Technology News for the Downtown School » ISTE http://smithdowntowntech.edublogs.org Mon, 07 Dec 2009 20:28:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 en hourly 1 How to Do Good Stuff with What You’ve Got http://smithdowntowntech.edublogs.org/2009/11/13/how-to-do-good-stuff-with-what-youve-got/ http://smithdowntowntech.edublogs.org/2009/11/13/how-to-do-good-stuff-with-what-youve-got/#comments Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:47:17 +0000 Laura Smith http://smithdowntowntech.edublogs.org/?p=272 That’s basically what this book is all about.

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Ah, new book smell. I just unwrapped my gift from ISTE, which I got for winning “Best Character Voices” in the Six Sounds Podcast contest. I’m very excited to crack this book open. It’s no easy task trying to be innovative when you’ve got 8-10 year old technology. We’re hoping to present ideas on how to work with clunker computers at our workshop at December’s Midsouth Technology Conference, so I’m looking forward to picking up some ideas from this book. I’ll have a review up soon!

]]> http://smithdowntowntech.edublogs.org/2009/11/13/how-to-do-good-stuff-with-what-youve-got/feed/ 2 Let’s Get Together http://smithdowntowntech.edublogs.org/2009/09/01/lets-get-together/ http://smithdowntowntech.edublogs.org/2009/09/01/lets-get-together/#comments Tue, 01 Sep 2009 21:43:43 +0000 Laura Smith http://smithdowntowntech.edublogs.org/?p=240 Yeah yeah yeah.

iste logoSo, who wants to go with me to ISTE’s Conference 2010, Denver?  June 27-30.  I went to NECC by my lonesome this past summer, so I hope some of us tech campers and otherwise tech-savvy teachers can form a Memphis gang and head out west this coming summer.  I’ll even volunteer to organize all our arrangements.  Let’s do it!  Mark your calendars.

Such a voyage should prove to enlighten us, and hopefully make us stronger leaders for ed tech in our district.  Think about it…

]]> http://smithdowntowntech.edublogs.org/2009/09/01/lets-get-together/feed/ 3 NECC One Week Away http://smithdowntowntech.edublogs.org/2009/06/22/necc-one-week-away/ http://smithdowntowntech.edublogs.org/2009/06/22/necc-one-week-away/#comments Mon, 22 Jun 2009 06:20:12 +0000 Laura Smith http://smithdowntowntech.edublogs.org/?p=203 I’m really looking forward to NECC, and will be leaving for Washington, D.C. this coming weekend.  It seems like such a busy ordeal, I have no idea how I might manage to get to the Exhibit Hall or make any SIG meetings, but I think just hitting these sessions is going to give me a plethora of ideas to bring back.

Here is a list of the sessions I will be attending.

  • Teaching with Digital Video in the Social Studies Classroom
  • Using Digital Tools Responsibly to Create Research Papers in the Elementary Classroom
  • Great Open Source Programs You Can Start Using Right Away
  • Teaching with Digital Video in the Mathematics Classroom
  • Teaching Elementary Students Computer Science Concepts with Scratch
  • Dr. Z’s Creative Cookbook on Collaborative Communication
  • CSI NECC: Computer Forensics and Data Recovery for Educators
  • Improving Writing Across the Curriculum: New Tools for Old Skills
  • Library of Congress Open House
  • Using Place-Based Storytelling to Teach Historical and Geographical Thinking
  • Digital Citizenship: Tools, Resources, and Best Practices
  • 10 Standards-Based Formative Feedback Techniques Through Technology
  • Raising the Bar: Differentiated Learning

I got an email from CoolCatTeacher (could it be the CoolCatTeacher???) for how to prep my laptop for the Digital Citizenship session.  The Bring Your Own Laptop sessions (BYOL, hehe) I am most looking forward to.  I’m anxious to learn some more ways to use Scratch in the classroom, not just in the lab.  Plus, formative feedback techniques through technology–sounds like something that can make life easier for the teachers.  No, I’m not excited at all, am I?

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