Here is the ActivStudio flipchart that was used today during the Fulton ActivStudio professional development. It is based on Classroom Instruction that Works.

The school year has begun, and you are looking for resources to provide resources for your students so that they will engage in their learning. There is a resource that is available to all staff and students that is a “One Stop Resource Mall”—Discovery OnePlace to find resources for Mondo, Discovery Education including Discovery Science, World Book, NetTrekker, CultureGrams, and Promethean Planet. Elementary, K-8, Middle School, and High School teachers can find this tool a simple resource tool for the classroom regardless of
your experience level with technology.

Come join fellow teachers to add resources that can support your lessons to build that engagement for student learning and support for English Language Learners.
WHEN: Thursday August 27, 2009
TIME: 4:45 pm-6:00 pm
WHERE: Sixth Avenue Elementary
PRESENTERS: Shannon Wentworth, Sixth Ave. Elem.,
Gwynn Moore, Paris Elem.
COST: AEA Members-A benefit of your AEA Membership,
this workshop is free
Non-AEA Members-$10.00
CREDIT: Credit information will be available at the workshop. So that we can plan for participant resources, please fill out the registration form and check if applicable made out to AEA to Shannon Wentworth, Sixth Ave. Elementary OR Gwynn Moore, Paris Elementary by August 26.

image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/marcemarc/2385399277/

Will you be using WordPress with your students?

If you have a new Dell Latitude E6400  Laptop. The district’s wireless key needs to be imported before you can use the wireless network. This means that you won’t be able to log in to the network either. Here’s how to get the wireless working.

1.  turn on your E6400 laptop
2. check the “workstation only” box and hit “Enter” on the keyboard
3. After the laptop has fully turned on click on “Start,”"Programs,” “Dell Wireless,” and finally “Dell Wireless WLAN Card Utility”
4. Now we have to import the Key. Click on the little arrow next to the “Options” button. Click “import.” SEE IMAGE
5. Browse through the computer to find and double-click on apsnet1397.wpn. Click on “My Computer > Local Disk C > DELL > DRIVERS > Network > Wireless 1397 > apsnet1397.wpn. Once you click on apsnet1397.wpn, click “open.”
6. Now your wireless will work within the district. Restart and try logging in.

Here’s “Part 1 of Dr. Robert Marzano addressing the question “What do we know about the effect of technology on student achievement?” at the CUE 2009 Conference on March 6, 2009.” (thanks Ivan)  Not surprisingly his studies show an increase in student achievement when instructional technology is used effectively and a decrease in achievement when instruction is focused on the tool rather than the learning.

The deciding factor of success is whether the teacher has a good understanding of pedagogical and content knowledge prior to using instructional technology. This just underscores for me the importance of teaching how to use instructional technology within the framework of instructional strategies. This is definitely an ongoing pursuit for me, as I tend to skip directly to how to use the technology rather than when or why.

Anyway… if you are preparing to write a grant soon for instructional technology, this is a great resource to book mark. The points that Marzano speaks of, relate directly to the work that the recipients of the DoIT Grant have worked to achieve with the technology they received. They have done some fantastic work! Check out their projects… and be sure to check out Marzano’s presentation.

image by Punya Mishra