May, 2003

As we work through the changes in the Instructional Technology jobs this year, we need a way to stay in touch, to share what we learn and what we are experiencing. Here is our attempt to help as we move forward. If you have a wonderful idea to contribute, please contact your IT TOSA.

Edition 5May 2003

ContentLeadership Teaching and Leading

with Online Video Streaming

ITS Recognitions Helping Teachers

Succeed

Instructional Support Teaching Tips New Software-Image

Blender Ideas Math/Technology

Integration

Lesson Sharing KSD Standard Apps in

an Integrated HoneyBee Unit at DE

Integrated Salmon Lesson at NO

Staff Development Are you thinking ahead? KSD Technology

Standards Quiz

Nuts & Bolts FAQ’s and teachers Laptop Cart Wheel

Update Coming This summer

Teaching and Leading with Online Video StreamingAlthough our HSs do not have Instructional Technology Specialists, our librarians often fulfill these responsibilities in their work. At KR, librarian Steve Marques customized a United Streaming Video Scavenger Hunt for each department. Using a

template provided to principals at a technology workshop (also provided here), Steve modified the searches to be content-specific and relevant for each disciplinary team. (An elementary school might customize this activity by grade level.) All staff were engaged in the activity during a staff meeting, providing everyone

a hands-on, relevant opportunity to dig into the resource.

Among the more regular United Streaming users at KR are science teachers Samantha Ketover and Vince Howard. They have screened, selected, and documented those clips that match their core science curriculum. These findings will be added to online curriculum support documents in development as part of the elementary science and secondary social studies program reviews. Through systematic curriculum planning, led by IT and IS TOSAs, teachers will be identifying and communicating those videos that best match our revised curriculum. Look for these reference materials this fall!

ITS Recognitions!Several of our cohorts have recently been recognized by their respective PTSAs as major contributors to their children’s education. These awards truly demonstrate that technology integration is becoming a recognized parent goal for students. Congratulations to Beth Lott, who received the SR Golden Acorn award, typically given to the PTA member who has had the largest impact on students during a year. Congratulations also to three teachers who received the Outstanding Educator of the Year awards: Jen Yegge-Terry, Polly Regnart, and Lois Parkinson. These teachers were given their awards at a district ceremony at Kentlake High. We are proud of all of you!

Helping Teachers Succeed!Ever wonder what would happen if you had some truly motivated, talented teachers who got hooked on tech? Steve Wessel at Cedar Heights recently found out; and his answer is to just be a support and get out of the way!

The teachers in CH’s Science department (Leigh Ann Shaver, Heidi Cleveland, Carlye Hupp, Cari Johnson, Shannon Heckelsmiller and Doug Burnham), led by department chair Jon Rismiller, readily use technology every day in the lessons they teach.

Honey_Bee.pptEmail Donna Pirog if you would like

the video piece.(KSD staff only.)

Through the use of Gates TLP Grant funds, Intel TTF training acquisitions and wise use of building funds, each science classroom is equipped with 7 desktop computers and a teacher workstation. Students work in teams, or with a wireless cart to have individual projects. The department has access to 4 projection devices, so presentations using computers are an everyday occurrence.

Examples are:o A Word template using Form tools for writing up lab results kept in a

shared space on the server and used by all students for all lab assignments.

o Excel is used regularly to record scientific data and create graphs.o The teachers have been frequent users of the video clips from KCTS. o The department writes their own AR tests to assess students

understanding of curriculum reading material.

In asking Jon why they use technology so frequently, he replied, “Using technology is a strong motivational tool. Kids come thinking they know about computers. Unfortunately, being a game player or setting your wallpaper doesn’t make you an effective user of technology. Exposure to as many applications as possible will benefit them when they get to high school.” That sounds like a very scientific way to approach education, which is no surprise to the people at Cedar Heights.

New Software – ImageBlender - with StudentsImageBlender software training was held May 7th at EH for ITSs. Participants left with lots of techniques on this graphics program but didn’t have a chance to share many ideas of how to use it with students. Attached is a list of ideas. Feel free to contribute your own too!

Math/Technology ResourcesLooking for some ways to integrate Math and Technology? There is a website that bases activities on the Every Day Math program and includes on-line technology lessons. If you haven’t seen this yet, check it out at:http://www.everydaymath.org/trial.htmChoose the button for Lesson Links, then your grade level, then read about the different on-line resources that connect to the categories EDM.

Susan Charrier, one of KSD’s IT TOSAs, has created a resource page for primary students with wonderful links at: http://www.kent.k12.wa.us/curriculum/math/students.html

Another site, by the Shoreline School District, has some other activities:http://www.shorelineschools.org/departments/technology/mtp/default.html Look under the Activity Bank and Math Links for their resources.

Also, don’t forget our own KSD resources. Attached is a document on How to Access the Math Curriculum Consumables . Many teachers present these using a computer projector, rather than printing them.

Standard Apps - Integrated Together at DE – The BeeThis year Daniel Elementary, staff was offered a building-based 30-hour technology integration class. The culminating project was to create GRASPS (Goal, Role, Audience, Situation, Product, Standard for

Screen shot of Encarta Researcher

Success) for their students to use. GRASPS are like WebQuests in that most of the resources are included within the module, though not necessarily in a web format. One delightful challenge was the inclusion of the new technology. With copyright allowing the use of both video streaming and SchoolKit resources, they were added to the presentations. Staff found by copying the pieces into a folder and hyperlinking them within PowerPoint, they were able to make these wonderful pieces accessible to the students at a click of the mouse. The completed PowerPoint was then saved as a web page to make it truly interactive. Attached is a sample of the GRASPS on Bees done by second grade teachers Marie Darrow, Julie Farnan and Sharon Van Zandt. Thanks to this team and Marie Moran for sharing!

Integrating at NO - SalmonAt Neely-O'Brien they have taken technology and curriculum integration to new heights with the district's standard software. Fourth grade students have annually been involved in the study, raising, and release of Coho salmon. This year the team decided to use Encarta Researcher, the Internet, and Clicker4 to support the curriculum.

Students created a curriculum framework in Encarta Researcher to form the core of their study. (Link to Encarta Tutorials) The framework provides a place to record internet search results for each stage in the salmon's life cycle, and the personal observations of the students at the salmon rearing tank. John Eads, the Instructional Tech Specialist, wrote a set of Clicker4 grids built around the stages of the salmon and the appropriate vocabulary for each. These support students’ learning, but particularly assist ELL students.

At each lab session the students open their Encarta projects, and their Clicker4 files. Students then enter their observations of the salmon into the Encarta Researcher framework and then move to Clicker4 to write about each of the stages they have observed. The nice part of the project is that the students can write using the vocabulary prompts of Clicker4, as it is a requirement that they use the entire vocabulary for each of the stages. Students can also move back and forth between Encarta and Clicker4 to review and include their observations in their Clicker4 piece.

Clicker4 automatically saves into an Internet Explorer format, which makes it a snap to use the Encarta "Add To Researcher" feature. When everything is in the Researcher framework the student work and Net search material is moved to MSWord or Webpage format using the "Build My Report" feature, resulting in an almost college level report. Citings (including the students work) are already built in to the finished product. The only piece missing would be footnotes. All of this support takes the writing of each student to a new level of quality.

Are You Thinking Ahead?Just a reminder that you might want to talk to your principal and plan for building-based technology staff development classes at your building during the 2003-2004 school year. Your IT TOSA would be happy to help. You certainly don’t need to commit now, but starting a discussion will enable you and staff to plan for the next school year. All classes offered this past school year and details about the program are on the website at: http://www.kent.k12.wa.us/KSD/IT/TSC/prof_dev/bld_based.htmlYou can also discuss individualized offerings tailored to your school’s

Editors’ Comments

Thank you to all who made a contribution to this newsletter. We want this to be a valuable resource, so please don’t hesitate to send in your tips and suggestions.

E-mail your suggestions!

SAAP with your TOSA.

Technology Standards QuizDoes your staff know the Student Technology Standards? Do they know that technology standards reporting will be part of a revised report card? One way to get the discussion started is to create an opportunity for a general activity. The ‘Elementary Standards Quiz’ embedded here is based on the overall Technology Standards available on our website. It could also be adapted to be grade level specific.

This has been used successfully by the K-6 Science Curriculum team, as a way to create a comfort level with KSD tech standards that is needed to select integrated curriculum. Teams of teachers became very engaged as they discussed the questions and it was a surprising springboard to the grade level specifics. A small prize was provided to the team getting the most correct answers. As you help your staff to become familiar with technology, you may find an activity like this fun and valuable.

Frequently Asked Questions – Direct to TeachersDo you ever have a technology question and can’t find the answer? Check out the Customer Support Center's FAQs online at www.kent.k12.wa.us/KSD/IT/helpdesk/itfaq.pdf. The list is categorized to help you find specific questions and answers. Here is a sample question:

How can I shut down my PC? It seems to be stuck.--Press in the power button for 10 seconds. PC should shut down.--If not, unplug the power cord, wait a few seconds, and plug it in

again.--If this fails, call the Customer Support Center at 7030.

Laptop Cart UpdateIf you haven’t heard, there is something you can do to help your laptop carts be more maneuverable! The rubber wheels can be inflated to the correct PSI indicated on the tires. They were shipped at a lower PSI for freight purposes and may not be properly inflated. Check with your custodian, who has the correct equipment to complete this. Roll on!

Coming This Summer!Server migration will happen this summer. Several teams of staff have been working diligently to bring about the best Active Directory system for KSD staff and students. TOSAs and an ITS have been involved in these groups, along with IT staff. We will have a new standardized server structure, similar to our current drive settings, but improved for ease of use. Applications are now being tested in this structure and two test schools will be selected for migration in June, before school ends. Testing these schools will be the successful culmination of a lot of planning and is the beginning of thorough work to be done. Watch for your training on these specifics.

Change will be coming to the Staff Development classes offered too. A new series of Office product classes has been created to make them more relevant to teachers and to contain more classroom friendly resources. Watch for Word for the Classroom, PowerPoint for the Classroom and Excel for the Classroom. They will start this summer. Check the other summer course offerings at: http://www.kent.k12.wa.us/KSD/IT/TSC/prof_dev/summer.htm

Another plus for next fall will be the addition of a KSD server to host our United Streaming video content. With the server and video content now installed, school testing is underway this spring. This addition will make our schools less vulnerable to Internet traffic when streaming or downloading video. Only our KSD fiber network will lie between our classroom computers and the desired content!