sue Hardin, Susan Roustan, Paula Sarratt, Monique Shorr, Christine Tomasino, Richard Vath and Mark van’t Hooft.

Presentation and workshop topics include: Integrating handheld technologies into the curriculum, classroom assessment with handhelds, successful grant writing for classroom technology, planning for ubiquitous technology, probeware, Palm 0S aps, research on handheld computing, mp3 players and podcasting, and new and emerging handheld technologies.

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

Announcing the first annual, FREE “K12 Online 2006″ convention for teachers, administrators and educators around the world interested in the use of Web 2.0 tools in classrooms and professional practice. This year’s conference is scheduled to be held over two weeks, Oct. 23-27 and Oct. 30-Nov. 3 with the theme “Unleashing the Potential.” Don’t miss presentations by innovative educators like David Warlick, Anne Davis, and Bud Hunt, among others. All of the presentations will be available free, online for anyone to access in the future.

How does it work? Sessions will occur one of two ways: 1. Some sessions will be conducted ‘live’ over the Internet via the Elluminate web application so that conference participants can interact and ask questions of the Keynote speakers and other presenters. A link will be posted on the conference blog that will give participants around the world access to the weekly Elluminate sessions. 2. Other sessions will be pre-recorded for participants to watch/listen to at their convenience.

The K12 Online 2006 blog has recently gone live, so more details are on the conference blog: www.k12onlineconference.org. The blog will be updated regularly with everything you need to know about the conference.

Lenawee County and Michigan teachers: There is still time left to take advantage of a spectacular opportunity to showcase some of the great technology-enhanced learning happening in Lenawee County and Michigan schools. The annual fall AT&T / MACUL Student Technology Showcase is slated to take place on Tues., Nov. 14, 2006 at the Michigan State Capitol Building. Small teams of K-12 students and educators representing legislative districts from around the state can sign up for half-day sessions to demonstrate individual best practices showing how technology enhances teaching and learning for the success of Michigan students. This event allows lawmakers, business leaders and other citizens to see first hand how technology is used in classrooms across Michigan.  Register online at http://www.classroomhelp.com/att/

Sept. 28, 2006 from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM at the Wm. Ross Educational Service Center, 4107 N. Adrian Hwy., Adrian, MI
Register now at http://www.solutionwhere.com/lisd

Meg is an internationally known speaker specializing in technology integration and standards-based achievement growth in reading and mathematics. She has also authored the book, Conquering Infoclutter: Timesaving Technology solutions for Teachers.

Meg will present information on topics:

• You May Not Be a Blogger or Podcaster, But Your Students Are
• Culture Clash! Wired Kids in Text Driven Classrooms
• Play School or Preparing for Life
• Differentiate Instruction Using Technology

This will be another exciting, fun, powerful and motivating learning opportunity with a dynamic and fun presenter! Don´t miss this opportunity!!

For more information about Meg and her work, browse her web site: http://www.techteachers.com

Feel free to bring your laptop – wireless access is available!!

Registration Questions? Contact Kathy Campbell at 517-265-1619