Arizona

Big thanks to IDEAL & Dept of Ed, Discovery, CCS Presentation Systems, Polycom,  Lindsay Hopkins (Discovery Rep), and all the many who helped coordinate and get this event happening.

The Tucson event was hosted by the generous people of CCS Presentation Systems, who not only had a LifeSize screen to show the morning speakers, but allowed us to use four SMARTBoards for our afternoon digital storytelling project.  We had 35 administrators and lead teachers attend the event and leave very excited about getting their staff to maximize all the Discovery and IDEAL resources.  Their enthusiasm has the phone ringing off the hook and email inboxes chiming in AZ technology integration specialist offices.

For the morning, we used donated PolyCom equipment to stream Margaret Dugan and Cathy Poplin of the Department of Education; Mark Nichols of IDEAL/ASU, Phillipe Cousteau and Hall Davidson.  After a grand assortment of Tucson Tamales, we enjoyed “Beyond the Stream” done Lindsay Hopkins-style.  What an outstanding presenter!  We had so much fun and loved to see the participants taking breaks to play and explore the DEN and the rest of Discovery.  After the “Stream” administrators finally got their turn to do some of the Digital Storytelling we are always talking about.  Lindsay facilitated their PhotoStory “advertisements” and “virtual visit” creations using images from the day.  What fun!

We do regret we did not getting to rub shoulders with the “Talent” of Discovery en vivo, but  having such a spectacular facility (especially for gadget-lovers) and a more intimate situation, made for great Discovery experience.

Thanks again to everyone.  Excellent job!

 Greetings,

It was exciting to meet so many of you at the Day of Discovery event at Cartwright last February. The feedback we received was phenomenal and it was a truly engaging event made even better by a group of enthusiastic educators.

A similar event, but this time geared for administrators, is happening on Friday, Aug 28^th at ASU’s SkySong and we are writing to ask for your help in getting the word out.  You are the “face” of DE in Arizona and perhaps you told your administrator about the value of your experience at Day of Discovery.  

Please personally invite your school administrator to the Day of Discovery for Administrators presentation, “Discover the Undiscovered:  Administrator’s Pathways.”

On August 28th, from 9:00am - 3:30pm, members of the DEN LC and the DE Team including Phillipe Cousteau and Hall Davidson will be revealing the new DEstreaming and administrator resources to your superintendents, principals and curriculum directors.  They will be introduced to the new face and functionality of the Discovery environment (that you have learned about in the DEN Back to School webinars).

You may print out the attached flier for your administrative team. A personal invitation or conversation is even better.  Please note that the registration link is at the bottom of the attached flier. Admin_flier

Tim Johnson was part of the AZ crew in San Francisco this summer and captured our imagination with his camera and photography skills. He’s sent us a time-lapse video link to his posting on YouTube. Many of his scenic shots echoed the themes on the DEN Flickr page (but with his camera’s exquisite quality and Tim’s practiced eye), so I’m taking the liberty of posting my favorites below -

This raccoon was missing his tail - perhaps left behind in a dumpster or slammed in one of the doors he frequently entered. Boldly appearing in the kitchen of the Sunset building, he could not easily be coaxed to leave. The next morning, he coyly posed in one of the beautiful meadows between the beach and the lagoon. (Could have been a “she”) Tim also knew the secrets of the tides and sent these shots of the underwater creatures that few others were able to see. Many thanks, Tim!