School’s Out! Tips to Avoid the Inevitable Phrase . . . ”I’m bored.” by Dr. Tisha Admire Duncan

Dr. Tisha Admire Duncan, Meredith College

Tisha is an Assistant Professor of Education at Meredith College in Raleigh, North Carolina.  She teaches undergraduate and graduate students in the areas of pre-service teacher education, literacy instruction, and academically and/or intellectually gifted education.  She is also a former classroom teacher, gifted resource specialist, and professional development coordinator for early childhood programs. She earned her doctorate in curriculum and instruction from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and currently serves as a member and secretary on the Board of Directors for the North Carolina Association for the Gifted and Talented

 

School’s Out! Tips to Avoid the Inevitable Phrase . . . ”I’m bored.” 

The year has come to a close and celebrations are beginning. The test scores are in, grades are complete, and summer has finally arrived! So how do we help children stay engaged until the start of a new school year and avoid the “summer slump”? Integrate the technology they crave and love!

• Search - Host a digital scavenger hunt. Create a list of 25 items that your children must locate and photograph either indoors or outdoors.  Remember to include abstract objects and/or words (i.e. hope, joy, love, summer) to encourage their creativity and critical thinking. Then taking those photographs, children can create a slideshow with music or edit and transform the photos using the software Instagram. If they enjoy the task, then encourage them to design a digital scavenger hunt for family and friends to follow.

• Read - The parting words from the teacher on the last of school will be “Don’t forget to read every night!” Don’t have time to load everyone up and head over to the public library? No problem! Kindle has made digital books accessible and free for multiple devices. Simply visit your local library’s webpage or Amazon for more details.  Many are offering the ability to check out books for your Kindle just as if you were there in person. You’ll just need to have your library card. Another great resource for reading is Audible.com. You’ll be able to listen to books and follow along after downloading your selections. Perhaps you have a reader who isn’t interested in books? Then help them find their favorite magazine, blog, or news outlet and subscribe to the daily feed. The goal is to make reading a part of their everyday activity, just like brushing their teeth, so allow some freedom in the method.

• Play - There are literally thousands of apps available for download with more and more being developed each day. So how do you choose? Fun Educational Apps posts reviews of some of their favorite apps. Take some time to peruse the list with your child to see what piques his/her interest before purchasing and downloading. Know what apps are available and allow your child input on the selection.

• Create - Using the video feature on your phone or tablet, develop the skills of the future film directors and budding actors and actresses in your life. Children can write the script, create the props, act out the scenes, edit the clips, and then upload to YouTube to share with their family and friends. Host an “Opening Night” event where they can show off their work and receive feedback.  If several films are created, then feel free to roll out the red carpet for an awards show at the end of the summer. 

• Write - There are numerous ways to engage children in writing without using paper and pencil and you may find that your children are already familiar with them. Consider setting up a Blog, Glogster, or Wiki account to provide an outlet for writing about their summer adventures. The beauty of journaling is that it is simply a reflection with no minimum number of words or specific topic. However, you could discuss various ideas with your children on their areas of interest and set aside a daily, weekly, or monthly time for focusing on reflection and writing. Additionally, many of these resources also provide outlets for expression by uploading pictures or clip art and changing wild colors with crazy fonts.

I often hear complaints about how much time children spend playing video games or chatting with their friends on various social media sites. My response to these complaints is simple: Teach children how to use the device in a way that enhances their lives. Find ways to incorporate new ideas into an old way of thinking. Take an interest in what they want to do and together find a way to make the technology work for you both! 

Mad about Maps

Ok, I will admit it. I LOVE maps. There is something so comforting about being able to locate where you are on the face of the Earth and where you are in relation to any number of other people, places, or things. There has always been something very satisfying about holding a Rand McNally Road Atlas. In my mind, it feels like POTENTIAL. Maps represent a collection of all of the adventures one has had as well as the lifetime of adventures that lie ahead.

It is fascinating to me that we live in an age where technology has made it is almost impossible to ever be lost. Whenever, I am traveling to a new place, I am always grateful for GPS technology. While many may say that GPS and other mapping technologies are limiting our sense of exploration, I feel quite the contrary. I think that in many ways I am more adventurous and independent because I do not have to rely on others for directions. I am more willing to strike out on a personal adventure by knowing that I can always find my way back home. The purpose of this blog post is not to talk about how awesome GPS is, but to share some of my current favorite map resources.

MAPPING WITH GOOGLE - https://mapping.withgoogle.com

When it comes to online maps, I think that Google really does it best, but then I just really LOVE Google. Well, most of the time…. I was excited to learn that they will be conducting a FREE two week self-paced, online course for educators beginning next week on JUNE 10th entitled MAPPING WITH GOOGLE. This is one of their ways to showcase the NEW version of Google Maps that is being released and to provide some ideas of how you might go about integrating Google Maps and Earth into your instruction. Google is also offering a certificates of completion if you choose to complete a project in Google Maps, Google Earth, or both.

One of my favorite features in Google Maps has to be the Street View feature. I can only imagine how awesome it must be to drive one of these cars. In the years that this feature has been available, it has quickly progressed from highlighting a handful of major U.S. cities to covering most of North America and Europe as well as an ever increasing number of countries around the world. Two separate projects that have come out of this initiative are particularly interesting. The WORLD WONDERS PROJECT is a collection of many wonders, sites, and treasures that are not necessarily able to be viewed from the luxury of the Google Car. Thanks to Street View, you can take your students into the GRAND CANYON without riding a mule or a backpack, or you can walk around the grounds of the PALACE OF VERSAILLES.

THE GOOGLE ART PROJECT brings Street View technology into well over 100 museums from around the world allowing you to have the “feeling” of walking around some of the greatest galleries in the world. Perhaps the best part of this collection are the works of art that in ULTRA high resolution allowing viewers to zoom in closer than you would be able to in person. For example, here we can get a completely new perspective of Munch’s 1910 masterpiece, The Scream. 

GeoGuessr – Let’s Explore the World! – http://geoguessr.com/ 

But what would happen if we took Google Street View and then tried to turn it into a game? What you would have would be my current favorite Internet distraction: GeoGuessr. There are five Street Views randomly selected from locations around the world. The goal is for you to guess where in the world this could be. You are able to search your surroundings picking up context clues from the landscapes and city views, road signs, types of cars, etc. At the end of each round, you are awarded points based upon how close you were to the actual location. At the end of the five rounds, you can see all of the places in relation to your guesses, and a unique URL is created allowing you to challenge your friends to beat your score. CLICK HERE TO ACCEPT MY GEOGUESSR CHALLENGE. As you and your students play GeoGuessr, I could see some rather interesting and potentially high level discussions happening regarding strategies used and tips for finding yourself should you ever be randomly transported somewhere on the face of the Earth.

While it is one thing to be a consumer of maps information, I think that the REAL FUN and LEARNING with this tool comes from the companion site, GeoSettr - http://www.geosettr.com/
With this site, you are able to create your own GeoGuessr challenge by choosing five locations from Google Street View. I could see students creating a game based upon local landmarks, state history, or famous locations around the country or around the world. If you have students create any games using GeoSettr, please feel free to share them with the group.

Brian Housand, PhD

http://brianhousand.com

Harnessing the Power of Social Media to Advocate for Gifted Education by April Coleman

Dr. April Coleman, Assistant Professor of Education

Mississippi University for Women

 

April is a former elementary gifted specialist who currently teaches in the gifted studies and elementary education programs at MUW.  She earned her Ph.D. from The University of Alabama in special/gifted education, with a minor in instructional technology.  She is passionate about meaningful student-centered technology usage, differentiated instruction, special schools for gifted students, and service-learning.  She enjoys engaging her students in blogging and has recently started her own blog: www.edoutsidethebox.com.

Harnessing the Power of Social Media to Advocate for Gifted Education

“I’ll direct message you.”  “Your status update made me LOL (laugh out loud)!”  “ I loved the vacation pictures you posted on Facebook!”  “Follow us on Twitter and Facebook to receive a discount on your next purchase.” 

Whether or not we like it or have chosen to join the online bandwagon, social media has become an integral part of our lives and culture in the 21^st century.  While the majority of people use social media strictly for “social” reasons – to connect and communicate with friends and family through – many are using online communities in powerful professional ways.  Gaining knowledge, connecting with strangers who share common interests, and promoting causes are some of the many benefits of building an online PLN (professional learning network). 

Gifted educators and parents often feel alone in their efforts to learn about and promote optimal services for the unique needs of our gifted and talented learners.  Over the past two years, I have seen social media build bridges and move seeming mountains in the field of gifted education.  Here are a few ways modern administrators, educators, parents, and advocates can harness the power of social media for the greater good of our gifted students:

• Join a PLN – In basic terms, a PLN is a set of people with shared professional interests who you “follow” on Twitter and/or Facebook.  While you may know some members of your PLN personally, many you will only interact with in a virtual environment.  Once you are “friends/followers,” you are able to view updates they post, often containing web links to informational articles and videos.  If you like what you see, you can choose to “retweet” (Twitter) or “share” (Facebook) this information out to your followers.  You can also contribute to the professional knowledge of your PLN by posting updates of your own, although this is not a requirement.  You control who you follow and how often you read your newsfeed.  Through your account privacy settings, you can also control who follows you.  The experience is similar to professional learning that occurs during a conference, although it is ongoing and more personalized.  Read more here about building a PLN.
• Participate in Twitter chats -  Various groups host weekly online “chats” through Twitter.  A chat is an open discussion where anyone online at the time can post “tweets” (messages of 140 or fewer characters) in response to a question posed by a moderator.  One of the most popular chats for gifted education is #gtchat, and you can read more about it here.
• Create or join a local/state gifted ed Facebook group – Last year, Audrey Fine, the president of Alabama’s state gifted association, created a Facebook group to serve as a forum for discussions about gifted education services for educators and parents across the state.  This online community has had tremendous effects in bringing people together across time and space to advocate for improved services and funding for gifted education services, a formerly unfunded mandate in the state.  Mississippi recently created a similar group, and many other states and districts are following suit.  Do some searching, and if none exist in your area, create one yourself!
• Tweet your way to the top!  Alabama gifted education leaders, teachers, parents, and students utilized social media in creative ways to aid in gaining funding for gifted services.  Through a planned Twitter “blitz,” individuals with Twitter accounts sent multiple tweets – and retweeted each others’ tweets – to the attention of the Twitter accounts held by the governor and state legislators and representatives.  Among the content shared were testimonials by parents and students, student success stories by teachers, and links to YouTube videos authored by passionate students who shared firsthand the difference their gifted classes made in their lives.  Twitter is a quick and easy way to touch base with those in high positions – often our political leaders – in order to convey the importance and urgency of investing in today’s gifted and advanced learners, our leaders of tomorrow. 

Primary Sources and Teaching Materials: Ready to Use Items for the Classroom by Dallas Price

Dallas Price, 6th Grade Teacher

Anchorage School District, Highly Gifted Program

Anchorage, Alaska

Dallas is a lifelong Alaskan who teaches 6th grade students identified as highly gifted. All of her students are well-behaved, straight A students, who complete every task on-time as assigned. Although her students love  reading a textbook and answering chapter questions, she requires them to complete technology-based projects.

Primary Sources and Teaching Materials: Ready to Use Items for the Classroom

Having students create documentaries for National History Day, NHD, has changed the way my students and I learn history in the classroom. Over the last five years there has been an incredible explosion of digitized primary resource material and lessons. Whether you participate in the NHD contest, or not, digitized access to primary sources and teaching materials will help you prepare to conduct historical inquiry with your students.  Here is an annotated listing of sites that are very useful:

National History Day

The NHD website contains information about the annual contest and many supplementary teaching materials. Look for the Eight Steps of Historical Research or Meeting the Standards: NHD Research in Today’s Classroom. The Educator Resource page includes links to many excellent primary source and historical research sites.

Beyond the Bubble

This is a new site developed by SHEG, the Stanford History Education Group.  Once you create a log-in, you can access large number of incredible lessons and materials. The lessons use primary sources found at the Library of Congress. Using Beyond the Bubble resources, I was able to assess, instruct, and re-assess using free lesson plans and blackline masters.

From the website:

“In an era defined by endless calls for accountability, history teachers have few assessment options. Drawing on digital sources from the largest library in the world, Beyond the Bubble expands these options.

Our digital assessments:

• Take only a few minutes and are easy to score
• Come with rubrics and samples of student work
• Promote academic literacy
• Provide windows into students’ thinking”

National Archives

Researching the National Archives is very different than “Googling.” Until more of the National Archives are linked to the Online Public Access, themed document collections, such as those found on the Teaching with Documents page, are invaluable. On the Teaching with Documents page,  teachers will find a ready-to-use document analysis worksheets. The worksheets, which can be printed or filled in digitally, include the following forms: written documents, artifacts, cartoons, maps, motion pictures, photographs, or posters, and sound recordings.

The Teaching with Documents site  also contains “reproducible copies of primary documents” and “teaching activities correlated to the National History Standards andNational Standards for Civics and Government, and cross-curricular connections.”

Docs Teach at the National Archives is also an excellent resource for document collections, lesson plans, and interactive activities.

Common Core State Standards

The Grade 6-12: Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science and Technical Subjects include the follwoing standards related to using primary sources:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.2 Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.3 Identify key steps in a text’s description of a process related to history/social studies (e.g., how a bill becomes law, how interest rates are raised or lowered).

Speed Geeking in Denver 2012

The following “Geeks” presented at Speed Geeking 2012 in Denver. Here is a list of what each of them talked about:

CINDY SHEETS

http://dropbox.com

a cloud storage system for files, folders, pictures – just about anything. Download this application to all of your devices and whenever you add or update a file, dropbox synch it on all your locations.
Free – but more can be purchased if larger amounts of storage are needed (by the month)
I use it when I work on projects between school/home etc. You can also share files. I know some teachers use a dropbox for students to turn in assignments as well.

Livebinders.com
a virtual binder, you can create your own topical binder and fill it with tabs and subtabs. Include online resources such as websites, photos, files, videos, etc. You can make it private or public. I use them to collect resources for units I teach, resources for students to access. You can also search the large database of binders others have created too use. Some are “copyable”. You can embed your binder in your own web page –

GERALD AUNGST

Title: Interactive Fiction

Digital storytelling is a genre growing in popularity that merges the skills of telling a story with computer tools, particularly those that enable students to incorporate multimedia elements. Teachers who want to focus on the power of text often feel limited to tools like word processors. The resurgence of a form of computer gaming called “Interactive Fiction” brings a powerful new tool to teachers who want to explore new ways for students to create content in an engaging, flexible, and unique way.

Links and resources available here: http://www.geraldaungst.com/presentations/dswif

IAN BYRD

Ian presented on Google Reader (reader.google.com)

Teachers can use this free service to subscribe to websites, making it easy to keep up with updates by visiting a single place.

ALENA TREAT

Link to video, “Using Virtual Worlds to Engage Gifted Learners”: http://www.learnnc.org/lp/multimedia/19121
Link to Quest Atlantis Web Site: http://www.questatlantis.org
 
Synopsis: Quest Atlantis/Atlantis Remixed (QA) is a complex computer game with personalized avatars that utilizes a protected, closely monitored 3-D virtual world that only other students and their QA-trained teachers from all over the world can enter. The curriculum is strongly linked with federal and state standards as well as Common Core Standards. QA is a challenging program that incorporates affective components, high level analysis, synthesis and evaluation. There are offline classroom discussions and activities that supplement their online experiences. Students receive personalized feedback for their online assignment submissions. Developed by Sasha Barab’s team at Indiana University, and now run from Arizona State University, this program is research-based with documented gains in language arts/reading, science, social studies, and math. It is provided free of charge in order to further research on using gaming to teach important concepts. Students learn by experiencing rather than sitting in a lecture or reading a book.

KRISTINA AYERS PAUL

My tools were:

American Association of School Librarians’ 25 Best Websites for Teaching and Learning 2012
ala.org/aasl/guildelinesandstandards/bestlist/bestwebsitestop25
Every year the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) put together a list of the top websites and tools for educators. This is a great place to find new ed tech gems that have been vetted through the AASL.

Learn It In 5
learnitin5.com
Here you will find videos demonstrations of popular ed tech tools, demonstrated by fellow educators in five minutes or less.

KATHY JONES

Pinterest’s Education and Technology pages http://www.pinterest.com

This presentation showed some of the available ideas and weblinks available on Pinterest that are of particular interest to those concerned about gifted education. Attendees were encouraged to “pin” many more things about gifted education as a way to make things more accessible and to aid in advocacy efforts.

APRIL COLEMAN

Here’s a link to my presentation: http://edtechsavvy.wordpress.com/2012/11/20/nagc-2012-speedgeeking-presentation-on-twitter/.
Synopsis: Tweet, tweet! In this brief presentation, educators will learn to use Twitter for more than daily status updates. Build a PLN (professional learning network) to enjoy the perks of personalized, ongoing professional development on a slim budget, while networking with a supportive online learning community.

CYRIL PRUSZKO

By installing either of the apps: AirServer (airserverapp.com) or Reflections (reflectionapp.com) on your PC/Apple computer (connected to a LCD projector), you can take advantage of AirPlay built into your iPad/iPhone devices. These apps allow you to mirror your iPad’s screen to the LCD  screen anywhere in your classroom. You can teach from the back of the classroom and highlight student’s work live as you walk around. Use any app from a distance

ExplainEverything (explaineverything.com) is an app for your iPad that enables you to do everything that you would do with a Smartboard. You can draw, annotate, markup documents and photos, access the web and your your camera and then record your voice into a video for absent students, YouTube or to email. It also handles slide presentations and makes PDF’s. What is unique is it’s pan and zoom functions and object orientation. It is also great for taking notes. A must have!

TISHA DUNCAN

Rocket Speller for ages 3-7 to enhance/review spelling: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/rocket-speller/id492504689?mt=8

Toy Tangram for ages 3-7 to practice/manipulate tangram puzzles: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/toy-tangram-20-interactive/id534188726?mt=8

Shake ‘em for any age to review US states and capitals: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/shake-em-up-state-capitals/id337720246?mt=8

Pizza Fractions for grades 1-5 to teach/review fractions: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pizza-fractions-beginning/id374084320?mt=8

Little Writer Tracing for prek-first grade to develop fine motor skills and tracing of letters, numbers, shapes, and words: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/little-writer-tracing-app/id515890480?mt=8

Splash Math for math skills at various grade levels 1-5: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/1st-grade-math-splash-math/id463469532?mt=8

BRIAN HOUSAND

TED ED: LESSONS Worth Sharing
http://ed.ted.com/
A collection of short animated videos of hand-selected teacher created lessons from the folks who brought us TED. Think of it as SCHOOL HOUSE ROCK for 2012 and beyond. Not only are there great educational videos designed to inspire, but each video is supported with a set of questions and additional resources that are built to discover what kids KNOW, UNDERSTAND and able to DO with the information. Best of all, the FLIPPING ENGINE allows teachers to customize lessons, track student progress, and add additional questions, activities, and resources.

JANINE FIRMENDER

National Library of Virtual Manipulatives – Available at http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/vlibrary.html this website provides hundreds of free virtual mathematics manipulatives.
Zygote Body – Available at http://www.zygotebody.com/ this website provides an interactive map of the human body.
ClassDojo – Available on the website and as an app, this is a classroom management tool.

LAILA SANGURAS

Name	URL	Ideas
ViewPure	http://viewpure.com	Use to clean up the area around a YouTube video (no ads, comments, etc.). Once you cut and paste the link, a new link is created that you can share.
TubeChop	http://www.tubechop.com	Use to cut parts of a YouTube video. You will be given a new link to the chopped video that you can share.
Poll Everywhere	http://www.polleverywhere.com	Use as anonymous formative assessment. Students respond via text message to open-ended or multiple choice questions.
Socrative	http://www.socrative.com	Another option for anonymous formative assessment. Students text in answers to multiple choice, true/false, or short answer questions. There are also quiz and race features.
101Questions	http://www.101qs.com	Use to promote creativity and curiosity in bell ringer activities. Students pose questions to the image or video. New photos and videos are added often.
The Lively Morgue	http://livelymorgue.tumblr.com	Images from the New York Times. Students can write captions, connecting the image to your content area or theme. Because the captions are pretty interesting, these can also be used as discussion prompts the last few minutes of a class period. The site is updated weekly and provides an interesting view of American history.

 

NAGC 2012 – Denver, Colorado

As a Computer & Technology Member, we hope you will join us for these major C&T Events during NAGC Conference 2012!

Business meeting

Date: Friday, November 16, 2012 7:00 AM – 8:00 AM

Capitol 6

Computer & Technology Network Information

Date: Friday, November 16, 2012 9:00 AM – 9:20 AM and 10:40 AM – 11:00 AM

Convention Center – Four Seasons Hall

 

Network Event Speed Geeking

Date: Friday, November 16, 2012 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Hyatt Regency Mineral Hall B/C

 

Base Camp: Trekking with Technology

Date: Saturday, November 17, 2012, 2:50 PM – 3:50 PM

 

Super Sunday Events

What do you get when you cross an iPad with a Teacher of Talented Students?

Date: Sunday, November 18, 2012 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM

Presenter: Kristina Ayers Paul

Co-Presenters: Brian C. Housand, Ginger Lewman, & Janine M. Firmender

 

Planet of the APPS

Date: Sunday, November 18, 2012 9:15 AM – 10:15 AM

Presenter: Brian C. Housand

 

Start planning your conference schedule now, so you can attend many of the C&T Network’s general sessions.

 

C&T Network General Sessions

Game Your Way to Learning

Date: Friday, November 16, 2012 8:00 AM – 9:00 AMC

Presenter: Robbi Makely

Co-Presenter: Candy McGregor

 

Propel Students to Reach Beyond the Summit with Technology: How to Create a 21st Century Gifted Classroom

Date: Friday, November 16, 2012 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM

Presenter: April N. Coleman

 

Online Learning Tools: The Poster Boards of the 21st Century?

Date: Friday, November 16, 2012 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM

Presenter: Laila Sanguras

 

Differentiating Curriculum and Instruction Using iPads

Date: Friday, November 16, 2012 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Co-Presenters: Mary Ann Prevatte, Cynthia Hayes, Glenda Britt, Amby Taylor, Valerie Hammond, & Heather Maynor-Lambert

 

Herberger Young Scholars Academy: Education in a Digital Environment

Date: Friday, November 16, 2012 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Presenter: Kimberly Elms

Co-Presenter: Kim Lansdowne

 

15 Possibilities for Publishing Student Writing

Date: Friday, November 16, 2012 12:15 PM – 1:00 PM

Presenter: Jill Olthouse

 

Technology and the Whole Child: Nurturing Gifted Students’ Affective Development Through Technology Projects

Date: Friday, November 16, 2012 12:15 PM – 1:00 PM

Presenter: Nanette H Jones

Co-Presenters: Jennifer Yoswa, Jay Vean, & Aaron Berthold

 

Embracing Ebooks: Increasing Students’ Motivation to Read and Write

Date: Friday, November 16, 2012 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM

Presenter: Del Siegle

 

The Effects of Learning Style on Knowledge Construction using Hypermedia-Supported Environments

Date: Friday, November 16, 2012 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM

Presenter: Edna Leticia Hernandez de Hahn

 

Technology: A Critical Tool for Developing Differentiated Curriculum

Date: Friday, November 16, 2012 4:10 PM – 5:10 PM

Presenter: Jann H. Leppien

 

Lessons learned from developing and implementing a SMART gifted data system

Date: Saturday, November 17, 2012 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM

Presenter: Bo Yan

Co-Presenters: Mark Schmidt & Beth Cochran

 

9.2: Waypoints across Curriculum: Geocaching with Gifted Students

Date: Saturday, November 17, 2012 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Presenter: Karen Janish Micko

 

Shift into Higher Thinking

Date: Saturday, November 17, 2012 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Presenter: Victoria Schoenly

Co-Presenters: Sarah Reeps & Julie Kelly

 

The Gamification of Education

Date: Saturday, November 17, 2012 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Presenter: Angela M Housand

Co-Presenter: Brian C. Housand

 

Digital Storytelling with Interactive Fiction

Date: Saturday, November 17, 2012 12:15 PM – 1:00 PM

Presenter: Gerald W Aungst

 

Making Movies, Making Meaning

Date: Saturday, November 17, 2012 12:15 PM – 1:00 PM

Presenter: Christine N Nobbe

Co-Presenter: Nicholas Kirschman

 

Using Virtual Worlds to Engage Gifted Learners

Date: Saturday, November 17, 2012 12:15 PM – 1:00 PM

Presenter: Alena R Treat

 

Online Games and Simulations: Effective Learning Tools or Time Wasters?

Date: Saturday, November 17, 2012 12:15 PM – 1:00 PM

Presenter: Patricia Wallace

Co-Presenter: Katharine Thurlow

 

Using Digital Storytelling with Secondary Students

Date: Saturday, November 17, 2012 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM

Presenter: Susan Wynn

Co-Presenter: Kristen Stephens

 

12.4: Can Uruguay Reinvent Gifted Education by Giving “One Laptop Per Child?”

Date: Saturday, November 17, 2012 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM

Presenter: Karen Bendelman

 

Neuroscience for Gifted Students: Using Biofeedback Apps to Understand Creativity

Date: Saturday, November 17, 2012 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM

Presenter: Barbara Kerr

Co-Presenter: Linzi Gibson

 

When high-tech becomes high-touch: linking gifted students through global networks for productive projects.

Date: Saturday, November 17, 2012 2:50 PM – 3:50 PM

Presenter: Gillian I S Eriksson

 

LOL…OMG! What You Need to Know about Online Reputation Management for You and Your Students

Date: Saturday, November 17, 2012 2:50 PM – 3:50 PM

Presenter: Stephanie K Ferguson

The Power of Podcasting by Cindy Sheets

My students probably thought I was just exaggerating when I demanded they do an excellent job on their podcast because it would be broadcast to the entire world. Well, much to our surprise, about six months after our podcast was published, I received a phone call from Berlin, Germany! On the other end of the ocean was someone who had heard our podcast  The call was to request permission to include our podcast on their website. (http://www.across-the-ocean.org/)

 I must tell you that my fifth grade students, who had created the podcast as fourth graders, were amazed. (I didn’t explain to them that I was pretty amazed, too!)

 But I really shouldn’t have been surprised – the power of technology really can open up the world. The audience for students’ work is no longer limited to the other students in the class, or to their parents. A real audience is waiting to see and hear what they’ve accomplished.

 Since then, my students have created a number of podcasts. Topics have ranged from the ancient Greek Olympics to “Stars Who Give Back.”  Not only are they sharing what they’ve learned, but they are also using a number of skills: planning, organizing, group/teamwork, writing, and speaking, just to name a few.

 If you’re a beginner, there is a lot of help out there and a variety of tools to use.

I would start with Tony Vincent’s website, http://learninginhand.com/podcasting/.

Tony has a wealth of resources for everyone, including step-by-step directions. You can also visit the Our City page to hear podcasts from around the nation and world. You can even stop by and hear my students’ work at  http://learninginhand.com/storage/ourcity/kanasas_city/index.html.

 So give it a try – with podcasting, “the world IS your stage!”

 

Cindy Sheets, Vice President: Advocates for High Ability Learners (AHA-Learners.org)

Elementary Gifted Facilitator, Shawnee Mission, KS

 

Other resources:

http://www.apple.com/education/podcasting/

http://stager.org/podcasting.html

http://edweb.sdsu.edu/courses/edtec700/pod/resources.htm

http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/sites/sites074.shtml

Click the Creative Outlets Tab

For those of you who don’t have Facebook, we will post some of the ideas and discussions from Facebook under the Creative Outlets Tab. If you have any ideas, student projects, or news related to computers and technology, please email Jennifer Troester so she can post it here. selt33@gmail.com 

We would love to see our members network more and share ideas.

Gearing up for NAGC 2012 in Denver

The proposal process is open and we hope you consider submitting a proposal for NAGC 2012 in Denver. The Computer and Technology Network hopes to have a list of excellent sessions for attendees to learn from in the coming year. With each conference, the sessions get better and better. We hope you plan to share how you use technology as a tool for your students and how your students use technology for their products. The deadline is January 30th.

http://nagc.scsubmissions.com/index.aspx

 

WELCOME TO SPRING

I hope that everyone is enjoying some spring like weather today. Here in North Carolina the temperature just hit 80 degrees. Before you get too jealous, the pollen is already in full force.

Without further adieu, he is the lastest Tech Tool Tuesday from the NAGC Computers & Technology Network.

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This will serve as the last call for anyone interested in being part of the planning committee for the first ever NAGC video competition for gifted students. Do not delay in emailing Brian Housand at brianhousand@gmail.com

Your experience and expertise are needed.

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TAKE ME TO YOUR LEADERS!

NAGC is looking for new leadership for the C&T Network. If you have been a member of this network for the past two years and have a passion for technology and gifted education, I encourage to run for either the Chair or Chair-Elect for this network. If you have any questions about what is involved with the position, please contact me at brianhousand@gmail.com To apply for the position CLICK HERE to download the application form. All nomination materials must be postmarked by APRIL 11, 2011.

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Update from Texas: Part 2

By Diane Witt

DeeWitt@aol.com

The fourth and fifth grade gifted Connections students from Lundy Elementary school in El Paso, Texas have been learning to blog.

Their teacher, Margaret Clay has been using a blogging tool  with her students. Class blogmeister, (classblogmeister.com) is a free tool that encourages writing. David Warlick, author of four books on instructional technology created the web site. It allows students to have their own blogs. Teachers can monitor the posts and discussions while students take part in the process and ownership of their work. Tutorials are available on how to set up an account and publish to their blog page. A student contract and parent permission form are also available. Best of all, there is no cost.

These fourth and fifth grade students are required to post assignments on their blog. One main assignment is their study of a prospective university. Postings of their poetry and  book reflections also take place. As they become more familiar with the process, they will be requireed to visit at least ten blog sites and post comment on the posts every two weeks.

One of her favorite features is that all posts are sent to her email for review  before they go public. This gives her a chance to grade their work and ensure all content is appropriate. It can be used for any age group and is very user friendly.

Keys to success is access to computers for the kids to create their own posts as well as projection of the teachers computer to show them how to get started. According to Margaret, “Once that happens, they fly!!!!”

Margaret attended Lubbock University and graduated with a bachelors degree in Interdisciplinary Studies. Shebegan teaching at EPISD Alta Vista Elementary where she taught 3rd grade for one year and 2nd for two. She completed her masters in curriculum and instruction/middle management from NMUS. She is currently teaching 4th and 5th grade Connections gifted students at Lundy Elementary in El Paso, Texas.

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If you are looking for other blogging tools to try, do not overlook WordPress (http://wordpress.com) This is the service used to create this blog. It is relatively easy to use and provides a powerful online experience.

Another option to explore that is more kid and teacher friendly is Weebly (http://weebly.com). While this is primarily thought to be a website creator, Weebly does also offer the ability to create a blog pages as part of your site. It is the easiest web building site that I have ever used, and it provides very professional looking results with little effort.

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ONE MORE THING….

By this point, hopefully all of you have experienced the amazing resource that is TED.com This organization has revolutionized the way that presentations are made and that information is shared. While I am huge fan of TED, often I am left wanting more than the 18 minute talk. If you are looking for something more, I suggest you take a look at the brand new Talks@Google YouTube Page To quote the purpose “The @Google Talks program brings authors, musicians, innovators, and speakers of all stripes to Google for talks centering on their recently published books and capturing the popular and intellectual zeitgeist of the day.” As of this posting there are over 1000 talks that have been posted as part of this program.

Have a great week.

Brian