ALABAMA SUPERCOMPUTER AUTHORITY
The Alabama Supercomputer Authority Board of Directors unanimously passed a resolution on August 13, 2003, affirming its support for Amendment 1. In a letter to Governor Riley, Mr. Randy Fulmer, Chief Executive Officer, stated:
The ASA Board believes that passage of this well-conceived package of tax reform and accountability measures is essential in moving our state forward and providing our students with the resources and educational opportunities to which they are entitled.
The Alabama Supercomputer Authority has responded to the rapidly expanding technology needs of Alabama's education institutions for network connectivity and Internet access over the last ten years. As Alabama seeks to diversify its economy, ASA is committed to ensure that its services continue to play a pivotal role in supporting the attraction of high technology companies, scientific research and commercial successes in the biotechnology, automotive and engineering industries.
To review the bills in the plan:
http://www.lfo.state.al.us/2003_first_special_session_legis_LONG.htm
READING ABOUT EDUCATION AND TECHNOLOGY
BIONIC YOUTH: TOO MUCH INFORMATION? Students today inhabit a culture that revolves around technology and lightening-quick information delivery. This article explores how this digitized environment is affecting their minds. "What seems clear," the article reports, "is that children are developing a far different set of skills than they had before." http://www.msnbc.com/news/953368.asp
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT MODELS The North Central Regional Educational Laboratory and the John Edward Porter Professional Development Center are both cited as useful resources in a Technology and Learning article that describes 21st century professional development models. The article notes the Porter Center's ability to offer customized retreats and institutes, on-site and online coaching, and a range of tools for planning effective professional development. NCRELs comprehensive collection of resources and publications is also noted. http://www.portercenter.org/index.html
EDUCATION AND THE INTERNET
THE BEST OF MARCO POLO It's back-to-school time! MarcoPolo is rolling out the red carpet for teachers and students who are stepping into the classroom for the first time, as well as those who are returning for another year of fun and learning. To kick off the school year, the MarcoPolo Content Partners have selected some of their favorite lessons to feature in this month's MarcoGram. Find out what MarcoPolo has in store for you this school year by clicking here: http://www.marcopolo-education.org/MarcoGrams/Sep2003.html
BULLETIN BOARD IDEAS Need an idea for a bulletin board? Try one of these sites from EduHound:
Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators - Bulletin Board Ideas Bulletin Board Ideas for the School, Classroom and Media Center.
http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/bulletin/Teachnet.Com: Fall Bulletin Boards Each title includes a brief description of the graphics to go with the bulletin board. http://www.teachnet.com/how-to/decor/bboards/index.html
The Teacher's Corner: Bulletin Boards Bulletin board ideas by month, theme, holiday, as well as ideas for using various materials. http://www.theteacherscorner.net/bulletinboards/index.htm
Kim's Korner for Teacher Talk: Bulletin Board Ideas Lesson Plans, ideas and activities for back to school. http://www.kimskorner4teachertalk.com/classmanagement/bulletinboards.html
BLACKOUT The recent blackout in the northeast provided a tiny glimpse of what life would be like without electricity. This is something we all take for granted, but how much do we really know about electricity? Here are some sites to help you learn more:
CNN.com: How Power Grids Work Electricity generation stations throughout the US are interconnected in a system called power grids. http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/08/14/power.grid.ap/
Time.com: Blackout How did it happen? And how vulnerable are we to another shutdown? http://www.time.com/time/covers/1101030825/story.htmlNY Times Learning Network: Now, That's a Bright Idea! In this lesson, students will explore the role that electricity plays in their daily lives, both in school and at home. http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20010208thursday.html
Energy and Electricity Lesson Plan (Grades 3-8) Students will gain an understanding of the terms "volt," "amp," "watt," "watt- hour," and "kilowatt-hour." http://www.teachervision.com/lesson-plans/lesson- 5764.html
"DO WE" REALLY KNOW DEWEY? This site teaches elementary school children about the Dewey decimal classification system through an illustrated series of stories featuring "Dewey and the Alien." The site also includes favorite student reading topics and Web sites with corresponding Dewey classification, quizzes and puzzles, and a brief bibliography. http://www.columbia.k12.mo.us/dre/dewey/
WEAVING THE WEB INTO THE K-12 CURRICULUM A WebQuest designed for use with pre-service and in-service teachers. Created by Bernie Poole and Beckie Randall for a Tom Snyder Productions Summer Institute for Advanced Technology Integration, it was revised March 13, 2003. http://www.pitt.edu/~edindex/WebQuests/INFORMATION LITERACY NETS FOR TEACHERS Each month, the Instructional Technology Resource Center (ITRC) at UCF and the SouthEast Initiatives Regional Technology in Education Consortium (SEIR*TEC) 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.
Standard II(B): "Teachers apply current research on teaching and learning with technology when planning learning environments and experiences."
Related Resource Sites:
ACRL Institute for Information Literacy http://www.ala.org/ACRLTemplate.cfm?Section=ACRLs_Institute_for_Information_Literacy
The Institute for Information Literacy (IIL) website provides visitors with a place to learn more about IIL, about IIL programs, and about information literacy.Big6 Skills http://www.Big6.com The Big6 Skills provide a systematic approach to information problem solving that relies upon critical thinking skills. The Big6 Skills can be used by librarians, teachers and information specialists to help learners attain information literacy. Archives are searchable.
Information Literacy http://goose.ycp.edu/~gszczyrb/vlib/ This website contains an annotated list of links to websites dealing with information literacy issues.
Media Literacy Online Project http://interact.uoregon.edu/MediaLit/HomePage Media literacy is concerned with helping students develop an informed and critical understanding of the nature of the mass media, the techniques used by them, and the impact of these techniques. This site at the University of Oregon provides links and interesting information.
Process Models Comparison Chart http://www.wlma.org/Instruction/processmodels.htm Compares the various steps of the Kulthau Information literacy model with Eisenberg/Berkowitz and Pitts/Stripling.
FREE RESOURCES FOR SCIENCE TEACHERS The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) has compiled a list of free opportunities and resources for science educators. Taken from two articles, one appearing in The Washington Post and the other in The Charlotte Observer, the resources are listed on NSTA's Web site in order to help educators find them easily. http://science.nsta.org/enewsletter/2003-07/high_school.htm http://science.nsta.org/enewsletter/2003-07/news_stories_high.htm
GLOBAL SCHOOL.NET offers a number of innovative ways for students and teachers to expand their global horizons through cross-cultural knowledge. The site features a well-organized database of collaborative projects meant to connect students from different countries and areas. A current project for middle school asks students from around the globe to submit diary entries describing a typical day in their classrooms. Other highlights include an international newswire created by students, video conferencing tools, virtual travel expeditions, and (for teachers) professional development resources. The site isn't especially flashy, but (perhaps because of that) it's clearly presented and easy to get around. http://www.globalschoolnet.org/GSH/index.html
THE DIARY PROJECT encourages teenagers around the world to share their day-to-day experiences of growing up. "Our goal," say the site's organizers, "is to encourage communication among teens of all cultures and backgrounds ..." Diary entries submitted to the sleekly designed site are organized into 24 topics (linked in the left margin) ranging from "Body Image" to "Poetry" to "Who am I?" Teens can submit entries by using an easy-to-find form, which is prefaced by a code of ethics and general tips. All entries are monitored by a team of adults and teens. The site is an instructive tool for adults trying to figure out what teens are thinking. The material on the site, the organizers caution, is not appropriate for children below the age of 13. http://www.diaryproject.com/about/
NEWS YOU CAN USE
DISNEYHAND AMERICAN TEACHER AWARDS honor creativity in teaching and were created to give extraordinary teachers the recognition they truly deserve, but rarely receive. Know a creative teacher who deserves to be honored? A teacher who finds creative ways to stimulate curiosity? engages the imagination? passes the joy of learning on to each and every one of his or her students? Nominate your favorite teacher online at http://www.DisneyHand.com or call 1-877-282-8322. Nomination Deadline: Oct. 3
STUDENTS-AT-WORK CONTEST North Central Regional Technology in Education Consortium at North Central Regional Educational Lab, The Thornburg Center for Professional Development, Bernajean Porter Consulting, and Annette Lamb of Eduscapes are hosting the 1st Annual Media Perspectives on Student Understanding: A National Talent Search Contest for Students-at-Work. The contest involves a search for talented students who can effectively communicate deep understanding of any content topic using computers. There are awards for students in 2 categories (grades 1-4 and grades 5-12) as well as awards for teachers. The deadline for project submissions is January 31, 2004. http://tryscience.org/contest.html
ALFA TEACHER OF THE MONTH The 2004 ALFA Teacher of the Month Award for K-12 public school teachers will award $1,000 to each teacher selected and $1,000 to the teacher's school. Application instructions and eligibility criteria are available online at www.alsde.edu in the Communication Section under Awards. This information also has been mailed to all local superintendents and principals. There is no limit to the number of teachers per school or school system that may apply. Entries must be postmarked by October 15, 2003.