November+December+2008

= __Virginia__ __Department__ __of Education__  __ Office of Educational Technology (OET) Updates __ =

= __Learning without Boundaries__ =

// A new initiative from the OET that incorporates wireless handheld devices into teaching and learning //
=== Funded by a grant from the Governor’s Productivity Investment Fund and in collaboration with Apple Computers, Virginia Tech, and Radford University, the OET will study the potential benefits of wireless mobile technologies such as an iPod Touch and GPS receivers in day-to-day teaching. Initial use may begin with Radford and Blacksburg schools. ===

** * Interactive technologies for embodied Learning*Reading & Mathematics ((iteL*RM) **
=== This program encourages elementary students to explore reading and mathematics using wireless mobile technologies with instructional and communciation software. Learning opportunities incorporate the same technologies and learning strategies popularized by video games, personal broadcasting, and Web 2.0. The goal of the initiative is to help children develop appropriate thinking strategies and sufficient practice to improve fundamental knowledge in target areas and increase problem-solving skills using a range of emerging technologies for communication and computing. ===

** * Kids for Change (K4C) **
=== In Kids for Change, middle school students in after-school programs create multimedia animations, stories, simulations, and games around energy security and sustainability topics (e.g. energy-efficient buidlings and construction, renewable electric power, recycling) that require design and development using writing and composition, storyboarding, video editing, and modeling and presentation software. Participants use Web-based collaboration technologies- including blogs, wikis, and file sharing – to broadcast and share narratives creating a social network of collaborators and peers. This approach reflects the values of participatory learning whereby all members of a community contribute to and benefit from student development and growth. ===

** * Project ROAR (Radford Outdoor Augmented Reality) **
=== The objectie of Project ROAR is to develop engaging and effective augmented reality learning simulations to enhance middle school science teaching and learning in southwestern Virginia. Augmented reality uses handheld computers and GPS receivers to correlate students’ real-world locations to their virtual locations in the simulation’s digital world. As the students move around a physical locations, such as their school playground or sports field, maps on their handheld devices display digital objects and virtual people that exist in the augmented reality world superimposed on real space.When students cme within approximately 10 feet of these digital artifacts, video, audio, and text files provide narrative, navigation, and collaboration cues as well as academic challenges. For more information, please visit the ROAR web site at: http://radford.edu/mdunleavy/445/ROAR.html. ===

** * iLearn **
=== Every student enrolled in media and communication courses at Dalton Intermediate School and Radford High School receives an iPod Touch for the duration of the course. They explore and document how they use the iPod to learn, play, and live. Standards-based activities culminiate in the production of documentaries of their lives. Instructional technology resource teachers play a key role in these projects. They will be responsible for helping teachers implement the learning modules and will be essential in bringing these projects to scale. The program evauation will be developed into published works to assist the Commonwealth in integrating wireless mobile handheld devices into classrooms throughout the state. ===

**__ iTunes U K-12 Initiative (Update) __**
=== See prior DOE updates from prior month for initial information on this initiative. A contract between Apple Computer, Inc. and the DOE has been formalized with WBRA - Blue Ridge Public Television serving as the state fiscal agent and Radford University serving as the vetting organization for all content. ===

** __Oracle Education Foundation__ **
=== The OET has been working with the Oracle Education Foundation to offer training on the use of the [|Thinkquest] learning platform. The five public tv stations in Virginia graciously offered their training facilities and staff to assist with the trainings. Training began November 3 in Prince William County and continues through December with the final training occuring December 16 at WBRA. While the training was initially intended for ITRTs, it has been expanded to classroom teachers and library media specialists. ===

 ===Denise Hobbs, with the Oracle Education Foundation, will be conducting a spotlight session on Thinkquest during the Educational Technology Leadership Conference in Roanoke. The session will be on Wednesday, December 10 at 2:30 in the Roanoke Ballroom. Any division that has not participated in the Thinkquest training should make an effort to have a staff member attend this session. ===

**__ Intel Grant __**
=== The Department of Education (DOE) will be hosting a Thinking with Technology Master trainer course December 1-4 in Richmond. A Leadership Forum based on the Intel Leadership course will be held. Official announcements have not been made, but are expected this week. We currently have six master trainers in the Intel Essentials course and two in the Thinking with Technology course. Thus far we do not have any senior trainers. The DOE will be sending four master trainers to senior training in the Essentials course in January and six to senior training in Thinking with Technology course in March. Currently we do not have any master trainers or senior trainers in the Leadership course, but will have at least one after the Leadership Forum. ===

**__ Share The Skies __**
=== Share the Skies training is continuing regionally by trainers within school divisions. If interested, but not sure who your regional trainers are, please email telescopesupport@doe.virginia.gov and you will be connected with the appropriate trainers. ===

**__ Thinkfinity __**
=== The first conference of Certified Thinkfinity Trainer candidates was held at Sweet Briar College. Jean Weller updated the candidates on what was happening with Thinkfinity content and the professional development program. The professional development program now focuses on helping teachers learn to integrate one online item into their lesson plans as opposed to taking on an entire online lesson. This is working very well. The Certified Thinkfinity Trainers will be those who can train new field trainers (trainers who train teachers). There will be about 18 CTs when they have completed their training, which is to take place in January at Sweet Briar College. The DOE also have begun work on a model Thinkfinity roll-out program at Gayle Middle School in Stafford County. The ITRT at Gayle Middle School will be a Certified Trainer and is working to have about 12-16 staff members trained on how to integrate Thinkfinity’s Internet resources into their classroom. === === After staff members have gone through training, they will implement their single integration item in their own classroom. We will then host a fair at the school to share the experiences of the trained staff members with the rest of the Gayle Middle School staff and perhaps staff from other schools. The intent is to make the program replicable so that it can be done in any school. ===

__ Visit DOE at the Conference __
=== The Department of Education will be in Roanoke G&H during all concurrent sessions of the Educational Technology Leadership Conference. Conference attendees are encouraged to stop by for informal presentations and hands-on guided tours. Explore Thinkfinity, Pokemon Learning League, Professor Garfield, and Share The Skies. Learn about new initiatives including International Year of Astronomy (IYA) 2009, Intel Teach, and Thinkquest. Virtual Virginia will be there to talk about the program and share the latest news. ===