VSTE

Virginia Society for Technology in Education

VSTE Voices

Remake Learning Days DMV

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remake learning logoRemake Learning Days have come to the Delaware-Maryland-Virginia region. The celebration focuses on innovative, engaging opportunities for youth to experience learning. It continues through May 22, 2021, and many organizations including schools, museums, libraries, after school organizations, early child care centers, universities, media centers, tech startups and more are hosting hands-on, family friendly events related to the themes of Arts, Maker, Outdoor Learning, Science, Technology and Youth Voice. You can learn more at the website.

While VSTE is not hosting face to face events, we thought this would be good time to feature the work we have done to amplify student voices and support innovative learning using educational technology. For the next two weeks, our VSTE Board members and partners will share ideas and resources about learning.

Today, we are featuring students from CodeRVA, a regional high school in Richmond, Virginia. The students joined us as part of our first virtual conference and talked about blended learning, the power of relationships, and how the pandemic was impacting them.

Virtual Education – To Be or Not to Be?

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I just read an article put out by Microsoft entitled, The Next Great Disruption Is Hybrid Work - Are We Ready? In the article they state, “We’re all learning as we go, but we know two things for sure: flexible work is here to stay, and the talent landscape has fundamentally shifted. Remote work has created new job opportunities for some, offered more family time, and provided options for whether or when to commute. But there are also challenges ahead. Teams have become more siloed this year and digital exhaustion is a real and unsustainable threat.”

The article covers what Microsoft learned from research and insights involving their 160,000+ employees.They are working on a hybrid work strategy. This article made me think about what our school division is planning for instruction next year and how it will impact our staff and students.

I know many school divisions are considering and working on hybrid learning strategies for the next school year. I define hybrid learning as when students are engaged in both face-to-face and online learning. Most school divisions are doing this as most have adopted learning management systems such as Canvas and Schoology.

graphic of a laptop with people in videoconferencing boxesTeachers provide content to students using an LMS, so if students cannot attend class in person, instructional content is available. Also, teachers can have students complete assignments outside of school time using the LMS as well. It may not be synchronous, but asynchronous. Our expectations next school year are that our students will return to school five days a week. We feel that students K-8 should be in school, in-person.

Our secondary principals would say that grades 9 and 10 should be in person as well. The students we are looking at are grades 11 and 12 where some students have done very well in the virtual classroom. Trying to work out the logistics to offer a virtual education for specific students brings up several challenges. We have decided that no teacher will be responsible for teaching both in-person and online like this year.

It was not effective and not healthy for our teachers. Here are some questions we are considering. Do we have enough teachers that are willing and competent to teach only virtual? (Virtual Virginia, as most of you, are probably aware, is hiring online educators and content specialists for grades K-12 for all subjects.) Will Virtual Virginia be able to provide enough teachers? Scheduling? What criteria will we use to select students? Attendance requirements from the State? And there are more.

I am curious what learning options other school divisions are considering for next school year, especially for those interested in learning via the virtual classroom. Please feel free to share what is going on in your school division. Finally, I want to say “Thank You” to everyone for all you have done this school year! Since this is my last blog post for this year, I want to wish everyone a safe, relaxing, enjoyable summer.

Written by Tim Taylor. Tim is the Instructional Technology Supervisor for Shenandoah County Public Schools. He is also a member of the VSTE Board of Directors and chairs the Education Committee.

Webinar: Dr. Penni Sweetenburg-Lee

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In the April 2021 edition of the VSTE Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Webinar, Dr. Penni Sweetenburg-Lee, Director of Training & Alumni Development Programs for the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities, discusses the organization's work and the services they provide to the people of Virginia.

The webinar is hosted by Dr. Nicci Dowd.

Computer Science in King George County Schools

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King George County Schools has been incorporating Computer Science SOLs since they were adopted in 2017. But including Computer Science skills in our classes started before they were officially adopted by the Department of Education.

screenshot of 5th grade CS Standards
Click for larger view

In the spring of 2016 King George County Schools had been experiencing overcrowding in the elementary specials rotation. After looking at several options including orchestra and foreign language, it was determined that STEM would be added to all three elementary schools as a way to introduce the students to engineering and increase exposure to technology, math, and science. During the fall of 2016 students began attending their first classes for STEM. Our first year was exciting and new for everyone. We were all learning as we were doing and the students were very excited about the new special. Some even ranked it better than PE, which helped us to know we had made the right choice.

elementary student playing with a robotAt this time, we were aware that VDOE was working on writing and adopting Computer Science Standards and we were following their work closely. As the standards were adopted we went through each standard to determine where the SOL would be taught (STEM, Art, Music, Library, Math, Reading, or with our ITL). Once it was determined where the SOL would be taught, we began to place them on our curriculum maps.

In the 2018-2019 School year we added a subscription to Learning.com for all three elementary schools and the middle school. Learning.com had the ability to cover all of the Computer Science SOLs for our schools and could be easily assigned to students by any K-8 teacher in the district. Leaning.com has continued to add additional lessons and activities for students, offer professional development for staff and assistance with curriculum as needed.

elementary students using robotsThe elementary school STEM programs use a variety of tools to teach Computer Science in addition to Learning.com. Code.org has been a wonderful (and FREE) resource that offers a variety of activities for our students and includes both online and unplugged activities for our learners. Additionally, we have added BeeBots, Dash and Dot Robots, Bloxels, Computational Thinking Games, and 3-D Printers to our labs to augment our programs. While each building has a slightly different set up due spacing and materials added with grants, all three programs continue to provide a variety of experiences for our learners.

students working on a STEM projectMiddle school students get a 10 day Lego Mindstorm Robotics unit as part of their 7th grade life science class. Additionally, the middle school offers semester-long elective classes under the CTE umbrella that include Keyboarding, Middle School Computer Science, and Computer Solutions. The middle school recently completed a major renovation and addition. This has allowed for the creation of a beautiful new Maker Space which includes 3-D Printers, Legos, Drones, and many other resources.

At the high school level, King George students have numerous opportunities to take computer science related elective courses that include: Informational Technology Fundamentals; Computer Information Systems; Design, Multimedia, and Web Technologies; Cybersecurity Fundamentals; Cybersecurity Software Operations; and Video / Media Technology. The high school has also started to create a Maker Space in their library. Each year they are adding additional materials to the Maker Space and encouraging students to create.

photo of STEM night activityBy introducing students to computer science in the elementary schools we believe the students are more prepared to make elective choices at the middle and high school level related to computer science. We also feel it is important for all students to have some experience with Computer Science and STEM at the elementary level because it often allows students an opportunity to be successful and show leadership in ways that are different from those assessed with formal testing.

King George County Schools has also included the community in our growth of Computer Science instruction by having Family STEM (now STEAM) nights. On these evenings, families come together at one of our buildings to experience a variety of STEAM related activities being taught or demonstrated by KGCS Employees, students, community members, and partners from Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division. While this year we were unable to get together in person, our division hosted three nights online with multiple sessions being offered every 30 minutes.

If you are just starting to incorporate more Computer Science into your instruction, here are some tips:

  • Start small.
  • Look at available resources that your district already has in place.
  • Look for funding programs and materials from a variety of sources - like local educational grants and DonorsChoose.org to the CTE budget.
  • Remember that everything doesn’t need to be purchased at the same time.
  • Reach out to other districts and visit their programs.
  • Most importantly, don’t be afraid to give it a try.

Written by Yvonne Richard. Yvonne has been a K-6 STEM teacher since fall of 2016. Prior to becoming a STEM teacher, she has taught reading, first grade, second grade, and third grade self contained classrooms. Yvonne is a member of the Virginia Children’s Engineering Board of Directors and she is the editor of the Children’s Engineering Journal. Yvonne’s STEM Lab can be found on Facebook by following @KGES STEM Lab.

VSTE’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee: How a vision became a reality

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In 2019, Karen Richardson, VSTE’s Executive Director, asked the Board to investigate ways that the organization help our members educate and advocate for diversity in education.  Through her leadership, Dr. Richardson pulled together a team of individuals who shared that same passion and formed the Inclusion Taskforce, which eventually became VSTE’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee.

Through the work of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, VSTE is building a collection of resources here on our website, as well as developing a mentoring program, which is now in its 3rd year.

This program connects educators with Instructional Technology leaders from various parts of the Commonwealth to help them develop their own leadership skills.

We are also building a library of targeted professional development activities which currently includes a series of monthly webinars and professional development coaching activities from UnisonEdu

So, how does a vision become a reality?  It takes leadership and dedicated individuals committed to being agents of change rather than defenders of the status quo!

Written by Nicci Dowd. Nicci is a special education teacher for Prince William County Schools. She is also a member of the VSTE Board of Directors and Chair of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee.