VSTE

Virginia Society for Technology in Education

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VE PLN Summer Book Club Begins July 11, 2016

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- VSTE VE PLN -
Summer Book Club 2016
Starts Monday, July 11, 2016 

This year's book selection is Ready Player One, Ernest Cline's homage to 80s culture and video games.

The group will meet on three Mondays at 8 PM: July 11, July 25, and August 8, 2016.

Meetings will be held on VSTE Island in Second Life:
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/VSTE%20Island/62/104/22

Participants should  complete the readings before the meeting and AVOID reading ahead.

Meeting 1: Read from Start to the End of Section 0013
Meeting 2: Read from Section 0014 to the End of 0027
Meeting 3: Read from Level Three/0028 to End.

In order to fully participate in a major discussion wuestion for Meeting 1, participants should make a working list of all the 80s references that appear in the pages we are reading.

Suggested supplementary activities include:

ISTE Standards for Students 2016 Available Now

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After more than a year in development, the ISTE Standards for Students were introduced at the recent ISTE conference. This third refresh of the standards focuses on promoting transforming learning through technology.This third refresh of the standards focuses on promoting transforming learning through technology.

In order to thrive in the contemporary world, a student demonstrate skills and qualities in the following areas:

  • Empowered Learner
  • Digital Citizen
  • Knowledge Constructor
  • Innovative Designer
  • Computational Thinker
  • Creative Communicator
  • Global Collaborator

Each area includes indicators that dig into the standard.

You can review the standards and indicators here.

You are also welcome to join the ISTE Standards Community, an open network dedicated to all things ISTE Standards.

Big Deal Book, June 15, 2016

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VSTE partners with Big Deal Media to bring you the best in online resources, grant and competition opportunities and more. In this edition, you can Decipher Code, Collaborate Across Cultures, Evaluate Tech Tools & More.

Here are a few of our favorites from this edition...be sure to check the full Big Deal Book for more great resources!

Cryptology Project for Improving Math Skills

The CryptoClub Project in the Learning Sciences Research Institute at the University of Illinois at Chicago develops classroom and web-based materials to teach cryptography and related mathematics to middle school students in informal settings. During a typical session, students are introduced to a cipher (method of encrypting) and then practice it through games andactivities that involve secret messages.

Lively Science Podcast

How does memory work? Will our descendants be human or machine? What’s the origin of humor? The Big Picture Scienceradio show and podcast ponders these questions daily and expounds on them weekly. Produced at the SETI Institute in Menlo Park, California, this one-hour radio magazine engages the public with modern science research through lively and intelligent storytelling.

Webinar on STREAM in the Classroom

At 3 p.m. (ET) on July 19, 2016, the Amazing Resources for Educators community on edWeb.net will host a webinar titled “How to Connect Science, Technology, Engineering, Robotics, Arts, and Math in the Classroom,” sponsored by Quill.com, In this webinar, the presenter, a library media specialist and Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert, will explore how STREAMteaching can create meaningful learning for students.

Big Deal Book, June 15, 2016

Not everything in the Book is time sensitive so be sure to check out the archives.

In Memoriam: Robert Matthew Poole

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 mattpooleIt is with sorrow and regret we share the loss of pioneering virtual educator Matt Poole who passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, June 5. A memorial service will be held on VSTE Island in Second Life on Monday, June 20, 5 PM SLT (8 PM RLT). Use this link to get to the island. 
As an early adopter and a docent on ISTE Island, he was a mentor to many of us as we began in Second Life. He was instrumental in celebrating the opening of our own sim, VSTE Island, in 2009 and continued to be an active member through tours of science, art, and historical builds. An explorer at heart, Matt founded Expedition Central in Second Life, where he curated numerous landmarks for avatars wishing to find interesting, educational, or beautiful sims to tour.
cyrushushMatt co-presented and supported the VSTE Virtual Environment PLN at VSTE Conferences in Virginia Beach and Roanoke and supported us in all our sessions. He was bright, friendly, and patient in helping new users grasp this innovative social network.
Matt was a professor at American National University (ANU) in Roanoke where he especially enjoyed teaching Environmental Science online. He dreamed of getting a PhD and teaching at a public university.
On Monday, June 6, members and friends met to comfort each other on VSTE Island, and twenty-five or so people from all over Virginia and the country came to share their memories of this incredibly smart and kind man. Whether they knew Matt in the physical world or only virtually, to know him was to like him. He had a great sense of humor and entertained us often with his quick switching of avatars from the humanoid to the bizarre creations he found and enjoyed.
On behalf of the VSTE family and all educators, we express our great sympathy to all who knew and loved Matt Poole.  He was a valued member of our community, admired and enjoyed for his humor and intelligence.
Kim Harrison, VSTE VE PLN Chairperson

Board Elects Officers for 2016-2017

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The VSTE Board of Directors leads the organization and includes 16 educational technology leaders from across the Commonwealth. During their June 4, 2016, meeting, the Board elected its officers for 2016-2017:

  • Keith Reeves, Chair
  • Karen Streeter, Vice Chair
  • Anita Harris, Secretary
  • Michael Speidel, Treasurer

In addition, the Board recognized the service of four outgoing Board members:

  • Michael George
  • Barbara Gruber
  • Ernie Longworth
  • Jill Vogel