Geekybird

Just a quick post to let you know that I’ve added a couple of new presentations for you.

Many teachers and students are already in or are returning back to school.

To help introduce your new DE streaming users (or serve as a refresher) to the site,  I have created two presentations and saved them to the Bird House.

The first presentation - Getting The Ball Rolling - takes you through the steps of creating a username/password, provides a definition of a passcode, and more.

The second presentation -DE streaming Scavenger Hunt - takes you on a treasure hunt through DE streaming,  helps you create a PowerPoint presentation, and outlines the steps to becoming a DEN Star!  By completing this scavenger hunt you will be able to successfully navigate the site - I promise!

I hope that you find these two presentations helpful.

Welcome back and I wish you much success in your new school year!

Just a quick post to let you know that more inhabitants have moved into the Birdhouse.  I have updated the page so that it now includes Powerpoints that show you how to tell a story with a few web 2.0 applications sites, create an multimedia powerpoint, and more!

Check them all out by visiting the Bird House.  As always mi Powerpoints son su Powerpoints so please feel free to use, edit, distribute, etc.!

Have a great Back to School experience.

What a great couple of days! I have really enjoyed working with each and every participant! I have especially enjoyed seeing that a-ha moment occur followed by the “You mean I can…” or “Wait that means I can…” Very cool stuff!

As we mentioned in this morning’s session, you can access the Powerpoint presentations, links to other sites and things we covered during the institute by going to the Google site that NJ DEN Star Heather Sullivan created.

You can find that page by clicking on this link: http://sites.google.com/site/denregionalinstitute2008/

Check out our first day of pictures below!

We finally got to complete our message after a whirlwind of activity here at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Institute in Long Branch, NJ.

We are, and you’ll see below, standing on some very famous steps at Monmouth University. Famous you ask? Famous we say. Because this is where the movie Annie was filmed. And while we have had limited internet access here, a few thunderstorms, and some might say, a bit of a hard-knock-life, we have really enjoyed our time together so far.

This morning we’re diving into a full day of projects but before we do here is our message to the Central Regional Institute’s message from yesterday:

Man how fast did this summer go by? I swear I closed my eyes on June 1 and when I opened them it was almost August! What happened to the slow lazy hazy days of summer?

Since the new school year is once again rapidly approaching we have set up a number of Back to School webinars to help you and your “rested” colleagues get back into the swing of things.

We repeated them multiple times so that you don’t have to worry about missing one of them Check them out - they are as follows:

August 12, 2008 at 7:00 pm EST
Building a Bigger Builder - Your Guide to The DE streaming Tools
When teachers embraced Discovery Education streaming they found a wealth of resources including “The Builders” (Assignment, Quiz, and Writing Prompt builder). And now with Web 2.0 applications, “we have the technology to rebuild the builders” (thank you Six Million Dollar Man). During this session we’ll explore three web 2.0 applications, SlideShare, VoiceThread, and TeacherTube and how they can be incorporated into the DE streaming Builders. Now, armed with this knowledge, you will return to your classroom with new cyber tools for the 21st century.

August 20, 2008 - 3:30pm EST
Discovery Education: Getting The Ball Rolling
This one-hour session provides you with a plan to successfully roll out DE streaming within your school. We will be reviewing new account creation using passcodes, professional development options and best practices.

August 20, 2008 - 4:30pm EST
Discovery Education streaming: New Features and Benefits
This one-hour session provides your educators with the tools they need to be successful. We will be reviewing our most popular features and introducing you to our newest enhancements, including the classroom manager, new search words, new content and more!

August 20, 2008 - 7:00pm EST
Discovery Education streaming: New Features and Benefits
This one-hour session provides your educators with the tools they need to be successful. We will be reviewing our most popular features and introducing you to our newest enhancements, including the classroom manager, new search words, new content and more!

August 25, 2008 - 4:30pm EST
Discovery Education streaming: New Features and Benefits
This one-hour session provides your educators with the tools they need to be successful. We will be reviewing our most popular features and introducing you to our newest enhancements, including the classroom manager, new search words, new content and more!

August 25, 2008 - 6:00pm EST
Discovery Education streaming: Getting The Ball Rolling
This one-hour session provides you with a plan to successfully roll out DE streaming within your school. We will be reviewing new account creation using passcodes, professional development options and best practices.

August 25, 2008 - 7:00pm EST
Discovery Education streaming: New Features and Benefits
This one-hour session provides your educators with the tools they need to be successful. We will be reviewing our most popular features and introducing you to our newest enhancements, including the classroom manager, new search words, new content and more!

Of course you can always go here to see the full list of webinars - and there are a ton. I hope to see you on one, two or more of them as we experience the new school year together.

Hello my fellow geekybirders - does that make multiple readers a geeky flock?

This is coming to you hot off the presses!

The Siemens Foundation, Discovery Communications and the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) have joined together to inspire student achievement in sustainability through a comprehensive education initiative, the Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge. Announced today, the Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge is an unprecedented partnership between three industry leading organizations that are committed to educating, empowering and engaging students, teachers and communities in environmental sustainability.

Kicking off the 2008 school year in September, the Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge is the first and only national K-12 sustainability education initiative aligned to state education standards and uniquely tailored to match students’ growing comprehension abilities throughout their school-aged years. By partnering with Discovery Education, a division of Discovery Communications, which provides scientifically proven, standards-based digital media tools and resources to classrooms nationwide, and the NSTA, the largest science teacher organization in the world dedicated to improving science education and increasing student learning by engaging all teachers of science, the Siemens Foundation will serve as a pioneer in recognizing sustainability efforts within the K-12 education system.

“As a leader in environmentally relevant businesses, Siemens knows the answers to tomorrow’s critical environmental questions are in the minds of today’s students,” said James Whaley, President, Siemens Foundation. “Uniting with Discovery Education and NSTA complements Siemens’ commitment to the future and to those who are going to create it. We look forward to unleashing this tremendous reservoir of potential through the Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge.”

“Education and the environment have always been part of Discovery’s core mission and we are proud to be a partner in encouraging students to learn about and create sustainable solutions through the Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge,” said David Zaslav, President and CEO, Discovery Communications.

“The Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge will engage science teachers and allow students the opportunity to think like scientists, learn more about key environmental issues, and to develop critical-thinking skills that will help them to make informed decisions regarding stewardship of the planet,” said Dr. Gerry Wheeler, Executive Director, NSTA.

Designed to equip students in every grade level with the tools and inspiration to develop innovative green solutions for schools, homes and communities, the Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge will transform participants into active citizens for a greener tomorrow. The program begins by helping young students understand the basic concepts of sustainability and why it’s important to protect the environment. At each subsequent stage, the concepts expand to engage students beyond their classrooms, into their communities and to the global world.

K-2: My Classroom: Introduce students to the importance of “being green” and provide opportunities for active learning and engagement.
3-5: My School: Inspire students to think beyond their classroom — using science and math skills to take their school “green.”
6-8: My Community: Empower students with tools to apply the Scientific Method to real-world “green issues” in their local communities.
9-12: My World: Connect students with real-world scientists as they tackle today’s “green challenges” — moving from insight to global action.

In September, the Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge launches with a national middle school competition where teams of students will identify an environmental problem in their community and will research and recommend a reproducible environmental improvement program. Teams will then provide an explanation about how other communities across the country can launch similar environmental improvement programs.

The Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge will expand to kindergarten and elementary school students in 2009 and to high school students in 2010, complete with standards-based lesson plans and teacher materials, student projects and prizing to foster learning, team work and problem solving around sustainability.

For more information about the Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge, visit http://www.wecanchangetheworldchallenge.com.

Well I finally got home at 3:30 this morning and crawled into bed. Even though I was exhausted, I couldn’t fall asleep because I was still energized from all of the new information that I learned, the connections that I made, and the many creative tech-integration strategies that educators shared with me while I was at NECC.

But it wasn’t always about the technology or the latest and greatest gadget/gizmo. In fact the DEN is just as much about networking and having fun as it is about sharing information.

And trust me we did a whole lot of that - including going to a Dude ranch and shedding the world of web 2.0 for some good ol’ fashion down-home fun. Of course, as a Discovery employee I had to make a video. Check it out:
Whether it was Hall’s presentation on creative ways to use the Cell Phone, or a DEN Star’s use of Close Captioning to reach his ELL students I was constantly amazed, and bemused, at the richness of creativity that I was exposed to.

I plan on filtering this information over the long weekend and, as always, look forward to reading your comments, thoughts, ideas and suggestions as we experience this journey together.

I can’t believe how fast NECC has come upon us! It seems like only yesterday we were in Atlanta - learning from each other and exploring new ideas. So tomorrow, before the sun rises, I will find myself at the airport on my to San Antonio, Texas.

I’ve set my brain on Sponge so that I can soak up all of the great information, ideas, and creativity that will be shared by the educators that attend.  And speaking of attending - we’ve got close to 100 educators from the Mid-Atlantic region that are going to be there and, not only be there, but presenting information as well!

Of course we are going to brag about all of the Discovery Educators who are presenting throughout NECC! In fact we’ve created a schedule of their presentations and will hand it out in our booth. Be sure to stop by booth number 8155 to see the Discovery Educator schedule, learn some neat tips and tricks, and see all of the new stuff!

In addition to the Discovery Educator presentations that will be in the concurrent session rooms, the DEN team will be presenting in the booth as well. Click here to see the booth schedule: DEN Team NECC Presentation Schedule

Finally, while I’ve got my Sponge setting on, what nuggets of tech-gold do you hope to mine/learn or share at NECC? And, if you will be presenting and want to provide a little blurb about your session, please a comment below so that we can all see it here too!

Can I get a Whoop Whoop for VA and the VA DEN?!?

The VA DEN LC helped organize and deliver a fantastic VA Day of Discovery on Saturday, June 7, 2008! I am still so excited that we had over 50 educators in person and another 30 on-line come together and share their time, creativity, and enthusiasm with each other…on a Saturday…during the last week of school…when temps outside reached 100+! If that does not spell commitment I don’t know what does!

Together we explored new ways to integrate DE streaming assets like images, videos, sounds, etc into applications like Photostory, Greenscreens, Photostitching software and more.

We’re still working on getting a page up on the VA DEN Blog to display all of the handouts, however, you can access many of the handouts by going to the Bird House page.

Our very own Hall Davidson provided the afternoon keynote - thank you Hall!

Many thanks to Katie Knapp for all of her hard work, presentation, and organization, Doug Knapp for lending us his school, and Aron Sterling, Deb Ashby, Kevin Johnson for presenting.

But the good times, they keep a-coming. We’re moving up Interstate 95 to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia for a Day of Discovery on June 24, 2008.

During that day we’re going to have two special keynotes. The morning keynote (9am-10am), Lost in Translation: A New Meaning of ESL will be delivered by our very own Lance Rougeux and the afternoon session (12pm-1pm), The New Permanent Record, will be delivered by our very own Steve Dembo.   As a bonus we’re going to to offer both of these sessions virtually through WebEx!

To register:

1. Go to https://discoveryed.webex.com/discoveryed/j.php?ED=97511502&RG=1&UID=0
2. Register for the meeting.
3. Check for confirmation email with instructions on how to join

Hope to see you there!

Over the year’s I’ve posted PowerPoint presentations, Word Docs, and more on the streaming A-Z blog but found that they can be hard to find the more I post.

So that said, I have created the Bird House page to post resources that I have created or collected from my tech friends. I’ll try to keep them in a themed area and somewhat organized. So check it out (look up - see its right there in the header bar) and feel free to download these resources and make them yours!

Enjoy!