Raising Free Range Children

Jamie McKenzie says...

"In many cases — those districts which fail to clarify learning goals
and fund professional development — the answer will be "No!" There is
no credible evidence that networks improve student reading, math or
thinking skills unless they are in service of carefully crafted
learning programs which show students how to interpret information and
make up their own minds. ...

"In the best cases - with the right program planning and robust
professional development - schools will use these new tools and
resources in ways which will improve student performance on high stakes
state tests. ...

"This article will show how schools may take advantage of these
electronic networks to raise a generation of free range students —
young people capable of navigating through a complex, often
disorganized information landscape while making up their own minds
about the important issues of their lives and their times. ...

"The same skills which allow students to make up their own minds will
serve them well on Life’s tests as well as increasingly challenging
state tests. ..."

http://fno.org/text/grazing.html

No Teacher Left Behind

Here are some recommended workshops: THEY ARE ALL GOING TO BE GREAT!!!
These are the few we talked about last night:

11. Susie's Writer's Tools (Inspiration, Writer's Companion, Kidpix,
and many others - projects modeled)
12. Building Web Pages that everyone can access (W3C)
14. Blogger - How would this help you with publishing your student's
writing? How can you communicate with parents frequently and simply
15. Creating Webquests - Focus on 9-12 content but ANYONE can use what
she is talking about
20. Helping Diverse Learners Succeed - WOW WICKED GREAT presenter!!!
This is really for all learners and the focus is on classroom
strategies
22. Lego Robotics - IT's Not as difficult as you might think!! Teaches
teamwork, programing and cause and effect. Great for problem solving!
40 MS Office, Acrobat Reader and Web Design... How can they work
together??
41. Smartboards - this is more than just a white board connected to a
computer!!
47. Geocaching - this is in the field (I hope you don't get lost!)
63. Geocaching - on the computer to see the resources online and what
you can do with caching and kids
107. Geocaching - this is the other one in the field
69. Powerpoint for terrified teachers! :)
70. This is the same presenter as 20 - She will be presenting a GREAT
new website all about classroom practices that work!
71. JASON Project - This would be a great Salem School's foundation
grant... Collaborate with local schools to create your own projects
87. Powerpoint with the Kit concept... Hand them the tools and they
create a digital media event!!
88. Handholding with Handhelds!
97. Computer Surgery - How to repair things inside there!
106. Computer lab set up

Great Meeting!!

What a great group! I am going through your comments and suggestions now. When I get them organized into clean lists I will post them here and send them out to the participants.

I enjoy the connections we made - I hope you made some in your table groups (WOW an hour and a half fly by!) and maybe even generate some great ideas for collaboration across schools!

You are welcome to comment on anything on the blog but you do need to create a FREE blogger account. Keep the questions coming! :) Somehow next year we will keep this going... The k-5 advisory group is too GREAT to let it go away!

Keyboarding Programs

Check out the collection of links on the left. These will be helpful as we take a look at student safe email.

Atomic Learning

This is a site for Technology Applications Training...
Someone sent me a free demo - What do you think about this?

www.atomiclearning.com
user name - ccv
password - mother

netTrekker

NetTrekker is a fantastic research tool which is safe for kids and a resource for teachers. It contains links which have been proofed by teachers as well as alignment to state standards and a database of lessons. What do you think?
Username is: borayburn
Password is: borayburn
(Notice they spelled bo with only one 'o')

Visual Thesaurus

Free trial is good through June!! Check it out and look up your favorite hobby, verb or silly word in the Visual Thesaurus. It makes words dance and the connections are great!

Here is a great "presskit" for you to use for training.

think.com

Think.com is an online community allowing kids, teachers, parents and administration to communicate in a safe way inside a school. It has webpage creation and email. The service is free and set up waiting for you to access it.

Let me know if you would like your account name and password!

Boo Rayburn - ext. 3075

Metiri Database - "Technology Solutions that Work"

All Oregon schools now have access to the "Technology Solutions That Work (TSW) Database from the Metiri Group. This database is designed to put research about early literacy software at the fingertips of every interested educator in Oregon. It provides a comprehensive analysis of what research says works and doesn't work with technology products intended to improve reading in elementary schools, and gives an in-depth, unbiased analysis of each study. In particular, it can help educators to find technology solutions that increase learning among students who are underachieving. http://www.metiri.com/techsolutions

Boo Rayburn has our district token so you can access this database. Information will be shared with Teacher Leaders, Instructional Technology Leaders (STC), and Principals. This database is intended for the decision makers and not the general public. If you haven't received your token and would like one please contact Boo at ext. 3075.

United Streaming - Free till June 30th

Now through June 30, 2005, your selected school has access to this award winning service.

Please provide passcode 'C8D5-241B' to your teachers at SALEM KEIZER SCH DIST 24J. In order to begin using unitedstreaming they should go to http://www.unitedstreaming.com and enter their school's Passcode to create their own username and password. Click the first link below to access a customizable flyer we developed for you to help spread the word about unitedstreaming at SALEM KEIZER SCH DIST 24J. Click the second link to watch a Flash demo designed as a tutorial for first time users.

http://www.unitedstreaming.com/help/flyer.doc

http://vod.unitedstreaming.com/demo/overview/demo10.html

If you have any questions, please call 800-261-9200 or email support@unitedstreaming.com.

May 12th Framework Meeting

Elementary Instructional Technology Leaders (STC)
Date: May 12, 2005 (Thursday)
Time: 4:00 - 5:30 - Optional meeting
Location: Bush Elementary School

Updates: I will be able to pay you at curriculum rate for attending. I am excited to share the work that has been done this year on finding a direction. It is just the beginning as next year the District's Technology Plan expires so we need to start writing and updated one

Agenda (A few changes):

HaS Team (hardware and software standards team) - we will complete a survey to be turned in - There is a need to focus some energy on creating standards on what we are using in our labs and what we want Technology Information Services and their Onsite Team to learn and support. Please start thinking of ways in which you or your school may want to participate. We will have a survey for you to fill out to record what is already being used. **Be thinking about ways you would like to help - try software in your lab, review software in an after school committee, research and make recommendations... others??

K-5 Skills Framework - The K-5 Instructional Technology Advisory Council meet frequently this year. Our focus was to find a direction and setting a focus for computer skills that would fit into each grade level. There is a need now to interpret what that will look like for teachers. We would like to share that with you and get feedback on what to do next.

Building a technology plan - This is a big need for all schools. Let's look at a "shell" of a plan that schools could adopt and fill in their own goals. Please bring anything your school has been working on. Our intent is not to override anything you are doing but support your efforts to support your teachers and schools.

furl?

Discovered Furl.net this weekend... Check out the links on the blog... Those are a live feed from my furl catagories. This way as I'm surfing I can nab a link and pop it into the right catagory and then it is live updated on my blog or webpage.

Get your own furl at furl.net - It's free!!

Create Free Surveyshttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif

PHP Surveyor

http://survey.umesd.net

Avid Software for movie making

Studica

Technology Learning Solutions

Online Staff Development -

Just another vendor who is contacting me...

Technology Learning Solutions