2009+Sessions

toc =Tuesday, August 4, 2009=

3 Hour Sessions
Kajour - The Online Classroom Extension Dave Miller and Jeanne VanVoorst will present Kajour, The Online Extension to Your Classroom. Kajour is a Web 2.0 website that merges the worlds of social networking with online content management. In this session, you will see how Kajour engages both students and teachers by capturing all voices, including the voices of quiet students, how Kajour captures an extra 45 minutes to an hour per day of your students' time, and how Kajour is safe and doesn't require you to police your students' online conversations. We'll also show how easy it is to set up and maintain as well as numerous real online experiences with students across the 2008-2009 academic year. Experience how to connect with other teachers and students anywhere in the world using Kajour and its built in blogging/wiki/forum technologies, chat, and powerful and fun-to-use assessment tools. Session focus will be on ELA, Social Studies, and Family & Consumer Sciences but is applicable across the curriculum. Kajour is also being used successfully in LOTE, Math, Science, and Health classes.

Get Podcasting Now Fire up your writing instruction by using podcasting as a publishing option, or an instructional delivery tool for older students. *IF* you have easy access to macs in your building, you will be amazed at how easy it is to do. Children are capable of recording their own pieces, revealing their fluency and writing skills to their friends and family. Pinky swear, this is a practical workshop where a 16 year teacher reveals how she is podcasting NOW with 1st-3rd graders. Easily applicable to older grades. This workshop assumes basic computer skills and comfort levels, PC users welcome.

Create a Blog By the end of this session you will have your own blog up and running! We will teach you how to create a title banner, upload images and add posts. Please bring any material you'd like to have on your blog. We will be using Adobe Photoshop to create banners and edit images.

1.5 Hour Sessions
Screencasting A screencast is a "digital recording of computer screen output, also known as a video screen capture, often containing audio narration." (Wikipedia). Screencasting is a way to demonstrate or model any process that can be displayed on a computer monitor. This session will share ideas for screencasting both curriculum-based concepts as well as more utilitarian computer/software related processes. Participants will use a number of free screencasting tools and have the opportunity to create a screencast of their own.

What is Blogging? Have you heard of blogs but don't know what they are? Then this class is for you. Learn what blogs are, ways to use them in your classroom and discuss the ethical issues of blogging.

LEGO Robotics Participants will learn how fourth graders program robots and bring advanced scientific and engineering principals into focus. Students work on teams to complete challenges. Students journal about their programming knowledge and experiences. Most of this session will be hands-on; participants will be completing LEGO Mindstorms programming challenges.

Instructional Multimedia Using Safari Montage During this hands-on workshop, educators will learn how to integrate instructional media into curriculum as well as learn explore how content can support curriculum, differentiate, and enrich. In addition, educators will learn about copyright and how it applies to classroom created and educator created content. Part of this workshop will include creating playlists, enhancing searching skills, and evaluating media.

To Thinkfinity...and Beyond!! During this hands-on workshop, we will explore content specific to you grade level or content area! There is something for everyone! At Thinkfinity.org, you'll find searchable primary source materials, interactive student resources and grade-specific research lists to help you tailor materials to meet your needs. And it's FREE! Thinkfinity is not just about the free resources, but also how to integrate the content into your curriculum. We will spend time figuring out how the resources fit into the classrooms of each participant. Thinkfinity draws upon the strength of our content partners, who produce a wealth of discipline-specific, standards-based educational resources.

Beyond Class Walls with Wikis Come and learn about one of the latest ways to use technology with students. A wiki is a collaborative, easy-to-use web page that many people can edit. You don’t need to learn any complicated software: it’s easy! Students can post their own work to share with family members and others on the web. It’s a great place to post class news, podcasts, conference schedules, links, photos and more. It’s an outstanding resource for home-school communication, and an exciting way to connect with others around the world. We’ll tour a very active third grade wiki, and then you’ll have time to begin to create your own wiki. Energize your new class and yourself with this great resource!

Microsoft Publisher: The New Frontier Brochures, Calendars, Webpages, Posters, Business Cards, and Newsletters, come see the versatility of Microsoft Publisher. Explore ways in which Microsoft Publisher can be used in the classroom to support concepts and ideas in your curriculum. We will take you through a tour of the many different publications that are possible and help you draw from students’ creativity.

Google Apps for Education-A Trial Run Our school adopted Google Apps for Education for the 2008-09 school year. This session will describe this journey toward adoption and things learned along the way. Student work using Google Sites and some other examples will be shared. Students used Google to create e-Portfolios for their Senior Projects. We will brainstorm additional uses for Google Apps focusing on the collaboration and anytime/anywhere advantages of computing in the "cloud." Activities using Google Apps will be planned.

Tablet PCs - Explore the World of Education! THERE IS NO BETTER PIECE OF TECHNOLOGY FOR THE CLASSROOM THAN A TABLET PC!!! Come see what the buzz is about - a panel of Tablet PC users from different disciplines will demonstrate how they use their Tablet PC in the classroom. They will change the way you teach! Encapsulated technology, portable technology and effective technology are all part of the Tablet PC.

Math Vocabulary Strategies Participants will learn vocabulary development strategies and write activities for their own classrooms based on the models presented. Models include bubblegrams, the Frayer model and semantic feature analyses. The presentation will use Smartboard technologies."

Do-It-Yourself Technology Tablet PC - $1800... SMARTBoard - $2000... Document Camera - $750... Doing it all yourself – Priceless… Keeping up with emerging technology in the classroom can be very expensive. But it doesn't have to be. During this session, we will explore methods to create reliable and portable technology that can be used in the classroom. Participants will receive plans on how to build a Document Camera, Portable Podium, Interactive Whiteboard, and a make-shift Tablet PC. All projects require a minimal amount of capital and mechanical knowledge.

Intro to DataMentor This session will provide an overview of datamentor. DataMentor is the friendly front door to assessment data and solutions for classroom level teachers. Datamentor allows teachers, administrators, curriculum specialists, and other professionals interested in improvement through the use of data to analyze district assessment scoring results and select from an array of valuable options to target student growth and improvement based on individual or district needs.

Datamentor: The gateway to informed instruction This session will provide an overview of datamentor. DataMentor is the friendly front door to assessment data and solutions for classroom level teachers. Datamentor allows teachers, administrators, curriculum specialists, and other professionals interested in improvement through the use of data to analyze district assessment scoring results and select from an array of valuable options to target student growth and improvement based on individual or district needs.

Self-Publishing & the Open Publishing Guide: Enhancing Education for Teachers and Students This session will discuss how self-publishing can fit into curriculum's as well as how teachers can use our website, the Open Publishing Guide, as a resource for students to produce creative project ideas and original printed materials.

Conducting Real-time Online Classroom Interactions Using Elluminate Live! The use of synchronous conferencing techniques can offer opportunities for social interaction in a virtual classroom space. One of the popular synchronous software: Elluminate Live!, has several interactive characteristics: it allows students and instructors to conduct oral communication, exchange messages through typing, upload PowerPoint presentations, transmit video, surf websites together, and more. More specifically, Elluminate Live! combines different tools into one interface creating a web-based classroom environment where a whole class or small groups of students, using headsets, can interact online in real-time. Such tools include textual chat, two-way Voice-Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) audio, video, real-time presentation, breakout rooms for small group activities, white board presentations, class polling instruments and application sharing. Synchronous online platforms offer instructors the potential for meaningful real-time interactions to promote improved opportunities for students to dialogue at a geographical distance.

=Wednesday, August 5, 2009=

3 Hour Sessions
Primary Math Fun Using Promethean Technology During the first half of the session, participants will learn how to use math tools in ActivPrimary and ActivProfessional. They will learn how to create fun, interactive flipcharts that teach and reinforce primary math concepts. Participants will also view Resource Packs from Promethean Planet. Interactive websites will be shared among the primary teachers. The remainder of the session will be a make and take, allowing teachers to use these ideas to create exciting classroom flipcharts. Time will be provided for teachers to plan interactive lessons that will enhance the math curriculum. Participants must bring their own laptops with Promethean software.

What are your students really thinking? Research shows using graphing calculators with the TI-Navigator system increases student engagement and improves student performance. This student response system provides both teachers and students with constant feedback during classroom activities. Two high school math teachers will share their experiences and classroom activities.

Smartboards: The Basics So you don't have much if any experience with a SMART Board, but now you have access to a board. Come and learn how to connect the board to your computer, orient the SMART Board, How to use your existing work, and how to create new activites. By the end of this class you will at least feel comfortable navigating the SMART Board, working with the Ink applications, and creating activities in the Smart Notebook software.

The Dirty Dozen - SMARTBoard Tricks The Dirty Dozen Down and dirty tricks for the SMART Board. This session is designed help you organize your workspace to make using your SMARTBoard easier, while giving you tricks and ideas to engage your students in your lessons. Learn about creating reveals using a variety of animations, color changes and tables, and make templates to use in your classroom.

Digital Movie Making in the Classroom Tired of PowerPoints, looking for a new way for your students to showcase their knowledge of your classroom curriculum? Come join us to learn the basics of digital movie making in the classroom. We will be showcasing Pinnacle Studio and Windows Movie Maker software programs. Best practices and pitfalls of digital movie making projects will be discussed along with the opportunity for you to create your own video. There will be equipment for you to utilize during the workshop to gain some familiarity with the software and the process of digital movie making in general. Please come with project ideas in mind.

Virtual Adventures Join us for a 3 hour tour of Virtual Adventures! The Internet is a wonderful resource that enables teachers to take students to places they cannot go in person. Organizations such as museums and art galleries set up online exhibitions that can be easily accessed from classrooms anywhere in the world. Virtual field trips can enhance the content of a lesson by providing an activity that extends students' experiences with a topic by taking them outside of the classroom and into a different environment. The session will be broken into 3 ""stops"" - online virtual field trips, videoconferencing and creating your own virtual adventure. We will begin the session by exploring online virtual field trips and discussing how to integrate these into the classroom. Then we will all experience a virtual field trip via videoconference and learn how to find content for your own classroom. The last ""stop"" will be learning to create your own virtual field trip with Power Point.

Video Production in the Classroom Learn how to incorporate media production into research units and gain step-by-step knowledge of storyboarding, video recording and editing (using Roxio Easy Media). This can be modified to be used in different curriculum areas. This session will also show examples of student work throughout the process of the project as well as the final outcome video that students have created.

Organic Learning for Educators: Avoiding Square Pegs in Round Holes Take your conference experience with you throughout the year, heck, take it throughout your career. We will explore how to to tap the power of Internet applications to meet, collaborate and learn from other educators on anything, anywhere, and at anytime. Developing a learning network provides you with people and places to go to when you have a question, need or are just in search of a new idea or conversation. Participants will tinker with applications (Google, Twitter, Flickr, Skype, online education communities, and more) that immediately help them connect with other educators during the conference and beyond...

1.5 Hour Sessions
Open Lab

Beyond Class Walls with Wikis Come and learn about one of the latest ways to use technology with students. A wiki is a collaborative, easy-to-use web page that many people can edit. You don’t need to learn any complicated software: it’s easy! Students can post their own work to share with family members and others on the web. It’s a great place to post class news, podcasts, conference schedules, links, photos and more. It’s an outstanding resource for home-school communication, and an exciting way to connect with others around the world. We’ll tour a very active third grade wiki, and then you’ll have time to begin to create your own wiki. Energize your new class and yourself with this great resource!

Muddling through Moodle Batavia City Schools began using Moodle to provide online technology staff development in January, 2006 and to expand the walls of the regular classroom. Our presentation will focus on the evolution of professional development within the district, reflecting on the journey our district has taken from providing face-to-face professional development using tool software to the online model of technology integration, and then to its transition into the classroom setting. Currently, Batavia has over 900 Moodle users. Through our local BOCES (Board of Cooperative Educational Services), we created our own Moodle site. This tool allows us to sequentially provide an overview of a topic (or weekly session) along with the files, links and activities to support it, and is currently being utilized by elementary and secondary teachers with students, as well as to deliver professional development. Using actual Batavia Moodle courses, we will demonstrate the breadth of current course offerings, as well as the resources and activities used. We will explore the uses (and potential applications) of Moodle in a classroom setting. Our classroom teachers have used this to provide a tool to expand students thinking and collaboration. Furthermore, we will report on our experiences using this as a communication tool between one of our third grade students spending the month of February in India and his classroom here in Batavia. NOTE: If this session is hands-on, we will create a live course for the presentation allowing participants to individually interact within the program, and to experience the collaborative and communication tools that are part of Moodle. If the class can be hands on with each participant having access to a computer with internet, we would like to present in the 3 hour time allotment, if possible.

Microsoft Publisher: The New Frontier Brochures, Calendars, Webpages, Posters, Business Cards, and Newsletters, come see the versatility of Microsoft Publisher. Explore ways in which Microsoft Publisher can be used in the classroom to support concepts and ideas in your curriculum. We will take you through a tour of the many different publications that are possible and help you draw from students’ creativity.

Google Apps for the Classroom Harnessing the power of Google for your classroom this class will allow participants to learn an overview of Google's own: Blogger, Calendar, Docs, and Custom Search Engine.

Follow Up: Google Classroom This is a follow-up session for anyone that attended the previous Google Applications session and would like guided instruction in the set-up for your own personal applications: Blogger, Calendar, Docs, and Custom Search Engine.

SmartBoard Games and Activities in LOTE The session will have 2 parts:
 * introduction to the interactive games on the SmartBoard and time to create a game for the LOTE classroom
 * useful internet sites to the LOTE teacher that can be incorporated into your daily teaching"

Media Literacy in the Classroom [|Turn ads off - 5/month] Media literacy is the process of accessing, analyzing, evaluating and creating messages in a wide variety of media modes, genres and forms. By using the media and encouraging media literacy in the classroom teachers can better prepare students for life by promoting critical thinking skills, teaching creativity in problem solving and identifying skills that foster self esteem in order to ensure positive relationships. Educators will learn how using the media in the classroom can engage students in real world problem solving in a fun and meaningful way.

VoiceThread Come experience VoiceThread which allows users to combine graphics with text and voice to create a digital story. We will discuss uses for the program in schools and see examples from many content areas. Participants will create their own VoiceThread by the end of the session.

Campus Tech Tour We will tour the Nazareth campus to view what technology our faculty and students have available to them. Stops will include a standard computer lab, a "SmartRoom" instructional space, a multipurpose instructional room with Huddle Boards and Copy Cam, the Library/Media Center and video lab and the ITS Offices and Help Desk.

Language Lab Showcase Nazareth's Emerson Language Lab is providing instructors and students with a variety of language acquisition software. The workshop will showcase the lab's resources and involve attendees in hands-on exploration.

=Thursday, August 6, 2009=

3 Hour Sessions
Virtual Worlds for Education Demonstration Join us for a tour of EDUni-NY, New York State's educational universe of virtual worlds for education. The multi-user 3D virtual environment (MUVE) is a new educational tool that appeals to youth by combining online chat, gaming technology and all the features of the World Wide Web. Virtual worlds engage students who are less motivated in math and science and may positively influence their attitudes about these subjects. This session will feature an introduction to the medium, a tour of worlds and a discussion of the potential as well as complexities of using this technology in the classroom.

Google This! Since Googling has turned into a verb, what have you done with it? We will look at how teachers are using Google products in classrooms with students, and also for professional learning. Do you have a PLN or Personal Learning Network? We will show you how to start by using Google Reader! Do you wish you could collaborate with students or colleagues on a document? We will show you how using Google Docs! Do you wish you could get better search results? We will show you some tips and tricks using Google's search engine! Do you wish that your students would understand their digital footprint? We will show you some resources to provide support for them, and how Google is playing a role!

Teaching Tools on the Internet This session will demonstrate a wide variety of exciting tools for teachers, all available on the Internet at no cost. Attendees will try out the tools, explore the pertinent sites, see demonstrations, and walk away with a CD containing downloads ready for their own use.

Promethean Make and Take This session is designed for beginner and advanced promethean users to create flipcharts for instructional use. Presenters will share some beginner and advanced strategies for creating engaging lessons.

SketchPad With the new Geometry curriculum in New York State, dynamic software must be used. The Geometer's SketchPad is a great tool for demonstrations in class, as well as student exploration. Come to this seminar to learn the basics of SketchPad and similar software.

Microsoft Publisher: the Forgotten Gem Giving your handouts a professional look doesn't mean you need to be a professional designer. Microsoft Publisher is THE MOST UNDERRATED piece of software for educators. Though the learning curve is steep, the payoff is worth it. Wrestling with Word or PowerPoint will be a thing of the past when you start to use Publisher.

1.5 Hour Sessions
Open Lab

Virtual Worlds for Education Workshop Don your avatar to explore EDUni-NY, a 3D virtual world of imagination. The multi-user 3D virtual environment (MUVE) is a new educational tool that appeals to youth by combining online chat, gaming technology and all the features of the World Wide Web. Virtual worlds engage students in constructivist learning experiences in the classroom and in extra-curricular settings. This workshop is intended for those interested in gaining a deeper knowledge of the medium through hands-on building, team projects and discussions.

Technology for Multiply Disabled Students This session will include examples of how students with multiple disabilities use the SMARTBoard along with Boardmaker Plus, Microsoft Word, and the WEB. The session will include a discussion of using access skills, adapting curriculum, and developing communication to enhance and enrich instruction. The target audience is instructors who have students with a wide range of multiple and developmental disabilities.

Trust but Verify - Teaching Students to Evaluate Information on the Internet Teachers will look at a variety of engaging ways by which they can teach students to evaluate information they find on the Web. Methods will include those which can be embedded in nearly any lesson, those which can be presented as a stand-alone learning opportunity, and those which can be a required part of any research or information-based project.

Promethan's New Software Version

Promethean - Containers, Magic Stick & More Learn some quick and easy tricks to enhance your Promethean Flipcharts

Nobody can hide...Engagement with CPS Pre-tests to identify prior knowledge... Concluding class with questions to identify your instructional success on that day... AIS...Discussion starters...Controversial positions... Identifying the status, thoughts, positions of EVERYONE of your students at any given moment is a powerful set of information. Learning our students’ level of comprehension at the conclusion of instruction is a powerful piece of information. Classroom performance systems give us this capability... but the real power of this information is how we choose to use it to shape our instruction. See the power of the CPS and discuss its instructional ramifications.

Building your PLN Using Web 2.0 Tools Attendees will learn about Personal Leaning Networks (PLN) and will be introduced to tools to develop their own PLN. Tools used will include microblogging sites, and social bookmarking sites. Attendees will learn the importance of developing and maintaining their online identities.

Solving problems & creating opportunities [|Turn ads off - 5/month] All too often instructional technology has been pitched to teachers as powerful machines or applications with which they could do more or do better. In some quarters this has led to the perception that instructional technology is just another “add-on” to an already overloaded list of must do’s. We will seek to shift this perception to one where technology is seen as a tool to reduce & streamline the must do’s thus creating the most precious commodity we all seek - Time. Once the rational & evidence for the concept of technology as a problem solver is developed we will explore the opportunities that exist for instruction now that we have additional time available to us. Seeing the power of enhanced communication, collaboration, video & research consistently weaved throughout our classes throughout the year will open even the most reluctant users of technology to its value. And with a little bit of luck they’ll become advocates of the belief that technology is designed to solve problems not create problems.

Social Bookmarking: The Why and How Participants will have the opportunity to come and learn about Delicious a social bookmarking site that allows teachers and students to search share and learn.

Stream Team - Students as Scientists Learn how elementary students used technology tools to collect and analyze scientific data, report findings, communicate and collaborate with others, and participate in a community service project. Information on how to join the project next year with your elementary students will be shared.

Integrating Social Media in Literature Study Come join us as we explore how we use social media including, blogs, podcasts, and wikis to enhance literature book clubs with first and fifth grade students. We will walk you through how we establish a book club based on inferential thinking and meaningful student discussion. See how we integrate blogs and podcasting in a transparent way to expand and build a network of learners, and engage our students in an asynchronous learning environment.

Distance Learning enter the Virtual Classroom Use distance learning as a collaboration tool to bridge your students with, non-traditional learning institutions and other classrooms worldwide to either introduce, continue or culminated a subject/curriculum area. Also learn to share best learning practices with other colleague worldwide.

Effective use, Classroom Performance System How to use the Classroom Performance System to enhance daily learning and assess student understanding.

Discovering the Unit Circle [|Turn ads off - 5/month] Using a self-constructed circle on graph paper (using a given radius) and TI-Nspire technology, students learn to make scatterplots of sin/cos/tan curves. The lesson provides a hands-on (almost science-lab) way of deriving the important function values of a unit circle. It also allows for introduction to the identity tan x = (sin x / cos x).

SMART Airliner SMART Airliner is an inexpensive alternative to the SMART Board. See how an Airliner might be used in your classroom, integrating SMART technology with the freedom of not being tethered to the SMART Board. Learn how to customize the Airliner to meet your needs and your teaching style, and how this hardware can enhance your lessons and your students’ learning experience.

1.5 Hour Sessions
Discovering the Unit Circle Using a self-constructed circle on graph paper (using a given radius) and TI-Nspire technology, students learn to make scatterplots of sin/cos/tan curves. The lesson provides a hands-on (almost science-lab) way of deriving the important function values of a unit circle. It also allows for introduction to the identity tan x = (sin x / cos x).

VoiceThread Come experience VoiceThread which allows users to combine graphics with text and voice to create a digital story. We will discuss uses for the program in schools and see examples from many content areas. Participants will create their own VoiceThread by the end of the session.

Effective use, Classroom Performance System How to use the Classroom Performance System to enhance daily learning and assess student understanding.

Distance Learning enter the Virtual Classroom Use distance learning as a collaboration tool to bridge your students with, non-traditional learning institutions and other classrooms worldwide to either introduce, continue or culminated a subject/curriculum area. Also learn to share best learning practices with other colleague worldwide.

Media Literacy in the Classroom Media literacy is the process of accessing, analyzing, evaluating and creating messages in a wide variety of media modes, genres and forms. By using the media and encouraging media literacy in the classroom teachers can better prepare students for life by promoting critical thinking skills, teaching creativity in problem solving and identifying skills that foster self esteem in order to ensure positive relationships. Educators will learn how using the media in the classroom can engage students in real world problem solving in a fun and meaningful way.

What is Blogging? Have you heard of blogs but don't know what they are? Then this class is for you. Learn what blogs are, ways to use them in your classroom and discuss the ethical issues of blogging.

Intro to DataMentor This session will provide an overview of datamentor. DataMentor is the friendly front door to assessment data and solutions for classroom level teachers. Datamentor allows teachers, administrators, curriculum specialists, and other professionals interested in improvement through the use of data to analyze district assessment scoring results and select from an array of valuable options to target student growth and improvement based on individual or district needs.

SmartBoard Games and Activities in LOTE The session will have 2 parts:
 * introduction to the interactive games on the SmartBoard and time to create a game for the LOTE classroom
 * useful internet sites to the LOTE teacher that can be incorporated into your daily teaching"

Beyond Class Walls with Wikis Come and learn about one of the latest ways to use technology with students. A wiki is a collaborative, easy-to-use web page that many people can edit. You don’t need to learn any complicated software: it’s easy! Students can post their own work to share with family members and others on the web. It’s a great place to post class news, podcasts, conference schedules, links, photos and more. It’s an outstanding resource for home-school communication, and an exciting way to connect with others around the world. We’ll tour a very active third grade wiki, and then you’ll have time to begin to create your own wiki. Energize your new class and yourself with this great resource!

Google Apps for the Classroom Harnessing the power of Google for your classroom this class will allow participants to learn an overview of Google's own: Blogger, Calendar, Docs, and Custom Search Engine.

Follow Up: Google Classroom This is a follow-up session for anyone that attended the previous Google Applications session and would like guided instruction in the set-up for your own personal applications: Blogger, Calendar, Docs, and Custom Search Engine.

Muddling through Moodle Batavia City Schools began using Moodle to provide online technology staff development in January, 2006 and to expand the walls of the regular classroom. Our presentation will focus on the evolution of professional development within the district, reflecting on the journey our district has taken from providing face-to-face professional development using tool software to the online model of technology integration, and then to its transition into the classroom setting. Currently, Batavia has over 900 Moodle users. Through our local BOCES (Board of Cooperative Educational Services), we created our own Moodle site. This tool allows us to sequentially provide an overview of a topic (or weekly session) along with the files, links and activities to support it, and is currently being utilized by elementary and secondary teachers with students, as well as to deliver professional development. Using actual Batavia Moodle courses, we will demonstrate the breadth of current course offerings, as well as the resources and activities used. We will explore the uses (and potential applications) of Moodle in a classroom setting. Our classroom teachers have used this to provide a tool to expand students thinking and collaboration. Furthermore, we will report on our experiences using this as a communication tool between one of our third grade students spending the month of February in India and his classroom here in Batavia. NOTE: If this session is hands-on, we will create a live course for the presentation allowing participants to individually interact within the program, and to experience the collaborative and communication tools that are part of Moodle. If the class can be hands on with each participant having access to a computer with internet, we would like to present in the 3 hour time allotment, if possible.

Do-It-Yourself Technology Tablet PC - $1800... SMARTBoard - $2000... Document Camera - $750... Doing it all yourself – Priceless… Keeping up with emerging technology in the classroom can be very expensive. But it doesn't have to be. During this session, we will explore methods to create reliable and portable technology that can be used in the classroom. Participants will receive plans on how to build a Document Camera, Portable Podium, Interactive Whiteboard, and a make-shift Tablet PC. All projects require a minimal amount of capital and mechanical knowledge.

Campus Tech Tour We will tour the Nazareth campus to view what technology our faculty and students have available to them. Stops will include a standard computer lab, a "SmartRoom" instructional space, a multipurpose instructional room with Huddle Boards and Copy Cam, the Library/Media Center and video lab and the ITS Offices and Help Desk.

LEGO Robotics Participants will learn how fourth graders program robots and bring advanced scientific and engineering principals into focus. Students work on teams to complete challenges. Students journal about their programming knowledge and experiences. Most of this session will be hands-on; participants will be completing LEGO Mindstorms programming challenges.

Building your PLN Using Web 2.0 Tools Attendees will learn about Personal Leaning Networks (PLN) and will be introduced to tools to develop their own PLN. Tools used will include microblogging sites, and social bookmarking sites. Attendees will learn the importance of developing and maintaining their online identities.

Instructional Multimedia Using Safari Montage During this hands-on workshop, educators will learn how to integrate instructional media into curriculum as well as learn explore how content can support curriculum, differentiate, and enrich. In addition, educators will learn about copyright and how it applies to classroom created and educator created content. Part of this workshop will include creating playlists, enhancing searching skills, and evaluating media.

Language Lab Showcase Nazareth's Emerson Language Lab is providing instructors and students with a variety of language acquisition software. The workshop will showcase the lab's resources and involve attendees in hands-on exploration.

Microsoft Publisher: The New Frontier Brochures, Calendars, Webpages, Posters, Business Cards, and Newsletters, come see the versatility of Microsoft Publisher. Explore ways in which Microsoft Publisher can be used in the classroom to support concepts and ideas in your curriculum. We will take you through a tour of the many different publications that are possible and help you draw from students’ creativity.

Screencasting A screencast is a "digital recording of computer screen output, also known as a video screen capture, often containing audio narration." (Wikipedia). Screencasting is a way to demonstrate or model any process that can be displayed on a computer monitor. This session will share ideas for screencasting both curriculum-based concepts as well as more utilitarian computer/software related processes. Participants will use a number of free screencasting tools and have the opportunity to create a screencast of their own.

Technology for Multiply Disabled Students This session will include examples of how students with multiple disabilities use the SMARTBoard along with Boardmaker Plus, Microsoft Word, and the WEB. The session will include a discussion of using access skills, adapting curriculum, and developing communication to enhance and enrich instruction. The target audience is instructors who have students with a wide range of multiple and developmental disabilities.

Trust but Verify - Teaching Students to Evaluate Information on the Internet Teachers will look at a variety of engaging ways by which they can teach students to evaluate information they find on the Web. Methods will include those which can be embedded in nearly any lesson, those which can be presented as a stand-alone learning opportunity, and those which can be a required part of any research or information-based project.

Solving problems & creating opportunities All too often instructional technology has been pitched to teachers as powerful machines or applications with which they could do more or do better. In some quarters this has led to the perception that instructional technology is just another “add-on” to an already overloaded list of must do’s. We will seek to shift this perception to one where technology is seen as a tool to reduce & streamline the must do’s thus creating the most precious commodity we all seek - Time. Once the rational & evidence for the concept of technology as a problem solver is developed we will explore the opportunities that exist for instruction now that we have additional time available to us. Seeing the power of enhanced communication, collaboration, video & research consistently weaved throughout our classes throughout the year will open even the most reluctant users of technology to its value. And with a little bit of luck they’ll become advocates of the belief that technology is designed to solve problems not create problems.

Nobody can hide...Engagement with CPS Pre-tests to identify prior knowledge... Concluding class with questions to identify your instructional success on that day... AIS...Discussion starters...Controversial positions... Identifying the status, thoughts, positions of EVERYONE of your students at any given moment is a powerful set of information. Learning our students’ level of comprehension at the conclusion of instruction is a powerful piece of information. Classroom performance systems give us this capability... but the real power of this information is how we choose to use it to shape our instruction. See the power of the CPS and discuss its instructional ramifications.

To Thinkfinity...and Beyond!! During this hands-on workshop, we will explore content specific to you grade level or content area! There is something for everyone! At Thinkfinity.org, you'll find searchable primary source materials, interactive student resources and grade-specific research lists to help you tailor materials to meet your needs. And it's FREE! Thinkfinity is not just about the free resources, but also how to integrate the content into your curriculum. We will spend time figuring out how the resources fit into the classrooms of each participant. Thinkfinity draws upon the strength of our content partners, who produce a wealth of discipline-specific, standards-based educational resources. They are:
 * American Association for the Advancement of Science
 * International Reading Association
 * National Center for Family Literacy
 * National Council on Economic Education
 * National Council of Teachers of English
 * National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
 * National Endowment for the Humanities
 * National Geographic Society
 * ProLiteracy Worldwide
 * Smithsonian National Museum of American History
 * The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

Google Apps for Education-A Trial Run Our school adopted Google Apps for Education for the 2008-09 school year. This session will describe this journey toward adoption and things learned along the way. Student work using Google Sites and some other examples will be shared. Students used Google to create e-Portfolios for their Senior Projects. We will brainstorm additional uses for Google Apps focusing on the collaboration and anytime/anywhere advantages of computing in the "cloud." Activities using Google Apps will be planned.

Integrating Social Media in Literature Study Come join us as we explore how we use social media including, blogs, podcasts, and wikis to enhance literature book clubs with first and fifth grade students. We will walk you through how we establish a book club based on inferential thinking and meaningful student discussion. See how we integrate blogs and podcasting in a transparent way to expand and build a network of learners, and engage our students in an asynchronous learning environment.

Social Bookmarking: The Why and How Participants will have the opportunity to come and learn about Delicious a social bookmarking site that allows teachers and students to search share and learn.

SMART Airliner SMART Airliner is an inexpensive alternative to the SMART Board. See how an Airliner might be used in your classroom, integrating SMART technology with the freedom of not being tethered to the SMART Board. Learn how to customize the Airliner to meet your needs and your teaching style, and how this hardware can enhance your lessons and your students’ learning experience.

Virtual Worlds for Education Demonstration Join us for a tour of EDUni-NY, New York State's educational universe of virtual worlds for education. The multi-user 3D virtual environment (MUVE) is a new educational tool that appeals to youth by combining online chat, gaming technology and all the features of the World Wide Web. Virtual worlds engage students who are less motivated in math and science and may positively influence their attitudes about these subjects. This session will feature an introduction to the medium, a tour of worlds and a discussion of the potential as well as complexities of using this technology in the classroom.

Tablet PCs - Explore the World of Education! THERE IS NO BETTER PIECE OF TECHNOLOGY FOR THE CLASSROOM THAN A TABLET PC!!! Come see what the buzz is about - a panel of Tablet PC users from different disciplines will demonstrate how they use their Tablet PC in the classroom. They will change the way you teach! Encapsulated technology, portable technology and effective technology are all part of the Tablet PC. Math Vocabulary Strategies Participants will learn vocabulary development strategies and write activities for their own classrooms based on the models presented. Models include bubblegrams, the Frayer model and semantic feature analyses. The presentation will use Smartboard technologies."

Promethean - Containers, Magic Stick & More Learn some quick and easy tricks to enhance your Promethean Flipcharts

Stream Team - Students as Scientists Learn how elementary students used technology tools to collect and analyze scientific data, report findings, communicate and collaborate with others, and participate in a community service project. Information on how to join the project next year with your elementary students will be shared.

**3 Hour Sessions**
Get Podcasting Now Fire up your writing instruction by using podcasting as a publishing option, or an instructional delivery tool for older students. *IF* you have easy access to macs in your building, you will be amazed at how easy it is to do. Children are capable of recording their own pieces, revealing their fluency and writing skills to their friends and family. Pinky swear, this is a practical workshop where a 16 year teacher reveals how she is podcasting NOW with 1st-3rd graders. Easily applicable to older grades. This workshop assumes basic computer skills and comfort levels, PC users welcome.

Kajour - The Online Classroom Extension Dave Miller and Jeanne VanVoorst will present Kajour, The Online Extension to Your Classroom. Kajour is a Web 2.0 website that merges the worlds of social networking with online content management. In this session, you will see how Kajour engages both students and teachers by capturing all voices, including the voices of quiet students, how Kajour captures an extra 45 minutes to an hour per day of your students' time, and how Kajour is safe and doesn't require you to police your students' online conversations. We'll also show how easy it is to set up and maintain as well as numerous real online experiences with students across the 2008-2009 academic year. Experience how to connect with other teachers and students anywhere in the world using Kajour and its built in blogging/wiki/forum technologies, chat, and powerful and fun-to-use assessment tools. Session focus will be on ELA, Social Studies, and Family & Consumer Sciences but is applicable across the curriculum. Kajour is also being used successfully in LOTE, Math, Science, and Health classes.

The Dirty Dozen - SMARTBoard Tricks The Dirty Dozen Down and dirty tricks for the SMART Board. This session is designed help you organize your workspace to make using your SMARTBoard easier, while giving you tricks and ideas to engage your students in your lessons. Learn about creating reveals using a variety of animations, color changes and tables, and make templates to use in your classroom.

Video Production in the Classroom Learn how to incorporate media production into research units and gain step-by-step knowledge of storyboarding, video recording and editing (using Roxio Easy Media). This can be modified to be used in different curriculum areas. This session will also show examples of student work throughout the process of the project as well as the final outcome video that students have created.

Create a Blog By the end of this session you will have your own blog up and running! We will teach you how to create a title banner, upload images and add posts. Please bring any material you'd like to have on your blog. We will be using Adobe Photoshop to create banners and edit images.

Primary Math Fun Using Promethean Technology During the first half of the session, participants will learn how to use math tools in ActivPrimary and ActivProfessional. They will learn how to create fun, interactive flipcharts that teach and reinforce primary math concepts. Participants will also view Resource Packs from Promethean Planet. Interactive websites will be shared among the primary teachers. The remainder of the session will be a make and take, allowing teachers to use these ideas to create exciting classroom flipcharts. Time will be provided for teachers to plan interactive lessons that will enhance the math curriculum. Participants must bring their own laptops with Promethean software.

Datamentor: The gateway to informed instruction The DataMentor program is a data analysis web-based tool that seamlessly moves data to instruction. This session is designed for participants to be able to work directly hands on with the instructional analysis resources from start to finish. This 3 hour session will take educators through the process of analyzing district assessment scoring results and select from an array of valuable options to target student growth and improvement based on individual or district needs. A session not to be missed!

Digital Movie Making in the Classroom Tired of PowerPoints, looking for a new way for your students to showcase their knowledge of your classroom curriculum? Come join us to learn the basics of digital movie making in the classroom. We will be showcasing Pinnacle Studio and Windows Movie Maker software programs. Best practices and pitfalls of digital movie making projects will be discussed along with the opportunity for you to create your own video. There will be equipment for you to utilize during the workshop to gain some familiarity with the software and the process of digital movie making in general. Please come with project ideas in mind.

Virtual Adventures Join us for a 3 hour tour of Virtual Adventures! The Internet is a wonderful resource that enables teachers to take students to places they cannot go in person. Organizations such as museums and art galleries set up online exhibitions that can be easily accessed from classrooms anywhere in the world. Virtual field trips can enhance the content of a lesson by providing an activity that extends students' experiences with a topic by taking them outside of the classroom and into a different environment. The session will be broken into 3 ""stops"" - online virtual field trips, videoconferencing and creating your own virtual adventure. We will begin the session by exploring online virtual field trips and discussing how to integrate these into the classroom. Then we will all experience a virtual field trip via videoconference and learn how to find content for your own classroom. The last ""stop"" will be learning to create your own virtual field trip with Power Point.

Teaching Tools on the Internet This session will demonstrate a wide variety of exciting tools for teachers, all available on the Internet at no cost. Attendees will try out the tools, explore the pertinent sites, see demonstrations, and walk away with a CD containing downloads ready for their own use.

What are your students really thinking? Research shows using graphing calculators with the TI-Navigator system increases student engagement and improves student performance. This student response system provides both teachers and students with constant feedback during classroom activities. Two high school math teachers will share their experiences and classroom activities.

Google This! Since Googling has turned into a verb, what have you done with it? We will look at how teachers are using Google products in classrooms with students, and also for professional learning. Do you have a PLN or Personal Learning Network? We will show you how to start by using Google Reader! Do you wish you could collaborate with students or colleagues on a document? We will show you how using Google Docs! Do you wish you could get better search results? We will show you some tips and tricks using Google's search engine! Do you wish that your students would understand their digital footprint? We will show you some resources to provide support for them, and how Google is playing a role!

Promethean Make and Take This session is designed for beginner and advanced promethean users to create flipcharts for instructional use. Presenters will share some beginner and advanced strategies for creating engaging lessons.

Smartboards: The Basics So you don't have much if any experience with a SMART Board, but now you have access to a board. Come and learn how to connect the board to your computer, orient the SMART Board, How to use your existing work, and how to create new activites. By the end of this class you will at least feel comfortable navigating the SMART Board, working with the Ink applications, and creating activities in the Smart Notebook software.

SketchPad With the new Geometry curriculum in New York State, dynamic software must be used. The Geometer's SketchPad is a great tool for demonstrations in class, as well as student exploration. Come to this seminar to learn the basics of SketchPad and similar software.

Microsoft Publisher: the Forgotten Gem Giving your handouts a professional look doesn't mean you need to be a professional designer. Microsoft Publisher is THE MOST UNDERRATED piece of software for educators. Though the learning curve is steep, the payoff is worth it. Wrestling with Word or PowerPoint will be a thing of the past when you start to use Publisher.

Virtual Worlds for Education Workshop Don your avatar to explore EDUni-NY, a 3D virtual world of imagination. The multi-user 3D virtual environment (MUVE) is a new educational tool that appeals to youth by combining online chat, gaming technology and all the features of the World Wide Web. Virtual worlds engage students in constructivist learning experiences in the classroom and in extra-curricular settings. This workshop is intended for those interested in gaining a deeper knowledge of the medium through hands-on building, team projects and discussions.

Avoiding Square Pegs in Round Holes: Organic Learning for Educators For educators, traditional professional development often ends in disappointment or fails to meet individual needs. Now, more than ever, possibilities exist to create and develop organic and personalized professional learning experiences. This interactive session will explore and demonstrate practical solutions for building and sustaining valuable personalized learning networks. Participants will experience connecting with others via solutions such as blogs, wikis, and common social networking sites that boost professional learning and easily translate to improved instructional practice.

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