DEN Blog Network

This week we turn our eyes southward to feature the members of the Louisiana Leadership Council!  They recently hosted successful events in both northern LA and southern LA for the Virtual Conference,  and I have to admit they just might have locked up the best dressed category.  But that’s in the past, looking forward there’s the LACUE conference on the horizon and they have big things planned for it.  A dinner social is in the works, and it’s not enough to just bring yourself.  You need to find yourself a friend and bring them along as well! After all, the only thing more fun than a DEN event is sharing a DEN event with somebody new.

The LA Leadership Council is led by some extremely dedicated and creative DEN members.  While they’ve introduced themselves here, they’ve also put together an Animoto to show you who they really are.  Take a look!

So if you’re a Louisiana DEN member, take this as an opportunity to reaquaint yourself with their blog.  And if you aren’t, definitely stop by to see what’s cookin’ down in the bayou!

S…

Skype is a site I use to call other teachers around the country and around the world. Paula Naugle, a 4th grade teacher with a passion for technology. She has over thirty years of classroom experience and is involved with training other teachers how to integrate Web 2.0 tools into their lessons. She is a PBWorks certified teacher and a new member of the Louisiana Discovery Educator Network Blog team for the Louisiana Leadership Council.

T…

Tag Galaxy is a site that I use to browse through Flickr photos in 3D. Susan Gauthier, Educational Technology Consultant, develops and supports several professional development programs (Regional TLTCs, LILI, EIT, ProEx, LaTEL, Essentials) at the Louisiana Department of Education. Susan has eighteen years in education, including ten years in Louisiana classrooms and eight years of coordinating educational technology programs for the Department of Education. She is a proud member of the Louisiana Discovery Educator Network as the Blog Coordinator.

A…

Animoto is a site that I use to enhance and engage teaching and learning. Susan Tompkins, Technology Facilitator and Mathematics & Web Design Teacher, uses technology with her students daily.  She is an advocate for professional development and speaks at conferences about the impact of 21st Century Teachers.  Susan has eight years in education, is an Intel Master Instructor, and will graduate in May from Northwestern State University with a Master’s in Educational Technology.  She is an inaugural year member of the Discovery Educator Network and enthusiastically serves as the Louisiana Leadership Council Chair and was awarded a DENny Leadership Award in 2009.

R…

Rowdii is a site that I use to add comments to any website as well as link related sites together. Cindy Wallace won a classroom makeover from Promethean and uses technology with her students daily.  She is a Mathematics and ActivBoard Teacher, and serves as an Assistant Principal.  She is an inspired member of the Discovery Educator Network and actively serves as the Louisiana Leadership Council Events Coordinator.

We are going to begin featuring a different leadership council every week and we’re kicking it off with our newest LC, Connecticut!

The LC team is chaired by Joe Fromme, an education technology specialist for the Capitol Region Education Council (CREC) in Hartford, CT.  He recently attended the Discovery Education Network National Science Institute, where he learned new strategies for using DE Science and had the opportunity to collaborate with other educators from around the country.

Pam Skelly, a 14 year Technology Education and Curriculum Development Specialist at EASTCONN, has taken the lead on the Events team.  Along with Howard Gunther, an Educational Technology Specialist at ACES, they helped organize the CT LC’s first DEN event a networking dinner at the conclusion of the CECA/CASL 2009 Conference.  While the writeup and photos well worth reading, be sure to check out the comments where people are sharing their takeaways from the conference!

Howard and Pam are actively looking to hear from DEN members in the CT area to learn what types of events they’d like to see organized.  Right now they have their eyes on February, so stop by this blog post and share a few ideas.

Jane Cook, a Staff Development/Literacy and Educational Technology Specialist from Willimantic is serving as the team’s Blog Chair.  She is joined by some incredibly dedicated bloggers that already have rather prolific posts.  Lynn Reedy, who has really stepped up to help coordinate the blog team’s activities shared some highlights of upcoming webinars for DEN members to take advantage of.   Steve Sokoloski has shared some in depth technology tips for those of you looking for some hands on experiences with Windows 7 as well as how to achieve that elusive Inbox Zero.  Barbara Haeffner, a 20 year educator who is currently a Educational Technology Specialist, and Ann Barney round out the team.

We’re thrilled to have such a dedicated group leading DEN initiatives in Connecticut and look forward to great things to come from them!  Take a few minutes to swing by the CT blog, and leave a welcoming comment or idea for building community amongst DEN members.

Thanks to the Tennessee and Second Life DEN Leadership Councils for lending their expertise and experience to this breakout session at the Leadership Council Symposium.

Here are some resources to get you started:

• Google Calendar
• Google Groups
• Google Docs

[Note: Copied from the National Blog.]

We’re looking for a few good DEN (sorry, couldn’t resist)!

Seriously, the DEN has doubled in size since last year and this amazing growth has a lot to do with our incredible DEN Leadership Councils.  We are in awe of the work they have volunteered to do to make the DEN community what it is today.  Wouldn’t you love to be part of these incredible groups of STAR DEs?  Now’s your chance.

In order to provide the necessary support to ever-growing state-level DEN communities, give new STAR Discovery Educators the opportunity to take an active leadership role with the DEN, and allow current LC members a break (if they choose) we are starting an annual LC election process.

From now until Friday, May 15, 2009, you have the opportunity to express interest in staying active as an LC member, joining an existing LC or helping to launch a new LC.

Every STAR Discovery Educator is encouraged to formally express his/her interest by completing the self-nomination form.  You will select which leadership role(s) you are interested in as well as provide a brief statement of interest that will serve as your “campaign speech” should someone else wish to be considered for the same leadership role.

In order to be considered for the Chair, Blog Coordinator or Events Coordinator roles you must serve on the DEN LC for at least one year as part of the Events Team or Blog Team.  For new LCs this does not apply.

For more details about the DEN Leadership Councils including the roles, responsibilities, benefits and the election process please read the DEN LC Overview.

If you have any questions, please post them as comments on the National Blog so everyone can see the response.

Thanks to Lee Kolbert for creating this Voicethread to capture the experiences from our Day of Discovery at Lion Country Safari.  Thanks to the Florida Leadership Council, especially Melissa McBride and Lee Kolbert, for organizing this awesome event. We had a “roaring” good time learning how to integrate DE streaming media (forgive the dorky pun.) If you attended the event, we invite you to leave a text or voice comment.