VSTE

Virginia Society for Technology in Education

VSTE News

Celebrate Fall with VE PLN

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Second Life AvatarThe Virtual Environments Professional Learning Network is hosting several fall activities for fun and learning.

Halloween Social
October 26, 2020, 7 - 8 PM ET, the VSTE crowd will dance and network in costume to “DJ Thunder’s” Halloween tunes at VSTE Space in Second Life. Come chat and laugh with us. Let your hair down and leave the stress at home for an hour. 

Costumes are optional but if you want help with one, come visit Jazmemo and Thunder at VSTE Space during office hours any Saturday morning between 9 and 11 AM ET. We are always there ready to help. You still have time on Saturday, October 24 so don't miss out!

 

Report from the Front Lines

The VE PLN is starting a new segment called Report from the Front Lines. This series will be held at VSTE Place in Second Life once a month. The next meeting will be Monday, November 9 at 7 PM ET. This is an opportunity for teachers from across the state of Virginia and beyond to share data from teaching online, hybrid (AABB model), or fully in class. We will discuss strategies for improving grades of students, problems teachers are having, and new tools for teaching online. We had an organizational meeting on Oct. 12 that went well. Please join us as we continue to learn and grow in this new environment. The conversation will be led by Dr. William Schmactenberg, High School Earth Science Teacher at Franklin County High School, AKA Dae Miami (sl).

Minecraft Mondays

The first Monday of every month the VSTE VE PLN meeting is held in Minecraft on VSTE’s own server. 

Banner making in Minecraft

On Monday, November 2, 2020, at 8 PM ET, we will have a basic lesson in building with redstone, Minecraft’s own “electricity.” Experienced redstone builders are invited to create something ahead of time to show off what they can do to inspire the beginners! The server is online all the time.

How to Connect to the VE PLN via Second Life and Minecraft

Join the Facebook Page to keep up with the VE PLN

Featured Resources from #GoOpenVA, October 13, 2020

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Swirl with word Go Open VASince its debut in January 2020, #GoOpenVA has been building its collections with the help of Virginia educators. This collaborative initiative enables educators and others throughout Virginia to create, share, and access openly-licensed educational resources (OER, also known as open education resources). OER are free digital materials that can be used or modified to adjust to student needs; they are openly-licensed unhampered by many traditional copyright limitations.

Jean Weller, VSTE Board Member and VDOE Technology Integration Specialist, leads this effort. We asked her to periodically curate a few of the resources to give a sense of what is available. Start with these but stay for so much more! And be sure to follow Jean on Twitter.

Virginia K-12 Computer Science Pipeline: This new Collection in #GoOpenVA has just been started, and includes lessons developed in a partnership between Chesapeake and Loudoun. Over time, new lessons will be added to help teachers at all grade levels integrate Computer Science. This is an example of how school divisions can share their burden of developing new resources with each other!

https://goopenva.org/curated-collections/30

Poetic Forms 9-10th Grade English: April Hobson of Giles added a lesson plan in which she shares her love of poetry with her students.  She notes how poetry can help address not just academic goals, but provide social-emotional outlets for students struggling with big emotions.

https://goopenva.org/courseware/lesson/2061/overview

Equitable Teaching Resources: this Google Doc, created by Kim Wilkens, is a starting point for teachers who want to know more about equitable teaching, whether they want to address CRT or gender equity (or both!).  Add the resources you have found to be helpful and share your knowledge and experience.  With all of us mentoring each other, the journey will be much more beneficial!

https://goopenva.org/courseware/lesson/1320/overview

Big Book Deal, October 1st, 2020

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Big Deal Media

 

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 Emerging Technologies, History Walkathon, Virtual Art Museum & More.....

Walkathon to Support Education About African American History
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Primary Source has announced HistoryThon, an opportunity to explore African American history while supporting teachers with the tools they need, at a time when outdoor activities are safest. Participants can choose where their journey will take them as they explore walks, trails, and sites of historical importance to the African American experience.
Imagine, Ideate, and Invent a Media-Rich Project Online
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ISTE’s Creative Constructor Lab Virtual is a digital experience that brings together the most creative minds in education to collaborate and experiment with digital storytelling, design thinking, coding, and more. Unlock more than 70 hands-on sessions to watch live or view later. From October 3 to 10, 2020, you can participate in interactive workshops to learn new skills or join a design challenge to quickly test your creative prowess. As you learn how to use the latest tools, you’ll also earn professional development credit. See the full schedule and register today.
Lesson on Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a Generational Cultural Icon
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The New York Times offers a lesson for students on the life and influence of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died on September 18 at age 87. The lesson provides an article and short video that discuss her impact on the law and offers some warm-up questions, along with writing and discussion prompts.

 

 

Big Book Deal, September 15th, 2020

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Big Deal Media

 

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.

 

Award Honoring Young Women for Computing Expertise

The National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) presents the Award for Aspirations in Computing (Award for AiC) to ninth- through twelfth-grade students who self-identify as women, genderqueer, or nonbinary for their computing-related achievements and interests, and encourages them to pursue their passions.

Video Series Exploring Art and Art History Through the Lens of the Present

A co production of PBS Learning Studios and Complexly, The Art Assignment introduces innovative artists that present the viewer with the challenge to complete different types of art assignments. It also explores art history through the lens of the present and exposes alternative approaches to art-making.

Videos Revealing Personal Side of Scientists and Their Work

The PBS/NOVA web series The Secret Life of Scientists & Engineers provides humanizing snapshots of scientists who are shaping our world. Students will learn about cutting-edge science and engineering, the amazing people who do that work, and the activities they engage in when their lab coats come off.

 

Big Book Deal,  September 15th,  2020

 

The Archives

 

Featured Resources from #GoOpenVA, September 21, 2020

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Swirl with word Go Open VASince its debut in January 2020, #GoOpenVA has been building its collections with the help of Virginia educators. This collaborative initiative enables educators and others throughout Virginia to create, share, and access openly-licensed educational resources (OER, also known as open education resources). OER are free digital materials that can be used or modified to adjust to student needs; they are openly-licensed unhampered by many traditional copyright limitations.

Jean Weller, VSTE Board Member and VDOE Technology Integration Specialist, leads this effort. We asked her to periodically curate a few of the resources to give a sense of what is available. Start with these but stay for so much more! And be sure to follow Jean on Twitter.

Virtual Book Passes: Kristen Corcoran from Hanover developed an activity using resources available in Hanover County Public Schools.  This is a great idea you can replicate for your own division, using her ideas as a starting point. Create a remix to share with your fellow educators!

https://goopenva.org/courseware/lesson/1659/overview

La ropa que llevo: Maria Nuzzo, a Spanish language teacher from Virginia Beach, published this hyperdoc for self-paced learning about items of clothing, including a self-evaluation for students.

https://goopenva.org/courseware/lesson/1608/overview

Introduction to Biology and the Characteristics of Life Socrative Discussion (Remix): Liz Ashby of Henry County loved this lesson but wanted to add a way to introduce the characteristics of life before starting the discussion on viruses.

https://goopenva.org/authoring/443-introduction-to-biology-and-the-characteristics-of/1/view