On
Advancing Student Achievement Through Technology
COMPUTER-USING EDUCATORS, INC.
Making Learning Irresistible
Professional Development for the 21st Century
INSIDE:
• MySpace, Wikipedia, YouTube
• Conversing with the Natives
• Keep that Training Alive
• Passion & Professional Development
Spring 2007 | Vol. 29 | No. 1
Full Page Ad
Spring 2007 OnCUE
www.cue.org
Contents
SPRING 2007
mission
Bits and Bytes
Legislative Update ..............................................................20
OnCTAP ............................................................................21
Features
MySpace. Wikipedia. YouTube: The Read/Write Web
Heralds Changes for Learning and Teaching..........................10
Will Richardson–2007 Conference Spotlight Speaker
Conversing with the Natives.................................................12
Deneen Frazier Bowen–2007 Conference Keynote Speaker
CUE
CUE promotes and supports the
effective use of technology in the
educational community.
Editor
Layout
Passion and Professional Development: Four Philosophies
for Lead Learners ...............................................................19
Sara Armstrong, Ph.D.
[email protected]
Kesler Communications
Mark Wagner
Contributing Writers
Departments
Professional Development: Professional Development in
the Future - Possible Scenarios ...............................................13
Barbara Bray
Tech Coordination: Keep That Training Alive .......................14
Grant W. Coffin
Tips & Tricks: Teaching Technology to the Teachers................18
Linda Oaks
The CUE Review ................................................................22
Sandra Burdick
Columns
UpFront: Drinking from a Flowing River:
Learning from Learners .......................................................5
Barbara Bray, Brian Bridges, Sandra Burdick, Tim
Landeck, Doug Prouty, Linda Oaks, David Thornburg,
Chris York
Advertising
Paid advertising accepted in accordance with editorial policy.
For ad deadlines or additional information, please contact
CUE Inc., 387 17th Street, Suite 208, Oakland, CA 94612,
510.814.6630.
OnCUE journal (ISSN 0739-9553) is published and bulkmailed four times during the academic year by ComputerUsing Educators, Inc., and is one of the benefits of membership. Membership for CUE is $40/year, U.S. regular
rate, $30/year, U.S. student rate, and $20/year retired rate.
Corporate memberships are available.
Entire contents Copyright 2007 by CUE, Inc., unless otherwise indicated. All rights reserved. To reprint articles that are
copyrighted by the author, you must contact the author for
permission. All other items may be reprinted for educational
use, but not for sale, with the provision that proper credit is
given to OnCUE and to the author, if any.
Mike Lawrence
2007 CUE, Inc. Board of Directors
President's Column: Professional Day Spa: ...........................7
Scott Smith, President
[email protected]
Jan Half, Vice President/Treasurer
[email protected]
Debra White, Secretary
[email protected]
Hall Davidson, Member at Large
[email protected]
The Bleeding Edge: Professional Development
in a Technology-Rich World..................................................9
Sharon Sutton, Member at Large
[email protected]
Brian Bridges, Member
[email protected]
David D. Thornburg, Ph.D.
Terry Faherty, Member
[email protected]
Steven Glyer, Member
[email protected]
CUE Information & Forms
Barbara Keenoy, Member
[email protected]
Scott Smith
CUE Membership Application ............................................23
2008 Conference Call for Proposals ......................................16-17
Calendar and CUEtoYOU Information ........................Back Cover
Mike Lawrence, Executive Director
[email protected]
Computer-Using Educators, Inc.
387 17th Street, Suite 208
Oakland, CA 94612
Phone 510.814.6630 | Fax 510.444.4569
See us at the Annual CUE Conference March 1 - 3, booth #401
8VHG RQ RYHU KDOI D PLOOLRQ VFKRRO FRPSXWHUV &OLFNHU LV
KHOSLQJ FKLOGUHQ RI DOO DELOLWLHV WR DFKLHYH VXFFHVV 2YHU
WZHOYH\HDUV&OLFNHUKDVEHFRPHDQHVVHQWLDOWRROIRUHYHU\
FODVVURRPDQGZLWKYHUVLRQ&OLFNHU
VXQLTXHFRPELQDWLRQ
RIWDONLQJZRUGSURFHVVRUDQG&OLFNHU*ULGVLVHYHQEHWWHU
With Clicker, children can write with whole words, phrases, and pictures by
clicking on cells in the Clicker Grid. By using sets of linked grids, students
can have access to an unlimited number of words and pictures that provide
a framework or scaffolding for their writing. As well as writing simple
documents, children of all ages can create multimedia talking books using
pictures, sounds, and even video.
O 1HZQDWXUDOVSHHFK±WH[WLVKLJKOLJKWHGDVLWLV
read out, helping students to relate each word
to its sounds
O New pop-up grids enable students of all abilities
to create talking books and engage in new
kinds of Clicker activities
O Search, browse, and open files from
/HDUQLQJ*ULGVFRPZLWKLQ&OLFNHU([SORUHU
O Even easier to use than Clicker 4, yet you can
use all your Clicker 4 knowledge and grids
O Fantastic savings on Additional User Licenses
when you upgrade
Spring 2007 OnCUE
www.cue.org
P R ES I D ENT ' S
Drinking from a
Flowing River: Learning
P
CUOPL FURMONN T 5 5
by Mike Lawrence
Executive Director
[email protected]
from Learners
Professional development is at the core of
CUE's DNA. Our affiliates, SIGs, and our
conference events focus on the CUE learning
community, and the benefits quality professional development can bring to us.
The feature articles, columns, and topics
gathered within this issue focus on professional
development, and are written by some of the
best minds in the country. It is our hope that
you use this as a resource for your school,
district, or learning community.
It is essential that CUE be at the forefront, providing up-to-date, relevant, and effective professional development for all levels of educators in
California. To do this, CUE involves talented
and visionary volunteers from across the state
He who learns from one who is learning
drinks from a flowing river.
– Native American Proverb
on our Conference Planning Committee—the body
responsible for the focus and direction of each
year's conference—to keep the conference innovative and effective for all attendees.
Furthermore, CUE now offers learning
opportunities for your school, district,
county, or affiliate in the form of the
CUEtoYOU Professional Development
program. This program provides workshops, seminars, and presentations led
by qualified CUEtoYOU "lead learners." These are K-12 educators drawn from CUE’s
exceptional roster of conference presenters, experts,
and thought leaders. These are not merely instructors or trainers. CUE embraces the belief that the
best leaders are also learners. These leaders embody
a Native American proverb: “He who learns from
one who is learning drinks from a flowing river.”
Mark Wagner, a contributor to this issue, heads up
this program for CUE. More information is available at <www.CUEtoYOU.org>.
We also encourage you to share your own experience
as a presenter at CUE'S 30th Anniversary Conference,
“Pearls of Learning,” to be held on March 6-8, 2008 in
Palm Springs, California. CUE begins accepting presentation submissions on April 1, with workshop and
seminar sessions due on June 15 and concurrent sessions due Sept. 15, 2007. See page 16 for the Call for
Participation, or visit <www.CUE2008.org> to submit
your proposal online.
www.cue.org
Spring 2007 OnCUE
AD FULL PAGE
Spring 2007 OnCUE
www.cue.org
P R ES I D ENT ' S
Professional Day Spa
W
With our focus on professional development
in this issue, consider Mrs. Mulligan who has
been teaching middle school successfully for
25 years. She is well respected in her field by
both colleagues and students, but the professional passion she held early in her career
cooled in recent years as she faced a growing
number of unmotivated students and a topdown directive to follow the pacing guide.
Over the summer, Mrs. M., as her students
call her, made a tough decision: “This will be
my last year of teaching.”
In the fall she joined a curriculum project that
taught how to use Moodle, an online course
management system, to establish classroom
learning communities. She gave it a try. To
her delight, the students responded with a
level of enthusiasm she had not seen in a long
time. Her students were engaged in content
beyond the regular school day and she gained
a fresh view of their academic progress. She
was thrilled.
CO LU MN
7
by Scott Smith
CUE Board President
[email protected]
At the close of a follow-up workshop, Mrs.
M. turned to the instructor and proclaimed,
“You’ve ruined my retirement. This year is
going to be great and it won’t be my last.”
Teaching is hard work; we need to be rejuvenated from time to time. Technology often
brings a new energy to the classroom that
renews us professionally and inspires our
students academically…sort of like a
professional day spa.
For those not able to attend our annual CUE
conference in Palm Springs this year, I
encourage you to participate in local CUE
affiliate-sponsored activities—mini day spas.
Check out the new hub@CUE portal (<www.
cuehub.org>) designed to connect educators
to local events, useful resources, and powerful
learning communities.
For those fortunate to join us in Palm Springs
at our annual CUE conference, prepare to be
rejuvenated through collegial exchange and
the gathering of new ideas. See you at the spa.
“You’ve ruined my retirement.
This year is going to be great
and it won’t be my last.”
– Mrs. M
www.cue.org
Spring 2007 OnCUE
Spring 2007 OnCUE
www.cue.org
T H E
B LEED I NG
ED GE
9
by David D. Thornburg, Ph.D.
[email protected]
Professional Development
in a Technology-Rich World
M
Many years ago I made the observation that the
only thing that would change if technology were
brought to classrooms without adequate staff
development is the electric bill. That observation
is as true today as it was during the Apple II era
when I first said it.
Of course, in those days, computers were scarce
and the World Wide Web did not exist. Today,
over half of today’s teens have broadband access
to the web at home, and there is a 25% chance that students
will encounter a computer during some part of the school day.
Young people come to school already conversant with email,
Google, and a myriad of other technical skills. This does not
mean, however, that students know how to use these tools to
assist in their learning. Nor does it mean that their teachers
know how to use computers to transform educational practice in
support of improved models of education.
Today the staff development challenge is not so much how to
turn on the computer, create documents, or gather resources
from the web. The challenge, I think, is how to use these new
educational tools to do things that were impossible without
them. I’m fond of making the distinction between “doing
things differently,” and “doing different things.” Using a word
processor or an electronic white board are examples of using
technology to do old tasks in new ways. Pedagogical practice
used in the days of typewriters and blackboards remains the
same in a world where technology is used to do old jobs differently. But this approach ignores the true power of our new
tools. The building of participatory cultures, the construction
of rich digital narratives, the power of having students create
their own programs all take advantage of modern technologies
to help us accomplish things that we either couldn’t do before,
or were too difficult or time consuming to do effectively.
The question is: What kind of staff development is called for
when we want to transform pedagogical practice? Clearly, training on hardware and software (by itself) is insufficient. You can
become quite adept at using Adobe’s Photoshop, yet remain ignorant of the elements of visual design.
www.cue.org
The most effective professional development (in my view)
entails a pedagogical foundation in which technology can play
an effective role.
For example, when my wife,
I believe that it
Norma, conducts staff developis a lot easier to
ment on E-Blocks (a powerful
tool for early language acquisilearn how to do
tion, see <www.eblocks.net>), she
something once
starts out her sessions by exploryou know why
ing Vygotsky’s zone of proximal
development, Gardner’s Theory
you might want
of Multiple Intelligences, and
to do it.
Csikszentmihalyi’s theory of flow
states. This all takes place prior to having the teachers use the
E-Blocks. By establishing a solid pedagogical foundation, she
is then ready to move to the mechanics of the product. As a
result, teachers are able to use this product in more effective ways
because it has been connected to solid pedagogy. Even though
teachers already know about Vygotsky, it is not clear that they
will all see the chance to apply his ideas without a little guidance.
An extreme example of splendid staff development takes place
at the EAST Initiative (<www.eastinitiative.org>) where teachers
are taught how to set up and facilitate an environment for inquiry-driven project-based learning. The staff development model
used by EAST has teachers start out doing a project themselves—giving them a task which can only be completed by having them demonstrate problem-solving skills, collaboration, and
the ability to work outside their comfort zone. In other words,
this staff development places teachers in the same role their students will assume when they get back to their classrooms. The
results are amazing.
Continued on page 11
Spring 2007 OnCUE
10
FEAT U R E
MySpace. Wikipedia.
YouTube: The Read/Write Web
I
By Will Richardson
[email protected]
Heralds Changes for Learning and Teaching
If you have any lingering doubt that the “Society of
Authorship” is upon us, the three somewhat strange
words in the title and their corresponding sites on the
web should set your mind at ease. With this new “Read/
Write Web” where creating and publishing content is just
as easy as reading it, much of the world as we know it is
changing at warp speed, and in many cases, our kids are
leading the way.
And while it may not have impacted too many classrooms quite
yet, the Read/Write Web will no doubt have a huge effect on how
we think of ourselves as teachers and learners. It may at some
point, in fact, force us to rethink schooling in general.
If we see ourselves as
“connectors” instead of
teachers, a wealth of new
opportunities will open up
for our students and our
own professional practice.
With over a
billion people
online, we have
to start rethinking our roles as
content experts
in the classroom
and begin thinking more of how
we can help our students mine the vast resources
on the web to learn with more depth and more
passion. If we see ourselves as “connectors”
instead of teachers, a wealth of new opportunities will open up for our students and our own
professional practice. If our students have a
connection and a presence on the web, they
no longer have just one
teacher in the classroom.
Potentially, they have a billion teachers online, many
of whom will be just as
passionate if not more
about the topics that
they are interested in.
Spring 2007 OnCUE
My students learned about the novels they were reading from the
authors themselves. In some cases, professionals who were actually
working in the field mentored them. For instance, one of my journalism students (and, in essence, the rest of the class) was guided
by a Pulitzer Prize winning reporter from the Washington Post
as he added feedback to her blog while he was on assignment in
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
With the Read/Write Web, when students write on their blogs
about interesting research or information they find online, the
original researchers and writers often comment on the students’
posts, answering questions and offering more information. When
our students study Bangladesh, they do so by collaborating with
students living there, who in turn, learn about the United States
from them. When students want to learn another language, they
engage in Skype (online telephone) conversations with native
speakers or exchange podcasts (audio recordings) with one another
online. Certainly, the classroom teacher still has an important role
in this process, but it has much less to do with delivering content
and more with providing a connection and a context for learning.
Similarly, in a world where our students can easily publish, we
must begin to rethink the assignments that we ask them to complete. As Marco Torres, a social studies teacher in San Fernando,
California, says, in this world, all student work “should have wings”
that take it far beyond the classroom walls. In Marco’s case, the
videos his students create end up as public service announcements on television, promotional spots for local bands and musical
groups, and digital stories that the whole community gets to see at
annual festivals. Other students around the world are publishing
what they learn (and, in turn, teaching what they know) about
calculus, the American Revolution, and any number of other
topics. In this world, to simply ask students to exchange papers
with each other or with us is to not take full advantage of our
ability to assign real work for real purposes.
These interactions must start with our own practice, however. For
educators to fully understand how to leverage the tools that our
students are already using, we must learn to use them as well. We
www.cue.org
11
F E AT U R E
must experience what the risk
In a world where
of publishing to a potentially
just about anyone
huge audience feels like. We
have to engage in the process
can publish, where
of building our own learning
everything from
networks around our passions,
photos to Google
in finding other like-minded
people in the global online
searches can be
community who can broaden
manipulated, what
our perspective and share the
wealth of their knowledge
tools and skills do
with us. We must be willing
our students need to
to make our own learning
processes transparent, to share have to determine
them for our students, and
what is true and
to provide a model for what
what is false?
lifelong learning looks like
in a vastly connected world. We also have to understand what it
means to be literate in a world where much of what our students
and we ourselves read has not been edited before its publication.
In a world where just about anyone can publish, where everything
from photos to Google searches can be manipulated, what tools
and skills do our students need to have to determine what is true
and what is false? This in itself is a huge shift in what we are used
to, and by and large we must now be editors as well as readers,
publishers as well as writers.
Our teaching practice has been built on over 100 years of thinking
that content is scarce, that if our students don’t master a certain
body of knowledge in their time with us that they may not be able
to find it once they leave us. But knowledge isn’t scarce any longer.
Knowledge is everywhere. Equally as important, as Wikipedia is
demonstrating, knowledge is no longer hard and fast. Knowledge
changes—the best example of which is the fact that Pluto is no longer a part of the planetary club.
Change is a part of life, and these technologies are driving change
at a speed and scale that is daunting, especially for educators. But if
we don’t re-examine our practice as learners and teachers, we run the
risk of being rendered irrelevant in the eyes of our students.
Will Richardson is known internationally for his work with educators
and students to understand and implement instructional technologies
and, more specifically, the tools of the Read/Write Web into their schools,
classrooms, and communities. A public school educator for 22 years,
Will’s own Weblog (<weblogg-ed.com>) is a primary resource for the
creation and implementation of Weblog technologies on the K-12 level.
His book Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts and Other Powerful Tools for
Classrooms is already being used by thousands of teachers to reinvent
their practice. Will is a 2007 CUE Conference Spotlight Speaker.
www.cue.org
The Bleeding Edge Continued from page 9
One of the big challenges in professional development is
the avoidance of semantic dissonance. For example, you can
attend a lecture on multiple intelligences that uses words only.
While this might be interesting, it hardly demonstrates the
power of the theory. Another challenge for some staff developers is persisting in using one style of teacher training, no
matter which topic or pedagogical viewpoint is being explored.
This trap is easy to fall into, and those of us who have worked
in this field for a long time have developed ways to avoid it
(although, even then, we sometimes get caught).
It might seem that my focus has been on the pedagogical,
not technological aspects of staff development, and this is
true. I believe that it is a lot easier to learn how to do something once you know why you might want to do it.
That said, is there a place for helping teachers just learn
about the technology? I think the answer is yes, provided
that the pedagogical foundations already exist. While a lot
of software and hardware used in education is fairly easy to
learn, there are some powerful tools whose user interfaces
are not as transparent as they should be. This challenge
has grown in the past twenty years for two reasons. First,
software has gotten more complex. Second, many vendors
no longer provide printed manuals for their offerings. This
places educators in a tricky situation.
No matter what kind of staff development is required,
schools generally have a problem when it comes to providing the resources teachers need to take advantage of modern
technology in the classroom. I think that one third of all
technology expenditures should be devoted to staff development. To start with, too much staff development takes place
as single episodes, often after the normal school day has
finished. If schools want to see technology used effectively,
teachers need to be treated as the professionals they are. This
means that sufficient time is made available for teachers to
attend workshops, and then (if needed) to be coached in
their classrooms as they bring new practices to their students.
Otherwise, as I said, the only thing technology does is
increase the electric bill.
David Thornburg, Ph.D., Director, Global Operations,
Thornburg Center for Professional Development (<www.tcpd.
org>) loves to hear from readers and will gladly come to your
school or district to give presentations or workshops on a variety
of topics.
Spring 2007 OnCUE
12
FEAT UR E
By Daneen Frazier Bowen
[email protected]
Conversing with
the Natives
I
"I get my assignments at school. I learn at home."
Although the above words were spoken by one student,
this sentiment is echoed every day by students across
the country. An ever increasing number of students
perceive their lives outside the classroom as something
quite separate from, and often even in conflict with,
their lives inside the classroom.
When we stop and listen to the collective voice of
students, the source of the conflict becomes clear: they
define learning differently. Because today’s students
only know a technology infused society (hence their label as “digital
natives”), they expect to be engaged in the classroom similarly to
how they are outside the classroom—engaged using technology.
With digital tools and Internet connections, young people have immediate access to content, resources, tools and people as well as the
freedom to choose when and how to use those tools to move their
lives forward.
Unfortunately, most students lose
these two key elements—choice
and access—when they come to
school. Even in a classroom where
technology is being integrated on
a regular basis, a traditional learning process paradigm still reigns
supreme. Teachers continue to act
as the gatekeepers, deciding which tools students will use for a learning activity as well as when and how they will access those tools.
...the people who live
with technology the
most–students–are the
often the least heard.
In every school, there are many individuals whose voices are included in technology decisions but the people who live with technology
the most—students—are often the least heard. While an individual
teacher may have informal and enlightening conversations with students, there are few, if any, systemic mechanisms in place to include
student perspectives, ideas, and concerns in conversations about the
content and process of learning in the digital age.
More than ever, there is a severe consequence of not involving
students in the conversations that matter. Earlier this year, the Bill
& Melinda Gates Foundation released a report about students
dropping out of school before graduation. The report stated that
“88% of kids who drop out have passing grades,” with uninteresting
classes being the number one reason for leaving. (The Silent Epi-
Spring 2007 OnCUE
demic, March, 2006, <www.gatesfoundation.org/nr/downloads/ed/
TheSilentEpidemic3-06FINAL.pdf >). In the digital age, students
do not perceive dropping out to be a one-way street to failure. With
their expectations of access and choice, they are flocking to emerging sources and means for learning.
How do we create conversations that include the student voice in
meaningful and influential ways? I believe we must do three things
simultaneously and collaboratively: ask with them, listen with them,
and act with them. The use of the word “with” is intentional because
it must be a collaborative conversation, not a market research activity, where we ask students questions and analyze their answers in
seclusion. When we make our own conclusions about their answers,
we design educational systems for the world we know not the world
they will create.
To bring student voices to the conversation, I perform a one-woman show called The Natives Are Restless. The characters in this show
share the words from students all over the country that reveal their
frustrations with traditional education as well as ideas for a new
model of learning.
I present this show not as an answer but rather to suggest a process
towards a variety of solutions. The current system is not working
for the majority of our students because its greatest asset isn’t being
leveraged: students. By involving them in the daily redesign process,
we can accelerate the evolution of schools from a place that delivers
tasks—a place where I get my assignments—to a place that demands
and supports curiosity—a place where I learn.
If we do this, hopefully we will hear students saying: “I learn everywhere. I discover what to do with that learning at school.”
For more than a decade, Deneen Frazier Bowen has been applying her
acting, teaching and technology experience to help teachers and schools
expand students’ learning opportunities through harnessing new
technologies. She co-authored The Internet for Your Kids, was a
frequent columnist for Multimedia Schools magazine, and has
authored several major technology leadership studies, including projects
for the National School Boards Association and the BellSouth
Foundation. Visit her website at <www.actwith.com>. Daneen is the
2007 CUE Conference Keynote Speaker.
www.cue.org
P R O FES S I O NA L
D EVELO P MEN T
13
by Barbara Bray
[email protected]
Professional Development
in the Future
W
Three Possible Scenarios
What will professional development look
like seven years from now? Will schools
look different? What about our students?
How will teaching and learning be different than today? Here’re several possibilities:
1
As a new teacher, Mary sees her third grade classroom as a research
laboratory. Before school, Mary checks her online calendar with her
mobile phone to review today’s activities–some added last night by her
principal. A new event includes a short video example with another
third grade teacher teaching the same lesson with a similar group of
students. She feels well prepared for a virtual field trip since she did
a pre-visit the day before by lurking in the background of another trip
of a colleague who lives in another state. Mary was encouraged to
develop online collaborations with other elementary teachers during
her own education. Now as part of an online team from around the
country, she and four other third grade teachers share lessons, reflect on
what worked and what didn’t, and try to help each other with dayto-day issues. Everyone on the team text messages ideas and lessons to
everyone else via their phones.
2
Down the hall, Susan, a 20-year veteran fifth grade teacher, is
reluctant to use technology with her students. The principal encourages every teacher to work as part of a team, so Susan asked Mitch,
the other fifth grade teacher, to be her mentor. He’s young, loves
technology, is a good listener, and has been very supportive of Susan.
The principal builds in regular release time, stipends, and enough
resources for Susan and Mitch to adapt lessons to integrate technology. Susan is great on differentiating learning for her students but
has issues about letting students construct their own knowledge with
the use of technology. Mitch created a model cross-curriculum inquiry lesson on the Revolutionary War. Susan contributed her expertise
on differentiation to the lesson while Mitch helped her design a student radio podcast show. Both are pleased with the results.
www.cue.org
3
Students at the high school are assigned a teacher mentor who works
with twenty students starting in their freshmen year and following
them until they graduate. Each teacher has an extra period a day and
online office hours with a digital drop box for students to share files
and reflections from their growing ePortfolios. Each teacher is part
of an online learning team where they can share concerns and issues
about the students they are mentoring. In the summer, the teachers
create an action plan on how they will meet their own learning goals.
Each teacher has a classroom blog where they post assignments, videos
of lessons, and podcasts of lectures. Many of their classes are online
and students do more independent study.
Are these scenarios that
In seven years, the new
far off? In a few years,
teachers who will join the
many teachers, those
“digital immigrants,”
profession are the “digital
or some may call them
natives” we talk about who
“digital aliens,” will be
retiring. In seven years,
have used technology all
the new teachers who will
their lives.
join the profession are
the “digital natives” we talk about who have used technology all
their lives. In only seven years, phones, televisions, computers,
and mp3 players will merge or change. All curriculum will be
available online. Textbooks will offer interactive activities online.
Collaborations will happen for teachers and students using Web
2.0 tools and online learning communities. School buildings
may still be mired in tradition, but that doesn’t mean that teaching and learning cannot change.
Barbara Bray writes a column on professional development for
OnCUE, coordinates the PDQs (Professional Development Quick
Tips) for Techlearning.com, and is President of My eCoach (<myecoach.com>). Check out her new blogs: <barbarabray.my-ecoach.
com> and <newsblog.my-ecoach.com>. See the complete article with
suggestions for accomplishing effective professional development at
<www.cue.org>.
Spring 2007 OnCUE
14
TE C H
C O O R D I N AT I O N
by Grant W Coffin
[email protected]
Keep That Training Alive
P
Picture that perfect day of training. Every teacher
arrives on time and the computers work flawlessly.
All login accounts are ready and the bandwidth
is available for that streaming video presentation.
The staff is at the same place in their knowledge of
technology and ready to move on to the next set of
skills. The equipment is tested and in place in their
classrooms ready for the integration to happen the
next day. We all know that even under the best circumstances follow up is still a necessity in technology
training but . . .
What can you do when you need to provide that follow up on a
limited budget, with limited time, for a wide variety of teachers, at
different sites, on a plethora of platforms? The Internet can hold a
wealth of tools to keep that training alive after everyone has gone
back to their classrooms. But a word of caution—using just one
tool limits your effectiveness and may not appeal to the wide skill
set of your staff. You will want to try at least two at first and track
their use, adding as needed. In this article, you will find an overview of several tools, a practical application of each, and resources
to help you implement them in your training programs.
WEBSITES I find there are two kinds of school websites: static
and dynamic. Static websites have general information that rarely
changes. Dynamic websites change, sometimes daily, with added
content and updated information. When providing follow up for a
training, let’s agree that a dynamic website is best.
Applying your website to the training at hand can be as easy as
posting the agenda and any related information in a text format.
Taking it a little further, you can link the items in your agenda to
other websites that contain information and resources. Using the
“online” agenda during your training can give your staff a chance
to browse this new tool from the beginning. You can also link other
resources, such as:
• any flyers or handouts
• PowerPoint presentations (both as .ppt and as Quick Time movies)
• video clips of the training
• still pictures
• audio files
Spring 2007 OnCUE
EMAIL Most of us are used to using email for communication
and some of us have moved on to collaborating over email, but
your email can also be a great way to keep your training alive.
Setting up a distribution list of all your attendees will give you
the chance to share information relevant to the training. You can
include links to Internet sites by cutting and pasting the URL
directly into your email. Attaching documents, images, presentations, sound files, and movies allows you to share resources with
a large number of people without wasting paper. A “tip a week”
email can keep your communication fresh and provide a continuing resource for your staff.
TELEPHONE AND VIDEO CONFERENCING Sometimes
the power of the telephone can be overlooked. With new Voice
Over IP services, voicemail and conference calling can be great
opportunities to extend your training. Adding a camera and monitor allows your staff to see you and items that you may want to
demonstrate. These tools can help a large group from many sites
come together on a regular basis without the cost and time of
transportation and substitutes.
What can you do when
you need to provide
that follow up on a
limited budget, with
limited time, for
a wide variety of
teachers, at different
sites, on a plethora
of platforms?
One of the top frustrations
that I have as a technology trainer is the range
of skill levels that can be
found in a large group.
Using telephone and video
conferencing allows you to
group staff by skill sets and
provide focused training
in small time slots. This
can be very effective after a
general training, and keep
all your staff excited and
motivated.
There are many services that provide telephone and video conferencing over the Internet. Some require a little research and setup
but are well worth the effort.
www.cue.org
T ECH
CO O R D I NATION
15
Chats...allow trainers
to discuss, in real time,
challenges that your
staff is facing without
the need for travel.
INTERNET FORUMS AND
When it comes to podcasts and keeping your training alive, there
CHATS Wikipedia defines
are many things you can provide for your staff using audio. This is
an Internet Forum (also known
perfect for those staff members who would prefer listening to conas a Message Board) as “a faciltent rather than reading it.
ity on the World Wide Web
for holding discussions.” These
Here are a few examples:
discussions are not in “real time” • Weekly tips and tricks
• Model lesson ideas
but held “over time.” The benefit of a forum over email is that all
• Weekly curriculum updates
members can see every post whereas email discussions can some• Results of internet chat sessions
times skip key members because of improper forwarding or missed
replies. Chats are similar to forums in that they are a facility for
holding discussions, but they
WIKIS A wiki is a website that
Free Resources and Services
occur in “real time.”
allows its users to edit the contents
of a webpage. This style of quick
Web
Holding online forums and
changing format can be useful when
<www.lunarpages.com/education.php>
chats soon after your training
working with many people from
<www.free-website-hosting.info>
can extend discussions and
different locations on a collaborative
<www.caspianservices.net/services/free-website-hosting.html>
document.
allow your staff to get that closure they so rarely get. Chats
To create your own school website, see <www.edu-cyberpg.
After any training, a wiki can be
can be set up at specific times
com/Internet/Interestingsites/BuildPageSite.html>
used to revise items that were disof the week on a variety of
cussed, such as lesson plans, rubrics,
subjects. This allows trainers to
Email
technology use plans, etc. In the
discuss, in real time, challenges
Most web hosting services will also host email.
The following resources provide great tips for beginning
spirit of this article I have set up
that your staff is facing without
and experienced email users:
a wiki using one of the resources
the need for travel. Forums can
<webfoot.com/advice/email.top.html>
below. Please visit <trainingalive.
be set up to discuss insights and
<www.sofweb.vic.edu.au/internet/email.htm>
atwiki.com> and add your favorite
great lessons so that all involved
<www.e-learningcentre.co.uk/eclipse/Resources/
can benefit.
links or applications for each of the
usingoutlook.htm>
tools mentioned in this article.
Gaggle.net (<www.gaggle.net>)
Telephone and Video Conferencing
is one service that combines
In the end, it is up to you to decide
<www.skype.com>
several of these tools. I have
what will work for your staff.
<www.dwyco.citymax.com/page/page/700292.htm>
had great experiences with their
Sometimes incorporating the tool
<www.ivisit.com/index.html>
staff over the course of traininto the context of your training
ing in my current district. They
will help your staff use it after they
Internet Forums and Chats
provide monitored student and
return to their classrooms. Just
<www.proboards.com/index.html>
teacher email, message boards,
remember:
<excoboard.com>
chats, blogs and e-lockers. I
• Keep it free at first
<www.bravenet.com/webtools/forum/>
highly recommend checking
• Test, Test, Test
<www.bravenet.com/webtools/chat/>
them out.
• Provide variety
• Get lots of feedback and . . .
Podcasting
• Listen to it!
PODCASTS Podcasts are
<www.gcast.com>
audio broadcasts created by any<www.podcast.net/addpodcast/>
Grant Coffin has been an educator
one and made available on the
<www.podcasts,yahoo.com/publish/>
in California for over ten years. He
Internet. Having the time to sit
has coordinated technology at several
at a screen and read forum posts
Wikis
school sites and is currently coordinator news is often a lost cause, but
<atwiki.com>
<www.wikispaces.com> ad-free accounts for CUE members
ing an Enhancing Education Through
we do have the time to listen
<www.elwiki.com>
Technology Grant in the Pajaro Valley
to a podcast in the car or while
<www.editthis.info/wiki/MainPage/>
Unified School District in Watsonville,
working around the office.
California.
www.cue.org
Spring 2007 OnCUE
Call For Participation
2008 CUE Conference
Pearls of Learning | March 6-8, 2008 | Palm Springs, CA
WELCOME
CUE is looking for members and friends to
share their learning, teaching and technology experiences with their fellow members.
Presenters who can address the uses and
integration of technology in all disciplines
and at all educational levels are encouraged
to apply for a presentation. We are looking
for sessions to meet the needs of beginning,
intermediate, and advanced technology users.
GUIDELINES FOR SUBMITTING
Concurrent Sessions
Concurrent sessions are one-hour lecture style
presentations that address all areas of the curriculum and appeal to a variety of teachers.
Sessions may be given by a single speaker,
team, or panel who can address the needs of
the novice user of educational technology as
well as the more experienced professional.
Commercial sessions are those either submitted by a commercial vendor or a CUE
Member to highlight a specific application
or technological tool to the exclusion of
similar tools. Commercial sessions are limited and are only available to those vendors
who have purchased exhibit space prior to
the proposal deadline.
Non-commercial sessions are those submitted
by an educator or CUE Member to highlight
how a specific academic content has been
enhanced through the use of technology.
CUE Tips
These quick, 20-minute presentations focus
on emerging and existing innovations to
enhance learning, productivity, or understanding. They should be noncommercial,
brief, and focus on one or two tips, techniques, or resources. They will be recorded
for the CUE podcast feed.
Professional Development Seminars
Professional development seminars are
engaging lecture-style presentations. These
Thursday seminars are designed to address
a specific set of objectives and are presented
by experts who are experienced in the use of
technology in education. Seminars may target
a certain audience (i.e., administrators) or may
be a topic of general interest to all members.
Non commercial submissions only. Additional
registration fee applied for attendees.
Hands-On Workshops
Hands-on workshops are three-hour presentations for 30 participants in either a Mac
lab or PC lab. Each registrant will have a
computer. Topics on specific software applications should also be curriculum-related.
Please specify all equipment and software
applications required for the workshop. Non
commercial submissions only. Additional
registration fee applied for attendees.
SESSION SELECTION CRITERIA
Completed Application
Commercial and non-commercial
session proposals will not be reviewed
without a one-page abstract (for selection
process), a brief description (for conference
program) and a completed application.
Abstract Rating for Commercial and NonCommercial Sessions
All abstracts will be rated on the following
categories:
• Content. Is the abstract convincing that
this is a solid presentation? Does the
presentation stand out? Is the topic thoroughly covered in the given time?
• Appropriateness. Is the topic current, appropriate to CUE and of interest to our members?
• Educational Soundness. Is the presentation educationally sound? Is it more than
just a product advertisement?
• Expertise. Does the abstract convince the
reader that the speaker knows the topic?
CUE Member Preference
CUE Conferences are member to member
events. Members will be given preference
as speakers.
Topic
CUE’s presentations address all areas of the
curriculum. To meet our attendees’ needs,
we attempt to cover all conference topics.
Equipment Requirements
CUE attempts to provide all the equipment
required for its presentations, but we may
not be able to honor all requests. Please use
the equipment suggestions listed on the
proposal submission form as a guideline.
COMPENSATION
A concurrent session presenter receives
complimentary registration. You are
welcome to invite a co-presenter to assist
you in your session. Your co-presenter
must, however, register for the conference
as a regular attendee. Professional development seminar and hands-on workshop
presenters receive complimentary registration, and a stipend. Please contact the CUE
office for more details.
DEADLINES
Workshops/Seminars: June 15, 2007
Concurrent Sessions: Sept 15, 2007
NOTIFICATION
Applicants will be notified in writing on
November 19, 2007. Please contact CUE for
further information.
SUBMISSION PROCESS
Submit proposals online at www.cue.org/ conference/present/. We will begin accepting 2007
CUE proposals online April 1, 2007.
Contact CUE at (510) 814-6630 or
[email protected].
To access this document and to get other CUE Conference information, visit our website at www.cue.org
Spring 2007 OnCUE
www.cue.org
Proposal Submission Form
PRESENTER INFORMATION
Submit your application online at www.cue.org/conference/present/
Please provide an address at which CUE may contact you. CUE has discovered that
your home address is usually best. Only lead presenters will receive a confirmation.
The following information will be printed in the Conference Program unless
CUE is notified otherwise.
Presenter’s Membership Status
CUE members receive selection
preference.
S I’m a current member!
S I wish to renew my membership,
$40 check enclosed.
Presenter’s Name
Job Title
S
I’m a new member, $40 check
enclosed.
S
I’m not a member.
School or Organization
Mailing Address (please check:
City
(
Work Phone
EMAIL [email protected] WITH THE
FOLLOWING IN PDF OR WORD FORMAT
SHome S Work)
)
State
)
(
Home Phone
(
Email Address
Zip
)
Fax
URL for Handouts
Co-Presenter Names
Is the co-presenter a student under 16 years of age?
S Yes SNo
1. Title of presentation
(12 words or less).
2. Brief description for program
(30 words or less).
3. One-page abstract (including an outline
of presentation content).
I grant CUE, Inc. permission to record the
audio and/or video of my session for
distribution via CUE’s podcast feed.
S Yes
S No
Category of Submission
Topic
Session Equipment Request
(check one per application)
(check only one from the eight options below)
Concurrent session
(Friday or Saturday, one hour, lecture-style)
California Content Standards & Frameworks
All presenters will need to provide their own
computers for presentations.
SCommercial
SNon-commercial
S CUE Tip (20-minute quick demo of a tip,
technique and/or resource)
S Professional Development seminar
(Thursday, three-hour, lecture-style,
non-commercial only)
S Hands-on Workshop (Thursday, Friday or
Saturday, three-hour, 30 participants, noncommercial only)
Intended Audience
S New to CUE
SBeginning Technology Users
S Intermediate Technology Users
S Experienced Technology Users
Audience Grade Level
S Preschool/K-1
S High School (9-12)
S Primary (2-3)
S College
S Elementary (4-6) S Administration
S Intermediate (6-8)
S Not grade-level specific
www.cue.org
S Reading/Language Arts S Mathematics
S History/Social Science S Science
S Visual/Performing Arts S Foreign Language
S Health/Physical Education
SEnglish Language Development (ESL)
Category
S Leadership and Administration — Use of tech-
Equipment – CUE provides all presenters with
an Internet connection, projector, and screen.
Circle the appropriate letter(s) below to indicate
your equipment needs.
D
H
L
N
DVD
High speed video
Attendees Bring Their Own Laptop
No other equipment needed
nology as a strategic tool for school improvement and
reform, including state technology grants or projects.
S Teaching and Learning — Best practices, including project-based learning, that place a strong emphasis on teacher professional development, academic
standards, and opportunities for learners to gain both
academic and technology-oriented skills.
S Innovation — Promote effective use of learning
tools, appliances, and services that make effective
learning and access to technology’s benefits available
to all learners.
S IT Professionals — Management of information
technology infrastructure, security and tools to support
learning including network administration, instructional
information processing and, communication systems.
Submit online:
www.cue.org/conference/present/
Submit via email: [email protected]
Mail this application to:
Computer-Using Educators, Inc.
387 17th St., Suite 208
Oakland, CA 94612
Ph: 510-814-6630
Fax: 510-444-4569
Spring 2007 OnCUE
18
TIP S
A N D
T R IC KS
by Linda Oaks
[email protected]
Teaching Technology
to the Teachers
M
Most of the articles and columns in OnCUE deal with
using technology to teach. But what happens if you are
asked to be the one who actually teaches the technology?
As a subject matter, technology, including the software
that makes it purposeful, takes a different approach than
most classroom subjects. It also has its own set of “best
practices” and can present its own set of problems. Fear
not! Teaching is what you do best and with these few pointers, you’ll
be the expert that the others already think you are.
Teachers are Tough
Staff development with technology is tough because adults come
into sessions with widely varying technology skills. Try to be as
direct as possible about the level of the session and the topics to be
covered. If it’s an introductory session, say so and keep the advanced
folks away for now. On the other hand, let everyone know what
prior skills might be required for an intermediate or advanced class.
The most difficult staff development in-services are those a principal requests and all staff are required to attend. If that’s the case,
do your best to describe the session up front and be aware that the
advanced folks will be going off on their own.
Technology, not Content
When teaching students or adults to use a new technology tool, rethink your approach to your daily curriculum. In this instance, the
technology is the content. It is too much to be thinking about both
new technology and new content at the same time. For the sake of
this column, let’s say you need to instruct students on how to use
PowerPoint. Since your objective is for them to learn how to use the
software, have them construct a presentation based on their family
or personal favorites. Once PowerPoint has been conquered, then
you can use it to enhance your regular curriculum.
Helpful Handouts
There are so many steps to making a software program do what you
want that handouts should not be considered a luxury. Make sure you
have enough for all participants. (If presenting at a conference, make
extras. Many people take multiple copies for colleagues.) Your handouts should follow the order of your presentation and include all the
necessary steps, including menus, submenus, and pop-up windows.
Use Screen Shots
Since a picture is worth a thousand words, be sure to include screen
shots in your handouts. The operating systems go about this differently.
Spring 2007 OnCUE
For Windows
To capture the entire screen,
press the “Print Screen” key
on your keyboard. If you’d
like to capture an active
window only, press ALT
+ Print Screen. Either way, you can insert the
captured image into Word by then going under your Edit Menu
and selecting Paste (CRTL-V).
For Macintosh
To capture the entire screen, press Shift+Command+3. To select which
area you want to capture, press Shift+Command+4 and drag over the
area you want. When you release the mouse, you’ll have your shot.
Both of these will appear as images on your desktop. If you
want to paste your capture directly into your document, press
Shift+Option+Command+4 instead and then go to Edit to Paste
(Command+V). The Mac also has an application called Grab (in
your Utilities folder) that allows you to make a timed selection.
Time’s Up
If you have only an hour, you won’t really have the time to have
your participants work hands-on. Instead, you’ll need to present
using either the actual software or a presentation about it. For a
hands-on session, allow at least two hours to cover the same amount
of information. It takes people more time to duplicate what you are
showing and some will get lost along the way. (If any bring their
own laptops, be sure they have the necessary files before you begin.)
Allow your hands-on participants extra time to “play,” explore, and
make mistakes. This will personalize the learning experience and
help them remember once they are on their own.
Enjoy the Experience
Everyone has a technology horror story of things that didn’t work
or got lost along the way. Remember to laugh with your audience
at your common enemy and celebrate the reason they asked you to
do some staff development in the first place. And if you’re really just
bluffing your way through …well, I won’t tell anyone about you if
you don’t tell anyone about me.
Linda Oaks is an Elementary Teacher and former Staff Development
Specialist with the Rowland Unified School District and a frequent
presenter at CUE events. See <www.cue.org> for the complete article
including more tips.
www.cue.org
19
by Mark Wagner
[email protected]
Passion and
Professional Development:
Four Philosophies For Lead Learners
A
A passionate student is a learning student1, and the
same is true for teachers. If you are leading a
professional development event, be sure to engage
participants on an emotional level—aim to unleash
their passions. These four philosophies can help.
The Lead Learner Philosophy: Don’t think of
yourself as a trainer or instructor. Think of yourself as a Lead
Learner. After all, the best leaders are also learners. Be passionate
about what you are learning (and the session you are leading).
Enthusiasm is contagious.
The Face-to-Face Philosophy: In today’s world of blogs and podcasts, information transmission is no longer an excuse for a face-toface meeting. It’s a terrible waste. Respect the participants in your
session by tapping into their experience, their passions, and their
creative energy. Include many opportunities for interaction in your
agenda, and provide links where they can access “how-to” details
after the session.
The “and Life” Philosophy: Pets and babies help more teachers
learn about technology than any trainer. Don’t hesitate to connect with participants’ lives outside of school. Invite them to share
ways they can use what they are learning for personal goals. Also,
remember they need to care about whatever they are learning—it
needs to be relevant to their work, and ultimately, their life.
The Kindergarten Philosophy: Each positive experience a student
has in kindergarten is a $1 deposit in their “love of learning” bank,
but every negative experience is a $10 withdrawal. Be sure your
participants enjoy your session, even if it means moving slowly.
Also, be sure participants “practice with a purpose.” Remember,
your job is still to help them be the best people they can be.2
Notes:
1. Thanks to Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach. This hook came out of a
collaborative brainstorming session with her.
2. Thanks to Eva Wagner, kindergarten teacher, professional developer, and frequent inspiration to the author.
(She’s also his wife.)
Formerly a high school English teacher, Mark has since served as an
educational technology coordinator at Estancia High School, the
Newport-Mesa Unified School District, and the Orange County
Department of Education. He now serves as the president of the
Educational Technology and Life Corporation and as coordinator of the
CUEtoYOU Professional Development program at <www.cuetoyou.
org>. Mark blogs regularly at <www.edtechlife.com> and the Infinite
Thinking Machine at <www.infinitethinking.org>. See Mark’s Twelve
Tips for Leading Professional Development at <www.cue.org>.
www.cue.org
Spring 2007 OnCUE
20
N EE GW I SS L&A TU I PV DE A U
L
T EP SD A T E
By Chris York
Ed Tech Action Network (ETAN)
As most of you know, educational
technology funding seems to have been
under attack for the last several years.
Although all of us have seen the ongoing erosion of support occurring, there
seemed little that we could do other
than individually write our Senators and
Congressional Representatives. Some
organizations, such as CUE, have run
campaigns that have been effective on
issues within their states, but there has
been no unified voice to speak at either
a state or a national level regarding
educational technology issues—that is,
until recently.
Recognizing the impact that having a
single voice would have, leaders at The
International Society for Technology in
Education (ISTE) and The Consortium
for School Networking (CoSN) created
the Ed Tech Action Network (ETAN) in
2003 to support education technology.
Since its inception, ETAN’s strong
position for continued funding for both
the Enhancing Education Through
Technology (EETT) program (the
educational technology part of No
Child Left Behind) and E-Rate
(which supports equitable access to
online resources for schools and students
throughout the US), has been critical to
the efforts to maintaining these important programs.
What Can You Do to Help?
California currently has 977 concerned
educators who have registered with
ETAN to receive action alerts, a number
that the CUE Advocacy Committee
would like to see increase dramatically.
From ETAN’s membership flyer:
Why Join ETAN?
Because your voice makes all the difference. Because you’ll learn how to raise
awareness about vital issues with political decision-makers, media, and your
community. Because you’ll hear right
away about important federal legislative
actions and deadlines and receive tips
for effective grassroots advocacy on the
local, state, and federal levels.
CUE Legislative Advocacy
Committee Chair
[email protected]
Please take a few minutes now and go
to <www.edtechactionnetwork.org> and
click on Join the Action Network.
Finally, I think that it is important to
recognize that ETAN didn’t just happen;
Keith Krueger, CEO of CoSN, Don
Knezek, ISTE’s Chief Executive Officer, Kurt Steinhaus, ISTE’s President,
and Hilary Goldmann, ISTE’s Director
of Government Affairs have all played
important roles in the creation and the
success of ETAN, and each deserves our
appreciation.
Chris York, CUE Legislative Advocacy
Committee Chair, is Director of Technology and Student Assessment in the Del
Norte County Office of Education.
Bits&Bytes
CUE congratulates the following
Affiliate-level finalists of the
2007 CUE Awards
Outstanding Teachers
• Lore Schindler (CUELA)
• Stacey Chicoine (CVCUE)
• Shauna Hawes (EBCUE)
• Genevieve Kahlweiss (OCCUE)
Technology in Learning Leadership (TILL)
• Todd Finnell (IVCUE)
• JoAnne Miller (OCCUE)
The recipient of each of these awards will be announced on
March 2 at the CUE Conference General Session and will
go on to represent CUE as our nominees for ISTE award
consideration within their categories. Nominations for the
2008 awards will begin in April at <www.cue.org/awards/>.
Spring 2007 OnCUE
The National Staff Development Council
(<www.nsdc.org>) promotes the idea of quality professional
development by the year 2010 by sharing standards for
professional development that are results-driven, standardsbased, and job-embedded.
Take a look at Internet4Classrooms—particularly the section on On-Line Practice Modules (<www.
internet4classrooms.com/on-line.htm>)—as a way for
“completing the puzzle of professional development.”
Thirteen sections—including WebQuests, Dreamweaver,
Inspiration, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint—are offered.
Clicking on a section gets you to a page with a variety of
links that focus on specific aspects of the topic you have
chosen, free of charge.
www.cue.org
CTAP
21
by Bonnie Marks and Brian Bridges
[email protected] and [email protected]
Professional Development in a Flat World, Part 1
teachers and districts
will have access to
alternative training
models to provide
more timely and
economical training that fits their
needs. Teachers
and administrators,
who are working
longer hours and
facing increasing
traffic congestion,
may be the early
adopters, but the
wave has already begun to hit our shore.
Thomas Friedman’s The World is Flat
describes how companies have become
more competitive as educated workforces
in other countries vie for the same work.
Fueled by cheap, high-speed Internet,
collaborative software, outsourcing, and
global competition, few industries are
safe from its effects. Call tech support
and you might be talking to someone in
India. Your drive-in order at McDonald’s
might be taken by someone in another
state. Companies that don’t adapt to
compete in the newly flat world will be
among the first to go bankrupt.
Fortunately, or unfortunately, the same
forces that have flattened the world are
poised to have the same effect on professional development programs. Cheap
Internet, collaborative software, highquality video conferencing, and global
competition may just as easily allow your
customers to outsource all or part of their
local training programs.
However, just as in-person tech support
will survive as we bring our computers to
Best Buy for repair, face-to-face professional development will also continue to
exist, although in a reduced capacity. As
professional development flattens, more
www.cue.org
To survive, how should your professional development program adapt to be
more competitive? What technologies
should you incorporate into your training
programs? If you’re an educator, what flat
world training opportunities are available to you? We’ll explore these questions
below and in future columns.
In The World is Flat, Friedman offers a
number of rules companies (and, we’d
argue, trainers) should follow in order to
compete in a flat world. Here’s a summary of some of his recommendations:
• Instead of building walls to avoid
change, we should get out our shovels
and dig deep inside for solutions;
• Small companies should act big and
extend their reach by taking advantage
of new collaboration tools;
• To create value for your customers in an
increasingly complex environment, improve your collaborations both within
and outside your organization; and
• Outsource to grow, not to shrink. Outsource to innovate faster and more.
by creating one-to-one or one-to-many
meetings. While instant messenger programs are popular with consumers, their
cross-platform reliability and limited
group size make them incompatible
for professional development. Quality
video conferencing requires the H.323
protocol. Fortunately H.323 clients are
available for both platforms. Xmeeting
<xmeeting.sourceforge.net> is a free,
Open Source video conferencing client
for the Macintosh. For Windows computers, Polycom <www.polycom.com>
sells equally popular room conferencing
systems and desktop software.
To engage in a multi-party videoconference, connect to the K12 High Speed
Network to schedule a meeting time
and channel. Funded by the state, their
services are free. Their reservation site
is located at <k12video.org>. Effective
use of video conferencing will help you
compete for customers in a flat world.
We’ll explore other resources and ideas
for competing in a flat world in our next
article.
OnCTAP Podcast
Find this and other OnCTAP podcasts at
the iTunes store by searching for CTAP,
or link directly to the podcast site: <www.
gcast.com/u/bbridges51/onctap>
For complete information, contact your local regional office through the CTAP
website <www.ctap.k12.ca.us>. Bonnie
Marks is Chairperson of the State Coordinating Council and Director of CTAP
Region 4. Brian Bridges is Program Manager for CTAP Region 6 and is on the CUE
Board of Directors.
K12HSN Video Conferencing
One important collaboration tool, video
conferencing, will be an essential part of
flat professional development programs
as organizations expand their client base
Spring 2007 OnCUE
22
THE
C UE
R E V I E W
The California Learning Resource Network (CLRN) has added an
by Sandra Burdick
[email protected]
additional service for educators in collaboration with our SETS
partners, TICAL and TechSETS, and Learning Resources. The addition of data management resources, Electronic Learning Assessment Resources (ELAR), was added
through legislation, SB 1384, to review and post ELARs to the CLRN database to help districts use
standardized test results to drive their instruction and curriculum decisions.
The ELAR Information Project provides . . .
• A one-stop web-based location to review data management
systems based on approved criteria.
• Research-based criteria enabling educators to determine local
needs for instructional management systems.
• Research on effective use of ELARs
• Web-links supporting data-driven decision-making.
• Answers to frequently asked questions about ELARs
• Professional development on how and when to use ELARs.
STUDENT DATA
STUDENTS ARE ASSESSED
BECOMES AVAILABLE
EDUCATORS ARE EXPECTED TO USE DATA
TO IMPROVE INSTRUCTION
EDUCATORS GO TO CLRN TO
ELARS LINK ASSESSMENT
SELECT ELARS
DATA TO INSTRUCTIONAL
Title: InForm
Publisher: Edmin
System Type: Web-Based; Central Server/ASP;
District/Site Server Installed
URL: www.edmin.com
EDmin’s core product INFORM, is a standards based academic
performance and instructional management system that is
accessible via the Internet 24/7. INFORM works as a performance data warehouse that enables educators at all levels to
make data-driven decisions to help bridge the achievement gap.
Optional modules may be used to create and track discipline,
interventions, and IEPs, as well as enabling the classroom teacher to build Resources, Assignments, Lesson Plans, Classroom
Calendars, and Newsletters. Other INFORM modules contain
a Professional Development Management system to help track
accredited teachers under NCLB legislature.
Title: Just for the Kids - California
Publisher: Just for the Kids—California
System Type: Web-Based
URL: www.jftk-ca.org
Just For the Kids—California (<www.jftk-ca.org> provides
a powerful on-line data system free of charge to California’s
public schools. JFTK-CA promotes measurably improved
academic achievement in public schools through focused use
of achievement data, research, and effective school improvement strategies from across the state and nation.
Title: Prosper Assessment System
Publisher: Pearson Assessments
System Type: Client/Workstation Installed
URL: www.pearsonncs.com/prosper/index.htm
The Prosper assessment system is a locally deployed Windows
based software application that is designed to help educators
to create, administer, collect, score, and report on criterionref assessments. The software is driven by “Wizards” that step
users through common tasks. The Prosper system includes item
banking, test generation, scoring, and reporting capabilities that
can be used with virtually any tests/test items available to the
district. Prosper uses scanning technology for the collection of
test responses and then generates detailed reports that can be
analyzed by student, class, teacher, state learning standard, and
demographic group. Prosper reports are specifically designed to
help educators identify areas of strength and weakness, enabling
teachers to make adjustments to instruction.
The JFTK-CA website presents an accurate academic picture showing the strengths, weaknesses, long-term progress,
and realistic improvement targets for every public school in
California through data from the state accountability tests.
Schools access an on-line best practice framework, self assessments, and specific examples from high performing schools
and districts based upon what is working to raise achievement.
The California Learning Resource Network (CLRN) is a statewide education technology service of the California Department
of Education and administrated by the Stanislaus County Office
of Education, Ellis Vance, Director. Search the CLRN database at
<clrn.org>. Permission is hereby granted to California educators to
copy this material for instructional use. The document may not be
distributed for profit. © California Department of Education.
IMPROVEMENT
Following is a sample from the 21 resources currently posted
on the CLRN site. Feel free to share this information with your
district administration.
Spring 2007 OnCUE
www.cue.org
Membership Application
SORRY, NO PURCHASE ORDERS ACCEPTED
Benefits
• Discounted registration fees on CUE
conference and other state and local
CUE activities.
• Annual subscription to OnCUE,
published four times a year.
• Recognition programs and LeRoy
Finkel Fellowship.
• Voting privileges.
• Continuing Education Credit for
attending CUE conference.
• Membership in one Affiliate and/or any
number of Special Interest Groups.
• Proactive legislative advocacy
• CUE Up! email newsletter for advance
notice and up-to-date information.
• Group Membership discounts. Please
call the CUE office for information.
• Discounted NECC conference registration
• Discounts on other local resources
(i.e. Resource Center for Teachers
(RAFT) including free access to the
Technology Center)
• myCUE suite of benefits, visit www.cue.
org/mycue/ for info.
I am using this form to …
R Become a Member RRenew Membership RMake corrections/updates
E-mail Address (required) R YES! Please alert me to 3rd-party opportunities.
Name
Address
R Home RWork
City
State
Zip
Affiliate Option for California Residents
Home Phone
CUE supports many regional Affiliates and SIGs. As a CUE member, you not only gain
access to a network of computer-using educators in your area, but are free to join an
affiliate, and any number of our special interest groups. To add more than one affiliate,
there is an additional $10 fee.
School District (spell out complete name)/Organization
RBeach Cities CUE
ROrange County CUE
RCahuilla CUE
RSan Diego CUE
www.bccue.org
Los Angeles South Bay Area
www.cahuillacue.org
Coachella Valley
RCapitol CUE
www.capcue.org
Alpine, Amador, Colusa,
El Dorado, Nevada, Placer,
Sacramento, Sierra, Sutter, Yolo, and
Yuba counties
RCentral California CUE
www.cccue.com
San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Mariposa,
Merced, Tuolumne, and
Calaveras counties
RCentral Valley CUE
www.cvcue.org
Fresno, Kings, Tulare and
Madera counties
RCUELA
www.cuelosangeles.org
Los Angeles County
REast Bay CUE
www.ebcue.org
Alameda and Contra Costa counties
RGold Coast CUE
Ventura County
RiCUE Silicon Valley
homepage.mac.com/icuesv
San Mateo and Santa Clara counties
RImperial Valley CUE
www.ivcue.org
Imperial County
RInland Area CUE
San Bernardino and Riverside counties
except Coachella Valley
RKern CUE
Kern County
RMission Trail CUE
www.mtcue.org
San Luis Obispo County
RNorth Coast CUE
www.nccue.org
Mendocino, Lake, Del Norte,
Humboldt counties
www.occue.org
Orange County
www.sdcue.org
San Diego County
RSan Gabriel Valley CUE
www.sgvcue.org
San Gabriel Valley
RTri CUE
Monterey, Santa Cruz and
San Benito counties
RWine Country CUE
www.winecountrycue.org
Sonoma and Napa Counties
Work Phone
School Site
Job Title
SCHOOL TYPE:R Public R Private/Independent
POSITION:
R Teacher
RAdmin
RClassified
RTOSA/Tech
Coordinator
RParent
RRetired
ORGANIZATION:
RStudent
RHigher Ed.
Faculty
RIT Prof.
RExecutive or
Director
ROther:
RElementary
School
RMiddle School
RHigh School
RCommunity
College
R University
RBusiness Sector
R Nonprofit
RGovernment
ROther:
HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT CUE?
RNone
Special Interest Groups
R School/Co-worker
R CUE Affiliate Event
ROnCUE Journal
RCUE Website
R Administrators’ SIG
ANNUAL DUES PAYMENT
Support for technology-using
school administrators.
Michael Simkins
[email protected]
R Independent Schools SIG
Private, parochial, K-12, and higher
education organizations.
Jennifer Wagner [email protected]
Donna Dayton [email protected]
R Library Media Educators’ SIG
A support group for learning resource
professionals.
Lesley Farmer [email protected]
R TEC/ASTUTE
Professional development across the
teaching continuum
Pam Redmond [email protected]
Robin Chiero [email protected]
R Other Educational Conference
RCUE Conference Publication
RAdvertisement
R Other: ___________________
R Group Membership $________
R US $40 – U.S. & Canada Regular Membership
R US $30 – U.S. & Canada Student Membership — Attach class
schedule to verify full-time status; 6 semester or 9 quarter unit minimum.
R US $65 – International
R US $20 – Retired
R US $75 – 2 year Multi-year membership
R US $110 – 3 year Multi-year membership
AFFILIATE & SIG SELECTION
R FREE – one Affiliate and SIG (choose at left)
R US $10 each additional Affiliate
R A CHECK, PAYABLE TO COMPUTER-USING EDUCATORS, IS ENCLOSED
R CHARGE MY: R VISA R MasterCard
SORRY, NO PURCHASE ORDERS ACCEPTED.
Account Number
Exp. Date
R Technology Coordinators’ SIG
School, district and county
coordinators’ support.
Tim Landeck [email protected]
Karl Forest [email protected]
Signature (required for credit card orders)
PAY TO/MAIL TO: Computer-Using Educators, Inc
OR FAX TO:
387 17th Street, Suite 208
Oakland, CA 94612
(510) 444-4569
For more information, please email CUE at [email protected].
Calendar
For more information on these events
please visit www.cue.org/events/
2007
March 1-3 Annual CUE Conference, Sharing the
Summit, Palm Springs, CA www.cue.org
May 5 San Gabriel Valley CUE Tech Fair 2007
CUE t oYO U
Unpack a world
of possibilities–
bring CUE’s
quality workshops
to you!
Village@Indian Hill Conference Center, Pomona, CA
wwwsgvcue.org
June 12-15 CCCUE 2007 Summer Technology Festival
Stanislaus County Office of Education, Modesto, CA
www.ctap6.k12.ca.us
June 24-27 National Education Computing Conference
(NECC), Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta,
GA Super Early Bird Registration deadline: March 30
center.uoregon.edu/ISTE/NECC2007/registation/
July 10-13 (Maui, HI) or July 28-31 (Indian Wells, CA)
CLMS/CLHS/NHSA Summer Institute:
Differentiated Instruction www.clms.net
2008
CUEtoYOU workshops
are approved Ed Tech K12
Voucher professional
development opportunities.
Professional Development
WORKSHOPS AND SEMINARS AT
YOUR
SITE
Selected Topics now
available statewide:
• Podcasting Basics
• iPod in Education
• Educational Blogging
• Classroom Uses of
Digital Cameras
• Administrator
Technology Workshops
• Bright Lights, Powerful
Learning Projector Workshop
COMING SOON:
Picasa, Google Earth, and many more...
March 6-8 Annual CUE Conference, Pearls of Learning,
Palm Springs, CA www.cue.org
More info and registration: www.cuetoyou.org
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
ALAMEDA, CA
PERMIT NO. 81
Computer-Using Educators, Inc. | 387 17th Street, Suite 208 | Oakland, CA 94612
phone 510.814.6630 | fax 510.444.4569 | email [email protected] | website www.cue.org