California DEN

Wow!  Check out the new logo for V3 (also known as unitedstreaming Version 3)  Product Development has been hard at work taking all your suggestions to heart.  Our next version will be released in Summer of 2006 and include new features such as audio clips, animations, writing prompt generator, best practice videos, new professional development opportunities, more current and relevant video content, a more robust search, and easier to use website interface.  Stay tuned for more!

I just spent an incredible 3 days in Florida for the FETC conference.  Wow… now that is one GIGANTIC state conference… so big it’s larger than some "National Conferences"  I was able to spend 2 days in our Discovery booth, where unitedstreaming fans and evangelists always come by and cheer us on.  But Wednesday, I heard the best story yet…

A man came up to the booth and was telling us how much he loved unitedstreaming.  He was in remission from brain cancer and had been in the hospital for about 5 weeks after the surgery.  He explained that to keep his brain entertained during his visit, he had managed to convince one of the nurses to give him the password to their wireless Internet.  Every day he would spend hours watching videos of topics that interest him.  Then one afternoon the main IT guy came barreling in the door and gave him a major scolding to say the least, as he was not suppose to even have access to their wireless.  Of course, being devoted he never confessed the nurses name who gave him the access, but he did hear an all nurse mandatory meeting call go over the speaker system. 

So the lesson here is… be nice to your nurses and use unitedstreaming for you too!

Hello Northern California! We are official!  We have our very own northern California blog! It will take us a while to get everything in place.  I say, "us" because I need your help!  I want this to be a community blog site… not just a place for my ranting and raving!  (Although I can be good at that too!)  So, as I add things, please post your comments.  If you have suggestions, don’t be afraid to share those too!  How can we make this an open forum?  Here are some categories that I am considering:  Sensational Headlines, Coming Attractions, Techno News, Comical Kids, Help Wanted, For Sale - FREE!, and Bloopers.  What do you think?  Oh, and don’t forget to "subscribe" in the upper right hand corner!

The Alum Rock Youth Center provided the backdrop for at least 100 beaming students, their proud parents and their (probably exhausted) teachers at the 2006 Alum Rock Student Technology Showcase. 

Superintendent Anthony Russo reminisced about the days when we used carbon paper and typewriters!  He congratulated everyone on a job well done including Showcase organizer and northern California DEN member, Dr. Nancy Pang.

This event was a huge success due to a team effort.  DEN members Carolyn Tuomy and Cathie Berg were part of this  team.  At the end of the evening, everyone was all smiles! 

…especially the kids!

G’day!  Come down under to DiscoveryEducatorAbroad.com to follow Discovery Educator, Josh Wolff’s adventures as he journeys with the cast and crew of the Travel Channel show 5 Takes: Pacific Rim.

Josh will be blogging four times per week, creating 2 webisodes per week, and sharing tons of digital photos as he travels around Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong and other parts of the Pacific Rim. Josh will be spending one week in each location, starting in Sydney where he is right now.  On Wednesday, he will be visiting a school in Australia and welcoming our FIRST international DEN member there!

Students and teachers around the world (this means you too!) can vote on different places for Josh to visit (right now, 80% want Josh to visit “The Rocks, Historic Sydney”.) You can ask him questions on the message boards (Ask Josh!) and have him research things for you too. This is a fantatsic opportunity for students to travel virtually through a Discovery Educator. In addition, their suggestions will influence his webisodes, which will eventually make their way into unitedstreaming!

So, stop by DiscoveryEducatorAbroad.com and check it out!  Feel free to blog about it and share it at your events.

Did you see the cover of USA Today? COSMEO, the newest product of Discovery is making lots of headlines (see links below this post) If you haven’t checked out  COSMEO click here now!  This terrific website is a subscription based homework helper that uses the same type of database as unitedstreaming, except it’s much more student friendly. You can sign up for a 30 day free trial! 

Here are some of my favorite features on COSMEO

• Brain Games: Check out "Volcano Explorer"  There are too many great ones to mention.  Tell me your favorite brain game so I can give it a try!

• Today In History: If you log on today, you would learn that in 1845 the rubberband was patented… too bad none of us were around back then to create that one!

• Scavenger Hunt: To learn more about China, Hawaii, and Egypt

• Points and Rewards: This reminds me of the "Accelerated Reader Program" where kids earn points for watching educational videos, taking quizzes, and playing games.

• Subjects: You can tab between subjects (Science, Math, Social Studies, English, Health, Art and Music) and find the Top Videos, Sub Categories by Grade, and Trusted Web Site Links.

• Key Word Search: I did a search for "writing" and got 256 videos, 105 pictures, 1418 articles, 33 brain games, 159 calendar events, and 20 trusted links!  It could be even further broke down by grade levels: k-2nd 1746 links, 3rd-5th 1,784 links, 6th-8th 1,790 links, and 9th-12th 2008 links.  Try out another key word and let me know what pops up!

So… check it out for yourself and post a comment here and let me know what you think!

If you are interested in having your PTA/PTO or School help promote the product and earning extra funds please email Joanne Hayes at Joanne_Hayes@discovery.com

Here’s the links to the newspaper articles… Make sure you watch American Idol this week as COSMEO will be in the commercials.

• http://www.usatoday.com/tech/2006-03-12-homework-help-discovery_x.htm
• http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/12/AR2006031200798_pf.html
• http://news.corporate.findlaw.com/prnewswire/20060313/13mar20060919.html
• http://news.designtechnica.com/article9762.html

G’day!  Come down under to DiscoveryEducatorAbroad.com to follow Discovery Educator, Josh Wolff’s adventures as he journeys with the cast and crew of the Travel Channel show 5 Takes: Pacific Rim.

Josh will be blogging four times per week, creating 2 webisodes per week, and sharing tons of digital photos as he travels around Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong and other parts of the Pacific Rim. Josh will be spending one week in each location, starting in Sydney where he is right now.  On Wednesday, he will be visiting a school in Australia and welcoming our FIRST international DEN member there!

Students and teachers around the world (this means you too!) can vote on different places for Josh to visit (right now, 80% want Josh to visit “The Rocks, Historic Sydney”.) You can ask him questions on the message boards (Ask Josh!) and have him research things for you too. This is a fantatsic opportunity for students to travel virtually through a Discovery Educator. In addition, their suggestions will influence his webisodes, which will eventually make their way into unitedstreaming!

So, stop by DiscoveryEducatorAbroad.com and check it out!  Feel free to blog about it and share it at your events.

Holy Star Fish, Bat Ray! Something fishy is going on with the West Coast DEN!

  Pack your bags we’re going on a field trip from April 29^th through May 3^rd. Put on your splash gear, cause were going on a 5 day free institute to Sea World in beautiful San Diego, California.  During this trip you will participate in activity tours, special behind the scenes encounters where only authorized research personnel get to go.

Together with your new friends you’ll learn how to make movies, create pod casts and blogs as you network with some of the most amazing and dynamic teachers this side of the Mississippi.

You’ll be staying in Sea World’s own Resident Camp inside the park complete with luxurious bunk bed accommodations… wink… wink…sleeping bags not included!!!

Apply now only there are only 50 seats available!!!

Come SEA your WORLD in a brand new way!!!

The regional institute will start on the evening of Friday, April 28^th and conclude on Wednesday, May 3^rd at 2 p.m.  The Discovery Educator Network will cover the cost of lodging and specified meals during the regional institute. Participants will be responsible for travel expenses to and from the regional institute. 

Important Dates

Application Period Opens (March 15)

Application Period Closes (March 31 @ 5 PM EST)

Applicants Notified of Acceptance (April 5th)

Applicants RSVP to Field Managers (April 10th)

Click below to see our commercial!

QuickTime: Download SeaWorld.mov

Windows Media: Download SeaWorld.wmv

Download your application here!

Download den_re_app_reg_1.doc

Wow!  What a whirlwind the day was… but at the end of the day I stood back and watched the most 130 amazing educators I know networking… breaking down the barriers of their school, district, county, and region… truly connecting with their most valuable resource… each other!

The halls were truly buzzing with the word of our big DEN event, as educators dropped by early to see if there was anything they could do to help out. It didn’t take long before Everyone started lining up for this DEN only event! 

It was inspiring to see our Discovery Educators begin connecting, even before they crossed through the doors.  All attendees received t-shirts, luggage tags, posters, a variety of other goodies, and a catered Mexican dinner.  Some even were big winners in our raffle.  Steve Dembo spurred the crowd on by showcasing the website and giving us a short lesson on blogs and podcasting. Hall Davidson was his entertaining self. Corona Norco Teachers from Highland Elementary shared how they overcome obstacles of funding for technology.  All of these components added up to an extremely successful 1st annual CUE DEN event.

A special thanks to all those who helped Susan and I prepare for this event… Ray W, Marie, Gene, Ray H, Craig, Lindsay, and Mark.  

So let’s hear it… what was your favorite part of the night… who did you meet… what did you learn… what was your favorite CUE session?  Inquiring minds want to know!