VITA-Learn - Friday Workshop Details

The workshops have been divided into strands to better allow you to select workshops to meet your interests.

Strand A – High School Integration Gateway 1

Strand B - Tools for Teachers Northstar 1

Strand C – Vendor Presentation Escapade 2

Strand D – New & Interesting Northstar 2

Strand E- Special Projects Gateway 2

Strand F – Vendor Presentations Escapade 1

Strand G – Technology & Leadership Roundabout

Session 1 8:30 – 9:30

A. Using 21^st Century Tools in the High School Classroom

Chuck Connelly & Ben Worthing

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and the Geographic Positioning Systems (GPS) help students understand their local community and the world around them by conducting digital data collection, analysis and ultimately, real life problem solving. In two projects high school students worked with the GIS Coordinator from the Regional Planning Commission and used both Garmin GPS units and ArcGIS software in helping design two integrated units that promote critical thinking, multiple intelligences and community participation.

B. Communication: A Two Way Street!

There can never been enough communication between teachers, students, and parents. With an abundance of on-line grading programs and communication tools, such as the ones available from Google Tools for Educators, teachers can increase the frequency and effectiveness of their communications as well as open dialogue between parents and students, parents and teachers, and students and teachers. The initial set-up time and cost is extremely minimal and fairly straightforward even for beginners. These tools can help students become more aware of the academic standing as well as help build a support system around every student.

C. VCAT - Pushing the Data Envelope

Come experience recent improvements to the Vermont Comprehensive Assessment

Tool (VCAT). This workshop will provide a quick overview of VCAT followed by an in-depth exploration of the new features available in this powerful, web-based curriculum development, data collection, and reporting tool. We will also examine examples of how VCAT is currently being used by districts throughout the state.

D. Middle School Millionaires: Using Audience Response Keypads in Science Class

In this session, you will be given a keypad, just like an audience member in "Who Wants to be a Millionaire," and you will explore the teaching possibilities for this technology. We will discuss how the keypads have been used at Main Street Middle School science classes as tools to gather formative assessment data, and how they can be used in other settings as well. We will also discuss the pros and cons of different systems, and their technical capabilities.

E. It's a Snap! Using Digital Images to Enhance your Curriculum.

In this workshop we will be exploring a wide range of ideas for incorporating digital photography into literacy, writing, science, social studies and math (phys ed, music, speech and language...) grade K-8. Regardless of your equipment: Mac or PC, one camera or 20, one computer or 20, digital photography can add texture and excitement to your classroom work.

F. Closing the Reading Gap: Using Lexia's Web-Enabled, Reading Skills Software to Increase Reading Proficiency

Aaron Somoza and Don Dawson, Educational Consultants for Learning

Foundations, Inc. Vermont's sole source for Lexia Reading software.

Learn how Lexia Reading v5 aligns with the 3-Tier response to Intervention

(RTI) Model and provides valuable data to inform and differentiate

instruction. Lexia reading software builds skills with explicit practice in

phonemic awareness and phonics while promoting gains in vocabulary, fluency

and comprehension. Learn how Lexia's research based design supports core

reading curriculum; prevents reading failure for at-risk students and

remediates difficulties in struggling readers and English language learners.

G. Technology Grade Expectations: One Schools' Journey

Rob Gervais, Michelle Lussier, Barb Grady

"One more change we teachers are expected to make!" was the gut reaction at Enosburg Elementary school last year when Technology GE's were dropped onto their plate. Although it's the responsibility of all teachers to be accountable for the introduction, practice, and assessment of technology skills, it doesn't need to be a painfully overwhelming process.

In a discussion and demonstrations from our Teachers, Librarian, and Principal we will share teacher and student projects from kindergarten through 5^th grade using resources such as Inspiration/Kidspiration, Appleworks, and QuizStar (4teachers.org). How did we address accessibility to technology?

What about Professional Development? What are our next steps? We will end with a Q&A session to share the process of change in our schools.

Session 2 9:40 – 10:40

A. A Good Idea, a Dash of Creativity, and a Pinch of Photo Story 3: Digital

Stories in the High School Classroom

Ben Gardner & John Minelli

This demonstration will show how Photo Story 3, a free downloadable software program, can be used in~a high school~English/Language Arts classroom.~~It allows students to use a combination of pictures, narration and background music to create digital stories on an almost limitless variety of topics.~ Examples of projects created using Photo Story 3 include Shakespearean sonnets, Greek mythology and Viking literature.

B. Introduction to MOODLE from a Student Perspective

This presentation is intended for teachers, administrators who are interested in how the Moodle web based learning environment/course management system can enhance classroom teaching.

We have positioned this presentation for educators to experience what a Moodle course looks like from the point of view of a student. The 'presentation' contains

1. An overview of MOODLE as an Online Learning Environment

2. Tour of the Moodle interface as a student and teacher

3. Examples of Moodle activities designed to demonstrate how Moodle can be used to create an online interactive learning environment

4. The use of MOODLE as a tool for differentiated instruction

5. Examples of how teachers have integrated MOODLE into the classroom

C. Talk with the Experts about First Class Software.

Michael Walker & Neil Manders, Learning Networks LLC, Andrea Walsh, First Class Communication, Vermont Users

First Class is a comprehensive, collaborative, integrated communication tool? How can you, the classroom teacher, take advantage of the features? Here is your chance to explore, share and learn. ----You are invited to participate in a general demonstration and discussion about best practices and current uses of First Class in New England schools. Lead by a panel of experts, you will have the opportunity to Explore new practical educational uses of First Class, Share your successes (and failures), Learn how other teachers and educational institutions integrate FC into their daily educational practices and most importantly, Connect and Collaborate with other educators using First Class to improve student learning and school efficiency.

D. Creating Authentic Performance Assessments using Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Find out how students are using GIS in the classroom, the same tool used by professional planners, government agencies, and businesses all over the world. A geographical information system uses computers and software to organize, develop, and communicate geographic knowledge. GIS helps students visualize information, moving them into the realm of spatial inquiry. Learn how students use GIS to relocate Boston residents to Vermont, analyze the impact of hurricane Katrina, restore damaged ecosystems, manage natural resources, and investigate global climate change. GIS is a powerful tool that can radically improve student learning.

E. New Literacy with Digital Storytelling

Sandy Lathem & Ellen Thompson

Want to know how to improve student literacy and meet technology standards at the same time?~This presentation describes and demonstrates techniques to create digital stories that use memoir in the narrative writing process.~ We'll show you how~Vermont teachers are using~digital storytelling~as an instructional strategy that meets literacy and technology standards. Please join us to share your stories as well.

F. Bring Learning to Life with Adobe Products: The Latest in Multimedia Creating and Editing!

Nico Juber, Adobe Systems

We will show you how easy it is to bring the learning experience to life through projects that use the Adobe Digital School Collection's software components - Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0 for digital image-editing; Adobe Premiere Elements 3.0 for digital video and audio production; Adobe Contribute 4 for web publishing; and Adobe Acrobat 8 Professional for creating, combing, and controlling media-rich Adobe PDF documents.

G. Informing Instruction Through Data and Databases

Steve Jarrett & Steve Perry

Descriptions: Witness how Chittenden East Supervisory Union schools gather and analyze NECAP scores, standardized assessments and local assessments in a timely manner to support school improvement. See examples of how we use our database to red flag students, do detail analysis of NECAP, and prepare for EST meetings. Watch our focus on student learning, professional collaboration and demonstrated results that answer:

* What do we want each student to learn?

* How will we know when each student has learned it?

* How will we respond when a student experiences difficulty in learning?

Session 3 10:50 – 11:50

A. Technology Helps Keep Vermont’s Past Alive

As a culminating activity in Area Studies class, freshman social studies students are required to learn about, and teach, their fellow students about their small corner of Vermont. Through interviews with longtime residents of Vermont, and incorporating a full suite of digital technologies - audio, video, photography - they use PowerPoint to create oral histories of the Upper Valley region. Final presentations include the use of Smartboards to make the sharing, truly interactive. Join us to talk about how technology can help students learn about, and preserve, our Vermont past.

B. GE Whiz, The Fuss Over FOSS

Suppose that you are the person responsible for technology integration. If you could use high quality versatile software that is easily available to everyone, would you use it? Would your mission as an educator be served well by teaching in school with applications that are freely available for students to use at home? These questions contain some big “ifs.” To explore these “ifs,” this workshop will examine best teaching practice that integrates technology that could as easily be open source as not. ~Examples will include projects to make publications like newsletters or brochures, analyze data like survey results, process images, make logos, and produce multimedia presentations, all of which can be done using open source applications. ~My explicit bias: public school needs to teach computer skills, not train students to use proprietary software. ~

A VTcite II project involving the establishment of a forum for developing educational activities that deeply integrate technology using open source software, to be posted as resources on VTcite, will be discussed.

C. To Save or Not to Save; That is the Question: First Class Archiving Services

Michael Walker, Neil Manders, Learning Networks LLC

As regulatory and institutional authorities come to terms with the importance of electronic messaging in the modern organization, it is becoming increasingly critical to provide reliable, long-term storage of historical messages. FirstClass Archiving Services provides comprehensive archiving, retention and searching capabilities for all FirstClass messages. Join the demonstration and discussion about how this might affect your classroom, school or district.

D. Second Life – Virtual Professional Development

Second Life, the multi-user virtual environment game, is being used by many educators from around the world for learning and collaboration.~ Even Vita-Learn now has a presence in Second Life!~ Come learn about this exciting new environment in real life or as your avatar!

E. Updating the Essay:~ Creating Multimedia Digital Stories

~Digital stories provide a means for students to create multi-sensory essays which enhance their written words.~ Digital stories include narrative, supporting photographs, artwork, video and music.

Students are highly motivated to compose and share their essays in this format, which showcases their creativity and digital native talents.

This presentation will demonstrate student digital stories that were created as the opening piece for their electronic portfolios, as well as resources, assessment rubrics, and a behind-the-scenes look at how to create stories in this format.~

F. Teaching Science with iTunes and iPods

Brian Jerome, Ph.D. & Stephanie Sherman

Visual Learning Company produces Elementary and Middle School science and health programs aligned to the Vermont Standards. ~Learn how teachers and technology leaders are using a new technique to stream videos over local school networks without tying up bandwidth. ~We will discuss the basics of using, searching, and streaming videos in iTunes, as well as successful ways to use video content clips and video iPods in a science lesson. ~Participants receive free science videos and need a Mac or PC laptop with iTunes installed.

G. Riverdeep Learning Village Rollout: The VT DOE Supported Instructional Tool is Ready to Go!

Arlyn Bruccoli & Bill Romond

Riverdeep Learning Village (RLV) is an online tool designed to support educators in creating, storing, and distributing local assessment items, standards-based units, and related resources. The RLV pilot tests are wrapping up during the summer of 2007, this VT Fest presentation commences the broader statewide rollout of the site. The presentation will include an overview of the site, access to the password protected site to attendees, (laptops encouraged), and a discussion of statewide rollout plans. RLV features include: VT-customized templates to support the creation and distribution of standards-based items in all curriculum areas, a searchable database of VT’s RLV content, controlled sharing of material, and threaded discussions around items in RLV.~

Lunch 12:00 – 1:00

Session 4 1:10 – 2:10

A. Riding the Wiki Wave

Harness the power of wiki technology as a means of fostering student collaboration. Engage students who are burned out on Powerpoint with this user friendly technology which allows for free presentation of student work to the world. Come see how the library media specialist and content teachers at Harwood Union Middle/High School collaborated using PBwiki to showcase an integrated unit on Child Labor in the middle school and a Comets and Meteors Unit in a 9^th grade science class.

Mill River recently moved from GroupWise to Google for their web based e-mail and online documents.~ They have found the move has given them greater functionality and saved the district substantial costs.~ This presentation will be a time to share other Google and Internet resources like Google Earth, along with a variety of other free sites and programs used routinely in their district.~

C. Data Tools That Work!

Northwest Evaluation Associates

In addition to your NECAP, Vermont educators have been asking for data that: is available immediately, measures growth, aligns to your state standards, can be taken when YOU want, gives parents and community a clear picture of student progress, and gives specific diagnostic information on the individual and group needs of students. ~Just a dream? Such an assessment DOES exist. ~Join us to hear about NWEA's MAP tests for grades K-12.

D. Geocaching, A High Tech Scavenger Hunt

Have you ever used a Global Positioning System - GPS?~ Have you ever heard of Geocaching?~ If you answered no to either of these questions this workshop is for you.~ The workshop will take you through the nuts and bolts of using a GPS~to Geocache.~ You will learn to use the GPS and get the opportunity to search for a cache.~ You will also learn how you can integrate Geocaching in a classroom or even a physical education curriculum.~~ Geocaching has links to earth awareness.~ I have integrated Geocaching into a theme on world stewardship.~

E. Securing, Managing & Using Grant Resources

Mary Waterman & Bill Goldsworthy

Learn from South Royalton School's community learning/grant facilitator and~high school math teacher~how to find money to provide your school with valuable goods and services. Learn from our past successes with HP, Smartboards, Toyota, and more. We will share examples of how technology tools are integrated into math and community learning and insight to the grant writing process. ~~A list of resources will be provided to attendees.

F. How Do We Know It¹s Working? -- Designing an Evaluation and Assessment Planfor Educational Technology

Jeff Sun, Sun Associates, Chelmsford, MA

Over the past year, Sun Associates as part of a VT Title IID-funded leadership initiative has worked with 10 supervisory unions to create realistic and pedagogically sound goals for educational technology as well as an evaluation processes for measuring progress towards meeting these goals. This workshop will overview that work and provide insight into how this type of evaluation can fit into any district¹s strategic technology plan.

G. Doing the Data Dance

So you've been dancing to the NCLB tune and have assembled all sorts of data. Now you're ready for the data-driven decision-making part. What data do you use and to whom do you give it? How does that data get to them?

This presentation will include a discussion of process, means and methods.

Closing Session 2:20 – 3:00

Begin the Conversation: A Dialogue on 21st Century Skills and Web 2.0 in the Classroom

Bill Romond & Peter Drescher,

Join Bill and Peter as they model a dialogue around the visionary uses of Web 2.0 in the classroom and the “practical” side of that same use. 21^st Century Skills require us to rethink how we approach teaching and learning with students, but at the same time we also must meet standards, align testing mandates, and maintain a healthy classroom environment. How can we employ the 21st century Web 2.0 tools in our classrooms?