DEN Blog Network

With so many Web 2.0 sites out there, everyone has their own favorite flavors. We know what ours are, but we want to know what YOURS are! What are the top three Web 2.0 sites that you think every educator should know about and check out? Share your ideas in the blanks below and then click Submit, and you may find your favorites featured in an upcoming DEN presentation!

Thanks to DEN member Katie Knapp for passing this video along. Watch this to see if you pass the powerpoint test. It’s a great laugh!

If you’re a STAR Discovery Educator, then you already know just how valuable connecting with other teachers can be.  You already realize just how much you can learn from other educators, as well as how much they can learn from you. 

So this year, why not try your hand at presenting?  Register to present something that you’ve learned for your peers at your state’s education technology conference.  Or if you’re feeling adventurous, apply to present at a neighboring state conference as well!  If you live in Wisconsin, why not visit Illinois and share your knowledge at their ICE conference?  It’s a great way to make new connections with other educators and hone your own presentation skills.

So branch out a little and submit proposals to some neighboring states as well as your own.  Share some of that knowledge you’ve been soaking up as part of the DEN!

Here’s an incomplete list of state conferences.  If you see any that are missing, please add them as a comment!

In the order that I Googled them!

• Illinois Technology Conference for Educators, February 27-March 2, 2007
• Delaware Instructoinal Technology Conference, April 18-19, 2007
• Florida Educatoinal Technology Coorporation, January 24-26, 2007
• Georgia Educational Technology Conference , November 15-17, 2006
• Kentucky Teaching and Learning Conference, March 7-9, 2007
• Louisiana Association of Computer Using Educator’s
  Conference, November 29-December 1, 2006
• North Carolina’s 18th Annual
  Technology Conference, November 27-30, 2006
• South Carolnia EdTech 2006, October 4-6, 2006
• Tennessee Education Technology
  Conference, November 29-December 1, 2006
• Texas Computer Education Association Conference, February 5-9, 2006
• Virginia’s Educational Technology Leadership Conference, November 29-December 1, 2006
• California Computer Using Educators, March 1-3, 2007
• Wisconsin Technology Education Association, March 29-30, 2007
• Pennsylvania Educational Technology Expo and Conference, February 11-13, 2007
• Michigan Association for Computer Users in Learning, March 14-16, 2007

And of course we can’t forget the grandaddy of them all…

• National Educational Computer Conference, June 24-27, 2007

Please add any that I missed!

Today, I had the pleasure to speak with about two hundred educators during the National Teacher Training Institute (NTTI) at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia.  Hosted by Virginia’s Public Television station (WVPT), this event provides educators with the opportunity to engage in meaningful professional development, network with like minded peers and have a little fun!  Since its inception in 1993, the WVPT NTTI initiative has provided similar opportunities for over 2,000 educators.

Over the next few days, I will be presenting a couple other sessions, but am most excited about attending a few.  Today, I sat in on a session entitled, “Using iPods to Close the Achievement Gap.”  I also met Joe Showker, a passionate and energetic teacher from Rockingham County Public Schools.  I hope to attend his presentation tomorrow on Internet safety, “Kid’s on the Internet…Oh My!”

As promised, I have attached the PowerPoint presentation used during the keynote presentation.  Special thanks to John Neumann, WVPT - NTTI Regional Coordinator, and Charlotte Sappington, WVPT - Director of Education Services, for their hard work and dedication in providing this unbelievable experience for teachers!

Download ntti_v2.ppt

Today, I had the pleasure to meet several incredible teachers representing multiple New England States at the 2005 Christa McAuliffe Technology Conference.  During our time together, we examined ways in which unitedstreaming, along with other free web-based technologies, can support their efforts in providing curriculum materials appropriate for their increasingly diverse classrooms.  As promised, I have attached the PowerPoint presentation used in that session.

Download di_and_us.ppt