VSTE

Virginia Society for Technology in Education

VSTE News

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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Teaching in the New Normal

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My district started preparing for the possibility of school closure due to COVID-19 several weeks before the Governor shut down all Virginia schools. A full week before schools were closed, teachers had prepared two weeks’ worth of spiral review activities for their classes. For our secondary teachers, the task was more manageable; we have a 1:1 program in grades 6-12 and teachers use Blackboard to share, at a minimum, homework assignments, lessons, and a course syllabus. Our secondary teachers and students were able to move to a virtual classroom with fewer complications.

The task was far more complex for our elementary teachers. Teachers reached out to parents to determine which families had internet access and a device that their child could use. Our local cable provider offered free internet to any family that needed it, for the time period that our schools were closed. Paper packets were printed for families without a device.

When the Governor closed schools, effective March 16, 2020, we felt like we were as prepared as we could be for something none of us had ever experienced. In reality, our preparations simply bought us a little time as we transitioned into the new normal.

It didn’t take long for our teachers to realize that, without a visual connection with their students, lessons and activities lacked impact. The need for video conference rose quickly and ITRTs were faced with creating PD and best practices for tools that most teachers had no experience with. Teachers now were learning to use tools like WebEx, FlipGrid, and Blackboard Collaborate Ultra, while in those virtual environments. It was challenging, but our ITRTs and teachers stepped up. We experienced the benefits and pitfalls of online learning, first hand.

Since our K-5 students are not part of our 1:1 initiative and a student’s home device may or may not manage synchronous video conferencing, many elementary teachers set up FlipGrids. FlipGrids can handle lower bandwidth, are password protected, foster communication, and responses can be monitored. It is free, and easy to use for both students and teachers.

Teaching in this new normal is a challenge. We can deliver instructional videos from our YouTube channels and follow up with well-designed activities. The materials we present are as solid as they were when we taught in our classrooms, but the richness of the lesson is harder to share virtually. Conversations, the part of a lesson where the learning is enhanced, are missing. The use of video communication has soothed a rough spot that has been hard to overcome in this new way of teaching, by bringing conversations back.

Written by Meg Swecker. Meg is the Coordinator of Technology Integration for Roanoke County Public Schools and a member of the VSTE Board of Directors, serving as the Board Secretary. She is also chair of the Awards and Recognition Committee.

Tim Tillman

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Thinking ManTim Tillman
Chief Information Security Officer
Virginia Department of Education

Educational Leadership

Before my current position, I was a Technology Director for Colonial Heights Public Schools for six years. I have spent half of my career in EdTech and enjoy every new challenge that comes along. In my current position, I'm able to affect change on a state level.

Vision for VSTE

We have seen a tremendous shift in technology usage due to COVID-19. We've seen in action what we thought might be possible, but may have been too scare to implement. The reliance on technology in K-12 has increased to levels we never imagine and its only the beginning. After this event, we won't go back to the old normal. One-to-one programs, curriculum maps, and effective teaching strategies have forever been changed. VSTE, over the course of the next few years, can help teachers and technology leaders continue to answer the needs of our students in a forever changing environment. It's an exciting time to see solutions in action. We don't know what is next, but NOW we know we can be ready for anything.

Biographical Sketch

I hold a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Averett University. From VCU, I hold two master's degrees in Business Administration and Information Systems. I am in my last year of a doctoral program in Educational Leadership. I am certified as a Educational Technology Leader (CETL) from CoSN. I also hold various technology industry certifications.

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Diane DeMott Painter

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Smiling wommanDiane DeMott Painter
Associate Professor (adjunct)
Shenandoah University

Educational Leadership

When teaching in K-12 schools fulltime, I served as a VSTE Journal editor and as a member of the VSTE Board. As a member of both VSTE and ISTE, I presented at the annual conferences for both organizations and at mini-conferences for VSTE. While teaching fulltime as a teacher-educator, I served as chairperson of the Curriculum and Instruction Department and Program Head of the Master of Science in Education, Special Education at Shenandoah University. Presently, I serve as the Education Liaison for Makersmiths, Inc., a non-profit community maker space organization, working to form partnerships with schools and libraries in Loudoun County, VA.

Vision for VSTE

Not long ago, many school systems eliminated hands-on learning skills such as those found in home economics, woodworking and metalworking shops and introduced classes that use computer technology such as desktop publishing, coding and other programming skills. Now we find schools establishing maker spaces, many going into school library areas where access to computers running the maker technologies can be used. VSTE can be instrumental in helping to inform and train those working in K-12 and higher educational institutions about the technologies used in these maker spaces, but most important, help them understand how maker space technologies can be employed to support and enrich curriculum initiatives and vocational skills.

Biographical Sketch

As a public school teacher, I spent thirty years in Maryland and Virginia as a K-12 special education and technology resource teacher. From 2005-2017, I served as a fulltime teacher-educator at Hood College and Shenandoah University. Currently I work part-time teaching the Projects in Curriculum and Instruction course for Shenandoah University. I earned a BSE in Elementary Education (GMU-1974); a M.Ed. in Special Education (University of Maryland-1978); and a Ph.D. in Special Education Technology (GMU-1994).

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Heather Hurley

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Smiling Woman

Heather Hurley
Supervisor of Personalized Learning
Arlington County Public Schools

Educational Leadership

I am the Supervisor of Personalized Learning for Arlington Public Schools (VA) where I work with educators to create more learner centered environments. I am a former elementary Assistant Principal, Instructional Technology Coordinator and former VSTE Conference Chairperson. I currently serve on the VSTE Board of Directors as their Outreach Chairperson and am on the Learning Forward Virginia Board as their Registrar.

Vision for VSTE

Over the next three years I would like to continue to grow VSTE's outreach efforts. I feel like we have made great connections with other Virginia organizations and I would like to connect with more. I am proud of the equity work that VSTE has started and I would like to see the work of the VSTE Equity Committee become a model for other organizations. Finally, I would like to see the VSTE conference continue to be innovative and provide top notch professional learning around educational technology.

Biographical Sketch

I have been an educator for 27 years and have held many roles during that time. Throughout my career I have collaborated with various stakeholders on the integration of educational technology. I am a Discovery Educator, SMART Exemplary Educator, a Google Certified Innovator, a BrainPop Educator and a Flipgrid Educator. In my free time I enjoy photography, all things Marvel, cooking, wine and BACON.

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