September 15, 2008. by Keith Schroeder.

I’m a David Macaulay fan from way back!  Now you can join the MacArthur fellow and Caldecott medalist in a live Webcast.  David Macaulay is hosting a live Webcast on October 7 at 9:00 a.m. and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is inviting you to participate.

Macaulay’s publisher is asking teachers, librarians, booksellers, and reading groups to log on to this live Webcast to hear him talk to middle school students about his new book on the human body, The Way We Work: Getting to Know the Amazing Human Body which is available that day!

Attendees can email questions for him to answer in real time. Macaulay will also discuss how he creates his books, his career, and other popular titles including The New Way Things Work, Mosque, Cathedral, and Black and White.  Here is a direct link to the webcast:  http://www.visualwebcaster.com/event.asp?id=49504

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September 13, 2008. by Keith Schroeder.

If you haven’t ever participated in the K-12 Online Conference, you should. Start spreading the news to your staff and leave some professional development time open during the K12 online conference October 20-24 and 27-31!  There is a flier available for download in PDF format.

There are many great keynoters.  But the best thing about the K12 online conference is made up of people just like you and me!  So, if you’ve been lurking in the fringes wondering if all of this “stuff” is for you and your classroom — I challenge you –  read / listen to ONE session — participate in ONE conversation. I know you’ll be impressed. The other feature that I haven’t even talked about yet, is that it is FREE - YES FREE.  Where else could you hear such great keynote speakers for free.  What have you got to lose?

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September 6, 2008. by Keith Schroeder.

Our WEMTA Wired Wednesdays are getting started for this school year.  The first one is delivered by Sylvia Martinez.

Turning Obstacles into Opportunities:

Technology Professional Development That Works

Forty years after the invention of the personal computer, schools still find themselves begging teachers to introduce technology into classrooms. Conventional wisdom attributes the lack of effective technology use in classrooms to a shortage of, or poorly run professional development. At the same time, student-centered learning environments require teachers to develop more expertise not only in technology but also in pedagogy. Rather than continue to do more of the same, we should question assumptions and explore new models of teacher learning that address these issues.

About WEMTA Wired Wednesdays:  WEMTA Wired Wednesdays are free trainings offered to all WEMTA members.  Registration for attending the training can be found below. The webinars are held via Go-To-Webinar.  You will need a computer with an internet connection and speakers.  The video and audio are steamed to your desktop via the Go-To-Webinar website.  Other webinars scheduled this year include: Vicki Davis – “Cool Cat Teacher”, Kim Cofino 21st Century Literacy Specialist at the International School of Bangkok, COLAND Report, CCBC Books, Public Relations and Advocacy, Share Shop, copyright, and others as suggested by you.

More about Sylvia:

Sylvia Martinez is president of Generation YES. She has a varied background in both educational and consumer software and games, with expertise along the way in design and development of online environments that encourage learning and communication.  She is a veteran of interactive entertainment and educational software industries, with over a decade of design and publishing experience.  Prior to joining Generation YES, Sylvia oversaw product development, design and programming as Vice President of Development for Encore Software, a publisher of game and educational software on PC, Internet and console platforms. Sylvia was also involved in the company’s Internet initiatives, including Math.com, the award-winning web site that provides math help to students worldwide.  For seven previous years, Sylvia was an executive producer at Davidson & Associates/Knowledge Adventure, a leading educational software developer. She designed, developed and launched dozens of software titles including Math Blaster: Algebra, Math Blaster: Geometry and Maurice Ashley Teaches Chess. In addition, she was responsible for Educast - the first Internet service for teachers that provided teachers with free news, information and classroom resources.  Prior to joining Davidson & Associates, Martinez spent six years at Magnavox Research Labs, where she developed high-frequency receiver systems and navigation software for GPS satellites. Sylvia has been a featured speaker at national education technology conferences in areas ranging from the use of the Internet in schools, Web 2.0 technologies, student leadership, project-based and inquiry-based learning with technology and gender issues in science, math, engineering and technology (STEM) education.  She holds a Master’s in Educational Technology from Pepperdine University, and a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles.  Here is a link to her blog: 

http://blog.genyes.com/index.php/2008/06/04/wow-20-podcast-online

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September 2, 2008. by Keith Schroeder.

Happy Labor Day to all of you.  I always find it ironic that on a day when everyone else is relaxing and celebrating Labor Day, most teachers are hard at work in their classrooms.  It takes a lot to get ready for a new school year!

I’m sure that most of you are aware of Animoto by now, but what you might not be aware of is the free account they have for educators. http://education.animoto.com/ It allows you to create an unlimited number of projects!  The folks at Animoto will email you a code that your students can use to create their accounts.  They have to be 13 and they have a few other stipulations (like they expire in six months unless you email them and ask them to extend it) but overall it’s a great opportunity for educators.

If you don’t know about Animoto, let me explain briefly what it is.  Animoto allows anyone to easily create fast paced videos via the Internet.  You upload pictures, then select music from their great selection or upload your own royalty-free music.  Animoto does the rest.  Within a few minutes, they put it all together in a fast paced, New York style presentation.  You can then share it with anyone via your website, Youtube, or any one of a number of other web2.0 tools.  The potential for use within the educational seeting is limitless.  They have great case studies on their website at http://education.animoto.com/casestudies.html#top  Log in and give it a try!

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