Virginia Society for Technology in Education
VSTE is pleased to partner with ISTE's EdTech Coaches Network to support their popular tweet chat. Join us on Wednesday, November 14, at 7 PM to discuss how personalized learning can support educational equity.
Are you new to Twitter chats? Edutopia's "An Introduction to Twitter Education Chats" is a great starting point to learn more about making the most of this event.
Be sure to follow @vste and @EdTechCoaches on Twitter.
See you next week!
The Virginia Society for Technology in Education is pleased to announce the winners of their inaugural VSTE CoSN Council awards. These awards, modeled on those awarded at the national level by CoSN, recognize excellence in educational technology leadership at the division level.
Dr. Janis Streich, Executive Director of Learning and Organizational Development, Stafford County Public Schools, received the VSTE CoSN Council CTO Award, recognizing her career leading innovation in instruction and technology in Virginia. Dr. Streich's work around the Instructional Technology Resource Teacher model has contributed to innovation through the state.
Dr. Oskar Scheikl, Superintendent, Rockingham County Public Schools, received the VSTE CoSN Council Empowered Superintendent Award, given in recognition of his work leading Rockingham County's Digital Conversion Initiative. He was the key architect of the initiative, a highly collaborative project with the goal of optimizing teaching and learning through access to and integration of technology, accompanied by the provision of a one-to-one digital device for every student in grades 1-12.
Dr. Scheikl's work took place in the 
context of a strong team. Rockingham County received the VSTE CoSN Council Team Award, also given in recognition of the five-year Digital Conversion that focused on enhancing student learning by providing access to digital tools and resources whenever and wherever they are needed. The Superintendent and Assistant Superintendents are currently leading an effort to transition from the original plan to a 5-year plan focusing on creating a culture of instructional innovation.
State award winners will be nominated for the national awards. VSTE is the state chapter for CoSN.
VSTE partners with Big Deal Media to bring you carefully curated resources designed for K-12 educators. Grants, competitions, web-based and mobile resources and more. We select our favorites from each newsletter but be sure to scroll down and click to the whole newsletter. And, since not all the Big Deal Book resources are time sensitive, we provide an archive for you to browse.
This newsletter will help you Celebrate Hispanic Heritage, Support Argument Writing, Learn in AR & More.
Step into the Screen: AR/VR Technology’s Role in the Future of eLearning is a free downloadable ebook by eLearning Industry that helps educators navigate the potential benefits of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) in online professional development courses.
To help teachers and their students celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month(September 15–October 15), ¡Colorín Colorado! features free research-based information, resources, and tools for teaching English language learners (ELLs).
Read.Inquire.Write. is a research-based curriculum from The University of Michigan School of Education that creates a process to support middle school students’ argument writing through reading of sources and analysis of complex social and historical issues. Across investigations, students write increasingly complex forms of argument—from interpretations to critiques to counterarguments—with support from disciplinary literacy tools.
Big Deal Book, October 1, 2018
The Annual Technology in Education Conference will be held December 2 - 4, 2018, at the Virginia Beach Convention Center, Virginia Beach, Virginia. Whether you are a first-time attendee or a seasoned veteran you will find the conference full of information ready to take back to your school or workplace.
This year, VSTE will be adding a pre-conference day on Saturday, December 1, 2018, from 9 AM to 3 PM. This pre-conference will include a variety of longer, hands-on workshops led by certified and seasoned instructors. Check out the schedule here and registration will open on Monday, September 17, 2018. The pre-conference will be held at W.T. Cooke Elementary School in Virginia Beach.
Check out the conference website for more information.
VSTE is pleased, as part of its partnership with Joylabz, to offer professional development for the Makey Makey. Not sure what that is? This video should clear up any confusion:
Taught by a certified Makey Makey Training Partner, the Makey Makey Invention Literacy Workshop for Educators is a fun hands-on learning experience where you’ll learn how to teach Invention Literacy, Making, and Design Thinking using the award winning Makey Makey invention kit. We’ll explore how to teach circuits and conductivity using Makey Makeys and then put our skills to use designing your own inventions! Participants learn best practices and gain access to a multimedia training website that can be used later when working with your students or training others. Participants receive a Makey Makey (offered at the reduced price of $20) to take home along with a certificate of participation.
VSTE has certified trainers located in almost every region of the state. Contact mikescott@vste.org to get more information about participating in or hosting a training.
VSTE is offering this session on December 1st in Virginia Beach during its all day pre conference workshops.
Invention Literacy Workshop
Higher Education Center, Abingdon, Virginia
Tuesday, April 9, 2019
9 AM – 3 PM
Trainer: Karen Richardson
Cost: $25 includes Makey Makey
Taught by a certified Makey Makey Training Partner, the Makey Makey Invention Literacy Workshop for Educators is a fun hands-on learning experience where you’ll learn how to teach Invention Literacy, Making, and Design Thinking using the award winning Makey Makey invention kit. We’ll explore how to teach circuits and conductivity using Makey Makeys and then put our skills to use designing your own inventions! Participants learn best practices and gain access to a multimedia training website that can be used later when working with your students or training others. Participants receive a Makey Makey to take home along with a certificate of participation.
