Gwynn Moore & Shannon Wentworth have teamed up with the AEA to offer the Technology Integration Caucus (Flyer). Excerpt from flyer below.

Two of Aurora Public School’s innovative technology facilitators are attending the South Dakota’s TIE conference. You can find out what Shannon Wentworth (Sixth Avenue Elementary) and Gwynn Moore (Paris Elementary) are learning and sharing at their wiki site.

http://apstech.wikispaces.com/message/list/South+Dakota+TIE

As the Department of Instructional Technology works with principals on school improvement plans, we are noticing a definite trend in which direction teachers and administration want to move. Schools are putting projectors and visualizers into the hands of teachers and students. Visualizers (document imaging cameras) are a fantastic tool for teacher’s instruction. They align perfectly with strategies that work. Three instructional strategies that are demonstrated optimally using a visualizer are:

• Identifying similarities and differences
• Using nonlinguistic representations
• Using questions, cues, and advance organizers

The visualizers lend themselves to all of the strategies, especially in regards to student work. Teachers can simply lay student work on the visualizer and there it is projected on a large screen for the class to see. What a great way to illustrate to students exactly what proficient and outstanding work looks like.

Here’s an example of a School Improvement Plan for Education Technology - Information Literacy (SIP: ET-IL).

Here are some links to great Internet safety resources.

• iSafe
• Web Wise Kids

Here’s a message from Barb Wagers the resident expert on Internet Safety.

Netsmartz is another site used by many educators. Check it out if you’ve never been there.

www.netsmartz.org

NetSmartz has developed Internet safety presentations for use with children of all ages and adults. Educate parents and communities with slides detailing online risks, statistics, resources, and tips for keeping children safer online. Encourage tweens and teens to examine their online behavior and take steps to prevent victimization of themselves and others. Teach younger children what to watch out for on the Internet and how to avoid these risks.

http://www.netsmartz.org/Presentations

Safety Pledges in English and Spanish

http://www.netsmartz.org/resources/pledge.htm

Internet Crimes Against Children’s website is really good and full of information. You can see pictures of those arrested recently and in the past by clicking on the Arrest button. Also, if you click on the Safety Information button, you can select the grade level and parent info. and find some more good links.

www.coloradoicac.com