VT Professional Development

As a new strand offered at the Middle Grades Institute, this course guides educators in enhancing learning opportunities for middle level students through the use of readily available technology. Participants examine research and use technology in a collaborative and supported environment. They learn to identify opportunities for effective technology use, manage technology rich learning, and embed technology in responsive middle grades practice. Participants create and implement  technology-enhanced solutions to support team teaching, an inclusive classroom culture, engaging instructional methods, and integrated learning.

The Institute will be held at Castleton State College in Castleton, VT, beginning at 3pm on Sunday, June 27, and concluding 5pm on Thursday, July 1, 2010. This is a residential institute, and participants are expected to stay on campus for the four nights as class sessions are held into the evening hours. A final required workshop and conference will be held on November 12, 2010, at the UVM Davis Center in Burlington.

Middle Grades Collaborative: http://www.middlegradescollaborative.org

Institute Brochure: http://www.middlegradescollaborative.org/download/2010MGI_brochure_final...

Institute Registration Form: http://www.middlegradescollaborative.org/download/MGI%20Registration%20F...

VPT and WGBY, Public Television in Springfield MA, have partnered to bring VT educators PBS TeacherLine -- preK-12 graduate-level courses that integrate content and technology.  Thanks to a US DOE subsidy and national graduate-credit providers, these online courses are affordable as well as flexible.

Registration is open for fall courses, which begin 27 October 2010.  Among over 130 courses that span the curriculum, you'll find the ISTE Capstone Certificate Program, recently updated to meet new ISTE Standards and vetted by the VT DOE.  To view Capstone and other courses like Evaluating and Organizing Internet Resources & Content, please visit pbsteacherline.org for a complete catalog and syllabi.  You can also contact Bess Kapetanis, PBS TeacherLine Coordinator:  bkapetanis@wgby.org / 800.781.9429, ext. 292.

Guest speakers include: Alfie Kohn, Deborah
Meier, Dr. James Loewen & Peter Reynolds

Constructing Modern Knowledge is a minds-on institute for educators committed to creativity, collaboration and computing. Participants will have the opportunity to engage in intensive computer-rich project development with peers and a world-class faculty. Inspirational guest speakers and social events round out the fantastic event.

Rather than spend days listening to a series of speakers, Constructing Modern Knowledge is about action. Attendees will work and interact with educational experts concerned with maximizing the potential of every learner. The faculty has decades worth of experience and were involved in the creation of many of the software environments learners use every day.

While our outstanding faculty is comprised of educational pioneers, bestselling authors and inventors of innovative educational technologies, the real power of Constructing Modern Knowledge emerges from the collaborative project development of participants.

Animation, robotics engineering, film-making, music composition, Scratch & MicroWorlds programming, simulation building, data visualization, storytelling are all part of the CMK 2010 mix.

Each day’s program consists of a discussion of powerful ideas, mini tutorials on-demand, immersive learning adventures designed to challenge one’s thinking, substantial time for project work and a reflection period. 

The learning environment is filled with stimulating “objects to think with,” including a library, art supplies & materials for tinkering.

21st Century educators need to develop their own technological fluency and understand learning in order to meet the changing needs and expectations of their students. Constructing Modern Knowledge will help participants enhance their tech skills, expand their vision of how computers may enhance the learning environment and leave with practical ideas to use in the classroom.

Registration includes free creativity software from LCSI, Tech4Learning, Inspiration & FableVision plus a festive conference dinner and a big night out in Boston, beginning with a reception at the world-famous FableVision Studios!

Register today! The early-bird registration fee of only $575 ends May 1st!

TECHNOLOGY at Castleton Center for Schools--course for teachers and school administrators!

Register Now - Transformation through Technology - Patricia Aigner, Rutland City Schools, Rutland, Vermont;  July 12, 13, 14, 2010, 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.Register Now - Integrating Technology and the Interactive Whiteboard into the Classroom - Katie Duggan, Fair Haven Graded School, Fair Haven, VT; July 12 to July 16, 2010, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (maximum enrollment 18)

Register Now - Technology Workshop for 21st Century Administrators (Level I)
- Katie Duggan & Patricia Aigner, Stafford Technical Center,
Rutland, VT; July 19, 20 21, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and either October 21 or
22, 2010 for ½ day

Register Now - Transformation of Classrooms through 21st Century Technology (Level II)
- Katie Duggan & Patricia Aigner, Stafford Technical Center,
Rutland, VT; July 22, 23 and October 21, 2010, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Register Now - Interactive Whiteboards,
Clarena Renfrow & Kim Ransom, Fair Haven Union High School, Fair
Haven, VT; July 19 to July 23, 2010, 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., plus 15 hours
of on line interaction

This is the 7th year I'm teaching my highly practical and well-received summer
technology for educators classes. With all the new Web 2.0 tools and apps available
there's much new to learn and I'd love to include you or your education personnel
this summer. Feel free to pass the following info on to any school admin.,
teachers, or staff who you think would be interested.

Thanks, Lisa Brooks

Hi Everyone!

It's time to begin planning your summer learning. Ready to tackle the world
of tools and apps offered online for communication, research, website development,
photo manipulation, multimedia and more? Take advantage this summer of Lisa
Brooks's 28 years of teaching and tech integration with her "Tech 4 Educators" class
offered through Marlboro Graduate School. Here's the info below. Feel free
to contact Lisa with any questions.

Lisa Brooks,

Marlboro College Graduate School

A summer intensive at Marlboro College Graduate School: "Tech4Educators"

With Web 2.0 - the offering of applications online - technology for educators
has never been easier to learn and apply to the classroom. Gone are the days
of learning complicated software to bring one’s curriculum into cyberspace.
This blended course is taught both online and face-to-face. Pre-class online
technology tips you'll read and respond to online (once a week reading/response:
May through mid-June.) plus a one-week summer hands-on residency in either
Wilmington or Brattleboro will follow (see dates below). The final project,
a personal technology integration plan, will be created and submitted online
in the 2 weeks following the residency.

Registration: April 12 to May 7, 2010 at: https://gradschool.marlboro.edu/admissions/application_cep/

Students must register by May 7th, 2010 in order to complete online pre-residency
reading and response requirements.
Choose the dates and location of your residency when registering. For more
information email instructor, Lisa Brooks, at: lbrooks@marlboro.edu

3 graduate-level credits

Cost: $1464.00. ($488 per credit, equal to UVM and the Vermont State reimbursement
amounts)

Dates:

• Wilmington, VT: May 10-June 18, online - June 21-25 in person,
9am-4pm - final project due: July 9

• Brattleboro, VT: May 10-June 18, online - July 5-9 in person,
9am-4pm - final project due: July 23

Learn to:

• Use blogs and wikis for student journaling and communication
with parents.
• Learn how to make a Webquest for students; safe and structured
browsing of websites.
• Build simple websites for delivering content that are free
to host online.
• Understand learning environments such as Second Life, and the
Vermont Young Writers’ Project.
• Learn about and use an industry-standard Learning Management
System (LMS), Moodle, the environment in which the class is taught.
• Experience the benefits of blended learning by taking a blended
class yourself (meets both in person and online).
• Manage and manipulate photos and graphics using online tools.
• Create podcasts and basic video screencasts as learning tools.
• Discover multimedia presentation applications that make PowerPoint
obsolete.
• Add animation and avatars, online drawing, photography, and
other multimedia tools & applications, to your teaching strategies.

Tech4Educators is a 3 graduate-level credit course that also counts towards
Marlboro's MAT Masters degree, Instructional Technology Certificate, and the
Vermont Educational Technology Specialist Endorsement #42. See: http://gradschool.marlboro.edu/academics/mat/

Instructor Bio
Lisa Brooks is a 28-year veteran public school
art and technology teacher who fell in love with technology when it first slipped
into her art room in the 1980s. She currently teaches art and technology courses
online to students at Community College of VT, as well as face-to-face courses
for Marlboro College Graduate School and Bennington College’s Graduate Program
in Second Language. Lisa is a working artist and Web designer. She holds a
BA from the University of Montana in art and education and an MA in Teaching
with Technology from Marlboro College Graduate School. Lisa has taught local
teachers how to integrate technology in their curriculums (WSSU and WSESU)
since 2003. She has presented at state and New England conferences as well
as teaches Virtual High School teachers how to use contemporary Web 2.0 tools
and apps. in their online classes.

Syllabus:

Tech4Educators. EDU910.SP10, Marlboro College Graduate School
Lisa Brooks, Instructor, lbrooks@marlboro.edu

Tech4Educators is a 3-credit, graduate-level course specifically for educators
from primary through administration. Class will meet online in Moodle for weekly
reading and reflection assignments, with a 5-day residency, 9am - 4pm daily,
of hands-on application of tools and technology applications. As the summary
project a written personal tech plan is required within two weeks of the residency.

Pre-class Reading Topics:

Moodle, Second Life, VT Young Writers’ Project and other online learning
environments
Searching and vetting sources on the Web
Essential Questions and how they apply to online learning

Copyright law and web resources

Web 2.0 – What is it and how can I use it?
The Future of the Internet

Blogging and Twittering As Educational Communication Tools

Hot New Free Multimedia Tools and Apps for Educators

Residency - General Schedule (time is made for "burning
desires" of
participants)

Day 1
Blogging: set up a blog and Twitter accounts and add to them throughout week.

Class Wiki: participate in a collaborative learning space, set up your profile

Digital cameras - take pix, upload to computer

Basic Photoshop & online photo tools (upload/download, size & make web-ready
photos)

Basic Web Design – online tools, intro to basic web page construction

Day 2

The WebQuest model for structuring online projects

Building your educational website & site management

Researching for WebQuest: online bookmarking

Online photo editors

Blog on copyright law topic

Wiki – creating a new topic page

Day 3

Work on Web pages

Animation, video and avatars

Online photo galleries, animated GIF builders

and Screencasting
WebQuests - begin to put it together, make web pages for your Quest

Slide shows: online apps. vs.
PowerPoint

Blog on working in The Cloud

Wiki – organizing in the wiki, reordering, editing

Day 4
Work on Website, WebQuest, and/or Presentation

Google Apps. and Tools

Second Life, VT Young Writers Project

Podcasts, & video in the classroom; how to embed them on your webpage

Blog: begin thinking about your plan for using technology in the school year

Wiki: create a wiki for your class curriculum or a class project

Day 5
RSS feeds and more multimedia

Embedding video, audio on websites

Work on Websites, WebQuests

Present Websites/WebQuests to peers and teacher last hour of class

Final assignment: Create a plan on how you will utilize technology in at least one of your courses
for the next school year. Include, but not limited to: timeline, site map/plan,
Web pages, wikis and blogs – communication, links – cybrary,
WebQuests, discussion methods, student projects. Explain your plan in detail
and set doable goals for the year.

Text: No pre-purchased text or paid sites. Free online sources, or through Marlboro's
Library Database

Technology expectations:
Home computer expectations: approx. 3 years old, modern
browser, high speed connection

F2F class computer expectations: Laptops are encouraged for the face
to face course as you have more control over your hardware and you get savvy
w/ your own machine. We can provide computers if for some reason you cannot
bring a laptop to the F2F (face to face) class.