VSTE

Virginia Society for Technology in Education

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Featured #GoOpenVA Resources, January 11, 2021

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logo for go open vaJean Weller, VSTE Board Member and VDOE Technology Integration Specialist, leads the #GoOpenVA initiative in Virginia. This collaborative initiative enables educators and others throughout Virginia to create, share, and access openly-licensed educational resources (OER, also known as open education resources). OER are free digital materials that can be used or modified to adjust to student needs; they are openly-licensed unhampered by many traditional copyright limitations.

The database is growing. Jean recently created a collection for resources specifically related to professional learning. Technology coaches from across the state have contributed and you can learn more here.

We asked Jean to periodically curate a few of the resources to give a sense of what is available. Start with these but stay for so much more! And be sure to follow Jean on Twitter.

 

Our Collections are growing!  We have lots of new lessons added to the VDOE Science and VDOE Fine Arts Collections.  And many new lessons for all grade levels have also been added to the Virginia K12 Computer Science Pipeline.

Here’s a sampling of lessons added.

Ways to Bond: How Elements Become Compounds is one of the lessons created by the VDOE Science team to help teachers integrate the 2018 Science SOL. This particular lesson is focused on HS Chemistry, and includes comprehensive instructional support for the teacher.

Instructional Plan: Music Career Exploration comes from the VDOE Fine Arts team, and is a very timely activity for students in middle school. Students pursue their own paths, with guidance and feedback from the teacher. The plan can be easily implemented during remote learning.

Do You Want to Build a Snowman CS Digital Slides Activity was created through the GO Virginia grant in partnership with Chesapeake Public Schools, Loudoun County Public Schools, and the Loudoun Education Foundation. This is a fun elementary student activity to help students learn about algorithms, and can be used by students in or out of the classroom.

If you reuse or remix one of the lessons, please let us know. If your remix or other resources are featured, you will earn the #GoOpenVA badge!

GoOpenVA Badge

 

VSTE and Secured Tech Solutions Join Forces to Bring You EdTech Connect – VA

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By Cody Lopez

As nearly a year of virtual conferences comes to a close, I am grateful to look back and recognize how fortunate I’ve been, not only to have had the resources to participate, but also to have learned so much from and with so many wonderful people. Connection, in whatever manner and for whatever purpose, has likely been what we’ve all needed most this year and has become a focus of mine as I look toward 2021.

VSTE 2020 provided me my first experience with Discord – the application that allowed all of us attending the conference last month to ask for IT support quickly, learn about products from the event sponsors and vendors, and (most importantly) connect with each other, asking and answering questions, sharing ideas, and driving the most important aspect of a typical conference forward.

Because of this experience, I began thinking about how all of us in the ed tech space, particularly in my home state of Virginia, may be able to continue supporting each other. My team at Secured Tech Solutions and I have been thinking a lot about these questions and are excited to announce that we are partnering with VSTE to host a Discord Server year-round for all folks in education technology throughout the state of Virginia!

Not only do we envision this as a space for discussion, networking, and Q&As, but we want to do so much more (from podcasts to Lunch & Learn workshops) and allow for everyone who joins to help mold this space in the long run. Discord is free, simple, and is available in app form on Windows, MacOS, iOS, iPadOS, Android, and Linux.

Join “EdTech Connect – VA” here and let’s start 2021 the right way...supporting each other!

Want some help navigating Discord? Check out our Discord Help File, complete clickable links:

Getting Started with Discord

Smiling man

 

Cody Lopez, Mid-Atlantic Relationship Manager
Secured Tech Solutions, LLC
Arlington, Virginia

Register Now: micro:bit micro Project Academy begins February 23, 2021

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Event logoVSTE is pleased to partner with Sylvia Martinez and Gary Stager to present The micro:bit micro Project Academy, a STEM hands-on learning opportunity. Sylvia and Gary will lead participants in a five-week exploration of the BBC micro:bit, a  platform for exploring powerful ideas in computer science, electronics,  engineering, and mathematics. The course will synchronous sessions with Sylvia and Gary, weekly "micro projects" and a collaborative virtual space for ongoing  collaboration, inspiration, and support between classes. Participants will  be encouraged to inspire, challenge, and support one another. 

The course will run from February 23 - March 23, 2021. Live sessions will be held Tuesdays at 7:00 PM and be recorded. 

Register now.

Each participant will receive two micro:bit Go kits, including the microcontroller development board, USB cable, batteries, and battery box along with other supplies including alligator clips and LED lights. Reference materials, project prompts, and tutorials will be be distributed electronically.

Cost for the course is $75. Registration is open now through February 12. The course is limited to 50 participants. 

In addition to exploring electronics, mathematics, computer science, and engineering topics through  hands-on activities, the course will discuss pedagogical choices and approaches to project-based learning.  Participants will learn by tackling a series of open-ended projects and share their experiences with the  community.

Specific topics:

  • Block programming  
  • Circuits and switches  
  • Sensors and feedback  
  • Iterative, generative, and notional design  
  • Probabilistic behavior  
  • Logic and problem solving  
  • Debugging strategies  
  • Robotics and computer control  

Audience is K-12 educators. Basic computer operations are assumed. No specific prior knowledge is necessary. 

About the course designers/leaders

Gary Stager, Ph.D. is a journalist, teacher educator, consultant, professor, software developer, publisher,  and school administrator. An elementary teacher by training, he has taught students from preschool  through doctoral studies. In 1990, Dr. Stager led professional development in the world’s first laptop  schools and played a major role in the early days of online education. Gary is the founder of  the Constructing Modern Knowledge summer institute for educators.  

Dr. Stager’s work has earned a Ph.D. in Science and Mathematics Education and he collaborated on a  project that won a Grammy Award. Recently, Gary was invited by Fondazione Reggio Children to lead a  public seminar on education in Reggio Emilia, Italy.  

Sylvia Martinez is a former aerospace engineer and co-author of the book, Invent to Learn: Making,  Tinkering, and Engineering in the Classroom, called “the bible of the classroom maker movement.”  Sylvia speaks to and works with schools around the world and is president of Constructing Modern  Knowledge Press, creating books and professional development advocating using modern technology for  learning. Sylvia is also principal advisor to the Columbia University FabLearn Fellows, a research group  of global educators sharing hands-on, minds-on projects and curriculum. She also led educational non profits and headed product development for consumer software, video games, and educational games at  several software publishing companies.  

Martinez started her career as an electrical engineer designing high frequency receiver systems and  software for the GPS navigational satellite system. She holds a master’s in educational technology and  a bachelor’s in electrical engineering.

Featured #GoOpenVA Resources, December 14, 2020

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logo for go open vaJean Weller, VSTE Board Member and VDOE Technology Integration Specialist, leads the #GoOpenVA initiative in Virginia. This collaborative initiative enables educators and others throughout Virginia to create, share, and access openly-licensed educational resources (OER, also known as open education resources). OER are free digital materials that can be used or modified to adjust to student needs; they are openly-licensed unhampered by many traditional copyright limitations.

The database is growing. Jean recently created a collection for resources specifically related to professional learning. Technology coaches from across the state have contributed and you can learn more here.

Featured Resources

One of the best things about OER is that you can take an lesson created for one content area and edit it to address additional activities to address another content area.  Here are some lessons that can easily be edited to include English SOL, making them cross-curricular.

Comparing the Layers of the Atmosphere is a short science activity from Tanna Mezacapa of Virginia Beach.  This lesson involves having students make comparisons between the layers of the atmosphere and any other layered thing with which they are familiar. Can’t you see a great way to extend this lesson to English studies on similes and metaphors for a cross-curriculum lesson?

Boston Massacre: Propaganda is a primary source lesson from Michelle Carr of Hanover. Focusing on the use of propaganda during a historical time period can also be a great lesson for English regarding writing persuasively or studying media literacy.  Can you write a cross-curricular remix to incorporate English SOL with the History and Social Science SOL?

Map Symbols Unplugged is a lesson created by the Virginia K-12 Computer Science Pipeline project.  Why not add an extra dimension by including writing directions, or creating a story to go with the map(s)?  Such a cross-curricular lesson would give you extra value for the time the students spend on the lesson!

Featured Resources from #GoOpenVA, November 30, 2020

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logo for go open vaJean Weller, VSTE Board Member and VDOE Technology Integration Specialist, leads the #GoOpenVA initiative in Virginia. This collaborative initiative enables educators and others throughout Virginia to create, share, and access openly-licensed educational resources (OER, also known as open education resources). OER are free digital materials that can be used or modified to adjust to student needs; they are openly-licensed unhampered by many traditional copyright limitations.

The database is growing. Jean recently created a collection for resources specifically related to professional learning. Technology coaches from across the state have contributed and you can learn more here.

 

Our earliest learners, PreK to 2, need lots of support and #GoOpenVA has quite a few resources that can be used with these beginning students.  However, we are in need of more lessons, especially those created with Virginia students in mind.  Please share your Pre-K lessons with your fellow educators, using the tools on #GoOpenVA to add resources (see the Users Hub for directions on how to do this!)

Henrico EdFlix from Henrico County Public Schools provides lots of resources for remote learning and some really wonderful Choice Boards for preschool students.  Click on the many examples to choose one, or two, or three that suit your students’ needs!

Pattern Play (Kindergarten) is a new resource produced by WHRO just for Virginia students.  It is a recorded lesson taught by Dr. Karen Drosinos and can be used as is or edited into shorter segments as needed.

Call and Response Songs from Carnegie Hall is a great way to get your students warmed up for learning.  This activity can be done in person or online.  Although the lesson suggests a couple of fun songs for your students to sing, you can use call and response songs you remember from your own childhood.  Add your suggestions in the COMMENT box on the resource landing page (that’s where the above link will take you).