VSTE

Virginia Society for Technology in Education

VSTE News

Board Candidate – Patrick Hausammann

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Patrick Hausammann, candidate for VSTE Board 2019Patrick Hausammann
Instructional Technology Resource Teacher
Clarke County Public Schools

Educational Leadership

I have been a leader for instructional technology in Clarke County for seven years including professional development and edtech coaching as well as leading the district innovation committee. This committee strives to shape the future of Clarke County Public Schools by encouraging innovative educator and student learning through utilizing technology, promoting best practices, and maintaining a growth mindset. In 2018, we held our first Innovation Conference with 45 concurrent sessions and 2 keynotes, taking a monumental step towards giving teachers voice and choice in personalizing their learning. All learner should be able to determine their own trajectory and path towards personal greatness.

Vision for VSTE

VSTE should and will continue to be a pillar of support and advocate not only for meaningful technology integration but for what is right and equitable for all members of our learning community. VSTE should work to augment it’s free professional development opportunities through avenues such as virtual conferences, webinars, and more. It must be a tenet of VSTE to work to close equity gaps within the digital realm and beyond throughout the commonwealth. Every school, every learner, every educator, should know of and be buoyed by VSTE and the professional learning network it embodies.

Biographical Sketch

Patrick Hausammann a perpetual optimist and believer in the power of a #growthmindset to #failforward en route to creativity and innovation. He’s the founder of a future non-profit, UnisonEDU.org, a co-founder of #EdcampNSV and is also a G Suite for Education Certified Innovator and Trainer. He takes great pride and satisfaction in helping others achieve at their highest levels through pairing great pedagogy with innovative technology to yield #EndlessPromise for learners. His desire to help others and learn forever is best encapsulated by the following quote from Mahatma Gandhi, “Live as if you’ll die tomorrow. learn as if you’ll live forever.”

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Security and Privacy Webinar

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Are your students safe online? Are you a division leader with responsibilities related to privacy and security?

On March 25th, Brian Gibbs-Wilson, Chief Data Security Officer from Virginia Department of Education, and Tim Tillman, Director of Technology and Learning (CIO/CISO), Colonial Heights Public Schools, lead a webinar about cybersecurity and student data privacy. Panel participants included Jim Siegl, Fairfax County; Rachel Johnson, Loudoun County; and Louis McDonald, Fauquier County.

Watch the recording below to learn more about Virginia's Student Privacy Alliance, a collaboration of Virginia school divisions that share common concerns around student privacy, and how you can get involved.

The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) has paid for every school division to join the Student Data Privacy Consortium, which is discussed extensively in the webinar. You can learn more and request an account by clicking here.

Six Leaders Earn CETL Certification from CoSN

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From left: Rod Carnill, Jenn Rowan, and Scott Lewis from Frederick County Public Schools

Six educational leaders from two school divisions in Virginia earned the Certified Education Technology Leader (CETL™) certification in early 2019. This rigorous exam was developed by CoSN based on its Framework of Essential Skills of the K-12 CTO. These six educators join 13 other CETL certified leaders in the state.

CETL Andrew Wolfenbarger from Prince William County Schools, led the study group.

From left, Andrew Wolfenbarger, AJ Phillips, Diane Harazin, Deborah Miller from Prince William County Public Schools

 

Achieving CETL certification demonstrates mastery of the knowledge and skills required to build and maintain a 21st digital learning environments in K-12 schools. CETL certified educators must complete 60 hours of professional development every three years in order to maintain their certification.

VSTE is the CoSN state chapter.

Learn More About Certification

 

 

CETL is a registered trademark of CoSN.

 

Tuning In To Podcasts

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“I’d like to do that, if I just had the time,” is one of the most commonly heard phrases in the hallways of any school. If you’ve ever said that yourself, one solution might be podcasts. I dragged my feet for a long time, getting into podcasts, but once I did, I found that it gave me the time to learn so much more. And getting started with podcasts is incredibly simple—just find an app, find a show, and find some time.

Finding an app is the simplest step. You probably already have an app on your phone that will let you download content—look for an app called Podcasts or Google Play Music. If you prefer an app that’s more robust, there are dozens of options out there. Some of my favorites are Castbox, Podcast Addict, or Stitcher. Spotify is also getting into the podcast game which would be a good starting place if that’s an app you already use.Elizabeth and Brian with their recording setup

The next part is the fun part—find a show! Start by searching for content that interests you. Apple podcasts has over half a million in podcasts in over a hundred languages, so you’re certain to find one that appeals to you.

My favorite EdTech podcast is definitely The EdTech Takeout, a twice-monthly, conversational-style show in which the hosts discuss the latest updates in educational technology while keeping their focus on student learning. If you prefer a podcast with a single host, I strongly recommend The Cult of Pedagogy. Jennifer Gonzalez shares her thoughts on teaching strategies, education reform, and more. She never fails to teach me something new in her podcasts. If you want a slightly wider menu, there’s a curated list available on the Education Podcast Network where I always find something new to try.

If you’re planning to podcast with your students, it’s also great to listen to some podcasts that are for and by young people. NPR publishes WOW in the World to explore science and technology, and I am always delighted by the interview-style Show about Science, hosted by a second grader but well-produced by his dad. For a more authentic feel of what students are capable of, check out The Fifth Grade Futurists, which is highly entertaining, but also attainable for real classes with limited equipment. Narrative podcasts are also great for a younger audience. I like The Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel which is narrated by middle school students. If you want something subject- and grade-specific, Listenwise is a freemium service, but their curation tool is free and robust.

The last step is just to find some time to listen. I fell in love with podcasts while training for a marathon. They filled the time up so much better than music. I also listen on my morning commute and when I’m doing chores around the house. I try to save my favorite narrative podcast to listen to while I’m ironing—it helps pass the time with a chore I particularly detest.

For the busy teacher, it’s the lowest-investment, highest-return way I can think of to sneak some professional learning time or just make your commute a more enjoyable experience.

Written by Elizabeth Engelbret, Instructional Technology Coach at Fred Lynn Middle School in Prince William County. She is co-host, with Brian Simpson, of the PWCS EdTech podcast, a bi-monthly program available in Apple Podcasts and other podcast aggregators.

Learning for K-12 Leaders: Cybersecurity and Student Data Privacy

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student privacy logo

Are your students safe online? Are you a division leader with responsibilities related to privacy and security? Don't miss this opportunity to connect with state leaders around these timely and important topics.

Brian Gibbs-Wilson, Chief Data Security Officer from Virginia Department of Education, and Tim Tillman, Director of Technology and Learning (CIO/CISO), Colonial Heights Public Schools, will lead this webinar about cybersecurity and student data privacy being held Monday, March 25, 2019, at 4 PM. Panel participants will include Jim Siegl, Fairfax County; Rachel Johnson, Loudoun County; and Louis McDonald, Fauquier County.

Attendees will learn more about Virginia's Student Privacy Alliance, a collaboration of Virginia school divisions that share common concerns around student privacy, and how they can get involved. This webinar is free and open to the public. Join us live on March 25, 2019, at 4 PM.

Joining the Meeting:

Topic: Learning for K-12 Leaders: Cybersecurity and Student Data Privacy
Time: Mar 25, 2019 4:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/148262112

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