September+2016

From December 2015: Additional Standards of Learning (SOL) Tests Transitioned to TestNav™ 8 Test Delivery Software [] New Principals email: “This email is to inform school divisions that these End-of-Course (EOC) practice item sets are now available in TestNav 8: Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, Earth Science, Biology, Chemistry, World History I, World History II, World Geography, Virginia and United States History, and EOC Reading. The practice item sets are accessible through the installable TestNav 8 application. “ See []
 * Supt’s Memos you should know about: **

Additional State Funding to Update Career and Technical Education (CTE) Equipment to Industry Standards []

Announcement of Conference: Assessing for Deeper Learning: A Transformative Pathway to Prepare Virginia Students for the Future []

Grades 6 through 8 Non-Writing and Grade 8 and End-of-Course Writing Practice Items Sets Available in the TestNavTM 8 Installable Application []

Announcing the 2017 Children's Engineering Convention []

The VDOE and VSTE are coming together to provide a one-day event especially designed for Virginia’s Educational Technology Directors! The Leading Ed2 Forum is October 11, at the Daniel Technology Center (near Culpeper). Please see here for registration information: [] and here for directions: [] The whole staff of the Office of Technology and Virtual Learning, as well as the Technology Innovations staff will be there. We look forward to seeing you!
 * Professional Development: **

VSTE’s Annual Conference, December 4-6, 2016, Virginia Beach Call for proposals deadline is September 15!!! []

OER Policy Development Tool []
 * Planning: **

The Process of Change (blog post) []

Reminder - Update Your Browser for Maximum Performance and Security [|http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2016/09/reminder-update-your-browser-for.html#.V8g7v_krK1s]
 * Security and Safety: **

How to Fight Phishing in Your School District []

4 Ideas for Safely Integrating Digital Instructional Content []

Next-Generation Firewalls Do More than Block Traffic []

Stanford and Ithaka S+R Project on Responsible Use of Student Data in Higher Education (written for higher ed but applicable to K-12) []

Do’s and Don’ts of Engagement on Social Media []
 * Management and Leadership: **

5 Reasons We Need Instructional Coaches []

Self-Paced E-Learning Market Evaporating, Report Finds []
 * Trends: **

Blended 2.0 Shifts Learning in Schools []

Guide to Digital Games + Learning []

Top State Policy Issues for Leading Edge Educators and Leaders []

PDK Poll of the public’s attitudes towards the public schools []

YouTube Live Will Replace Google Hangouts On Air [|http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2016/08/youtube-live-will-replace-google.html#.V7WtwvkrK1s]
 * Technology: **

Bc Open Textbook Accessibility Toolkit []

Bloomz: Community Begins in the Classroom []

Reflector: Wireless Mirroring for Your Classroom Devices []

Glowforge™ The iconic 3D Laser Printer []

Using online courses for credit recovery []
 * Virtual Learning (Do it Right!): **

Research Finds Poor Outcomes For Students Who Retake Courses Online []

5 Settings You Should Know for School or Classroom Facebook Pages [|http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2016/03/5-settings-you-should-know-for-school.html#.V8g_A_krK1t]
 * Digital Citizenship: **

Do’s and Don’ts of Engagement on Social Media []

5 Tools to Help Students Learn How to Learn []
 * How-to’s and Lists: **

How To Turn Off Blue Light On Your Iphone/ Ipad At Night Keep Your Phone from Waking You Up []

21 TED-Ed Lessons About Animals [|http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2016/09/21-ted-ed-lessons-about-animals.html#.V87Q-PkrK1s]

5 Reasons We Need Instructional Coaches []

Engagement from Technology Use Is Different Than Engagement from Learning []
 * Pedagogy: **

See & Learn the ABC’s of Deeper Instruction []

Using Project-Based Learning To Flip Bloom’s Taxonomy For Deeper Learning []

8 Needs For Project-Based Learning In The 21st Century []

Design Thinking and PBL []

Launching a Makerspace: Lessons Learned From a Transformed School Library []

Curation: Creatively Filtering Content []

Hooked On Pokemon Go? Learn More About Location Based Learning []

8 Principles Of Gamified Learning []

AnswerGarden a powerful, minimalistic feedback/brainstorming tool []
 * Tools: **

App Review: Prisma []

PBS KIDS Video App []

Hello, Hollywood! How to Add a Little Green Screen Magic to Your Videos []

App of the Week: Turn your phone into a science lab []

Do a Reverse Image Search []

World’s Largest Lesson (September 18 event) []
 * Curriculum Resources: **

CNN Student News Is Back for 2016-17 (Social Studies) [|http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2016/08/cnn-student-news-is-back-for-2016-17.html#.V8bZA_krK1s]

Election 2016: Lesson Plans and Digital Resources for Educators (Social Studies) []

National Digital Newspaper Program to Include Newspapers From the Earliest Days of America (Social Studies) []

How the World Map Looks Wildly Different Than You Think (Social Studies) []

Pokémon in REAL LIFE? (YouTube video for hands-on project) (Science) []

Next Generation Science Standards Aligned Open Simulations and Tools (Science) []

App of the Week: Free STEM app all about the watershed (Science) []

Curriki’s High School Physics Collection of Teacher and Student Resources (Science) []

Week of Inspirational Maths 2 (Math) []

Dallas Symphony Kids (Arts) []

Creator of chatbot that beat 160,000 parking fines now tackling homelessness []
 * What the Kids Are Up To: **