VSTE

Virginia Society for Technology in Education

VSTE News

VSTE Welcomes New & Returning Board Members

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Five board members--three new and two returning--were elected to the VSTE Board of Directors for the 2020 - 2023 term. Join us in welcoming them to the leadership of VSTE.

Click on the links below to learn more about each member. And, click here to learn more about the board.

 

 

Chanel Alford-Campbell

Technology Integration Specialist
Alexandria City Public Schools

Learn More

 

 

Heather Hurley

Smiling WomanSupervisor of Personalized Learning
Arlington County Public Schools

Learn More

 

 

Scott Kiser

Smiling Man with plaid tie

Director of Technology
Wise County Public Schools

Learn More

 

 

Timothy Mays

Photo of manDivision Instructional Technologist
Sussex County Public Schools

Learn More

 

 

Heather O'Brien

smiling woman

Instructional Technology Resource Teacher
Culpeper County Public Schools

Learn More

 

 

Virtual Virginia Webinar Series Archives

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Our webinar series introducing Virtual Virginia to our different audiences is completed. The recordings and resources are linked below. More training opportunities will be announced as they become available.

Wednesday, May 27, 2020: General Overview of Virtual Virginia and Learning Management Systems (Audience: All potential users):

Wednesday, June 3, 2020: Leading Virtual Virginia at the Division Level (Audience: Division level leaders)

Wednesday, June 10, 2020: Supporting Virtual Virginia in the School (Audience: School level leaders and technology coaches)

Wednesday, June 17, 2020: Teaching with Virtual Virginia (Audience: Teachers)

Supporting the 5Cs with the Distance Learning Toolkit

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Teachers across the nation are wondering how to get students engaged, connected, and excited about learning right now. That is why we are thrilled to share our Distance Learning Toolkit with all educators throughout Virginia. We’ve been working with educators throughout the country to compile dynamic, interactive lesson templates that capture student interest and use little, if any, of the precious prep time given to teachers.

In the toolkit, you’ll find ready-to-use templates that are not only based in best-practices, but also allow teachers and students to collaborate together simultaneously and visualize the learning - regardless of working remotely or in the classroom. You’ll see what teachers in the field are currently doing to make at-home learning meaningful, and also be able to give real-time feedback to their students. You’ll also be helping students develop all of the 5 C’s  through these templates to ensure that they are still acquiring the proper skillsets and knowledge as they progress toward the Profile of a Virginia Graduate.

A critical element of the Profile of a Virginia Graduate is for the student to acquire the core skills needed to impactfully enter the workforce. This could sound uninspiring or untenable for students, especially if the connection between classroom experiences and the workplace isn’t clear. The right types of learning experiences bridge that gap by engaging students and triggering higher-levels of thinking as they acquire the necessary capabilities, both academic and technical, defined by the Virginia Profile of a Graduate.

Coaches, feel free to share these toolkits with your teachers as they’re looking for ways to get students involved and excited about learning.

Go to Distance Learning Toolkit by clicking here or on the image below:

Explore how other teachers are engaging in meaningful distance learning with their students

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For more information, please contact:

Nate Wray
Lucid for Education
(801) 390-0896

Connecting to the Virtual Environments PLN

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logo for VE PLN

The VE PLN hosts events on most Mondays at 8 PM ET in either Second Life or Minecraft. Learn more about how to connect to both these virtual worlds.

VSTE in Second Life Office Hours:

There is a small learning curve for getting up and running in Second Life. But, we think it's worth it. If you want some help, join Jaz and Thunder for Saturday morning office hours. Use the directions below to install the software and set up a free account.

screen shot of Second Life avatars

Basic directions to join VSTE Place, VSTE’s Minecraft world:

You must have a Minecraft account from https://minecraft.net/en/ to join. There is a one time fee of $26.95 to download and install the software. You will need to be whitelisted to enter the VSTE server.

Email Kim Harrison at K4sons@gmail.com from an educational email address with your real name and Minecraft account name.

Start the software and choose multiplayer and add a server: Name VSTE Place IP 69.175.17.26:25565

We use Discord to share voices in Minecraft. This is a voice and screen sharing application that will run on your computer or mobile device. Download and install it for free. Create an account. Many of us use the same name for our Discord account as our Minecraft account to keep things simple. Our channel is https://discord.gg/nDX4mZv It helps us to be able to play Minecraft in one screen and listen via Discord with earbuds or headphones.

Basic Directions to access VSTE in Second Life:

Tutorial Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TdiHylfcvM&feature=youtu.be

Second Life is a virtual world that is navigated using an avatar. You will need a free Second Life account as well as the software in order to participate. 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.

Once the software is installed and open, click this link http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Soulgiver/156/169/58 and your avatar will be teleported to VSTE Island. Look for an avatar on VSTE Island and say, "Hey, I'm new!" We will take care of the rest.

 

Past Events:

 

Minecraft Monday

Monday, May 4, 2020, 8 PM

Let's go Orienteering in Minecraft!

Minecraft Monday will be on May 4th at 8 PM Eastern time in VSTE Place. I have maps purchased from my village cartographer which we will duplicate and use to find treasure or temples! Come work with a friend, alone, compete or cooperate - you do you, but first we will talk about coordinates and how to follow the map. How could you use this with students?

 

Scroll down for more information about how to connect to Minecraft.

Virtual environments like Second Life and Minecraft offer opportunities to expand online learning for both teachers and students. The VSTE Virtual Environments PLN will be offering a variety of events in the coming weeks. Minecraft Monday: Held the first Monday of each month at VSTE Place in Minecraft. Details for connecting are at the bottom of this post.

VSTE in Second Life Photo Tour: Staying home and looking for ways to stay connected with your fellow educators? Come join us in Second Life, Monday, April 27, 8:00 PM EST at the VSTE Virtual Education Network. We will do a Photo Tour of the 2020 Fantasy Faire, a virtual Relay for Life event that supports Cancer Research. Featuring over 18 fantastical-themed zones, partake in a Tour of the various areas as we talk about the creations and take some magical photos. Details for setting up a free Second Life account and accessing VSTE in SL are at the bottom of this post.

VSTE in Second Life Student Presentation: A Comparison of the Jurassic Rocks of Switzerland and Como Bluff,  WY USA: A CaseStudy in International Collaboration at the High School Level

Monday, May 11, 2020, 8:00 PM

We often hear in schools about the need for students to learn 21st Century skills such as creativity and collaboration on an international scale. Franklin County High School student Darien Bradley worked for months with a scientist in Switzerland to compare and contrast the geology of the Jurassic time period of Switzerland with the classic dinosaur locality at Como Bluff, WY. He will discuss challenges and benefits of doing online collaboration with someone in another country as well as what he learned about the Jurassic time period in these countries.

Join us in Second Life, Monday, May 11 at 8:00 PM EST.

Details for setting up a free Second Life account and accessing VSTE in SL are at the bottom of this post.

Heather O’Brien

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smiling womanHeather O'Brien
Instructional Technology Resource Teacher
Culpeper County Public Schools

Educational Leadership

As a former secondary band teacher and middle school assistant principal, I recognize the importance and necessity of infusing technology in teaching and learning. As an instructional technology resource teacher, I collaborate with teachers, curriculum staff, and administrators to foster innovation. In an effort to exemplify best practice, I model the infusion of technology into instruction with high energy. Serving on the county’s technology task force committee has afforded me the opportunity to guide change. This committee strives to enhance student learning while giving voice to the division’s vision as it relates to technological innovation. Additionally, with the support of my school’s leadership, I have successfully initiated a school-wide STEM program.

Vision for VSTE

As a teacher in a rural district, I see the ever-pressing need to advocate for greater accessibility for our students. As the recent corona virus pandemic has shown, there is great inequality between urban, suburban, and rural access to broadband services. To meet the demands of the future and provide for the promise embodied in the state’s Profile of a Graduate, VSTE needs to be an advocate for struggling communities throughout the Commonwealth. Fostering relationships with internet service providers and providing lobbying efforts at the General Assembly, VSTE can provide the catalyst to forge opportunities for all of our learners, regardless of their disposition.

Biographical Sketch

For 22 years, I have served in many capacities in the field of education. From band director, to middle school ITRT, to Assistant Principal, and then to elementary ITRT. I have viewed the incorporation of instructional technology from many angles. As a life-long learner, I strive to find new ways to adapt and evolve so that I can better serve my students, teachers, and district. Seeing the need to develop expertise in specific areas, I attended the Promethean Train the Trainer’s Academy in Atlanta, became a Google Certified Level 2 Educator, and most recently was designated as a Seesaw Ambassador. I earned my Bachelor of Music in Education from Virginia Commonwealth University and a M.Ed. in Administration and Supervision.

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