VSTE

Virginia Society for Technology in Education

Patrick Hausammann

Common Sense Education Resource Share – November 2024

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An image of students working on laptops in a classroom. A Common Sense Education text overlay appears in the top right of the graphic."Common Sense is the leading nonprofit organization dedicated to helping all kids thrive in a world of media and technology. They support pre-K–12 schools with lesson plans, edtech reviews, family resources, and everything else students need to thrive in a connected world." Below is a custom set of resources pulled from this month's newest updates! Check them out via the links and explore even more at www.commonsense.org/education. VSTE is proud to partner with Common Sense Education.

For Teachers:

For Parents & Caregivers:

 

All Resources via Common Sense Education

All VSTE Posts of Common Sense Education Resources

February 2025 Power of Coaching Conference

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 Register - February 4-5, Williamsburg

 

Click HERE for the room block rateat The Williamsburg Lodge!

 

Our Call for Proposals to Present is still OPEN! Click HERE to submit yours today.

VASCD and VSTE are teaming up to bring Virginia educators a coaching conference to unpack the power of coaching!

In this two-day conference, participants will gain knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to effectively serve in the role of instructional coach. As more and more schools bring coaches as part of their staff and as the role of ITRT shifts from resource teacher to coach, this is a much-needed conference for building capacity and for developing strong networks of coaches, instructional leaders, and coach supervisors across the Commonwealth.

Join us for an amazing chance to learn, teach, lead, and connect!

  • Instruction: Teaching and learning are the core business of schools, and the coach’s chief role is to improve and support instruction in the classroom. Sessions in the INSTRUCTION strand provide coaches, instructional leaders, and coach supervisors with practical applications to support the role of improving instruction.
  • Relationships: The relationship between the coach and school leaders is a critical one for improving student learning outcomes. Sessions in the RELATIONSHIPS strand focus on strengthening the partnership between coach and school leader, data literacy, strategic planning, and roles and responsibilities of coaches and administrative teams.
  • Leadership: Working with teachers and leaders is another key function of instructional coaches, and this is a different skillset when compared to working with students. Sessions in the LEADERSHIP strand will build participants’ capacity for differentiated support when working with individuals, teams, and/or large groups with a heavy emphasis on research-based development, effective professional learning strategies, and adult learning theory.

Day 1:

  • General Session Keynote (Jody Carrington)
  • One concurrent choice session
  • Lunch and Networking
  • Two concurrent choice sessions
  • General Session Keynote (Panel Discussion)

Day 2:

  • Two concurrent choice sessions
  • General Session Keynote (Kim Richardson)

COST: $325

Common Sense Education Resource Share – October 2024

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An image of students working on laptops in a classroom. A Common Sense Education text overlay appears in the top right of the graphic."Common Sense is the leading nonprofit organization dedicated to helping all kids thrive in a world of media and technology. They support pre-K–12 schools with lesson plans, edtech reviews, family resources, and everything else students need to thrive in a connected world." Below is a custom set of resources pulled from this month's newest updates! Check them out via the links and explore even more at www.commonsense.org/education. VSTE is proud to partner with Common Sense Education.

For Teachers:

For Parents & Caregivers:

 

All Resources via Common Sense Education

All VSTE Posts of Common Sense Education Resources

Maker Mindset Conference 2025: Let’s Make it Work in K-12!

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Conference website: https://sites.google.com/view/maker-mindset-conference/home

 

CALL FOR PROPOSALS

Anyone can be a maker. A maker mindset requires creative and critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and perseverance. These are all skills that not only help students to succeed in the classroom, but also in the world around them. 

The conference planning committee invites you to submit a proposal for this year’s fall conference in the following formats:

  1. Panel Discussion - These are discussion sessions that aim to bring together experts on a topic, which they will discuss during the session and will have a longer and more interactive discussion with the audience. 
  2. Workshop - Workshops are subject focused sessions that provide participants the opportunity to gain knowledge and learn skills together. This can range from professional development topics, such as teaching strategies, to timely theoretical topics. 
  3. Traditional Presentation - A formal, speaker-led session where an expert or group of experts present on a specific topic related to the maker mindset. This session is designed for attendees to gain new information, insights, or perspectives on a focused area, typically including slides, data, or case studies. Audience interaction is limited to Q&A at the end, allowing for in-depth exploration of the presented material.
  4. Campfire - Campfire sessions are a more informal take on the traditional presentation. Its aim is to break down the barriers of the lectern.  While the session starts with a 15-20 minute presentation from a speaker, it then shifts to focusing on gaining key participation from the audience. The presenter turns facilitator allowing attendees to answer questions and provide comments. It allows attendees to drive their own learning, listen to different perspectives and share experiences.

Note – All sessions are 50 minutes long

Interested presenters should submit a proposal by 11:59 pm October 31, 2024. The conference committee will review the proposals and electronic acceptance communications will be sent to the lead presenters by no later than November 15. 

Please submit your proposal online: https://forms.gle/HiCwKRwryei7qJqP6 

 

Kindly,

Conference Planning Committee

 

 

VSTE Professional Services

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For many in education, there is no greater feeling than the one that fills your heart when your guidance facilitates a breakthrough with a student. It could be a 7th grader or a teaching veteran of 30 years.  Either way, teaching and learning alongside another, reaching levels of achievement they had not envisioned for themselves, is a reward far greater than any paycheck.

This fulfillment drives many of the best professional development (PD) facilitators, just as it does those amazing educators in the classroom every day (some are even in both roles!). The Virginia Society for Technology in Education (VSTE) Professional Services Team (PST) is made up of such educators, all with impactful PD leading experience. They’re all driven by the passion to assist all educators to reach their goals, and, in turn, provide more technology enhanced opportunities for students within their classrooms.

This group of dedicated professionals is the embodiment of VSTE mission “to promote excellence in education through professional development endeavors supporting the integration of existing and emerging technologies.” This team is able to offer PD opportunities through consulting/coaching, events, online courses, technology integration planning, and fully customizable PD packages including, but not limited to, the following areas/topics:

  • Artificial Intelligence (Generative AI)VSTE professional services who, what, & how
  • Meaningful Technology Integration
  • Computer Science Integration
  • Creation technology to demonstrate mastery
  • Google Workspace for Education
  • Microsoft for Education
  • Learning Management Systems (Google Classroom, Canvas, Schoology, etc.)
  • Best Practice/Evidence-Based Instructional Strategies
  • Robotics
  • STEM/STEAM
  • Project-Based Learning
  • Digital Citizenship
  • Productivity
  • Mastering Specific Devices, Technology Tools, and Systems
  • Coaching
  • Leadership

The team will work with you step-by-step from the time the contact form is submitted to when the team connects back with you to know how implementation is going and receive feedback to continue honing our craft. Our goal is to engage, inspire, and transform education through meaningful technology integration PD to elevate success in education and beyond for all students.

 

For more information on the VSTE Professional Services please visit https://www.vste.org/professionalservices