Bio: Scott, a graduate of Bowling Green State University (Ohio) with a B.S.
in Education, has been teaching for 15 years. A member of the English
Department at Cedar Cliff High School, Camp Hill, PA, USA, Scott
teaches Theater, American Literature, and AP Language and Composition.
Presentation Description: Backchanneling, traditionally an online discussion running alongside a
live presentation, is a way to engage all students in classroom
activities, including students who are normally non-participants.
Issues and student needs that lead me to the technique, the educational
relevance of the process, backchanneling services (including
possibilities and limitations of several), and example activities will
all be addressed in this presentation.
Bio: Jennifer Wagner: Online Project Coordinator since 1999 of over 50 projects involving over 350,000 students. She makes participating in projects seem easy for elementary teachers of all ages. Jen currently works as an IT/Help Desk at a private K12 school in California. She is also the founder of Women of Web 2 and enjoys traveling to schools and conferences to share her passion for internet tools.
Kim Cofino: Born in the US, Kim has been teaching overseas for 9 years. She is currently the 21st Century Literacy Specialist at the International School Bangkok, linking technology and the library by helping teachers utilize web 2.0 tools in the classroom. Kim works with teachers worldwide on projects that authentically engage students, creating effective 21st century learners, collaborators and creators.
Presentation Description: Globally collaborative projects are an exciting way to engage your students in authentic learning across continents. Combining a variety of web 2.0 tools can remove the barriers of time and distance to connect your class internationally. Learning to collaborate in an online and inter-cultural environment will clearly be a critical skill for their future. Learn how to develop a successful global collaboration and participate in a real time project with Kim and Jennifer! Although aimed at elementary school, teachers of all levels will find inspiration and practical ideas throughout this video!
Bio: Aimee is a high school media specialist in Goodland, Kansas and has worked with children in Kindergarten through high school on media and technology skills. She is a Discovery Educator and is a member of her district’s Lead Tech Team. Tanya Gray is a junior high math teacher in Goodland, Kansas. She also co-teaches a class called 21st Century Skills to seniors at Goodland High School with Aimee Stoffel. Tanya and Aimee’s 21C students were involved in the Horizon Project last year and are currently taking part in the Flat Classroom Project. Tanya is a Discovery Educator and the chairperson of the Kansas DEN leadership team. Tanya is also a member of the MACE (Mid-America Computers in Education) board in her state. She is a member of her district’s Lead Tech Team. Bio Page:http://k12online08presenters.wikispaces.com/Aimee+Stoffel
Presentation Title: Pushing the Limits: Web 2.0 and 21st Century Learning Description: Tanya and Aimee have launched a pilot program that would put laptops and Web 2.0 technologies in the hands and minds of seniors in our rural Kansas high school. This presentation will discuss the layout of the class setup and background work needed for implementation, communicate the struggles and successes encountered and show examples of student work. Together we will provide educators with an in-depth glimpse of the possibilities that are out there for 21st century teaching and learning. The participants will go away with a wealth of knowledge of different Web 2.0 applications and how to use them in classroom instruction. The participants will see the layout of the class, hear pros and cons of the experience, and gather ideas for “amplifying possibilities” for technology use in their own classrooms. should be considered.
Bio: Louise Maine is a biology teacher and a site reviewer for TeachersFirst. She was featured in Edutopia magazine on use of wikis (August/September 2008). Her conference presentations include class wiki use at the One-to-one Conference at Penn State University in April 2008, and featured as a model teacher by the State of PA for the Classrooms for the future coaches bootcamp, October 2008. Bio Page:http://k12online08presenters.wikispaces.com/Louise+Maine
Presentation Title: Overcoming Entropy Description: In Science, entropy is the course of events towards disorder of a system. In new ideas or models, early adopters have the spirit and the energy of innovative ideas. This is the case with 21st century skills. In order to continue innovation and change the course of education, the momentum of change needs to overcome entropy. Reflection of lessons learned in creating change has brought to light successful and unsuccessful ways to balance energy and entropy as well as several barriers and thoughts that should be considered.
Bio: Lisa Parisi is a classroom teacher of 20+ years who still feels excitement each time she walks into her classroom. While she loves working with children, she also enjoys providing staff development everywhere she can. She teaches classes through the district teacher center and through local colleges, streaming them every chance she gets. She also co-hosts two EdTechTalk shows, one called Teachers are Talking and one called Conversations.
Presentation Description: A project-based learning (PBL) classroom is an ideal environment for preparing 21st century students for their future. This type of classroom provides students the opportunity to engage in learning, using their creativity to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of curriculum. Learn how to create and manage a PBL classroom, while still maintaining your sanity.
Bio:Beth is a school based occupational therapist at Hosmer School in Watertown, MA. She has worked in the field of pediatrics for 30 years in a variety of settings. As an OT, she brings a unique perspective to the lives of students, focusing on participation across the school day. Technology is an essential tool in her therapy bag as she helps diverse learners function independently and feel success.
Presentation Description: Because OTs have a knack for adapting items to meet the needs of their clients, they are similar to MacGyver who is known for his innovative use of common objects. In our busy world, it is handy to have a simple and flexible tool “at the ready”. This presentation will help us develop MacGyver-like ingenuity as we change disabilities to possibilities, using one free online tool. Did I mention Universal Design for Learning? Using these principles, we will see examples of how to offer multiple means of representation, expression and engagement when addressing the needs of our diverse learners.
Bio: Scott McLeod, J.D., Ph.D., is an Associate Professor and Coordinator of the Educational Administration Program at Iowa State University. He also is the Director of the UCEA Center for the Advanced Study of Technology Leadership in Education (CASTLE), the nation’s only center dedicated to the technology needs of school administrators. Bio page:http://k12online08presenters.wikispaces.com/Scott+McLeod
Presentation Title: Current leadership models are inadequate for disruptive innovations Description: In this 20-minute voice-narrated PowerPoint (Presentation Zen style) Dr. McLeod reflects upon key concepts from Dr. Clayton Christensen’s work regarding disruptive innovation. The presentation draws primarily from two of Dr. Christensen’s books, The Innovator’s Dilemma and Disrupting Class, and focuses on the different ways of thinking that are now mandatory if school leaders are to successfully navigate their organizations in transition to the 21st century. Key points from other leadership models also make their way into the presentation.
Leading the Change Beyond the Stacks: Using Emerging Technologies to Strengthen Teacher-librarian Leadership
Donna Desroches and Carlene Walter, the Disruptive Innovators, were the 2008 recipients of the Canadian Library Association; Angela Thacker Memorial Award for their contributions to the field of teacher-librarianship.
Bio: Donna DesRoches is the Learning Resources Consultant for the Living Sky School Division in Saskatchewan. A former teacher librarian, she applies her knowledge of ways to find, share, and use information when working with teachers in exciting and innovative inquiry-based technology projects. Bio Page: http://k12online08presenters.wikispaces.com/Donna+DesRoches
Bio: Carlene Walter is a Learning Support Facilitator with the Prairie Spirit School Division in Saskatchewan. In 2008, Carlene was awarded the SSLA’s John G. Wright Award for recognition of her contributions to school library service. She is passionate about creating opportunities for teacher-librarians to fulfill their role as informational specialists, instructional partners, and literacy leaders. Bio Page: http://k12online08presenters.wikispaces.com/Carlene+Walter
Presentation Title: Beyond the Stacks: Using Emerging Technologies to Strengthen Teacher-librarian Leadership Description: Donna DesRoches and Carlene Walter, collectively known as the Disruptive Innovators, present their framework for professional learning and mentorship for teacher-librarians demonstrating how new technologies can be used to creating meaningful online learning opportunities. Within the context of the framework, they will illustrate the importance of redefining, reshaping, and readvocating the role of the teacher-librarian in order to:
Define the information literate teacher-librarian
Examine how emerging technologies are creating a need to re-define our roles
Identify new learning needs
Present the Disruptive Innovators online workshop, Meet the Stars.
Bio:Vicki Davis is a teacher and the IT director at Westwood Schools in Camilla, Georgia, Vicki blogs at the award winning Cool Cat Teacher blog which has been an edublog award finalist for Best Teacher blog for the last two years and is currently ranked the top teacher blog in the world according to Technorati. Vicki is a Google Certified Teacher and Discovery S.T.A.R. Educator and is a freelance writer and conference presenter.
Julie Lindsay, currently Head of Information Technology and E-Learning at Qatar Academy, Doha, Qatar, is an enthusiastic, global-minded education leader and innovator. Originally from Melbourne, Australia over the past 10 years she has been teaching and leading the use of technology in schools in Zambia, Kuwait, Bangladesh and Qatar.
Vicki and Julie are co-founders of three international projects, the Flat Classroom project (winner of ISTE SIGTel Online Learning Award 2007, and Taking IT Global Best ONline Learning Project 2007, and featured in The World is Flat, by Thomas Friedman), the Horizon project, and Digiteen. These projects have linked more than 500 students from over 10 countries in collaborative projects harnessing the most powerful Web 2.0 tools available.
Presentation Description: How do you measure up? How do yougrow from month to month and year to year in a tough profession that often lives in the tyranny of the urgent? This presentation explores ‘food for thought’ background and issues to do with growing and succeeding in a flattened educational environment and encourages you to pick several areas for improvement this year.It also offers tips for carving out “time to think”, and the development of mentorship and the grassroots movement of educators and how you can “join in.” Educators around the world can set your goals for improvement and share what they are doing this year to kick it up a notch and grow as well.
Bio: Chris is the founding principal of the Science Leadership Academy, a progressive science and technology high school in Philadelphia, PA. Currently, Chris is a finalist for the Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development’s 2008 Outstanding Young Educator Award. In 2006, the National School Board Association named Chris one of “20 to Watch” among American administrators. Bio Page: http://k12online08presenters.wikispaces.com/Chris+Lehmann
Presentation Title: The Voices of School 2.0: School Reform as described by the words and images of the people of the Science Leadership Academy Description: Leading change can only happen when others believe in and then live the change leaders suggest. Listen to the voices of the students and teachers of the Science Leadership Academy through the lens of progressive, 21st Century school change.
