Tech Happenings @ LvHS

Another interesting read…. “Connect All Schools” project. http://thejournal.com/Articles/2011/03/31/Connect-All-Schools-Pushes-American-Students-To-Go-Global.aspx?p=1 Connect All Schools Pushes American Students To Go Global § By Dian Schaffhauser 03/31/11 A national project to connect American students with their counterparts in other parts of the world has drawn dozens of consortium partners into the fold. The Connect All Schools Initiative launched in New York in mid-March with representatives on hand from the United States Department of Education and Department of State. Project participants include the AFS-USA , ePals , iEARN USA , and Teachers Without Borders , among many others helping to promote the goal of connecting all U.S. schools with international communities by the year 2016.

Journal article about Skype - new service called “Skype in the Classroom” to help teachers collaborate with other classes/teachers. If you’ve been thinking of giving your students the opportunity to have conversations with students outside their room, or working with another teacher on a project, this is a good and brief read. http://thejournal.com/Articles/2011/03/30/Skype-Community-Comes-to-the-Classroom.aspx?p=1

It is time to ask you if you are interested in a tablet pc for the upcoming school year. Tablet pcs have a “stylus” or pen that works like a mouse, and it gives you the capability to draw w or write on the screen like a pen. Advantages are particularly keen for math, art, and writing… But also for any hand-editing that allows you the convenience of marking up assignment and returning the marked up assignment electronically to the student. Many teachers take advantage of tablet functionality to teach as you would on an interactive whiteboard, preparing hand-written or drawn graphs/charts, lists, etc. for viewing and editing during class while connected to a projector. If you don’t have an interactive whiteboard, this is a great alternative. Please see Laura for a demo, or any of our English/math teachers who are applying this technology to their work. Tablet pcs are expensive items, but we have budgeted for several for next year. If you want one, and will TAKE ADVANTAGE of this technolo...