Fw; Awak[e] NEON - March 19, 2004 - Issue #99

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Subj: NEON - March 19, 2004 - Issue #99

Date: 3/21/04 12:59:50 PM Eastern Standard Time

From: klarsen@...

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Vote NO on S.1248

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* Note: This 99th issue of NEON is only the 2nd West Coast Edition. *

* If you requested subscription following our inaugural issue last month, *

* we've added you to our list. If you receive two copies this time, please *

* forgive us. This will be the last time we broadcast to the full RTEC *

* Exchange Community. We encourage you to forward this e-newsletter to *

* your friends and colleagues in the West. *

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NEON is an e-newsletter provided by SEIR*TEC, Regional Technology in Education Consortium at SouthEast Initiatives, through the Instructional Resource Center (ITRC) at the University of Central Florida.

This West Coast Edition of NEON is made available to you through a collaboration of SEIR*TEC and WestEd RTEC. It is accessible to you by email and web page, and is published electronically once a month.

To subscribe to the email list, send email to

pkinder@...

In the subject of the message type:

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. A Patent on Streaming Video?

2. Student Website Reviewers Needed

3. A Call for Reviewers

AWARDS & CONTESTS

4. NGS Education Foundation Teacher Grants

5. Designing Games for the Future of Education

CLASSROOM RESOURCES

6. Lesson Plans and Web Resources

7. New at Science News for Kids

8. Art Information from the sonian American Art Museum

9. A Repository for Children's Folksongs

PUBLICATIONS

10. New and Improved "Edutopia"

11. Using Handhelds in Education

CONFERENCES

12. A Call for Papers

13. Call for Participation

14. Upcoming Conferences

NETS RESOURCES

15. Cultural Diversity and Technology

RTEC RESOURCES

16. Early Connections

17. Investing in Technology: The Learning Return

18. TechPlan Builder, Online Event

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

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1. A PATENT ON STREAMING VIDEO?

The rights of U.S. schools and colleges to use streaming video are at risk, because a little-known California company claims it owns the patent on what enables streaming video. The company has already sent demands for royalty payments to several U.S. universities. (Source: eSchool News Online, March 3, 2004)

Related URL: http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/showStory.cfm?ArticleID=4937 (Free registration is required to read the article.)

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2. STUDENT WEB SITE REVIEWERS NEEDED

CyberFair is looking for adult members of the Education Community to review this year's CyberFair project entries. The success of the CyberFair experience for many students (and their teachers) depends on getting honest and reliable feedback from volunteer reviewers. Your reviews will be part of the official judging process. If you can devote a few hours from March 29-April 16 to review 4-6 websites, please register as a reviewer. Each site will take approximately 30-45 minutes to review. CyberFair, now in its 9th year, is an award-winning, authentic learning program used by schools around the world, in which students conduct research about their local communities and then publish their findings on the World Wide Web. (Source: Ed.Net Briefs®, March 1, 2004)

Related URL: http://www.globalschoolhouse.com/cf/revform.cfm

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3. A CALL FOR REVIEWERS

The U.S. Department of State, in concert with Global SchoolNet, is sponsoring the Doors to Diplomacy Award. This educational award recognizes the student-created website that best teaches others about the importance of international affairs and diplomacy. Doors to Diplomacy 2004 is inviting adult members of the Education Community to review this year's project entries. Your reviews will be part of the official judging process. If you can devote a few hours from March 29-April 16 to review 4-6 websites, please register as a reviewer. Each site will take approximately 30-45 minutes to review.

Related URL: http://www.globalschoolhouse.org/doors/revform.cfm

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AWARDS & CONTESTS

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4. NGS EDUCATION FOUNDATION TEACHER GRANTS

The National Geographic Society (NGS) Education Foundation gives grants directly to educators to facilitate their work in the classroom, school, district, and community. The Foundation encourages high-impact projects with potential to reach as many teachers and students as possible. Projects that have outreach to urban areas are particularly encouraged.

Teacher grant applications are accepted in the spring from any current teacher or administrator in an accredited K-12 school within the United States or Canada. Applications for the 2004-2005 school year or summer 2005 must be received by June 10, 2004. Awards will be announced by August 31, 2004. (Source: PEN Weekly NewsBlast for March 5, 2004)

Related URL: http://nationalgeographic.com/education/teacher_community/get_grant.html

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5. DESIGNING GAMES FOR THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION

The Education Arcade initiative, a consortium exploring new frontiers of educational media opened by computer and videogames, will award 10 high school seniors and undergraduate students travel, residence and entrance to both the Education Arcade Games in Education Conference and E3 based on the caliber of their submitted essay.

Entrants must be at least 18 years old by May 9, 2004. Essays may be submitted online at any time before the end of March 2004.

Related URL: http://www.educationarcade.org/

Contact Info: Philip Tan, MIT

cms-tea-inquiries@...

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CLASSROOM RESOURCES

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6. LESSON PLANS AND WEB RESOURCES

Horace Mann has teamed up with Alan Haskvitz, a nationally know educator, to create the Reach Every Child website. The resources on this site include everything from complete lesson plans and teaching kits to primary source materials for student research. The home page features a section listing new resources; timely stories and subjects with resources to help teach about them; sample lesson plans using the site's resources; and a place to submit your own lesson or a resource you've found helpful.

Related URL: http://www.reacheverychild.com/

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7. NEW AT SCIENCE NEWS FOR KIDS

Produced by the award-winning newsmagazine Science News and Science Service, which runs science competitions for middle school and high school students, the site has just substantially expanded its offerings for kids working on science projects. The site features numerous resources, including tips on science fair projects and presentations, ideas for math projects, a growing archive of full descriptions of national award-winning science fair projects by middle school students, and access to articles about scientific discoveries. This site is a great resource for kids (ages 9 to 14) and their teachers and parents.

Related URL: http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/

Contact Info: srubin@...

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8. ART INFORMATION FROM THE SMITHSONIAN AMERICAN ART MUSEUM

If you have a question about American Art and don't know how to find the answer, Art information specialists at the sonian American Art Museum, using print and electronic resources, will help you get started. The Ask Joan of Art service is just one of the resources available at this website.

Related URL: http://americanart.si.edu/index2.cfm

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9. A REPOSITORY FOR CHILDREN'S FOLKSONGS

The purpose of the National Children's Folksong Repository is to preserve and capture our collective heritage. Music has been used to record our stories, our heritage, and as a teaching tool. Educators are invited to help create and capture our collective heritage in this national online archive.

Related URL: http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/Culdesac/Repository/NCFR.html

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Publications

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10. NEW AND IMPROVED "EDUTOPIA"

The Lucas Educational Foundation is planning some exciting and significant changes for its newsletter; re-launching it this September as a full-fledged magazine, delivering the same inspiring coverage in a sharp, vibrant format with expanded articles, photography, and design. In the coming year, "Edutopia" magazine will deliver coverage of the latest tools, techniques, and technologies used by our nation's most innovative educators and students.

Go the website to get your free subscription.

Related URL: http://glef.org/

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11. USING HANDHELDS IN EDUCATION

K12 Handhelds, Inc. announces the availability of the "Handheld Bookshelf Collection," a bundle of the best books available on the use of handhelds in education. This set includes: (1) 101 Great Educational Uses for Your Handheld Computer - an award-winning book that covers a variety of topics from purchase considerations to classroom integration tips. (Published by K12 Handhelds, Inc.), (2) Handhelds for Teachers & Administrators - this book shows teachers how to use both Palm and Pocket PC handhelds and integrate them into the curriculum. (Published by Tom Snyder Productions), (3) Tips & Tricks for Using Handhelds in the Classroom - this resource is a practical guide for incorporating the use of handhelds in all areas of the curriculum. This book is filled with lots of lesson plans for using Palm OS handhelds. (Published by Teacher Created Materials). The Handheld Bookshelf Collection is available for a special educator bundle price of $74.99. (Source: Ed.Net Briefs®, Feb

ruary 23, 2004)

Related URLs: http://www.k12handhelds.com

http://www.k12handhelds.com/book.php#newbooks

Contact Info: info@...

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CONFERENCES

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12. A CALL FOR PAPERS

The 10th Sloan-C International Conference on Asynchronous Learning Networks (ALN): "The Power of Online Learning: From Innovation to the Mainstream" is inviting educators to submit papers for the November 12-14, 2004 conference to held in Orlando, Florida. The conference strongly encourages proposals that reflect the implications for the field of specific e-learning experience and practices.

Proposals must be submitted by April 10, 2004.

Related URL: http://www.aln.ucf.edu/

Contact Info: aln@...

(Toll Free)

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13. CALL FOR PARTICIPATION

E-Learn 2004, the World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, & Higher Education, is inviting educators to submit proposals for the November 1-5, 2004 conference to be held in Washington, DC. All presentation proposals are reviewed and selected by a respected, international Executive Advisory Board and Program Committee, based on merit and the perceived value for attendees. This event is organized by the Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE) and co-sponsored by the International Journal on E-Learning.

The submission deadline is April 29, 2004.

Related URLs: http://www.aace.org/conf/elearn/

http://www.aace.org

http://www.aace.org/pubs/ijel

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14. UPCOMING CONFERENCES and EVENTS

National Educational Computing Conference (NECC)

June 21-23, 2004

New Orleans, LA

Related URL: http://www.iste.org/necc/

American Library Association Annual Conference

June 24-30, 2004

Orlando, FL

Related URL: http://www.ala.org/

Digital Generations: Children, Young People, and New Media

July 26-29, 2004

London, England

Related URL: http://www.ccsonline.org.uk/mediacentre/Events/main.html

AECT 2004 International Convention

October 20-24, 2004

Chicago, IL

Related URL: http://aect.org/events/Chicago04/call/default.asp?

E-Learn 2004

The World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, & Higher Education

November 1-5, 2004

Washington, DC

Related URL: http://www.aace.org/conf/elearn/

Sloan-C International Conference on Asynchronous Learning Networks

November 12-14, 2004

Orlando, Florida

Related URL: http://www.aln.ucf.edu/

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Announcing the 2004 Spring and Summer Teacher Development Center (TDC) training Schedule, a WestEd RTEC Partnership.

The TDC is a unique research-based professional development opportunity for teachers to:

• Explore a range of Technology Tools

• Observe and interact in model technology classrooms

• Receive practical hands-on help in implementing research-based instructiona

practices

• Work one on one with facilitators to develop a curriculum-based technology unit

to use in your classroom

• Discuss and reflect on student-centered learning

• Receive individual help in meeting the mandates of No Child Left Behind (NCLB)

Ogden, Utah

Date: June 14 - 18 and June 21-25

Location: Ogden --- Mount Ogden Middle School

3260 on Blvd. Ogden, UT 84403

Date: July 12 - 16 and August 2-6

Location: Mount Logan Middle School 875 North 200 East. Logan, UT 84321

July 19 - 16

http://www.mlms.logan.k12.ut.us/science/teton/Teton_Teacher_Retreat.htm

To register or for more information contact Dave or Else Akina, , email eakina@... or danderson@...

Visit http://www.mlms.logan.k12.ut.us/wested.htm

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Cupertino, California

Date May 18-21 for Middle School teachers

Location: Murdock-Portal School, 1188 Wunderlich Ave., San , CA 95129

Date: May 25-27 and June 1-3 for K-6 teachers. The June TDC is an advanced training for teachers who already integrate technology in their classrooms.

Location: Murdock-Portal School, 1188 Wunderlich Ave., San , CA 95129

Contact: Harlin Hansen ext 167, email Hansen_harlin@...

Visit: www.cupertino.k12.ca.us/tdc/ctta

The Teacher development center is a partnership between WestEd RTEC, The Cupertino Union School District, Cupertino, CA; and Mount Logan Middle School, Logan, UT.

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NETS RESOURCES

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Each month, we take a look at one of the National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS) at http://cnets.iste.org/teachers/t_stands.html and identify resources for helping teachers meet those standards.

15. CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND TECHNOLOGY

NETS for Teachers - Standard VI(: "Teachers apply technology resources to enable and empower learners with diverse backgrounds, characteristics, and abilities."

Related Resource Sites:

Culture, Diversity, and Multiculturalism

http://www.ncela.gwu.edu/links/langcult/multi.htm

This site contains a list of annotated links to language and education sites focused on culture, diversity, and multiculturalism.

Ensuring Equitable Use of Education Technology

http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/technlgy/te400.htm

When a school or district decides to implement education technology into the curriculum, one of its overriding goals must be to create plans and policies for all members of the learning community to have equitable access and use.

The Institute for Urban and Minority Education (IUME)

http://iume.tc.columbia.edu/publications.asp

Through research, IUME provides the knowledge necessary for establishing policies and designing educational programs to support the development of ethnically and linguistically diverse groups. The publications section includes downloadable PDF documents on how people learn and raising minority academic achievement.

Using Technology to Enhance Engaged Learning for At-Risk Students

http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/students/atrisk/at400.htm

New technologies can provide meaningful learning experiences for all children, especially those at risk of educational failure. Schools that capitalize on the relationship between technology and education reform will help students to develop higher order skills and to function effectively in the world beyond the classroom.

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R*TEC RESOURCES

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The Regional Technology in Education Consortia (R*TEC) program at http://www.rtec.org/ supports the integration of technology into K-12 environments and other educational settings. In each issue of NEON, we will explore some of the free and/or inexpensive resources being provided to educators by this program.

16. EARLY CONNECTIONS

Learn what technology can - and can't - do in the education of young children. Early Connections provides research-based information and resources for those who work with children ages eight and younger. A resource from the Northwest Educational Technology Consortium (NETC).

Related URL: http://www.netc.org/earlyconnections/index.html

17. Investing in Technology: The Learning Return

Investments in education technology can pose major dilemmas for policymakers. Most agree that in today's world, computer-based technology is not a frill but an important part of any modern curriculum. Equally clear, however, is its expense. Over the last decade, K-12 spending on computer-based technology in the United States has tripled. Given these realities, policymakers at state and local levels want to know how and under what circumstances technology can make a difference in instruction and learning. This Policy Brief addresses that issue. It reports on research findings, focusing on policy and pedagogical issues. This resource is from the WestEd RTEC.

Related URL:

http://www.wested.org/cs/we/view/rs/666

18. Title: RTEC Online TechPlanBuilder

Create and update an effective technology plan for your district quickly and easily with the WestEd Regional Technology Education Consortium's (RTEC) TechPlanBuilder (TBP). Join the RTEC as it hosts on online event exploring this innovative, free tool April 7, 2004 from10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Facilitated by -Young - champion of instructional technology, technology consultant, and renown author - this event gives you the opportunity to learn about the TBP and get initial hands-on experience building a plan.

Based on the preeminent online tax preparation software model, TBP guides you through the process of building a technology plan that is effective, thorough, and ensures compliance with the No Child Left Behind Act's (NCLB) Enhancing Education through Technology (EETT). TPB leads you through a series of interviews and worksheets that when complete, generates a district technology plan that is ready for approval, use, and updating.

The RTEC TechPlanBuilder was created through collaboration between the RTEC and the California Technology Assistance Project. If you are unable to participate the event will be archived in the RTEC Exchange at www.westedrtec.org. The URL for the TPB is http://wested.org/techplanbuilder.

-Young began her teaching career in K-6 classrooms, was an early champion of instructional technology, and went on to become a technology curriculum specialist and a site administrator. Since 2000, has been consulting with schools and districts around the country on their technology plans, leadership training, and program evaluation projects. Active as a freelance writer for magazines, web sites, and journals, also authored two bestselling ISTE books (Making Technology Standards Work for You and 101 Best Web Sites for Principals), and has a third in the works.

Registration

To learn more about this event, please visit the RTEC Exchange at: http://rtecexchange.edgateway.net/

Step 1.-- Go to --- http://rtecexchange.edgateway.net/

Step 2.-- Select -- "Sign Up." The system will prompt you to login or register on the site as needed. (Note If you are a first time user to RTEC you need to select "Register" and become a "member". Fill in all information flagged by asterisks and please use a unique login name

Step 3.-- Click on the title of the event either by scrolling the "Up & Coming Events" and clicking on the title of the event.

Step 4.-- Once on the event information page, click on Subscribe into this Event" in the gray bar at the top left hand corner of the page

Step 5.-- Scroll down to read information for the live event and to see the list of related resources and to download the PPT.

Step 6.-- Scroll down to read information for the live event, see the list of related resources and download the PPT.

For general information please contact Please general information contact Duffield, Program Associate, WestEd RTEC at 415/615-3213 or jduffie@...

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NEON (News for Educators Online Now! - the West Coast Edition) is designed to disseminate educational technology announcements and news. NEON provides a way for YOU to let others know what you are doing.

To submit an announcement of national interest, use the online form at

http://www.itrc.ucf.edu/neon/archives/submitstory.html OR send email to ucfitrc@.... To submit an announcement of interest for West Coast educators, send an email to pkinder@.... Each announcement should be sent separately and MUST include an email address or URL for people to go to for more complete information. We will use as space allows.

The IRTC staff reserves the right to determine which announcements will be used in NEON based on content, length, and timeliness. The ITRC staff also reserves the right to edit information provided.

The Instructional Technology Resource Center (ITRC) at UCF

University of Central Florida

Dr. Donna Baumbach, Director

Kathy Katz, NEON Editor

http://www.itrc.ucf.edu

ucfitrc@...

SEIR*TEC

Byrom, Ed.D., Principal Investigator

http://www.seirtec.org

WestEd RTEC

Kurt Larsen, Principal Investigator/Director

http://www.westedrtec.org