VSTE

Virginia Society for Technology in Education

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Common Sense Education Resource Share – July 19, 2023

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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

Leading ED Forum

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Registration has closed for this event.

Leading Ed Forum - Leading Education Forward

Leading Ed Forum 2023 Leading Education Forward Logo

Thursday, October 19, 2023
ACCA Shriner’s Center
1712 Bellevue Ave, Richmond, VA 23227

The Consortium for School Networking reports that over the past 10 years, the top challenge for EdTech leaders remains the same. Budget constraints and lack of resources were ranked the number one challenge in 2013, it still ranks as the number one challenge in 2023. However, some of the other top priorities have changed. The top three in 2013 were mobile learning, BYOD, and online assessment readiness. In 2023, cybersecurity tops the list, followed by network infrastructure, student data privacy, and security.

With budgets stretched thin and expectations at an all-time high, the return on investment looms large for school technology leaders. VSTE’s 2023 Leading Ed Forum will bring together all those with common concerns and needs so that we can focus on the future, finding ways to deliver ideas and strategies to set the stage for progress for the next decade one school year at a time.

Technology Directors from all regions of Virginia have identified their own greatest areas of concern:

  • Lack of qualified IT staff to support 1:1 computing programs and the division's IT infrastructure
  • Maintaining 1:1 with the financial cost of damaged/lost/missing devices
  • Cybersecurity and the need for division-wide education, training, and staff to support preparedness
  • Keeping pace with modern technology acceleration and the challenges related to emerging technologies including technical support staff and instructional implications for the use
  • Sustaining infrastructure after COVID
  • Standards of Quality funded positions for ITRT's and technicians, given the acceleration of technology, are not currently sufficient
  • Student data privacy!
  • Available and affordable internet at home for students and staff

This year’s Leading Ed Forum will draw together experienced leaders and current industry experts on these topics to assist school divisions in finding the best possible solutions and designing a path forward that honors the desire for educational opportunity with the stark realities of the challenges faced by those leading in education.

The Opening Session will start at 8:30 AM. The full schedule will be released at a later date. The attendee cost is $100.

Registration has closed for this event.

Big Deal Book, June 15th, 2023

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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 view 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 with Defining Equity, Building Chatbots, Developing AI Literacy & More...

 

Civics Inquiry Lessons Integrating Storytelling, Digital Media, and Literacy

Civic Life Project partners with educators to teach civics through a unique digital storytelling curriculum. In collaboration, Civic Life Project and National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) have launched Compelling Interviews for Civic Engagement, a civics inquiry unit to help students develop informed, diverse perspectives on social issues they care about.

 

FAA Airport Design Challenge

The Airport Design Challenge is an interactive learning collaboration opportunity for K–12 students. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Aviation & Space Education (STEM AVSED) Program organizes and sponsors this challenge.

 

AI-Powered Tools to Streamline Teachers’ Work

Harnessing the power of AI can assist in simplifying and speeding up certain administrative tasks, allowing teachers to concentrate on delivering exceptional educational experiences. TeachMateAi is a collection of AI-powered tools designed to create custom teaching resources and streamline various aspects of a teacher’s work.

 

Coalition of Organizations Addressing the Policy, Pedagogy, Pitfalls of AI

The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) programs such as ChatGPT has led a coalition of organizations to form the TeachAI initiative. The group intends to create guidelines around K–12 AI policies, pedagogy, and ethics, as well as a framework for computer science instruction, which steer clear of AI’s potential pitfalls and address students’ privacy and online safety.

 

 

View the whole Big Book Deal Newsletter for June 15, 2023

The Archives

Common Sense Education Resource Share – May 3, 2023

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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

2023 VSTE Awards – Nominations Now Open!

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2023 Outstanding Technology Teacher, Coach and Leader of the Year Award

 

VSTE will recognize and honor Virginia Educators, Technology Coaches and Leaders who are VSTE members (nominee not a member have them join here) and who have demonstrated outstanding achievement and leadership in implementing technology to improve education. Award recipients will be selected from a pool of nominations submitted by VSTE members from around Virginia.

 

2023 VSTE Awards Graphic with VSTE Awards for Teachers, Coaches, and Leaders recognizing excellence in technology implementation.Nominations will be accepted from June 12, 2023 - September 15, 2023. Nominations will be reviewed by the VSTE Board of Directors and past winners. Select nominators and nominees will be contacted by September 22, 2023 to provide additional evidence and documentation.  Documentation will be due on October 6, 2023. 

Winners will be notified no later than November 3, 2023.  Award winners will be recognized during the opening general session at the annual conference. They are also provided with a complimentary conference registration and two nights of hotel accommodations for the annual conference. This year's conference will be held December 3-5, 2022, in Roanoke, VA.

The Awards Committee uses the ISTE standards as the basis for judging the Outstanding Technology Coach awards. Please review the appropriate standards when preparing nomination materials. Nominees are rated solely using criteria identified in the rubric.

Please use this form to nominate a teacher, technology coach, or leader for this award.

More information about the ISTE Standards for Coaches, ISTE Standards for Educators, ISTE Standards for Education Leaders.

Questions should be addressed to awards@vste.org.

 

 

2022 Winners

  • Outstanding Coach: Logan Childress - Emerging Technology Specialist, Bristol Virginia Public Schools
  • Outstanding Coach: Catherine Richards  - Lead Instructional Technology Coach Goochland County Public Schools
  • Outstanding Leader: Dr. Anthony Brads  - Superintendent Culpeper County Public Schools 

 

2021 Winner for Outstanding Coach

  • Fara Faust, Virginia Beach Public Schools

 

2018 Winners for Outstanding Coach

  • Patrick Hausammann, Clarke County Public Schools
  • Krystle Demas, Goochland County Public Schools
  • Timothy Signorelli, Fairfax County Public Schools

 

2017 Winners

  • Outstanding Leader: Tim Taylor, Instructional Technology Supervisor, Shenandoah County Public Schools
  • Outstanding Teacher: Nichole Thomas, Instructional Facilitator for Technology, Liberty Elementary School, Loudoun County Public Schools

 

2016 Winners

  • Outstanding Leader: Dr. Amy Cashwell, Chief Academic Officer, Virginia Beach City Public Schools
  • Outstanding Teacher: Dr. Ann Nash, ITRT, Henrico County Public Schools

 

2015 Winners

  • Outstanding Leader: Dr. Helen Crompton, Assistant Professor, Old Dominion University
  • Outstanding Teacher: Doug Saunders, ITRT, Henrico County Public Schools

 

2014 Winners

  • Outstanding Leader: Janet Copenhaver, Director of Technology, Henry County Schools
  • Outstanding Teacher: Daniel Nemerow, Math and Special Education, Prince William County Schools

 

2013 Winners

  • Outstanding Leader: Richard Pierce, Associate Professor, Shenandoah University
  • Outstanding Teacher: Wendy Phillips, literacy specialist at Belview Elementary School, Montgomery County Schools

 

2012 Winners

  • Outstanding Leader: Mark Nichols, Special Education Supervisor for Assistive Technology and Individual Education Programs, Loudoun County Public Schools
  • Outstanding Teacher: Norene Skiles, library media specialist at Windsor Oaks Elementary School, Virginia Beach City Public Schools

 

2011 Winners

  • Outstanding Leader: Thomas Woodward, Assistant Director of Instructional Technology, Henrico County Public Schools
  • Outstanding Teacher: Kristina Peck, Riverbend High School Math Teacher, Spotsylvania County Public Schools