VSTE

Virginia Society for Technology in Education

Events

Learn More About Game Engines, VE PLN, March 11, 2019

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Logo for Virtual EnvironmentsThe Virtual Environments Professional Learning Network (VEPLN) will be hosting Dr. William Schmactenberg on Monday, March 11, 2019 on VSTE Island In Second Life discussing Unity 3D. More schools are using modern day game engines to help student create digital projects in programs such as Unity 3D. Unity 3D can be used to create high quality Educational games and Virtual Reality simulations. We can also have a general discussion of what games should be used in schools.

Second Life is free to access. You need an account and software to access the virtual world.

We recommend setting up an account at the Rockcliffe University Consortium's Gateway here: 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.

Free #GoOpen Regional Summit, June 14, 2019

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Does it seem like everyone is talking about OER? Want to learn more about how OER can provide high quality, free resources for your school? Join VDOE and its partners in beautiful southwest Virginia to learn, share and grow. 

David A. Wiley, Chief Academic Officer of Lumen Learning, Education Fellow at Creative Commons, and Adjunct Faculty of Instructional Psychology & Technology at Brigham Young University, will provide the keynote for the #GoOpen SWVA Summit being sponsored by The Virginia Department of Education, VSTE, UVA Wise, and Old Dominion University. This event will be held June 14, 2019, in Abingdon, Virginia, to bring together technology and curriculum leaders to discuss current successes and challenges in implementing the use of Open Educational Resources (OER) as curriculum.

The full schedule is available now.

Registration is open here!

#GoOpen Regional summits are intended for new districts who have recently committed to become a #GoOpen Launch district or are curious about making a scalable transition to openly licensed educational resources.

With all of the sessions that will be offered, school divisions are encouraged to send a team of up to 8-10 individuals so you don't miss anything! Teams should consist of division leaders, school based administrators, technology coaches, instructional coaches and teacher leaders.

Please share the flyer with your colleagues!

SWVA Conference Flyer

This event is free with morning beverages, lunch and an afternoon snack provided.

Thanks for the support from MyVRSpot we will be recording and archiving this event.

Lodging:

We have not reserved a specific hotel block, but there are a variety of low-cost lodging options in the Abingdon, Virginia, area. NOTE: Most hotels will provide the state rate for state employees as long as official ID is provided.

Hotels:

Hampton Inn, Abingdon
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Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Abingdon
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Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Abingdon
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Quality Inn & Suites
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Comfort Suites
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Hilton Garden Inn, Bristol
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Award Winning Coaches Say Relationships Are Key

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Krystle Demas, Patrick Hausammann, and Timothy Signorelli, the 2018 Tech Coach of the Year winners, will be featured in VSTE's Digital Day Learning Webinar, Thursday, February 28, 2019, at 7:30 PM. They will be highlighting innovative practices and answering questions about technology and coaching. You can use this link to join us live. 

VSTE asked these leaders to share their best coaching tip and, perhaps not surprisingly, they all focused on the importance of empathy of relationships:

Krystle: One size doesn’t fit all. Working with teachers is similar to working with students in that we can’t expect everyone to be at the same place at the same time. Teachers appreciate a coach that understands and empathizes with their needs and celebrates their successes! I have found that building relationships first and offering a helping hand open the door to allow conversations to start about teaching and learning.

Patrick: When coaching teachers, administrators, or even students… start with empathy. Think back to when you started your journey or align to where your colleague is in theirs. Innovation for each person is different and can be a small step or a giant leap. Taking the time to empathize and build a relationship ensures that you know better how to scaffold your help and how much you can push outside of comfort zones for growth, stopping short of frustration or overwhelming.

Tim: Relationships are key. Empathy helps to build those relationships, and is a learnable skill. Krznaric claims, "Our personal empathy quota is not fixed: we can develop our empathic potential throughout our lives.” Knight suggests that, to build this skill, we need to look back (consider interactions we’ve had with others and how we can be more effective in the future), look at (reflecting on action and identifying when/how we demonstrate empathy), and look ahead (make plans for our interactions in the future).

Join us on February 28, 2019, at 7:30 PM, to learn more about how these award-winning coaches have built those kinds of relationships. And, learn about other Digital Learning Day events here. 

 

 

Digital Learning Is…

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logo for eventWhat IS Digital Learning? VSTE wants to know!

woman holds up sign

We're making it easy to share your answers with us...download the printable, fill it out with your students, and take a picture just like Heather Hurley, VSTE Board Member and Outreach Chair, demonstrates.

Tweet out the pictures with the hashtag  #DLDAYVSTE and we will retweet them!

You don't have to wait until Digital Learning Day to get started. Just print, complete, and tweet! Don't forget the hashtag #DLDAYVSTE!

Celebrate Digital Learning “Day” with VSTE

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Digital Learning Day, sponsored by the Alliance for Excellent Education, will be held February 28, 2019.

You can participate: tell us how you define digital learning. Learn More

Our annual award winner webinar will be held via YouTube Live on February 28, 2019, at 7:30 PM. We will feature our three Tech Coach of the Year finalists discussing innovation in their schools and divisions. Use this link to join us live.

 

 

VSTE partnered with Common Sense Media for a webinar featuring two VSTE leaders. Meg Swecker, VSTE Board member from Roanoke County, and Tamara Letter, VSTE Conference Committee member from Hanover County, will be discussing  Cultivating Kindness: A Foundation for Digital Citizenship on Thursday, February 21, 2019, at 4:00 PM. Recording Available Here

We will be announcing additional events as they are scheduled.