Breakout Sessions for Thursday, March 12, 2009

Thursday, March 12, 2009

TH401: Mapping 21st Century Skills to Core Subjects (Spotlight Session)
SALON A

The main dialogue surrounding 21st century skills isn’t whether they are vital to a strong education system but how they fit into core subjects. Some stakeholders see the two competencies in competition, however, this couldn’t be further from the truth. The Partnership for 21st Century Skills has long argued that 21st century skills fit seamlessly into core competencies. The Partnership, in collaboration with the core subject content groups, has created 21st Century Skills and Core Subject Maps, which detail concrete examples of how to align teaching and learning to the demands of the 21st century by describing lesson examples that combine skills like critical thinking, creativity and innovation with interdisciplinary themes (civic, economic and entrepreneurial literacy and global awareness).

In addition, each map cites specific student outcomes and provides project models that will result in enhanced student achievement in grades four, eight and 12. For example, fourth graders, after reading several folktales and viewing two to three cartoons, write their own contemporary version of a folktale and present them as a stop-motion or Claymation film. This helps students, through typical reading and project work, learn how to communicate new ideas and demonstrate originality and inventiveness in schoolwork.

TH402: Global Leadership: International Classroom Collaborations
ESSENTIAL SKILLS: Education & Training and Leadership & Vision
SALON B

Globalize your technology program via international student and teacher collaborations! The presenters will share the rationale and pathway toward implementing successful, international collaborative projects in the United States and Europe. Participants will gain insight into the leadership skills necessary to collaborate in a global educational environment via the use of ICT. Session attendees will view examples of global collaborations between Louisana’s ePals pilot project, as well as major eTwinning initiative of the European Commission which allows classroom collaborations.

TH403: Empowering 21st Century Superintendents:  Policy, Innovation and Academic Achievement
ESSENTIAL SKILLS: Leadership & Vision
SALON D

Superintendents across the country are responsible for creating vision using technology systemically to expand teaching and learning for all members of the educational community and meeting the dynamic needs of today's changing school systems. Key Learning Points: Developed by superintendents for superintendents, CoSN (the Consortium for School Networking) produced a rich set of resources which is being deployed in partnership with state superintendent associations.  Format for the Discussion: The one hour presentation will be a panel summary review of the tool kit developed under the guidance of superintendents which discusses the five key themes which emerged that highlight the role technology can play in education and recommended action steps.

TH404: Harnessing the Transformational Power of Social Media Technology in Learning
ESSENTIAL SKILLS: Systems Management and Education & Training
SALON E

With over 120,000 new blogs and 375,000 new people joining social networks each day, social media technologies are being woven into the very fabric of our society. Not only are they changing informational, social, and political landscapes, they are having a profound impact on our daily lives. Students and teachers have access to a rich set of online tools for media creation, communication, and collaboration on a global scale, and yet most of these tools are banned from our schools. Fear, uncertainty, and doubt rule environments where creativity, discovery, and opportunity once reigned. Discover the transformational power of social media tools through real world examples, and learn effective approaches to their use and important considerations prior to implementation.

TH405: Hope is Not a Crisis Preparedness Strategy!
ESSENTIAL SKILLS: Systems Management and Leadership & Vision
MR406

Participants will learn about students’ views of learning with technologies. In this workshop findings from new research concurrently conducted in Australia and The Netherlands, will be presented. This research set out to listen to and analyze the views and expectations of students in primary and secondary schools, in vocational education and training institutions, and pre-service and early career teachers, including international teacher education students in universities, about learning with technologies. The research has involved surveying and talking with students in these two countries. This workshop will ask what the findings of this research means for students in schools?

TH406: Two Worlds Collide: The Convergence of Information Technology and Building Maintenance and Operations.
ESSENTIAL SKILLS: Planning & Budgeting
MR408

In informational technology world, we have seen the need to adjust and or maintain a building environment, integrate building automation, integrate security, and our Director of Maintenance and Operations a staple at curriculum and IT planning meetings. In the buildings and operations world, we have seen web based work order management systems and building automation systems, directory integrated door access systems, many if not all communication systems become digitized and the Director of IT is now a staple at operations and planning meetings. In this session, we will explore the reasons these two worlds are colliding or converging, the problems that will occur as a result, and the benefits of a good collaboration between these two different but similar worlds.

TH407: State Policies and the Future of Online Learning
ESSENTIAL SKILLS: Education & Training
MR410

As virtual schools and online learning become a part of the educational system, states and districts struggle with how best to adapt current policies to support them. Our research looks at best practices and innovative models for measuring student success in online learning environments, preparing teachers to facilitate virtual classes, and funding options.

TH408:  Open Education for a Smarter Planet 
ESSENTIAL SKILLS: Education & Training
MR412

Spotlight session hosted by:

Heather Lamb, Education Consultant, Education Marketing, SMART Technologies, Calgary, AB CANADA

Meet Jane… Jane loves to be engaged by her teacher, especially when her teacher uses Notebook software.  Jane's world includes video games, podcasts and online dictionaries. She lives in an instant-access planet, where information comes from a variety of sources, in a multitude of ways. Jane can now fully jump into the lesson with SMART Notebook Student Edition – a version designed just for Jane and her classmates.   Utilizing the power of SMART Notebook 10, the software caters to students' nonlinear learning styles and ensures they can quickly access their digital assignments, create presentations or annotate their study materials. SMART Notebook SE helps keep students organized, productive and engaged.  This session will highlight this interactive learning software that will help students like Jane complete school work, take notes, manage due dates and organize digital material while doing it all in the visual, free-form style they find most comfortable. Co-presenter and 5th grade teacher, Lorrie Salome has students just like Jane that love Notebook SE.  Her students have multiple ways of searching for and accessing files, and they can work on several documents at the same time and quickly switch between tasks. With the portable bracelet version of SMART Notebook SE, Jane and her friends from Lorrie's class are able to use the software on any computer or mobile device, bringing their work with them everywhere they go.

TH409: IMAGIN-ing the Future of Education with Visual Instruction
MR400

Two important trends in education include developing creative minds and increasing academic rigor for students. Bailey Mitchell, nationally recognized leader in educational technology, and Jill Hobson from Forsyth County Schools, will demonstrate how using the SAFARI Montage System (an exceptional provider of digital content) is essential for teaching today’s digital natives. Forsyth is transforming their 21st century classrooms through the integration of interactive whiteboards, projectors and SAFARI Montage’s visual instruction tools which promote a total approach to teaching, learning and achievement. Attendees will also consider where visual instruction may be heading in the future- from multi-user virtual learning environments to machinima to video gaming.