VSTE

Virginia Society for Technology in Education

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Digital Native Does Not Mean Instant Digital Learner

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I am sure most of you have heard of the terms “digital immigrants” and “digital natives.”  All of us born before technology infiltrated our lives are “immigrants” and the ones born into this technology world are “natives.”  There is a misconception by many educators that the “digital natives” in our classrooms are very tech savvy and know so much more than we could ever learn when it comes to using technology.  Some educators are a bit intimidated by their students because handling technology seems to come naturally to them. Most students do not fear the technology since they have always been around it their entire lives.  In reality, it all comes down to attitude.  Even us “digital immigrants” can adapt and become as comfortable as the “natives” and I am proud to say that many have!  Another reality we educators must come to understand is that just because a student is comfortable with technology does not mean they know how to maximize its use for learning!

I have had the privilege of teaching many instructional technology graduate-level courses for a local university for many years now.  It has been very rewarding to work with current educators as we learn and share effective ways to utilize technology to help students learn.  This semester I have the special opportunity to teach an undergraduate course on instructional technology for the first time at a local university.  I have twenty students in my class which consists of mostly Juniors, but there a couple of Sophomores and a few Seniors.  They are all digital natives!  They cannot imagine life without the Internet, cell phones and social media. It did not take me long to figure out that even though they were natural texters, Snapchatters and Instagramers, (not sure if these are actual terms!)  they had much to learn on how technology could impact not only their learning but their teaching! You should have seen their faces when they saw how the Explore option in Google Sheets could automagically generate numerous charts to represent their data.   None of them had ever heard of Padlet and after using several in class to provide feedback on various articles I assigned them they enjoyed creating their own which allowed for audio, video and drawing feedback.  They experienced a backchannel for the first time using TodaysMeet.  Finally, they were able to use EdPuzzle to take video viewing to a new level. You could feel the energy and hear the ideas of how these tools could make a difference in their instruction. The learning has been a two-way street!  It has been exciting when they share ideas and tips on various digital tools. Teaching is a great way to learn!

So, when any of you “digital immigrants” stand before a confident, “I know it all,” bunch of “digital natives,” just remember they have much to learn when it comes to the effective use of technology. Don’t worry, they will not have any fear of using it, so show them how powerful instructional technology can be!

Tim Taylor
timtaylor@vste.org
Shenandoah County Public Schools
Director

Two Virginia Education Leaders Receive VSTE ‘Making It Happen’ Award

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Dr. Pam Moran, Superintendent of Albemarle County Public Schools, and Dr. Jan Streich, Executive Director of Learning and Organizational Development of Stafford County Public Schools, were honored with the coveted Making IT Happen jacket for their contributions to the successful integration of technology in education in K−12 schools. The Making IT Happen award is provided by the International Society for Technology in Education, of which the Virginia Society for Technology in Education (VSTE) is an affiliate.

The Making IT Happen program has made a commitment to work with state and national organizations to identify individuals who are truly Making IT Happen within their respective state or region and to recognize them publicly.

photograph of pam moran

Dr. Pam Moran has served as the Superintendent of Albemarle County Public Schools since January 2006. Under her leadership, Albemarle has been ranked in the top five of all school divisions in Virginia and among the top two percent of all school divisions in the county. The school division has developed a nationally recognized maker curriculum and opened one of the first CoderDojo Academies where the focus is on teaching computer coding and science skills to students. Albemarle County Public Schools is a member of the League of Innovative Schools, a nonprofit organization authorized by the U.S. Congress to accelerate innovation in education. Dr. Moran has been recognized with numerous awards including Virginia’s 2016 Superintendent of the Year.

Dr. Jan Streich has been a leader in Virginia educational Photograph of Jan Streichtechnology for over twenty years. A former elementary classroom teacher, Jan served as assistive technology coordinator in the Stafford County Public Schools during the early 2000s before becoming the Director of Growth and Innovation for the Spotsylvania County Public Schools, where she oversaw a tremendous expansion and improvement of instructional technology and professional learning practices in a burgeoning system. Returning to Stafford recently, she is combining the roles of directors of instruction and professional learning, she continues to work with teachers and leaders to improve student learning and teaching excellence. A regular public speaker and conference presenter, Dr. Streich shares her insights and significant professional knowledge with colleagues around the state and the region.

Moran and Streich join a prestigious group of Making It Happen honorees, including classroom teachers, school principals, district superintendents, legislators, governors, and even former Secretary of Education, Richard Riley. Founded in 1995, the Making IT Happen program highlights the dramatic role educators are having on the learning process by using technology and rewards those individuals for their commitment and innovation. To date, over 500 individuals have been awarded this recognition through ISTE and its affiliates. The impact of this program has been felt at numerous conferences around the world. The focus of the Making IT Happen program is on current practitioners, highlighting their significant contribution and encouraging them to continue their work. Making IT Happen recipients are in the classroom, making it happen for learners every day.

Finding Your Next Big Idea at VSTE 2017

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While we hope everyone leaves the VSTE Conference with many new ideas to improve your professional practice, the best is always that one big "aha" that you can turn around and use immediately.

In this post, VSTE member Tracey Zaval talks about the great idea she brought back to her classroom from VSTE 2016.

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Last year I attended the VSTE conference for the first time. Not only was I looking forward to attending the conference as a presenter, I was also looking forward to the conference as an attendee. As I veteran teacher of 19 years, I know the mark of a great conference is one where you instantly get excited about something you learn and you can’t wait to get back into the classroom to try it out with your students, and I had high hopes for the VSTE conference. Well, let me tell you, that conference last year was a GREAT one!Photo of students working on a Breakout E D U project

One of the first sessions I attended was a “pop-up” session in the hall of the convention center. The one I attended taught participants about digital breakouts, a computer version of the very-popular escape room concept that require students to work collaboratively and think critically. I had never heard of digital breakouts but within 20 minutes of the presentation, I was excited and I was hooked. I couldn’t wait for the session to be over so I could start looking around the digital breakout site for myself to see how I could adapt their ready-made breakouts for my class.

As soon as the session was over, I found an empty table to sit at as I checked out the available resources on the digital breakout site. I very quickly decided I would need to create my own digital breakout in order to support my students’ learning, so I got right to work. There are a series of videos on that site that teach people how to make their own digital breakout - everything from how to build a google site, how to embed secret clues, and how to create a google form to house all the digital locks. I pretty much spent the next two days of the conference working on my digital breakout in between sessions until I had a finished product.

Photo of students working on a Breakout E D U project.I debuted my first digital breakout, “It’s a Wrap”, in my classroom right before the winter holiday break. The premise of the breakout was to breakout out of the town that ran out of gift-wrapping paper and make it to the town of Wrappinville to buy more. My students had such a great time participating in this activity, they asked right away if they could do another one. At that point, I had already begun working on my next one, a content-related breakout involving James Madison as he was writing the U. S. Constitution. My students were so excited, three weeks later, when they got an attempt to break James Madison out of his office to help him find where he put his draft of the Constitution.

Since the conference, I have created three additional digital breakouts and each time I use one in class, my students’ excitement and engagement goes through the roof. I am so thankful I attended the VSTE conference last year. If there is anyone who is looking for a great conference to attend to enhance the use of technology in their classroom, the VSTE conference is exactly what you are looking for!

Tracy is an 8th grade civics teacher at Midlothian Middle School. Photos are of her students at work on their Breakout EDU.

Join us at VSTE 2017, December 3-5 at the Hotel Roanoke to discover your next big idea. Due to the size of the convention center, space is very limited and is filling fast. Register now!

Applied Digital Skills Curriculum Available From Google

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New Curriculum From Google...

We have some exciting updates about our digital literacy and job skills program, Applied Digital Skills. The ready-to-use curriculum offers over 90 hours of video and project-based content that teaches digital literacy skills for life and professional scenarios.

The Applied Digital Skills program received ISTE’s Seal of Alignment for Proficiency last month. The following are highlights from ISTE’s curriculum review:

  • All projects are engaging, relevant, and connected to the real-world.
  • Each unit can be adapted as needed for the skill level in which it is implemented, and each promotes problem solving, creative thinking, and meaningful application of technology in substantive tasks.
  • Skills addressed in the projects will serve learners well in school and beyond, and the curriculum is accompanied by ample support for instructors to be able to implement the curriculum effectively.

Read the full report here.

To get started teaching, visit g.co/applieddigitalskills, sign in as an Instructor with a Google account and create your first class. Invite learners to sign in with their own Google accounts as Learners and input your unique class code. This step-by-step guide explains how to set up your first class in less than 5 minutes. The curriculum is flexible and can be taught anywhere. Units include Research and Develop a Topic, If/Then Adventure Stories, Plan and Budget, Plan an Event and more. Applied Digital Skills is a great solution whether you are looking for a semester-long technology curriculum, or to enrich your subject matter content over a few class periods.

The program provides lesson plans and example rubrics, as well as the ability to track learner progress. Here is an example of one way that a school in South Carolina is using the curriculum:

We hope you enjoy the curriculum.

It Won’t Be All Work at VSTE 2017

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The best reasons to attend the VSTE Conference are, of course, the many, many opportunities to learn and collaborate with your colleagues. But that doesn't mean we can't have a little fun during our three days in Roanoke.

To that end, we hope everyone will be able to join us for the annual VSTE Karaoke Night party. Sing along to your favorite tunes or just enjoy watching your friends warm up for their Voice audition. Either way, it is always a great evening.

Karaoke B-52s

Since our theme this year is about the superhero that is inside everyone, we also invite you to do a little cosplay and come to the party in costume. Whether you are channeling Batman or Ms. Marvel, or maybe you choose to go the alter-ego route and show up as Peter Parker or Diana Prince, this is always a highlight of the conference.

Galactic Stinkeye

While the VSTE Conference is primarily about feeding your hunger for knowledge, we don’t ignore your need for real food (and snacks, of course). VSTE is one of the few conferences you will attend that goes all out to keep you fed.

Your Conference registration includes lunch all three days, snacks and beverages every afternoon, and lots of M&Ms, the official VSTE candy. And, since we are at the Hotel Roanoke, keep an eye out in the afternoon for their famous candied bacon. Because we know everything is better with bacon. But pay attention since this treat always goes quickly.

Bacon

Registration for the 2017 VSTE Conference is now open but spaces are going fast. Because our Roanoke venue is smaller than in Virginia Beach, the number of people we can accommodate is also smaller. The conference will sell out.

So don’t delay. Register now and we’ll see you December 3 - 5 for lots of learning and fun in Roanoke.