Pennsylvania

This past week, 50 enthusiastic Discovery educators from 8 states got together for 5 days of fun and learning in Valley Forge PA for the first annual Northeast Regional Institute.  The week of adventure began with a bolt of lighting on Sunday evening when educators checked in to the Valley Forge Freedom Foundation.  The next four days were jammed packed with breakout sessions on unitedstreaming, blogs, wikis, inspiration, timeliner, game-based powerpoint, podcasts, and much, much more. 

Despite the shaky Internet access and rainy weather, the DEN educators were able to create some fabulous projects and commercials using video footage captured during their Valley Forge tour.   

On Wednesday night, Will Richardson ( the author of Blogs, Wikis,Podcasts, and other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms) came to speak to the educators about technology and how we, as educators, can help students prepare for the future. 

The week ended, with educators showcasing the projects they created throughout the week.  The DEN members went above and beyond the project requirements and created superior lessons to take back to their classrooms. 

I think everyone thoroughly enjoyed networking with other educators and learning new forms of technology.  It was an exciting first week for me and I look forward to hosting many more exciting events for my Pennsylvania and Delaware members. If you want to check out all the resources from this event check out our wiki at dennortheast.wikispaces.com

Hi, all.  Well, I’ve been holding onto some good news for a couple weeks now and since school is out (at least for most of you…sorry Philly teachers), I figured today was a good day to share.  I received a promotion (at least that’s what they tell me) at Discovery and will now be the Eastern Regional Manager of the Discovery Educator Network.  It is an exciting opportunity for me personally and a sign that the DEN, in less than one year of existence, has really grown and become more than what any of us could have hoped for in such a short amount of time.

So, what does this mean for PA/DE DEN members?  First, it means that your hard work, great ideas and belief in the power of digital media to support instruction just bought me a new truck (just kidding…it’s actually a BMW).  Again, kidding :)  However, it does mean that my weekly updates will soon come to an end and it will be the responsibility of the new PA/DE field manager to keep you entertained on Friday afternoons, as well as supported in the creative things you do and want to do.  The change doesn’t mean that I will drop off the face of the earth and have no contact with you.  In many ways, my new role will provide me with greater opportunities to support you.  I will manage the East Coast team which includes the amazing PA/DE DEN.

We have hired the new field manager and I am really excited about the experience she brings to our DEN along with her passion for education.  But before I introduce her, a few more words.

Thank you to each an every one of you who has helped shape the DEN into a wonderful community of educators who truly make my job a pleasure each and every day.  It is because of you that we are growing quickly and moving in the right direction.  We no longer have to recruit new DEN members, instead they see what a true DEN member is through your example and want desperately to be a part of the community. 

So, thank you again for a great first year.  I look forward to seeing a bunch of you at the regional institute in a little over a week and the rest of you virtually and in person throughout the coming months. 

Now, I will turn it over to your new PA/DE Field Manager, Shannon Gaumer.

Hi, everyone.  My name is Shannon Gaumer and I am excited to be part of the Pennsylvania/Delaware Discovery Educator Network. 

After receiving my undergraduate degree in Elementary Education from Bloomsburg University, I was offered a position in the Anaheim City School District.  I accepted the position and within a few months relocated to California.

I quickly came to realize the power of a technology-enhanced curriculum and began work on an advanced degree. Two years later, I received a Masters in Educational Technology from Azusa Pacific University.

After a six-year stay in California, I decided to move back to Pennsylvania where I was born and raised. 

I’m pleased to have this opportunity to share my knowledge in the field of educational technology as well as the teaching experiences I gained along the way.  Lance and I are planning a “Whistle Stop Tour” in the coming months to get out and see all of you and learn from you how we can make the DEN better than it is already.  I look forward to meeting you soon.  Have a wonderful weekend!

From Brad Fountain (Field Manager, NC/SC)

Have you noticed the new search feature on the NEW unitedstreaming site?  Are you aware of all it can do.  You might consider it an advanced filtering system, but for the purposes of this post I am going to refer to it as the ability to "Drill Down" because it allows you to delve into the depths of your search and subject matter.  So let’s take a look…

When you type in your first keyword and click go you will notice numbers appear next to the media types, subjects, and grades.  This lets you know how many assets we have that fit into each category.  Of course some cross multiple categories.  Now the advanced trick to start doing is to "Drill Down" according to your needs (I will highlight this process in the PowerPoint below).  So let’s just say that I am a 7th Grade Science Teacher.  I can first click under grades on 6-8.  This will narrow my results to just material that fits that grade range.  Also notice the breadcrumbs that are on the upper left side telling what you have narrowed by as you continue to "Drill Down".  Now I can narrow by my subject, which was Science.  I can now Drill Down further within Science by choosing a topic such as Earth and Space Science.  Finally I Drill Down by sub-topic such as Oceans.  This wonderful new tool will allow you to Drill Down and find exactly what you are looking for.  Give a try during your next visit to unitedstreaming.

Download drill_down_powerpoint.ppt

Don’t Miss the STREAMATHON!
Join us June 5 for a full day of webinars on the new unitedstreaming.  From 8 AM to 8 PM, there will be non-stop webinars that highlight the new features and content of the new unitedstreaming.  No need to sign up, just stop by whenever you have a chance.

All you need is a computer with Internet access and a phone. 

Here is the link: <https://discoveryed.webex.com/>
Password: webinar1

Tip A Day in May Winner!
Congratulations to Cathy Galie for winning our Tip a Day in May monthly prize. 

Discover, Deliver, Document Presenter’s Paradise Prize
Keep reporting your events because at the end of June, we will draw one Discovery Educator’s name for the Presenter’s Paradise grand prize.

Now is a really fun time to do an informal event (15 minutes over lunch for example) because the new unitedstreaming launches Monday!  Learn the new unitedstreaming along with a few of your friends and let me know about it.

Summer Workshops
We are in the process of setting up Discovery Days and other workshops for the summer, but if you need help, resources, moral support for something you are doing this summer, PLEASE let me know. 

Also, I can help advertise as well…such as…

On July 27th, Jennifer Dorman is presenting a full-day workshop at IU12 on digital documentaries.  Check it out!  More info, including the session description and ACT 48 registration, is on the blog.