VSTE

Virginia Society for Technology in Education

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Minecraft Monday, April 9, 2018

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logo for minecraftMinecraft Monday April 9 at 8 PM EDT will be a chance to build and share potential student projects. 

Join the group to see what everyone has been building this week. Learn more here.

Start NOW by creating a 3D model at VSTE Place /warp schoolwork

Display something you'd have your students create. Find a lesson in your curriculum that might normally be done with manipulatives or as a 2D diagram. Create it in one of the spaces provided and we will tour them on the 9th!

Feel free to use more than one space if you have several ideas. Be sure to put out signs as to grade level, subject, builder...

In order to access VSTE Place, you will need a Mojang account and the Minecraft software. Contact Kim Harrison, K4sons@gmail.com, with your Mojang name so she can whitelist you and provide the server access information. You will also want to get involved with the .

The Beauty of Second Life

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From Kim Harrison (Thunder) and Lisa Alconcel (Jazmemo)

picture of Second Life trainOne of the reasons we love Second Life is the beauty created by the users. There are some amazing sims to wander through and enjoy. For instance, the Linden Endowment for the Arts gives artists grants for six months at a time. There are also historical simulations and culturally significant educational sites to visit. Science and health sims provide experiences that cannot be duplicated in the physical world.

 

On Monday, March 26, at 8 PM EDT, "Jazmemo" and "Thunder" will show you how to use your in-world camera and lead you on a tour through some interesting sims to take SL photos and return for show and tell. What will you discover? You might think you are living Ready, Player One!photo from Second Life

​ If you don't have a Second Life account get one, it's free, at https://urockcliffe.com/reg/second-life/. Download and install the software. While your Second Life viewer (software) is open click this link http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/VSTE%20Island/61/104/22 and voila! Look for an avatar on VSTE Island and say, "Hey, I'm new!" We will take care of the rest.

VE PLN: Unraveling the Mysteries of Instagram

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VSTE's Virtual Environments Professional Learning Network (VE PLN) is pleased to welcome Andrew Wheelock, AKA Spiff Whitfield in Second Life, who will help unravel the mysteries of Instagram for us. In discussing digital citizenship recently we discovered that many of us "don't get it." We went to Andy for help. Our discussion is bound to go beyond Instagram as we navigate social media and digital citizenship topics.

Andrew Wheelock is an innovative Technology Integrator at Western New York Regional Information Center currently living in Buffalo, New York.

His blog is http://www.coffeewithageek.org/ where he interviews Edtech leaders from around the world.

He's also Spiff Whitfield, the leader and founder of Virtual Pioneers, a group that meets every other Sunday evening in Second Life to promote and tour simulations about culture, history, and other social studies topics.

In 2016 Andrew Wheelock received The Thinkerer Award which is granted during the Virtual Worlds Best Practices in Education conference in the spring, as a lifetime achievement award for consistent selfless service towards the promotion of learning, community, and educational practices using immersive environments.

Andrew created a virtual exhibit in an Open Sim called the Islands of Enlightenment http://islandsoe.weebly.com/ which includes a place designed to help students learn about The Holocaust  Reimagining The Diary of a Young Girl: Anne Frank for the 21st Century.

 

Big Deal Book: Blend Teaching and Technology, Put STEAM into STEM & More

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Blue rectangle with words Maximizing Technology in the the 21st Century Classroom bright graphic on left side of rectangle displays words Big Deal MediaVSTE partners with Big Deal Media to bring you the "best of the best" of web-based resources, classroom competitions and teacher grant programs. The March 15, 2018, newsletter offers resources that Blend Teaching and Technology, Put STEAM into STEM & More.

Here are a few of our favorites. Be sure to check out the complete newsletter using the link below. The archives have some great stuff, too!

Summer Institutes on Teaching with Primary Sources

The Library of Congress (LOC) organizes one-week Summer Teacher Institutes, during which LOC education specialists facilitate sessions modeling strategies for using primary sources to engage students, build critical thinking skills, and construct knowledge.

Modules for Preparing Future Physics Teachers

Teaching Physics Modules are an outgrowth of an initiative of the Physics Teachers Education Coalition to help preservice physics teachers in their preparation to be effective in the classroom. The modules focus on several crucial aspects of classroom instruction, with the purpose of improving student learning, motivation, and confidence.

Guide for Blending Instruction and Technology

Blending Teaching and Technology: Simple Strategies for Improved Student Learning, a freely downloadable guide from Future Ready Schools, offers school district leaders a collection of strategies aligned to the Future Ready Frameworkfor implementing an instructional approach supported by blended learning.

Big Deal Book, March 15, 2018

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Big Deal Book, March 1, 2018

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VSTE partners with Big Deal Media to bring you the "best of the best" of web-based resources, classroom competitions and teacher grant programs. The March 1, 2018, newsletter offers resources that Create AR Stories, Meet Leading Scientists, Study in a Virtual Lab & More.

Here are a few of our favorites. Be sure to check out the complete newsletter using the link below. The archives have some great stuff, too!

3D Modeling Inspired by a Science Fiction Film

Netia McCray, an educator and founder of the nonprofit Mbadika (meaning “Ideas” in Kimbundu), has released a YouTube series for educators to share tips about incorporating the film Black Panther into their lesson plans.

Campaign Inspiring Inclusion of Black Girls in Books

At 10 years old, Marley Dias loved to read but hardly ever came across protagonists who looked like her, so she decided to do something about it. In November 2015, Dias launched the #1000BlackGirlBooks campaign to raise awareness about the lack of black girl characters and inspire young people to take action.

Grant to Enhance STEM Education in Rural Schools

America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education program, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund, allows eligible farmers to nominate their local public school district for grants to help enhance education in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

Big Deal Book, March 1, 2018

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