NEWS RELEASE January 15, 2008
When the region’s teachers, administrators, educational technology specialists, library media specialists and school board members gather in Seattle in February for the Northwest Council for Computer Education (NCCE), many will attend workshops and presentations being lead by Everett Public Schools staff.
“Everett’s technology and teaching staff are well known for the ways they use technology to help students learn, and they are often asked to share their expertise with other educators,” said Everett’s Information Systems and Technology Director, Ken Toyn. “NCCE’s mission is to promote and support the effective use of technology in all aspects of education, and it speaks well for Everett Public Schools that so many of our staff are NCCE presenters this year.”
Toyn also points out that parents and community members will be able to see many of these same teachers and their students in action during the school district’s annual technology fair at Cascade High School on Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2007 beginning at 6 p.m. “These staff will be among dozens of others with their students at Cascade that evening,” said Toyn. “Our annual Student Technology Exhibition is our way of showcasing to the community how we are using technology as a teaching and learning tool and to express our thanks for the consistent support which has made it possible to have technology in our schools.”
Presenting at the NCCE Seattle workshops between Feb. 26-29, 2008are the following educators from Everett Public Schools:
· Cynthia Gaub, who teaches art and technology at North Middle School, will demonstrate how to Inspire Girls Through Podcasting in TechREACH Clubs. Gaub’s workshop will show how to leverage podcasting to improve student learning and increase communication between home and school. Those who attend will learn to use free software to produce their own podcasts and how to locate educational podcasts for their classrooms. TechREACH is an after-school program Gaub uses with students at North Middle School.
· Wanda Hill and Janice Northrop from Penny Creek Elementary present In the MOOD-ling: the Virtual Classroom. Moodling makes it possible for students to access classroom materials from home. Using the concept of a virtual classroom, teachers support student learning using online communication tools such as forums, journals, and WIKI. Hill and Northrop’s presentations will include online activities and management tips for augmenting classroom instruction.
· Deborah Wrobeland Sandy Devoir, technology specialists from Woodside, Jefferson, and Silver Firs elementary schools, will show how UnitedStreaming goes well beyond videos. Teachers use it to create online assignments, video quizzes, visual writing prompts, and lesson plans.
· Fran Hartman, fifth-grade teacher at Cedar Wood Elementary, will focus on ways to improve students’ science skills using Photo Story to motivate students. Hartman’s presentation entitled, One small step for students, one giant leap for science! also promises to help teachers in subjects other than science.
· Phil Biggs, the district’s Information Systems and Technology Specialist, will show the versatility of maps on line. Those who attend his Google Geography: Maps Meet Multimedia session will learn to create their own interactive maps from Google and Google Earth.
· At another, session Biggs will partner with Barb Lark of the district’s special services department on a program to help teachers build student literacy skills. The end result of time at the Biggs and Lark session will be powerful techniques teachers can use to customize activities for individual students.
