Chanatown

I used the morning before my ticketed workshop to peruse the expansive Exhibit Hall.  Although I didn't have enough time to sit in on many product demonstrations, I did manage to make the rounds of the entire hall, ensuring that I checked in with our current vendors and ask any questions that I had.  One big problem we were having was with Discovery Education's MediaShare product  We couldn't consistently get View/Embed options on materials that we were uploading.  A visit to the DES booth, and I discovered (ha!) that we needed to classify the material as either audio or video in order to enable the option.  If memory serves correctly, I believe that we were coding them as activities or other classifications, so I'm excited to test this out when I return on Thursday.

Day 2 started with a ticketed workshop on SMARTBoard Tips and Techniques with Harvey Almarode .  For a full 2.5 hours (after a brief 10 minute intro on brain theory), Harvey engaged us with tips and tricks galore.  The workshop was well structured and I’d definitely recommend Harvey as a trainer to schools (I believe he specializes in K-8).  I’m confident that everyone (author included) picked up something new and exciting to use in the classroom.  Perhaps, the most important technique I learned was how to effectively use the screen capture button.  You can really manipulate more of the objects, formatting, and placement when you take screen shots and can then treat the images as objects. Another valuable thing to remember is to use the “My Content” feature to make sure that you save your image creations (e.g. the hula hooping cow) so that they are more easily accessible.

What a great way to finish my first year as a Technology Staff Developer - a trip to Denver for the mother of all ed-tech conferences, ISTE (formerly NECC).  I'm excited to absorb, learn, network, and take lots of notes for the folks back home at Evanston Township High School.

This link will take you to the Agenda for the Teacher Websites workshop. This workshop is part of a week-long series of voluntary technology trainings provided by Evanston Township High School (ETHS).  Its main objective is to train teachers across disciplines on the features, benefits, and impact of designing, creating, and maintaining a classroom website.

This link will take you to the Agenda for the Tablet PC workshop. This workshop is part of a week-long series of voluntary technology trainings provided by Evanston Township High School (ETHS).  Its main objective is to train teachers across disciplines on the features, benefits, and impact of using Tablet PC's in the high school classroom.

This link will take you to the Agenda for the Google Apps workshop. This workshop is part of a week-long series of voluntary technology trainings provided by Evanston Township High School (ETHS).  Its main objective is to train teachers across disciplines on the features, benefits, and impact of using Google Apps in the high school classroom.

This link will take you to the Agenda for the Clickers workshop. This workshop is part of a week-long series of voluntary technology trainings provided by Evanston Township High School (ETHS).  Its main objective is to train teachers across disciplines on the hardware and software available for use with Student Response Systems ("Clickers").  The hardware demonstrated will include eInstruction CPS clickers and Turning Technologies response cards.

This link will take you to the home page for T.I.E. @ETHS. Technology Integration Education is a website project that I created to help teachers (new and experienced) grow as a professional in education technology.  It is modeled after a program called 23 Things , and many components will be designed specifically for use by teachers at Evanston Township High School (ETHS).

This link will take you to the Agenda for the Netbooks and Literacy workshop day #1.   Netbooks and Literacy is a summer project approved by Evanston Township High School (ETHS).  Its main objective is to train English/History teachers on the hardware, software, and Web 2.0 tools that will be available to them during the 2010-2011 school year.  These teachers will be piloting the second phase of a project designed to utilize netbooks in the classroom with the goal of improving literacy instruction.

This link will take you to the Agenda for the Technology Demonstration Classrooms (TDC) workshop day #1.   Technology Demonstration Classrooms is a summer project approved by Evanston Township High School (ETHS).  Its main objective is to train teachers in technology integration methods and have the cadre of teachers then share their usage of technology throughout the school year by opening their classroom at least once a month to visitation by other teachers.