Powerful Movie Projects for Kids

Gabrielle Richard-Harrington, Technology Integration Specialist, Sunderland Elementary School

Opening doors for kids that are visual learners - Meet the MA Frameworks Standards for Communication and Technology - let students create their own multimedia with iMovie or Windows Movie Maker. Curriculum project ideas and student samples.

Digital Media

Promote Learning with Creativity Tools

Elizabeth Buyer , Integration Specialist, Tech4Learning

Learn how creative technologies can engage a variety of learners in high-level projects. Explore student-created examples of multimedia, video, imaging, and animation that showcase the power of authentic work with technology. Ideas will include clay animation announcement, video biographies, local history tours, and more. See how these projects were created and what resources are necessary. Discuss obstacles to implementation and learn strategies for integrating creative technology projects across subject areas and grade levels. Participants will also be introduced to resources and handouts that will help them implement this type of technology project work in their schools and districts.

Multimedia, Teacher Productivity

Standards, Science Teaching, and the Internet

Thomas Vaughn, Lead Science Teacher, Arlington High School, 1991 Pathfinder

In today's educational environment of the No child Left Behind and the high stakes graduation requirement MCAS coming on line for science, educators should use the free resources that are put at teachers' disposal on the Internet. This workshop will share Web sites that are made available by government agencies, non-profit organizations, and publishers. Teachers will leave this workshop with a list of resources that will assist in the teaching of science lessons that are aligned with national standards and Massachusetts Science and Technology Frameworks. Since this workshop will attract computer technologists and educators who teach science or who support science teachers, there will be time set aside for a discussion and sharing from the audience of additional Web sites that everyone will find useful. Such networking and possible follow up communication among participants will extend the impact of the workshop.

Science, Internet

Milk, Stock, Presidents, and Elections

Robert Shanahan, Technology Teacher, Hanover Middle School, Hanover

John Cadogan, Technology Teacher, Hanover Middle School, Hanover

A presentation of spreadsheets and databases appropriate to grades 7 and 8. Students learn not only skills for computer literacy but are shown a relationship to the area of math, social studies, and economics.
   Time Capsule for grade 7 uses a Website to research economic date from 1940-2000. The data shows the price of eggs, milk, cars, average income, etc. Graphs can be made with this information for a variety of economic discussions. In a separate 7th grade project, students learn about the US presidents by creating and manipulating a database. the information is used to answer questions about our political system from George Washington to George Bush.
   Grade 8 creates a Stock Tracker spreadsheet. Ten stocks are tracked for the school year and profit or loss is calculated. The final project is a PowerPoint presentation of each student's stock portfolio. A second 8th grade project takes a look at the 1996 election. By creating and manipulating a spreadsheet, students see the importance of the Electoral Vote.
   In all the work, students are learning how to create spreadsheets and databases and how to apply that knowledge in math, social studies, and economics. Each project can be used in the academic classroom or in the computer lab.
Social Studies, Computer Literacy

State Mandated Test Taking and Kurzweil 3000 (MCAS Accommodation)

Jennifer Edge-Savage, Assistive Technology Consultant, South Shore Educational Collaborative

Kurzweil Educational Systems K3000 Software was distributed by the Massachusetts Department of Education for over 100 students to use as an assistive technology accommodation when taking MCAS standardized tests.
     Kurzweil 3000 is the premier reading, writing and learning software for struggling students.   Because it is also content-independent, teachers in elementary schools, high schools and colleges alike use it to help students succeed in the classroom regardless of their curriculum, or lesson plan.
     With the aid of visual and auditory feedback, the software helps students keep up with assigned reading, learn critical study skills and successfully complete writing projects. The software can access virtually nay document or publication, whether printed or electronic. With its unique test-taking capabilities, students can independently complete worksheets, quizzes, classroom exams or standardized tests with greater confidence and fewer mistakes.
     Kurzweil 3000 provides a carefully designed environment for preparing and administering tests for students with learning or reading difficulties, and providing performance feedback. Because Kurzweil 3000 is so flexible and can accommodate a wide range of reading and learning needs, Kurzweil 3000 is the product of choice for testing in many school districts.
     Presentation will emphasize the following details and how they are applicable to taking the MCAS:
- All students can independently take the same test, without the assistance/influence of human reading aides saving time and money to the school districts.
- Students can work in the way most appropriate for specific challenges. For example, students can adjust the reading speed; answer questions using either typed or spoken annotations, and proofread their work by having the system read it back.
- How to use certain features as accommodations to the MCAS.

Assistive Technology, English Language Arts

Managing a Safe and Secure Student Email System

Renee M. Flottmann, Sales Representative, Gaggle.Net, Inc.

This session will outline various topics that a school or district would face in regards to student email. Topics that will be discussed include maintaining student's safety, addressing parental concerns and involvement, protecting your system from viruses, guarding users against SPAM, and managing email traffic and file storage. Solutions will be explored that give your schools and districts control of their student email system. Other topics that will be addressed include how to stay CIPA (Children's Internet Protection Act) and COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act) compliant with monitoring and filtering and how to tackle these concerns and issues without a hefty price tag (even free). Solutions for safe-student email will be outlined and the cost (or lack of) associated with them. Learn what other schools and districts around the country are doing to facilitate a student email program while maintaining control at the district, school, and even classroom level.

Internet, Administration

Digital Portfolios for Student Growth

David Niguidula, Principal, Ideas Consulting, Barrington, RI

Mary Keable, Portfolio Coordinator, Foster-Glocester Regional School District, Rhode Island

Dave Moscarelli, Portfolio Coordinator, Foster-Glocester Regional School District, Rhode Island

How can students show that they meet standards – yet also show their individuality? This session will look at digital portfolios: a web-based tool that allows students (and teachers) to showcase their work.

We will see several examples from elementary, middle, and high schools. We will look in depth at how students at Ponaganset   High School are using portfolios as a means of “graduation by proficiency.” We will see how Ponaganset's faculty and administration has created a set of expectations, learner outcomes and schoolwide rubrics, and how portfolios fit into the overall process of school change.

To frame these examples, participants will learn about the "essential questions" of designing portfolios:
- Vision: What do we expect a student to know and be able to do?
- Purpose: Why are we collecting student work?
- Assessment: How do we provide feedback to students?
- Technology: What tools and support do we need?
- Logistics: What resources are required to put portfolios in place?
- Culture: What makes student work valued -- and valuable – within a school?
As we review the examples, we will discuss how each school has addressed these questions, and how their answers might apply to the participants' own settings.

Assessment, School Reform

Seeing Through the Mind's Eye with Digital Tools

Peg Verdi, Teacher, Tune-IN Media Literacy Program Director/Counselor, Falmouth Public Schools

Jean Taft, Technology Support Assistant, North Falmouth Elementary School

Tune-In Media Literacy Program's “Seeing thru the Mind's Eye with Digital Tools” is a winning program that combines media literacy skills to analyze the media's powerful influences of imagery and advertising with an introduction to Apple's iLife4 and Adobe Photoshop. This model has been used at both the elementary level and high school level with intergenerational mentorships. Elementary students participate in a videotaping session. High school students who are experienced with Adobe Photoshop tutor the elementary students.

Adobe PDF: Paperless Schools

Michael J. Purdy, Instructional Technology Specialist, Plymouth Public Schools

One of the most powerful tools for streamlining a district's administrative offices at both the school and system levels is Adobe Acrobat. Acrobat's ability to create interactive forms, secure documents, print-ready files and more is truly impressive. In this workshop, we will examine methods for changing the paper-strewn school system into one that employs the digital networks (Web and intranets) available to schools to manage paper effectively.

Administration, Teacher Productivity

District Web Management Round Table

Ragen Tiliakos, Ed.D., Technology Director, Taunton Public Schools

How is your district handling its web site? Come for an open discussion of the problems and solutions that you and other district people have found in managing the district web site.

NCLB Title IID, Technology Enhancement Competitive Grants Showcase

The 2004-2006 NCLB Title IID, Technology Enhancement Competitive Grant recipients (Fund Code: 170) will share with you their projects: how they develop their proposals, implement their projects, and plan to sustain and scale up their initiatives. Showcase projects include technology integration into the curriculum; use of technology for data gathering, analysis, and assessment; and distance learning.

Using the Palm OS and AlphaSmart Across the Curriculum

Brian O'Mara, Northern Education Manager, AlphaSmart, Inc.

Kathy Moss, Educational Consultant (Formerly Boston Public Schools)

The Dana by AlphaSmart features wide-screen enabled versions of some of the best Palm OS applications for teaching and learning. See how to test water, graph an equation, create spreadsheets, graphs, and concept maps. Learn how to organize writing with outlining tools, solve geometry problems with animation applications and develop math skills with challenging games.

Science, English Language Arts, Handhelds

Administrators Using Handhelds and HanDBase for Data Collection and Analysis

Donna Boivin, District Technology Director, Springfield

Susan Birrell , Administrator of Educational Technology, Lowell Public Schools

Sharon Esempio, Resource Teacher, Milton Bradley Elementary School, Springfield

Alice Santiago , Assistant Director of Instructional Technology for Program Development, Boston Public Schools

Administrators use handhelds and HanDBase for collecting the data needed for analyzing needs, modifying instruction, documenting progress, and driving change. Trial version of HanDBase will be beamed to all participants (bring your handheld!) to encourage hands-on participation in this session. Directions, samples of actual databases which are currently in use and templates will be beamed for those with Palms for a creative, productive, hands-on experience to take back and begin using.

Success for Struggling Readers with Scholastic's READ 180

Julia Spencer, Ph.D. , Scholastic.com

Cindy Walowicz, Scholastic.com

Come and see for yourself the research and success behind the nation's premier technology reading intervention program, turning the lives of struggling readers 180 degrees with READ 180. This session will review the model, the use of technology, the efficacy studies, and the results of a successful implementation model. Turn your children's failures into success with READ 180! Used in Boston, Chicopee, Springfield, Fitchburg, Worcester, Pittsfield, Holyoke, and more.

K3000 Windows: New Features Version 8

Nancy Avery and Cindy Kerrigan, New England Sales Representatives, Kurzweil Educational Systems

Product demonstrations throughout the conference will provide attendees with a broad base overview of the Kurzweil 3000 Assistive Technology text to speech software. Highlights will include accommodation for MCAS testing, study skills tools, audio file creation, online search for e-books etc.

Helping to Meet NCLB Mandates with Microsoft's Learning Management Solutions

Microsoft Team

With increasing mandates, such as NCLB and more and more parents demanding to be more involved in their children's school work. This session is focused on Microsoft's Class Server solution which makes it easy for school districts to create, deliver, and grade standards-aligned tests and lessons over the Web-helping teachers track and improve student achievement against local curriculum standards, and meet the challenges of No Child Left Behind. We'll also discuss how parents may obtain up-to-date information about classroom activities and resources, allowing them to be more involved in their child's learning process; and how teachers can work offline and sync up with their classroom later!

SuccessMaker: Harnessing the Power of Educational Technology for Data Driven Decision Making

Meeting the needs of today's learners can be challenging, never mind adding technology to the mix! In this session, explore ways that technology actually multiplies the power of the teacher and addresses multiple learning styles. Software from Pearson Digital Learning will be highlighted, with a particular focus on reporting tools. In this session, Curriculum Specialists from Pearson Digital Learning will describe how administrators and teachers can use multiple sources of data as diagnostic tools to identify needs and apply instructional improvement. They will illustrate how teachers and principals can use data from multiple measures to track student achievement; identify difficulties as early as possible; provide focused instruction and interventions; individualize instruction to meet each student's needs; improve student achievement in the classroom and on high stakes tests; make sound instructional decisions throughout the year.

KnowledgeBox: The Solution to Successfully Integrate Technology into Your Core Curriculum

KnowledgeBox is the first K-6 Digital Learning System for math, social studies, reading/language arts and science.

Learn how KnowledgeBox:

•  Engages media sophisticated students - who have grown up with computers, cell phones, the Internet and instant messaging as an integral part of their everyday lives

•  Empowers Educators- with media rich, standards-based tools and lessons to customize instruction for the student classroom. These lessons can be shared allowing educators to learn from their Master Teachers.

•  Saves Time – by leveraging technology to bring video, print, software and internet resources in a one-stop virtual library from which teachers can build MA standards-based lessons or supplement the framework of the core curriculum.

•  Represents a new genre of educational technology – enabling unprecedented content publishing capabilities.

How to Manage a Safe and Secure Network

Joe Coco & Jeff Bajgot , MECnet

The security and stability of your network is under constant attack from hackers, viruses, and SPAM. This can be stressful and time-consuming, taking you away from more important aspects of your job. This seminar will provide you with tips and tools to maintain a solid and secure network.

Windows XP Service Pack 2

You've heard the stories, read the alerts, maybe even tried it out. Come find out all the tips and tricks you need to make it work (or avoid it)!   Specific topics will include: Understanding impact on network; Main changes to systems; How it changes troubleshooting; Controlling through SUS and Group Policies; Benefits of SP2 - Issues with SP2; and Action Planning

This session is designed for any size network. We'll be reviewing the impact and proper planning requirements needed for this major upgrade.

Transforming Middle School Mathematics Using Interactive Whiteboard Technology

Sue Scott-Mitchell, Educational Consultant with RM Educational Software, Inc, Former Mathematics Classroom Teacher

If you are looking to improve math performance and test scores within your school district, implement or further develop a standards-based curriculum, integrate technology more fully into your math curriculum, or discover new ways to engage and inspire your students with the challenge of mathematics, then this presentation will be of particular interest to you. Find out how RM Math Framework Edition can help you meet all of your strategic objectives within middle school mathematics. RM Math Framework Edition is a whole-class teaching system which utilizes interactive whiteboard technology to deliver a dynamic, and highly interactive, middle school math curriculum. Independent evaluations have shown that RM Math Framework Edition can make a significant difference to student motivation and engagement, with a corollary improvement in test scores and overall math performance at all attainment levels. The presentation will focus principally on the application of software and interactive whiteboards within the middle school math curriculum, but Sue will also demonstrate how RM software and interactive whiteboards can enhance teaching and learning across the curriculum, including the literacy, science, and geography. RM Math Framework Edition is currently supported only on the PC platform.

Migrating to SEMSNet from SEMSv5 or SEMSv6  

Many schools have already converted from SEMSv5 or SEMSv6 to SEMSNet and many more have requested this session.   We are happy to fulfill this request and focus this session on discussing the options for moving to SEMSNet including timelines, conversion, staff training, associated cost, and more.   Learn about the additional options with SEMSNet including, iKeep, iHome and more!   And, discuss with us the value of opening SEMS software up to additional professionals within your district for eliminating the “paper push”!

IP Telephony Solutions in K-12:

Imagine one network that can take classroom attendance, show educational videos to classrooms of students, integrate long distance learning for students at home, tie security surveillance cameras into the local police station and much more! If you think a situation like this can only happen far in the future, think again. It's called IP Telephony and it is here now! During this session Cisco will discuss the benefits of IP Telephony in a K-12 environment and explain the options for migrating to a converged IP based telephone system. During this session Cisco will demonstrate an IP Telephony, Wireless IP Telephony, Video Telephony and XML based phone applications.

TheWholeTeacher:   How to drastically reduce the amount of time spent planning, scheduling, and grading while satisfying current trends in accountability

TheWholeTeacher.com is an online suite of browser-based products designed to help teachers manage lessons and grade books based on the Massachusetts State Frameworks. Our product is the newest and most powerful ally to teachers and administrators who are trying to satisfy the demands of accountability without placing an additional burden on teachers. Teachers, administrators and parents can now track the progress of their students and lessons against the Massachusetts State Frameworks while actually saving time with tedious and repetitive paperwork. Teachers love our easy-to-use web applications and pragmatic approach! In this session, we will show you how to search the Frameworks by keyword, build lessons and link them to the standards, and schedule them into your electronic plan book. You will see how lessons can be easily modified to meet individualized student goals. We'll show you how you can collect evidence in support of your strategies to achieve those goals. You will learn how to report on which frameworks you have covered, and those that you have not. You will discover how to submit lesson plans or your entire plan book to administrators electronically, with just a few simple clicks of the mouse. We will draw a name for a free one-year subscription during each session. Join us in our courtyard demo room to see how you can become a Whole Teacher! 

Creating the Highly Interactive Classroom

Bob Grela, Northeast Educational Consultant, eInstruction

The Classroom Performance System (CPS) uses hand-held student response pads to greatly increase engagement while ensuring 100% participation. It will also automatically grade objective papers (quizzes, homework, tests) Comprehensive assessment and performance data, linked to individual state standards, is being compiled simultaneously behind the scenes. CPS is installed in over 7,000 classrooms in all 50 states.