Guest Design Team Member - Kathy Schrock

While traveling in Second Life, I discovered one of newest design team members, Kathy Schrock, who will be joining us at NCTIES.

Kathy continues on her quest to locate the best Web 2.0 sites to support teaching and learning. She shares these findings with the grad class she is teaching as part of the Wilkes University/Discovery program, via her PLN on Twitter, on Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators, via professional development with the teachers in her own district, in her blog, Second Life and Adobe Connect presentations, and her weekly listserv. Recently earning the Google Certified Teacher certification, Kathy also consults with her Adobe Education Leader and DEN STAR Educator colleagues. Kathy will be presenting at FETC in Orlando at the end of January, and will be a Spotlight Presenter at NECC in June, speaking about ways to overcome information overload.

____________________
Kathy Schrock
kathy@kathyschrock.net
http://kathyschrock.net


Administrator for Technology
Nauset Public Schools
78 Eldredge Park Way
Orleans MA 02653
508.255.0016 x216

What is Will Richardson doing these days?

Over the Christmas Holidays, I received the following message from Will Richardson with season greetings and an update.

Greetings!

Thanks so much for your contribution to my learning network over the past few years. There's a link below to a quick little Happy New Year wish that I hope you enjoy.

Also, wanted to let you know that our work at Powerful Learning Practice is expanding in 2009. We're going to be offering a host of new professional development offerings including:

Three separate year-long paths of PLP including
Year 1--"Learning in the 21st Century: Networks and Communities"
Year 2--"Teaching in the 21st Century: Project / Problem Based Learning"
Year 3--"Change in the 21st Century: Expanding the Reach"
Visioning Boot Camps for 21st Century Leaders--Three-day intensive sessions to jump starting the change process.

PLP Virtual Institutes--Customized for individual schools and districts
PLP Virtual Speaker's Bureau--The best in online how to with Web 2.0 tools.

If you would like more information on any of these programs and to sign up for our bimonthly newsletter capturing the latest in powerful professional development, please visit our contact page to receive the formal announcements and details in the next few weeks.

Again, thanks for everything you are doing to bring teaching and learning into the 21st Century, and have a

Happy New Year!

PS: In case you didn't see them, here are links to recent articles in Educational Leadership and Edutopia. Enjoy!

Extended Deadline Dates

In addition to extending the deadlines for Early Registration and Calls for Presentations, NCTIES (formerly NCaect) has extended the deadline for Scholarships, Grants, Awards, and Best Web Site nominations!

Early Registration for the 2009 Conference ends January 23rd, 2009. http://www.ncties.org/Conference_2009.html

NCTIES is proud to offer two $2,000 scholarship opportunities. One will be awarded to a student pursuing a graduate degree/certification in Instructional Technology; the other to a student pursuing a graduate degree/certification in School Library Media. One copy of the application must be postmarked by January 17, 2009. http://www.ncties.org/Scholarships.html

Three (3) $3000 Grants will be awarded for innovative, student-involved projects, which effectively use technology. Each grant recipient will receive a check for $3000 and agree to present at the 2010 NCaect Conference at the Raleigh Convention Center. The winner will receive registration and one or two nightÕs lodging in addition to the check for the school. At that conference each winner will present a session concerning the product/project that was aided by the grant money. Emailed applications must be received by noon January 17th, 2009.
http://www.ncties.org/Grants.html

School Library Media Coordinator of the Year Award and Instructional Technology Educator of the Year Award Nominations are to be emailed to Cathy Evanoff evanoffca@dare.k12.nc.us by January 17, 2009. http://www.ncties.org/Awards.html

NCTIES is proud to offer an award for best teacher-designed web site. The award will be a cash prize of $250 for an innovative, content-rich web site that effectively uses the Internet as an instructional resource. The winner of the award will be announced during the luncheon at the 2009 NCTIES Technology Conference. Nominations are to be emailed to Roxie Millerrmiller@gaston.k12.nc.us by January 17, 2009. http://www.ncties.org/Awards.html

Scott Smith, President, NCTIES ssmith@mgsd.k12.nc.us
Ellen Minter, Vice President and Conference Chair, NCTIES ncties@gmail.com

Conference Update

This is a reminder of the upcoming NCTIES Conference!

March 4, 2009 - Pre Conference
March 5 & 6, 2009 Conference

Call for presentation proposals were to close January 9, 2009, but due to some technical issues with our website, we are keeping submissions open another week until next Friday, January 16, 2009. If you are interested in presenting at the conference, please submit your construction session bids before next Friday!

The Early Registration ($90) deadline has also been extended and now ends January 23, 2009. After that the price goes up to $100.

Grant and Scholarship Applications are due by January 10, 2009.

For the most up to date news, stay tuned to this blog and follow us on twitter at "ncties". This year's conference will be at the brand new Raleigh Convention Center. We look forward to bringing you cool and helpful construction tools from some outstanding nationally renowned speakers as well as some local contractors like yourself.

Start your construction now by joining our NCTIES Second Life General Contractor, EJ Escobar on the ISTE Second Life Island. Don't wait for March to walk, run, fly, drive or teleport to your NCTIES "Instruction 2.0: Engineering Change" experience. Make sure to review all dates and times for new events at this year's conference as our punch list continues to grow. Our newest renovation will be the Vendor Grand Opening on Wednesday, March 4, 2009 at 6:30 in the evening!"

Please take a minute to visit our site (www.ncties.org), check out the design team slated to transform the conference, contribute to the conference blog, and register for the conference! If you have additional questions, please contact ncties@gmail.com

We look forward to seeing you in March!

Scott Smith, President, NCTIES ssmith@mgsd.k12.nc.us
Ellen Minter, Vice President and Conference Chair, NCTIES ncties@gmail.com

Conference Hours
9:00 am - 10:00 pm, March 5th
8:00 am - 2:30 pm, March 6th

Exhibition Hall Hours
Grand Opening and Reception - 6:30 -9:00 March 4, 2009 (Open to Public)
10:00 am - 5:30 pm March 5, 2009
8:00 am - 1:30 pm March 6, 2009

What are our speakers doing now?

I took some time to check and see what our upcoming speakers are doing these days. Let's start with Leslie Fisher. Leslie will be one of selected pre-conference speakers as well as a featured speaker during our regular conference sessions. Her pre-conference session is "Digital Photography and Elements" which will be an all day session. Sign up now to reserve your space.

Currently, Leslie Fisher continues to present at educational technology conferences with Louisiana, Ohio and London Ontario currently on the planner in the next few weeks. She has also been named one of the key presenters for DigitalDays, a photo tour presented by Popular Photo Magazine and sponsored bySony. She is currently in the middle of their 18 city tour with future stops in Chicago and Ft. Lauderdale on the calendar. Leslie also has some International travel on the planner with a trip to London and Paris for the holidays.

Wow what a schedule for our upcoming speaker. Have fun traveling Leslie and we will see you in March!!!!

Campfires!!!!

How many of you love campfires? I know that I love a good SMORE. Just recently, I attended a campfire social event on ISTE Island in Second Life with other educators. This event was a big success from my view point. There were great discussions about how to use Second Life in education. Look for future ISTE events posted at the ISTE Island Headquarters. If you can not find it while touring Second Life, do a search for me the NCTIES General Contractor, EJ Escobar. I am always looking for more friends to share a campfire SMORE with and discuss how to get technology moving in education.

Newest ConstructionTeam Member in Second Life

Meet the new NCTIES Second Life General Contractor, EJ Escobar (a.k.a. Ellen Minter, Vice President & Conference Chair). She just recently trained to become a new docent greeter on ISTE Island. Although she is still in the stage of shadowing other docents to learn the ropes, soon she will be a regular scheduled docent. In the meantime, look her up in Second Life to find out more about the new EXTREME MAKEOVER for NCTIES this coming year. Visit ISTE Island for education resources in Second Life. Look for other docents in the headquarters for help as you discover ISTE Island.