Virginia Society for Technology in Education
While formal proposals have been sent for ISTE 19, it's not too late to be part of the selection process or even submit a new proposal. The ISTE19 People's Choice allows you to vote for sessions you would like to see added to the program. Once you have created your free login, you can vote for as many as you like. Voting ends January 22, 2019, at 8 PM EST.
Learn more here.
With telescopic precision, Matt Newton used his VSTE 2018 session as a platform to spotlight one of many Assistive Technology Resources: Read and Write. As a matter of fact, it was the only presentation which specifically focused on accommodations and modifications for the special education population.
Matt prefaced that he is not a representative for Google Read & Write. He is a T/TAC coordinator who has witnessed the powerful benefits of the Read & Write extension. In a matter of 60 minutes, Matt expressed how the awesomeness of this tool could have lasting effects for students who struggle with reading comprehension. This app is designed to help struggling readers grasp the content. This is not to say that Read & Write is the “That’s It. That’s All Folks” app for struggling students.
As educators, we know we have to find what works best for our students. I remember one student who was given an iPad as an accommodation. The thing is…he didn’t like the iPad! Regardless of its function or the number of apps which were downloaded on his iPad, he just refused to use it.
As Matt alluded to in his session, the best Assistive Technology in the world is the one that the student is comfortable with and enjoys using it.
Success is gained when teaching and learning become enjoyable and not dreadful. So, if you have not done so already, check out Read & Write. Your students just might thank you for it. And if they don’t, it’s all good. There’s a galaxy of Assistive Technology just waiting to be discovered.
Matt Newton is a Technology Coordinator in the Training and Technical Assistance Center (T/TAC) at Virginia Tech. His VSTE presentation is here and more resources are linked from his conference presentation page.
This post was written by Nicci Doud, a Special Education Teacher for Prince William County.
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.
Before schools starts, join us for a great learning experience at the 3rd annual Prince William County Schools EdCamp!
It's coming very soon, August 18, 2018, 8:00 to 12:30 at Woodbridge Middle School! (near the infamous Potomac Mills shopping center) and it's free.
If you have never been to an EdCamp, you are in for a treat! An EdCamp is an unconference without a schedule set in advance. Educators gather to informally discuss what they want to learn about in small group settings. If you learned what you needed about one topic, just get up and walk to another session to discuss something different.
Please visit our website for more information and to register for this collaborative, learning event! Did we mention it's free?
The Third Annual Leading Ed Forum will be held October 8 and 9, 2018, at Daniel Technology Center in Culpeper, Virginia. Sponsored by VSTE and the Virginia Department of Education, this event focuses on division level issues faced by instruction and technology leaders from CTOs to Superintendents.
We are still finalizing the schedule but you can take a peak at the draft here.
Join your fellow leaders for two days of learning and sharing. We will feature a nationally known keynote speaker and breakout sessions presented by VDOE and state level leaders. Attendees will have opportunities to share their school division's challenges and successes and connect with other division decision makers and selected corporate partners and sponsors.
Strands will be organized around the CoSN Framework of Essential Skills. This framework designates 10 specific skill areas organized into three primary professional categories and outline the responsibilities and knowledge needed to be a viable educational technology leader. You can learn more here at the CoSN website. The VSTE CoSN Council is the Virginia chapter of CoSN.
We are pleased to announce that Jeff Mao, former Learning Technology Policy Director for the Maine Department of Education, will provide Monday's opening keynote as well as a breakout session. Jeff brings a wealth of experience to our event: he has been a classroom teacher, school technology coordinator, district technology director, state education technology director, and education technology consultant over his 25+ years supporting kids and learners. He served on the Board of Directors of the State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA) for six years including two as Chair of the Board.
Jeff was directly responsible for the Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI). He oversaw all aspects of the program including vision, implementation, policy, professional development, procurement and contract management. He was a lead author of the State of Utah’s Master Plan: Essential Elements for Technology Powered Learning. Additionally, he is an advisor for Future Ready Schools and has moderated and presented at almost all of Future Ready’s Summits and Institutes. Jeff was a Senior Director for Common Sense Media’s education division (2014-2018). He is currently a Senior Strategic Education Outreach Manager for Wonder Workshop.
Dr. James Lane, Superintendent of Instruction for Virginia, will keynote on Tuesday, October 9.
Meanwhile, early bird registration is open now through September 8. We offer both one- and two-days tickets for $65/day. This will include breakfast, lunch and access to all sessions. We have not reserved a room block. for this event but you can find a suggested hotels list here.
Sponsors
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