{"data":[{"ID":"42","Class":"EduconConversation","ContextClass":null,"ContextID":null,"Created":1263666185,"CreatorID":"1","RevisionID":null,"Title":"(Re)Imagining Social Media & Technology in Teacher Education","Handle":"ReImagining_Social_Media__Technology_in_Teacher_Education","ShortDescription":"Join Dean Shareski and Alec Couros to discuss innovations in teacher education for developing technical skills and new literacies in preservice teachers. We'd like to share our experiences, but more importantly, we'd like to lead a conversation discussing the role of teacher education programs for developing innovative teachers.","Description":"Dean Shareski and Alec Couros have been teaching technology and social media related courses in a teacher education program at the Faculty of Education, University of Regina. Over the last couple of years, we have focused on social and participatory learning strategies as we have \"opened\" our courses with the assistance of the individuals in our respective personal learning networks. This has meant connecting our students to passionate and knowledgeable educators from around the world, and also, allowing our students to become mentors in distant classrooms. The courses, based on student feedback, have been very successful.    We hope to focus this conversation on both the specific and general. First, in what ways can we improve our course experiences to ensure success for our students (and hopefully for the schools in which they are hired)? Second, we would like your input in (re)imagining the role of teacher education programs in the development of students who are technologically savvy and media literate. What should our programs aim to accomplish? What strategies should we adopt? And, perhaps most importantly, how can we work better with K12 schools districts to help foster innovation and ensure success for young learners.","Link":[],"Audience":["All School Levels"],"Practice":"There will be a very short, 5-10 minute, overview of the topic that will be followed by a large group discussion (possibly small groups as well). We will use a wiki to track important points, and invite others to collaborate before\/beyond the date of the session. We may work to develop a teacher education type manifesto, or something similar, depending on input from the group.","Presenter":["Dr. Alec Couros","Dean Shareski"],"PresenterAffiliation":["Faculty of Education","University of Regina"],"PresenterEmail":["couros@gmail.com"],"ScheduleSlot":"Session Four","Room":"208"},{"ID":"11","Class":"EduconConversation","ContextClass":null,"ContextID":null,"Created":1263666185,"CreatorID":"1","RevisionID":null,"Title":"2.Go","Handle":"2Go","ShortDescription":"Skype? Wikis? Delicious? RSS? Twitter? Podcasts? Google Docs? 2.Go will cover all the basic 2.0 tools that will be talked about in Educon sessions, and \"introduce\" you to many of the attendees to help you network.  2.Go is for beginners who are just starting to integrate technology into their lives.","Description":"Last year at Educon there were people in every session I attended that had difficulty grasping what the participants or session leader was discussing because it was assumed that everyone had the same background knowledge.  I would like to lead a conversation that allows all the teachers who are coming to Educon to participate in the sessions they attend, and not feel uncomfortable that they are not familiar with the tools, jargon, and philosophies being brought up during the course of the conference.  2.Go would also \"introduce\" them to many of the attendees and their specialties so that they feel better prepared to network during meals, hallway time, and after hour activities.  2.Go should be in the first time slot on the first day.","Link":["http:\/\/2go.wikispaces.com\/"],"Audience":["All School Levels"],"Practice":"unsession, demonstrating 2.0 tools as needed","Presenter":["Paul Bogush"],"PresenterAffiliation":["Moran Middle School Wallingford","CT"],"PresenterEmail":["PBogush@wallingford.k12.ct.us"],"ScheduleSlot":"Session One","Room":"308"},{"ID":"72","Class":"EduconConversation","ContextClass":null,"ContextID":null,"Created":1264830079,"CreatorID":"1243","RevisionID":null,"Title":"A Student's Vision of Personalized Learning & Real-time Collaboration","Handle":"A_Students_Vision_of_Personalized_Learning__Real-time_Collaboration","ShortDescription":"How do we easily cater to the individual learning styles of students through technology; and facilitate collaborative, project-based work? Join a conversation hosted by a group of students from the project-based Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering. Your thoughts will likely be implemented in a wide-release online software package called Alight Learning, which is actively being developed by us.","Description":"This conversation is ultimately about how to easily cater to the individual learning styles of students through technology; and facilitate collaborative, project-based work. Unlike all of the other conversations; however, this one is hosted by a group of students, who took a year-long entrepreneurial sabbatical from the project-based Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering, to come up with solutions to these great challenges. We call our free in-progress solution Alight Learning. The goals of the conversation are to discuss how personalization best happens in the classroom, how collaborative projects best engage students, and the best ways online technology can facilitate these objectives. We are in the midst of developing a free online software package, Alight Learning, which tries to best encompass solutions to these issues. We want to share the strategies we?ve developed from months of discussions with many teachers and our own original thought. We most of all want to engage everyone in their thoughts and opinions of the subject. Since we are actively developing this product, any thoughts you bring to the conversation will most likely be implemented for you and thousands of other teachers to use soon.","Link":["http:\/\/www.alightlearning.com"],"Audience":["High School","Middle School"],"Practice":"The software we're developing has a real-time collaborative space to record the ongoing discussion online and store and share any web-linked resources that come up. We will be actively using this within our conversation as a means to record thoughts on this topic. Should this turn out not to work properly, we will have an accessible wiki setup and will be streaming important points via @alightlearning.    Our goal is primarily to hear the thoughts and opinions and proposed solutions of our topics from the participants. We will be giving a little bit of background on our story, and the perspective that we're coming from, but beyond that we want to shut up and facilitate a conversation along our primary topic in the context of what we're working on.","Presenter":["Evan Morikawa","Andrew Pethan"],"PresenterAffiliation":["Alight Learning Inc \/ Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering"],"PresenterEmail":["evan@alightlearning.com"],"ScheduleSlot":"Session Six","Room":"301"},{"ID":"75","Class":"EduconConversation","ContextClass":null,"ContextID":null,"Created":1264698362,"CreatorID":"518","RevisionID":null,"Title":"A Teacher Like Me: pushing past racial archetypes","Handle":"A_Teacher_Like_Me_pushing_past_the_racial_archetypes","ShortDescription":"Do students need a teacher who \"looks like\" them, and is from a similar background?  How can we create meaningful relationships with students in spite of our own preconceived expectations and stereotypes?  How can educators design curriculum that pushes beyond student labels?  This conversation will explore multiculturalism in the classroom, and its implications for learning.","Description":"As two individuals who are conscious of our social and cultural differences, we are interested in discussing how you get to a relationship as two individuals regardless of being \"my black student\" or \"my white physics teacher\".","Link":[],"Audience":["All School Levels"],"Practice":"The presenters and participants will all be involved in a reading- and activity-based discussion from which we will develop a core set of ideas and values about student-teacher interactions. Participants will share \"best practices\" and use ideas from other participants to identify implications for their own practice.","Presenter":["Jas Thomas and Rosalind Echols"],"PresenterAffiliation":["Science Leadership Academy"],"PresenterEmail":["jthomas@scienceleadership.org","rechols@scienceleadership.org"],"ScheduleSlot":"Session Six","Room":"307"},{"ID":"39","Class":"EduconConversation","ContextClass":null,"ContextID":null,"Created":1264886799,"CreatorID":"518","RevisionID":null,"Title":"Best Practices: Project-Based Learning in Forward-Thinking Schools","Handle":"Best_Practices_Project-Based_Learning_in_Forward-Thinking_Schools","ShortDescription":"Explore project based learning using real examples of projects from two different non-traditional urban high schools. We'll discuss the characteristics of a good project and share strategies for designing projects to maximize student learning and engagement.","Description":"Explore project based learning using real examples of projects from two different non-traditional urban high schools. We'll discuss the characteristics of a good project and share strategies for designing projects to maximize student learning and engagement.\r\n\r\n[url=http:\/\/docs.google.com\/View?id=dgddv4f8_286cphhnpfq]Link to session notes[\/url]","Link":[],"Audience":["High School","Middle School"],"Practice":"","Presenter":["Meghan Best","Tim Best","Jillian Gierke"],"PresenterAffiliation":["Frances Perkens Academy","SLA"],"PresenterEmail":["tbest@scienceleadership.org"],"ScheduleSlot":"Session Three","Room":"311"},{"ID":"47","Class":"EduconConversation","ContextClass":null,"ContextID":null,"Created":1263666185,"CreatorID":"1","RevisionID":null,"Title":"Bridging the Gap Between General and Special Education","Handle":"Bridging_the_Gap_Between_General_and_Special_Education","ShortDescription":"Tools can remove barriers to learning for students with learning challenges, but have the perceptions ever changed of these students by the average classroom teacher?  Join the conversation to discuss the often observed, but rarely documented gap between general and special education teachers and how we can bridge this gap so that every teacher understands how to support all of their students to their potential.","Description":"We want to explore the gap that exists between general and special education teachers and students in the 21st century classroom.   Why does this gap continue to surface in education and what can we do as educators to fix it?  Should the responsibility to fix this educational gap fall on teachers and or should the push come from the administrators that oversee them, or do we need to start with teacher training at the college level.      The goal of teaching is to reach all learners everyday so that all students make progress in relation to their individual education goals as well as the state education goals.  All kids are unique, yet students are often taught in a fashion that does not differentiate and\/or meet a child's specific learning style. Has the time come for an inclusion revolution?","Link":["http:\/\/bridgingthegap-educon22.wikispaces.com\/"],"Audience":["All School Levels"],"Practice":"We're going to use Survey Monkey to gather perceptions on the participants and the twitterverse before we initiate conversation about this school culture gap between general and special education teachers and the learners that they share.  The conversational protocol will be twenty minutes of presentation and forty minutes of conversation.  We have a wiki created that we will use as our home base to share our presentation, articles and a CoveritLive discussion space. We want to discuss what systematic changes need to occur to reform this section of the educational system.","Presenter":["Kathleen McClaskey","Christine Southard"],"PresenterAffiliation":["Kathleen McClaskey","Edtech Associates and Christine Southard","Herricks UFSD"],"PresenterEmail":["khm@edtech-associates.com","christinesouthard@gmail.com"],"ScheduleSlot":"Session Four","Room":"303"},{"ID":"45","Class":"EduconConversation","ContextClass":null,"ContextID":null,"Created":1264904926,"CreatorID":"587","RevisionID":null,"Title":"Changing Practice: Seeing progress in reluctant classrooms","Handle":"Changing_Practice_Seeing_progress_in_reluctant_classrooms","ShortDescription":"What's working? We'll share emerging teacher practices using ubiquitous tools for staff and students such as Google Apps for Ed, talk about the resulting student work, and speak to the bigger picture of changing pedagogy. The conversation will continue as participants share what's working in their schools, and how we are collectively moving forward toward more constructivist, collaborative, reflective and open educational practices.","Description":"Our two schools have been 1:1 for several years, but as is the case anywhere, there has been recurring reluctance by some teachers to employ the practices that are central to students collaborating or publishing their work to a global audience.  Although there are always a few early adopters, one of the repeated complaints is the difficulty with multiple accounts and the classtime it takes for students to get up and running on any given tool.   Where are we seeing progress? What is working to change practice in the classroom on a school-wide basis? One of the recent additions to our schools' toolbox for students and teachers is Google Apps for Ed. The inclusion of this set of tools addresses many administration concerns, makes it seamless for all teachers and students to use from day 1, and has helped change the culture across our schools when it comes to sharing and publishing student work.  We'll share our experiences in implementing Google Apps for Ed, with a focus on the changes in formerly reluctant teachers and administrators who have rapidly seen the potential and climbed aboard.  We'll share administrative uses that set the stage, emerging teacher practices, resulting student work, and speak to the bigger picture of changing pedagogy. The conversation will continue as participants share what's working in their schools, and how we are collectively moving forward toward more constructivist, collaborative, and open educational practices.","Link":["http:\/\/sites.google.com\/site\/changingpractice\/"],"Audience":["High School"],"Practice":"1. Introductions, poll the group, show online resources, twitter feed, etc  2. Present what's woring in our schools, some background information 3. Small groups discuss what's working for them, input successes to Google form and we'll use results to spark continuing conversation 4. How are we sustaining the results\/efforts? 5. Groups share how they are creating sustainable models. 6. Share out, finish with Q&A","Presenter":["Sarah Sutter","Alice Barr"],"PresenterAffiliation":["Wiscasset High School and Yarmouth High School","Maine; both Google certified teachers"],"PresenterEmail":["sutterview@gmail.com","alicebarr@gmail.com"],"ScheduleSlot":"Session Four","Room":"300"},{"ID":"7","Class":"EduconConversation","ContextClass":null,"ContextID":null,"Created":1264875881,"CreatorID":"669","RevisionID":null,"Title":"Discussion:  Best Practices for Teaching and Learning at a Distance","Handle":"Discussion_Best_Practices_for_Teaching_and_Learning_at_a_Distance","ShortDescription":"In this session, Ted Bongiovanni, Associate Director of Distance Learning for New York University's School of Continuing and Professional Studies, will facilitate a discussion of best practices for teaching and learning online.  Discussion topics will include: activity design, the management of digital spaces, assessment and program evaluation.","Description":"The key notion is that online instruction can bring out the best in teachers and students--or the worst.  Online education has to be more than just information and the presentation of materials.  Teachers have to reconsider their roles and move away from traditional lecture based methods and engage in a variety of strategies, from creating simulations, to participating in forums and moderating blogs.  The student role also changes to one where practice, and the creation of authentic learning artifacts can and should take center stage.  A recent US DOE study showed that online learning--and especially blended learning can be even more effective than classroom instruction.  In this session, we will share examples of activities that involve the use of digital tools at a distance that worked well, or ideas that we have tried that didn't work out quite as planned so that the group can troubleshoot them.","Link":["http:\/\/distancelearning.scps.nyu.edu"],"Audience":["All School Levels"],"Practice":"The presenter will share 1 example of something that worked well, and another that needs the group to think on it, and then invite other participants to do the same.  We will use a wikispace to document the talk and continue the conversation after the session.","Presenter":["Ted Bongiovanni"],"PresenterAffiliation":["New York University"],"PresenterEmail":["tb317@nyu.edu"],"ScheduleSlot":"Session One","Room":"301"},{"ID":"38","Class":"EduconConversation","ContextClass":null,"ContextID":null,"Created":1263666185,"CreatorID":"1","RevisionID":null,"Title":"Educational Technology and the Law: Stump the Lawyers!","Handle":"Educational_Technology_and_the_Law_Stump_the_Lawyers","ShortDescription":"In this \"stump the lawyers\" session, attendees will have an opportunity to discuss issues at the intersection of educational technology and the law with four uniquely qualified \"expert\" panelists.  Limited only by being specific to educational technology, the topics of discussion will be generated by questions from the audience.","Description":"More and more educators are finding creative ways to integrate technology into the teaching and learning process.  Sometimes, though, those teachers are stymied by legal or regulatory roadblocks.  In some cases, the laws and regulations are applied properly.  However, in many instances, laws and regulations are misinterpreted and\/or misapplied.  Stifling progressive teaching with technology based on the misinterpretation and\/or misapplication of laws, regulations or policies is frustrating at best and educational malpractice at worst.    In this \"stump the lawyers\" session, attendees will have an opportunity to discuss issues at the intersection of educational technology and the law with four uniquely qualified \"expert\" panelists.  All four panelists are formally trained as lawyers, but all work in the field of educational leadership; three as professors and one as a superintendent.   They are:  *Jonathan Becker, J.D., Ph.D. ","Link":[],"Audience":["All School Levels"],"Practice":"This will be a hybrid panel discussion.  The lead presenter (Becker) will be at Educon and the other panelists will be \"there\" via videoconferencing technology such as Tokbox or Tinychat.    Additionally, the topics for discussion among the panel members will be generated by questions from those attending the session (face-to-face or even virtually).","Presenter":["Jonathan D. Becker"],"PresenterAffiliation":["Virginia Commonwealth University"],"PresenterEmail":["jbecker@vcu.edu"],"ScheduleSlot":"Session Three","Room":"309"},{"ID":"25","Class":"EduconConversation","ContextClass":null,"ContextID":null,"Created":1263666185,"CreatorID":"1","RevisionID":null,"Title":"Field Guide for Change Agents","Handle":"Field_Guide_for_Change_Agents","ShortDescription":"The fourth 'R', Relationship, is one of the most important important tools to build upon if we are to succeed in generating lasting change in our schools.  This session will ask participants to consider which strategies are most effective in building relationships with school, district, regional, national, and international colleagues.","Description":"Main idea: Change agents need to build trusting relationships with colleagues and clients in order to bring about effective and lasting change in our schools.      Questions to consider:   Which characteristics of change agents are most appealing to teachers and students?  Which characteristics are most frightening?  What is at stake if change agents fail to engage others in discussions about effective change?  How do change agents build relationships with leaders within schools, school boards, and beyond?   How might these relationships with like-minded colleagues enhance the practices within classrooms?  What are the most effective strategies that lead to lasting dialogue with professional colleagues?  How can we ensure professional discourse effectively considers the diverse voices of students, parents, and teachers?","Link":[],"Audience":["All School Levels"],"Practice":"Following a brief overview, this session will engage participants in active practice by leading participants to consider key questions both individually, and within groups.  A list of resulting strategies will be developed and shared by way of a session wiki.  Participants engaged in the session online, will also have opportunities to contribute their ideas.","Presenter":["Rodd Lucier and Ben Hazzard"],"PresenterAffiliation":["London District Catholic School Board (London","Ontario","Canada)"],"PresenterEmail":["r.lucier@gmail.com"],"ScheduleSlot":"Session Two","Room":"309"},{"ID":"57","Class":"EduconConversation","ContextClass":null,"ContextID":null,"Created":1264951314,"CreatorID":"968","RevisionID":null,"Title":"Fostering Youth Leadership through Technology-based Service Learning","Handle":"Fostering_Youth_Leadership_through_Technology-based_Service_Learning_","ShortDescription":"How can we as educators and community partners cultivate strong youth leaders in an era of constantly changing technology? The answer is simple: youth as agents of this change. This conversation will focus on implementing student-driven, service-learning program models in schools.","Description":"How can we as educators and community partners cultivate strong youth leaders in an era of constantly changing technology? The answer is simple: youth as agents of this change. This conversation will focus on implementing student-driven, service-learning program models in schools. These models include student help desks, tech clubs and in-class project-based support around the use of digital media. These models are lead by youth, for youth, in a cascading mentoring continuum involving recent high school graduates, high school students, and K-8 students. Members of the Philadelphia Urban Technology Project's (UrbanTech) TechServ initiative will participate in a panel discussion on best practices for fostering the culture of youth-driven change in schools and communities.\r\n\r\n[url]http:\/\/64.235.54.97\/~barefeet\/c\/msg.htm[\/url]","Link":[],"Audience":["All School Levels"],"Practice":"We will transition from panel discussion format to whole group conversation. Audience members will also have option to post questions for presenters throughout the conversation. Any unanswered questions will be posted on a public wiki.","Presenter":["Edison Friere","Chris Alfano","Crista Collins"],"PresenterAffiliation":["Urban Technology Project (Collaborative initiative between & The School District of Philadelphia and Communities in Schools of Philadelphia","Inc.)"],"PresenterEmail":["efreire@philasd.org","calfano@cisphl.org"],"ScheduleSlot":"Session Five","Room":"211"},{"ID":"32","Class":"EduconConversation","ContextClass":null,"ContextID":null,"Created":1264766433,"CreatorID":"588","RevisionID":null,"Title":"Improving Professional Development with Online PD","Handle":"Improving_Professional_Development_with_Online_PD","ShortDescription":"Pennsylvania educators and EdTech Leaders Online are part of e-Learning for Educators, a 10-state collaboration with training for teachers to facilitate and design online PD for educators. This session will discuss: What's effective online instruction? How can it meet the needs of educators and address topics underrepresented in traditional PD?","Description":"Professional development for educators usually takes place near or around the educator's school district, rarely exposing them to perspectives outside the area. In many cases, this means that a teacher isn't given a broader view of education and best practice.  ======  EDC's EdTech Leaders Online helps educational organizations build capacity to incorporate online learning and prepare teachers not just learn new subjects, but gain new perspectives about education. The courses available to teachers are written by practitioners with classroom experience and incorporate a facilitated online learning community model. As projects like PennTeacher.org (Pennsylvania's implementation) move forward, educators are learning to pair 21st Century skills with traditional curriculum.  =====  This session will address the following questions through group participation and discussion: What can and can't be taught in an online setting? Are there topics that are under-represented in professional development that can be better addressed online? What are qualities of effective online instruction? How can online instruction be structured so that it is accepted (and paid for?) by administrators that are more familiar with face-to-face PD?  How do you choose facilitators to teach these courses?  How does online PD increase access to learning for busy teachers and help them build effective professional learning communities?  =====  This project is based on research conducted by the Education Development Center but this CONVERSATION is intended to capture a broader perspective from participants, structured as a guided inquiry of the problems facing professional development. Facilitators hope to learn along with participants how online learning can address those problems.\r\n\r\n[img]http:\/\/img.skitch.com\/20100129-te23gh7q9qf3shq395exb2gpta.jpg[\/img]\r\n\r\nComplete diagram with attendees findings can be found here: [url]http:\/\/mywebspiration.com\/view\/317451a8cf8[\/url]","Link":["http:\/\/www.edtechleaders.org","http:\/\/www.pennteacher.org"],"Audience":["All School Levels"],"Practice":"Using a mind map, we will start with a framework based on the questions stated in our focus and attempt to answer them as a group. We'll use a jigsaw method to break participants into small groups to facilitate the most participation, then ask groups to check back with the entire room as we address each question, building the map as we go. An attempt to use Mind42.com (or another online mind mapping solution) will be made (network resources providing) in order to share the mind map live with participants. Alternatively, Inspiration will be used and shared as an image. Either way, the mind map will be embedded in the EduCon conference wiki as part of this session.","Presenter":["Barbara Treacy","Chris Champion"],"PresenterAffiliation":["Education Development Center's EdTech Leaders Online \/ PA e-Learning for Educators"],"PresenterEmail":["btreacy@edc.org","chris@cchampion.net"],"ScheduleSlot":"Session Three","Room":"300"},{"ID":"41","Class":"EduconConversation","ContextClass":null,"ContextID":null,"Created":1264892191,"CreatorID":"750","RevisionID":null,"Title":"Invitation to Inquiry","Handle":"Invitation_to_Inquiry","ShortDescription":"For over 100 years, educational leaders have extolled the virtues of inquiry as a way to promote meaningful student learning. What are the essential features of inquiry across all disciplines? How can web tools enhance inquiry? Participate in model activities, discuss, share, and learn about this powerful teaching strategy.","Description":"100 years ago, Dewey wrote that the amount of subject matter is so vast that educators must focus on the methods and techniques of inquiry. An individual's ability to question through experiences was of paramount importance for society.   Today, educational leaders, including Linda Darling-Hammond continue to promote inquiry as a powerful teaching approach.  Furthermore, a growing research base shows that inquiry-based teaching leads to student learning that is deeper and more flexible than traditional methods.     Participants will explore inquiry-based teaching during this session.  Example \"mini-inquiries\" in history, science, mathematics and language arts will be used to begin a discussion of the commonalities between inquiry in different disciplines, challenges to starting an inquiry project, and how to strategically choose the level of teacher involvement during an inquiry project.    Participants will deepen their understanding of inquiry as they share their ideas and expertise related to three essential questions: (1) What are the obstacles to inquiry and how can I overcome them, (2) How can I support the success of all students during inquiry projects, and (3) How can I use Web 2.0 tools to enhance inquiry?","Link":["http:\/\/invitation2inquiry.wikispaces.com\/"],"Audience":["All School Levels"],"Practice":"Participants will participate in brief \"model\" inquiries as a way to begin discussions about the nature of inquiry and the place of inquiry in education.  We will use a knowledge cafe protocol focused on the following questions:    1. How can I use Web 2.0 tools to enhance inquiry?  2. What are obstacles & how can I overcome them?  3. How can I support all students for success in inquiry?    The session will close by providing time for individual reflection.","Presenter":["Eric Brunsell","Elizabeth Alderton","Lucky Mason."],"PresenterAffiliation":["University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh"],"PresenterEmail":["brunsele@uwosh.edu"],"ScheduleSlot":"Session Four","Room":"207"},{"ID":"2","Class":"EduconConversation","ContextClass":null,"ContextID":null,"Created":1264894710,"CreatorID":"501","RevisionID":null,"Title":"Projects in the Math Classroom:  Learning Through Doing","Handle":"Projects_in_the_Math_Classroom_Learning_Through_Doing","ShortDescription":"How do teachers create a curriculum based in projects for a subject grounded in discrete skills? What does project based mathematics look like? How can meaningful projects serve to not only demonstrate student comprehension of key concepts, but also provide an opportunity for students to apply skills and knowledge to practical situations? What role do traditional assessments play in a project-based math curriculum?","Description":"It is often challenging to design meaningful and engaging projects that serve to assess true understanding. Additionally, projects often take longer for teachers to design and for students to complete. In this session, five SLA math teachers will reflect on implementing meaningful projects into the design of a high school math curriculum while simultaneously incorporating traditional assessments. The session will begin with an in-depth examination of projects that have been used at SLA, reflecting on both success and failures. \r\n\r\n[b]Presentation Slides:[\/b]\r\n* [url=https:\/\/docs.google.com\/fileview?id=0ByIZsPm5WG2RMTU2NDVhMDMtYmFhYS00ODYyLTk3ZTktNWE1MmFhZDc2NTY2&hl=en]Click here for a PDF of the Presentation[\/url]\r\n[b]Sample Projects:[\/b]\r\n* [url=http:\/\/dl.dropbox.com\/u\/1407473\/A1Unit1Benchmark%202009-10.doc] Algebra 1 Benchmark[\/url]\r\n* [url=http:\/\/dl.dropbox.com\/u\/1407473\/A1%202009-10%20Q1%20Benchmark%20Rubric.doc] Algebra 1 Benchmark Rubric[\/url]\r\n* [url=http:\/\/dl.dropbox.com\/u\/389442\/GEOMETRY%20%E2%80%93%20Unit%201%20-%20Benchmark.doc]Geometry Benchmark[\/url]\r\n* [url=http:\/\/dl.dropbox.com\/u\/1407473\/Geo%20Unit%201%20Benchmark%20Project%20Rubric%20-%20Individual.doc]Geometry Benchmark Rubric[\/url]\r\n* [url=https:\/\/docs.google.com\/fileview?id=0ByIZsPm5WG2RNjk2YjgxZDgtZDQ1Yi00OGFhLWFmMDAtYmY5N2UyYWNmM2Fi&hl=en]Algebra 2 Benchmark[\/url]\r\n* [url=https:\/\/docs.google.com\/fileview?id=0ByIZsPm5WG2RMzRhYzY4ODAtYmY0OS00MGQ2LWFkZjAtOThmZTdkMTUyZDAx&hl=en]Algebra 2 Benchmark Rubric[\/url]\r\n* [url=http:\/\/dl.dropbox.com\/u\/1728106\/Pre-Calculus%2009-10\/Common\/Benchmark\/Quarter%201\/Pre%20Cal%20Benchmark%201.doc]Pre-Calculus Benchmark[\/url]\r\n* [url=http:\/\/dl.dropbox.com\/u\/1728106\/Pre-Calculus%2009-10\/Common\/Benchmark\/Quarter%201\/Pre%20Cal%20Benchmark%201%20Rubric.doc]Pre-Calculus Benchmark Rubric[\/url]\r\n* [url=http:\/\/dl.dropbox.com\/u\/501590\/Educon%202.2%20project%20description%3Arubric\/Calculus%20Quarter%201%20Benchmark%20copy.docx]Calculus Benchmark[\/url]\r\n* [url=http:\/\/dl.dropbox.com\/u\/501590\/Educon%202.2%20project%20description%3Arubric\/Calc%20Q1%20Bmark%20Rubric%20copy.doc]Calculus Benchmark Rubric[\/url]","Link":[],"Audience":["High School","Middle School"],"Practice":"The group will brainstorm subject specific ideas and discuss strategies for the design and implementation of meaningful math projects. We will be using GoogleDocs to document our learning. The conversation will conclude with a sharing out of ideas and planning for future applications.","Presenter":["Erin Garvey","Brad Latimer","Mark Miles","Sunil Reddy","Caitlin Thompson"],"PresenterAffiliation":["Science Leadership Academy"],"PresenterEmail":["egarvey@scienceleadership.org","blatimer@scienceleadership.org","mmiles@scienceleadership.org","sreddy@scienceleadership.org","cthompson@scienceleadership.org"],"ScheduleSlot":"Session One","Room":"207"},{"ID":"17","Class":"EduconConversation","ContextClass":null,"ContextID":null,"Created":1263666185,"CreatorID":"1","RevisionID":null,"Title":"Redefining \"Schooly\" Texts","Handle":"Redefining_Schooly_Texts","ShortDescription":"In this conversation, participants together with SLA students, SLA staff, and a University Researcher will reconsider the traditional definition of \"schooly.\" We will use participatory learning activities to propose the benefits of broadening the definition of what counts as school texts. We will examine possibilities for personal and social transformation within classroom settings.","Description":"We are working on this-- more to come!!","Link":[],"Audience":["All School Levels"],"Practice":"Student panel, workshop format for participants","Presenter":["Joshua Block","Molly Buckley and Alexa Dunn"],"PresenterAffiliation":["Science Leadership Academy and the University of Pennsylvania"],"PresenterEmail":["jblock@scienceleadership.org","buckleym@dolphin.upenn.edu"],"ScheduleSlot":"Session Two","Room":"209"},{"ID":"62","Class":"EduconConversation","ContextClass":null,"ContextID":null,"Created":1264968325,"CreatorID":"501","RevisionID":null,"Title":"Resources for Success: How to Offer Differentiated Support for Math Students","Handle":"Resources_for_Success_How_to_Offer_Differentiated_Support_for_Math_Students","ShortDescription":"What can be done when students require additional support beyond the classroom? How can we offer support for students while balancing a full teaching load? How can resources be made available to effectively offer differentiated support? This conversation will focus on creating a structured set of mathematics resources both inside and outside of school.","Description":"What can be done when students require additional support beyond the classroom? How can we offer support for students while balancing a full teaching load? How can resources be made available to effectively offer differentiated support? This conversation will focus on creating a structured set of mathematics resources both inside and outside of school. We will examine systems currently in place at SLA, including the use of online classrooms, an in-school peer- and teacher-led tutoring program, the use of online grade reports, math tutorial videos, and the creation of a math-enrichment course for students with multiple gaps in their math knowledge. Additionally, we will break into small groups to explore how teachers from other schools offer support, and we will examine challenges associated with setting up such structures. The conversation will conclude with a whole group discussion tying together many of our collective strategies and exploring how they can be set up most effectively in various school communities.\r\n\r\n[b][url=https:\/\/docs.google.com\/present\/edit?id=0ASIZsPm5WG2RZGd0anJtZjJfMzQ3Z2RjMndnaGM&hl=en]Presentation Slides[\/url][\/b]\r\n\r\n[b][url=http:\/\/spreadsheets.google.com\/viewform?hl=en&formkey=dG5TcElabndfc29yYXF3ZWtKd2VldGc6MA]Navagate to Google Form[\/url][\/b]\r\n[b][url=https:\/\/spreadsheets.google.com\/ccc?key=0AiIZsPm5WG2RdG5TcElabndfc29yYXF3ZWtKd2VldGc&hl=en]Results of Group Discussions[\/url][\/b]\r\n\r\n[b]Useful Resources:[\/b]\r\n* [b][url=http:\/\/sites.google.com\/site\/sunilityching\/home\/professional\/resources\/mr2]Mr. Reddy's Math Recordings[\/url][\/b] - [i] video tutorial archive with practice problems for most major topics covered in Algebra I, Algebra II, and Geometry. More to come...[\/i]\r\n* [b][url=http:\/\/www.engrade.com\/]Engrade Online Gradebook[\/url][\/b] - [i]allows students and concerned parties to get a current progress report whenever curious.[\/i]\r\n* [b][url=http:\/\/www.schooltube.com\/video\/fb61fb43b418a72fa07f\/Sample-Math-Support]Sample Live Support Intervention[\/url][\/b] - [i]video reenactment of instruction outside of the classroom.[\/i]","Link":["http:\/\/sites.google.com\/site\/sunilityching\/"],"Audience":["High School","Middle School"],"Practice":"Educators from various schools will discuss and examine practices that they use to provide students differentiated math support both inside and outside of school.","Presenter":["Brad Latimer and Sunil Reddy"],"PresenterAffiliation":["Science Leadership Academy"],"PresenterEmail":["blatimer@scienceleadership.org","sreddy@scienceleadership.org"],"ScheduleSlot":"Session Five","Room":"307"},{"ID":"19","Class":"EduconConversation","ContextClass":null,"ContextID":null,"Created":1263666185,"CreatorID":"1","RevisionID":null,"Title":"SLA Student Experience","Handle":"SLA_Student_Experience","ShortDescription":"Talk and learn about Science Leadership Academy with the people who matter most: the students! The members of panel will describe their own educational experiences at SLA -- as well as what lead them to the school, and where they think the experience will take them.","Description":"Talk and learn about Science Leadership Academy with the people who matter most: the students! The members of panel will describe their own educational experiences at SLA -- as well as what lead them to the school, and where they think the experience will take them. As the school graduates its first class this year, these students have a unique perspective on what it takes to create and sustain a new learning environment--and as inquiry is a core value at SLA, they will also be ready to discuss any aspects of the school that the audience is interested in hearing about.","Link":[],"Audience":["All School Levels"],"Practice":"As inquiry is a core value at SLA, they will also be ready to discuss any aspects of the school that the audience is interested in hearing about.","Presenter":["Larissa Pahomov and SLA Students"],"PresenterAffiliation":["Science Leadership Academy"],"PresenterEmail":["lpahomov@scienceleadership.org"],"ScheduleSlot":"Session Two","Room":"300"},{"ID":"6","Class":"EduconConversation","ContextClass":null,"ContextID":null,"Created":1264447515,"CreatorID":"28","RevisionID":null,"Title":"Student Assistant Teaching: Completing the Circle","Handle":"Student_Assistant_Teaching_Completing_the_Circle","ShortDescription":"The Student Assistant Teaching program at SLA places Senior students in underclassmen classrooms and completes the high school circle experience of teaching and learning. It enriches teacher\/student and student\/student relationships, builds a multi-leveled community of reflective learners, and reinforces an ethic of care in the classroom and beyond. Please join us for an evocative and stimulating panel discussion with teachers Alexa Dunn and Joshua Block, plus members of the Student Assistant Teaching program as we explore the roots of this program and its success at SLA.","Description":"What is the Student Assistant Teaching program at SLA? How did this program originate? What concepts were launched into practice?  How do students help other students in a classroom environment?  Why does it add richness and depth to the school experience for all involved? How can it be implemented successfully into the programming of a school?  These questions and more will be addressed in this conversation. \r\n\r\nCome meet mentor teachers and Senior Student Assistant Teachers to get inspired!","Link":[],"Audience":["High School","Middle School","Elementary School","All School Levels"],"Practice":"Panel discussion\/conversation","Presenter":["Alexa Dunn","Joshua Block and SLA Student Assistant Teachers"],"PresenterAffiliation":["Science Leadership Academy"],"PresenterEmail":["adunn@scienceleadership.org"],"ScheduleSlot":"Session One","Room":"300"},{"ID":"63","Class":"EduconConversation","ContextClass":null,"ContextID":null,"Created":1264959433,"CreatorID":"640","RevisionID":null,"Title":"Students (and Teachers) as Creators of Content - Digital Storytelling and Beyond","Handle":"Students_and_Teachers_as_Creators_of_Content_-_Digital_Storytelling_and_Beyond","ShortDescription":"Digital storytelling, podcasting, Flash animation, Scratch, etc are just a few powerful tools to create content or the web. The list is tremendous! This conversation will discuss current thoughts on creating and creativity, focus on best practices and explore some of these amazing tools.","Description":"Digital storytelling, podcasting, Flash animation, Scratch, etc are just a few powerful tools to create content or the web. The list is tremendous! This conversation will discuss current thoughts on creating and creativity, focus on best practices and explore some of these amazing tools.","Link":["http:\/\/smorraeducon22.wikispaces.com\/"],"Audience":["All School Levels"],"Practice":"I plan on using a variety of online tools including an online whiteboard, wallwisher, and google apps.","Presenter":["Samantha Morra"],"PresenterAffiliation":["Montclair Public Schools","Montclair NJ."],"PresenterEmail":["smsmorra@gmail.com"],"ScheduleSlot":"Session Five","Room":"308"},{"ID":"12","Class":"EduconConversation","ContextClass":null,"ContextID":null,"Created":1264863690,"CreatorID":"600","RevisionID":null,"Title":"Subversive PD: Creating a culture of collaboration to bring educators into the 21st Century","Handle":"Subversive_PD_Creating_a_culture_of_collaboration_to_bring_educators_into_the_21st_Century","ShortDescription":"","Description":"Why are there still so many educators sitting in the back of the faculty meeting rolling their eyes whenever 21st Century Skills are on the agenda? How can Professional Development be meaningful, effective and important for the uninterested. This will be a conversation about getting ALL educators to learn the necessary skills and to integrate technology into their classrooms and teaching. How can we help our colleagues see 21st century skills as valuable for themselves, and ultimately vital for their students' learning? What strategies work to bring the most resistant teachers on board? Let's talk about the subtle and not so subtle strategies educators can use to bring teachers out of their (isolated) comfort zones and into collaborative learning\/teaching environments of the present and future. We will facilitate a conversation using the success analysis protocol to develop a list of best practices for Professional Development that are meaningful, effective, and will bring on board even the most reluctant educators.","Link":["http:\/\/subversivepd.wikispaces.com\/","http:\/\/docs.google.com\/present\/edit?id=0Aei1bUSGUu_lZGN6dGI0aGRfMTAzYzlxOWdtY2o&hl=en&safe=on"],"Audience":["All School Levels"],"Practice":"Success analysis protocol.   We will use a wiki to start the process. As the small groups meet they each take notes on the group wiki page. After the session the full group discussion and group notes will lead to the development of a mind map (such as MindMeister). Once done we will share notes and links on the wiki and conversation page for continued access after the session.\r\n\r\nPlease see the session wiki for conversation notes.","Presenter":["Danja Mahoney","Michael Springer","Beth Knittle"],"PresenterAffiliation":["Reading Public Schools","Barnstable Public Schools"],"PresenterEmail":["dcefmahoney@gmail.com"],"ScheduleSlot":"Session One","Room":"309"},{"ID":"60","Class":"EduconConversation","ContextClass":null,"ContextID":null,"Created":1263666185,"CreatorID":"1","RevisionID":null,"Title":"Teaching Teachers: How students can help teachers adapt to working in a new learning environment.","Handle":"Teaching_Teachers_How_students_can_help_teachers_adapt_to_working_in_a_new_learning_environment","ShortDescription":"The sequel to \"Forging Student Teacher Relationships in an Era of Shared Learning,\" Tyrone Kidd and Jeff Kessler are back to expand upon the topic. In this session, Jeff and Tyrone will work with new SLA faculty to describe how students have helped them adapt to the SLA community.","Description":"when we discuss learning in general, it is of critical importance that","Link":[],"Audience":["High School","Middle School"],"Practice":"such a space can support an expanded and relevant educational","Presenter":["Jeff Kessler","Tyrone Kidd","Juan Gabriel Sanchez","Erin Garvey"],"PresenterAffiliation":["Science Leadership Academy"],"PresenterEmail":["jeffkesslernj@gmail.com"],"ScheduleSlot":"Session Five","Room":"303"},{"ID":"51","Class":"EduconConversation","ContextClass":null,"ContextID":null,"Created":1263666185,"CreatorID":"1","RevisionID":null,"Title":"Teaching the At-Risk Brain","Handle":"Teaching_the_At-Risk_Brain","ShortDescription":"Those at risk are often under-represented in discussions about educational change.  How can the needs and voices of at risk students and at risk teachers, be brought to the forefront when considering the transformation of our schools?","Description":"This session will focus on the need to consider the experiences of at risk students, and at risk teachers, as we work to create learning environments that more adequately prepare learners for an unknown and rapidly evolving future.    Questions for Consideration:  What types of students are most at risk in today's schools?  What types of teachers are most at risk in today's schools?  What can we learn from the experiences of at risk students in preparing learning environments that consider the needs of all students?  How do we engage the trust of at risk teachers, in pursuing change that will make school more relevant for future citizens?","Link":[],"Audience":["All School Levels"],"Practice":"Small and large group discussion and sharing strategies will be central to this session.  Questions, points of information, resources and ideas will be shared on a wiki page which will be made available to both present and distant session participants.","Presenter":["Rodd Lucier"],"PresenterAffiliation":["London District Catholic School Board (London","Ontario","Canada)"],"PresenterEmail":["r.lucier@gmail.com"],"ScheduleSlot":"Session Four","Room":"309"},{"ID":"27","Class":"EduconConversation","ContextClass":null,"ContextID":null,"Created":1264864134,"CreatorID":"606","RevisionID":null,"Title":"The \"Decoupling\" of Education and School: Where do We Begin?","Handle":"The_Decoupling_of_Education_and_School_Where_do_We_Begin","ShortDescription":"The next ten years promise to be hugely disruptive for the traditional idea of school as more and more alternative learning platforms are created and expanded. This conversation will focus not on technology but on the larger shifts that will have to occur for schools to evolve into a different role in our society. Driving the discussion will be quotes from Allan Collins and Richard Halverson's recent book Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology.","Description":"The next ten years promise to be hugely disruptive for the traditional idea of school as more and more alternative learning platforms are created and expanded. This conversation will focus not on technology but on the larger shifts that will have to occur for schools to evolve into a different role in our society. Driving the discussion will be these quotes from Allan Collins and Richard Halverson's recent book Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology:\r\n\r\n\"If educators cannot successfully integrate new technologies into what it means to be a school, then the long identification of schooling with education, developed over the past 150 years, will dissolve into a world where the students with the means and the ability will pursue their learning outside of public school.\"\r\n\r\n\"Schools were prevalent in the era of apprenticeship, and they will be prevalent in whatever new system of education comes into being. But the seeds of a new system are beginning to emerge, and they are already beginning to erode the identification of learning and schooling. As these new technologically driven seeds germinate, education will occur in many different, more adaptive venues, and schools will have a narrower role in learning.\"\r\n\r\n\"Our generation faces a...radically new, design challenge. We are dealing with a mature, stable system of education designed to adapt to gradual change, but ill-suited to embrace radical change. The pace of technological change has outstripped the ability or school systems to adapt essential practices. Schools have fiddled with learning technologies on the margins of the system, in boutique innovations that leave core practices untouched. The emergence of new forms of teaching and learning outside of school threaten the identification of learning with formal schooling forged in the 19th Century.\"\r\n\r\nWhat does this new design look like? What are the big questions regarding learning, teaching and schooling that we need to begin to address? How will the roles of elementary schools and high schools begin to evolve? How will we address the divide issues that these opportunities outside of school create? And how do we personally plan for these changes as learners, parents and teachers? If we agree, perhaps we can create a concrete list of starting points for these conversations to begin and continue in schools.\r\n\r\n[url=http:\/\/etherpad.com\/N54Y1kHIVK]Etherpad [\/url]for our conversation.","Link":["http:\/\/decouplingeducation.wikispaces.com\/"],"Audience":["All School Levels"],"Practice":"","Presenter":["Will Richardson"],"PresenterAffiliation":["Powerful Learning Practice"],"PresenterEmail":["weblogged@gmail.com"],"ScheduleSlot":"Session Three","Room":"204"},{"ID":"50","Class":"EduconConversation","ContextClass":null,"ContextID":null,"Created":1264637849,"CreatorID":"518","RevisionID":null,"Title":"The Future of Science Education?","Handle":"Differentiating_Science_Instruction_in_a_Project_Based_Classroom","ShortDescription":"Four SLA science teachers will lead a conversation examining the current state of science education.  How are science teachers' (and students') roles changing in the internet age?  What are some techniques we can use to maximize learning for all students?  How can we move toward our own personal \"dream teaching\" situations?  Science teachers don't always have the answers, but we'll share how SLA is approaching these questions.  Join other like-minded educators as we share our experiences and discuss how we can realize the future of science education.","Description":"Four SLA science teachers will lead a conversation examining the current state of science education.  How are science teachers' (and students') roles changing in the internet age?  What are some techniques we can use to maximize learning for all students?  How can we move toward our own personal \"dream teaching\" situations?  Science teachers don't always have the answers, but we'll share how SLA is approaching these questions.  Join other like-minded educators as we share our experiences and discuss how we can realize the future of science education.","Link":[],"Audience":["High School"],"Practice":"","Presenter":["Rosalind Echols","Stephanie Dunda","Matthew VanKouwenberg","Tim Best"],"PresenterAffiliation":["Science Leadership Academy"],"PresenterEmail":["ms.dunda@gmail.com","rechols@scienceleadership.org","mvank@scienceleadership.org","tbest@scienceleadership.org"],"ScheduleSlot":"Session Four","Room":"308"},{"ID":"13","Class":"EduconConversation","ContextClass":null,"ContextID":null,"Created":1264715619,"CreatorID":"728","RevisionID":null,"Title":"Thinking Creatively: Inventing the Possible","Handle":"Thinking_Creatively_Inventing_the_Possible","ShortDescription":"If schools kill creativity, then what hope do we have of helping our students be prepared to devise creative and imaginative solutions to problems in their futures? Come examine frameworks for thinking and working creatively.  Explore and experience creativity, innovation, and imagination in action. Reframe your problems into opportunities.","Description":"Ken Robinson's TED talk, \"Do Schools Kill Creativity?\", challenges us to rethink schools to value creativity.  As we stand at a crossroads where the strict content standards of No Child Left Behind may ease, allowing for a broader view of students' strengths and capacities, creativity is again gaining momentum as a key skill and capacity for the 21st century. The Framework for 21st Century Skills identifies Learning and Innovation Skills as a 21st century outcome for students in order to be prepared for increasingly complex life and work environments.  But, with little focus and attention on creative thinking, our teachers and schools are not well prepared with a wide range of techniques to guide students in meeting the challenges of their futures with creative and imaginative solutions. What tools and techniques can help us think creatively, work creatively with others, and implement innovations?  How can we make creativity as important in education as literacy and treated with the same status?\r\nThrough this discussion we will explore strategies to advocate for and integrate creativity in the classroom, including frameworks for creative thinking and best practices to nurture and develop a supportive classroom culture. More importantly, we will discuss how could we use our reflections and synthesis as a foundation for real action that would help to scaffold others to value and infuse creative thinking into their work with students.","Link":["http:\/\/inventingthepossible.wikispaces.com"],"Audience":["All School Levels"],"Practice":"Using a modified What, So What, Now What Protocol, we will investigate the idea of creativity in schools to address 21st century learning and innovation skills. We will exercise our own creative thinking, explore innovation in action, and reflect upon the possibilities for action, recording our insights on the session wiki.","Presenter":["Linda Nitsche"],"PresenterAffiliation":["Owen J. Roberts School District"],"PresenterEmail":["lvnitsche@gmail.com"],"ScheduleSlot":"Session One","Room":"311"},{"ID":"23","Class":"EduconConversation","ContextClass":null,"ContextID":null,"Created":1264740686,"CreatorID":"614","RevisionID":null,"Title":"User-Generated Education: An Authentic Student-Centric Model of Education","Handle":"User-Generated_Education_An_Authentic_Student-Centric_Model_of_Education","ShortDescription":"\"Should a student-centric, user-generated education be the predominant learning model for this era of the 21st Century?\" will be explored through a technology-enhanced Socratic Seminar.","Description":"Should a student-centric, user-generated education be the predominant learning model for this era of the 21st Century? This presentation will begin with a brief overview about how such a model was implemented with upper elementary students.  Then, participation in a Socratic Seminar will be used to create a deeper understanding of the philosophical underpinnings, implementation and implications of a user-generated education.  Participants will interact with the pre-selected text (e.g., Disrupting Education, The Word is Open) through (1) Wiki and Diigo commentary and highlighting, (2) Socratic dialogue, and (3) backchanneling with Etherpad.","Link":["http:\/\/jackiegerstein.wikispaces.com\/User-Generated+Education"],"Audience":["All School Levels"],"Practice":"The protocols used will those as specified for a Socratic Seminar\/Text-Based Seminar. Segments of text (e.g, Disrupting Education, The Word is Open) will provided within a wikipage and through Diigo prior to EduCon.  Participants will be invited to interact with the text through electronic sticky notes, comments, and highlighting.  A Socratic dialogue will then be used to discuss commentary with an invitation to backchannel through an Etherpad.","Presenter":["Jackie Gerstein","Ed.D."],"PresenterAffiliation":["Kaplan and Boise State Universities","Bluefield State college"],"PresenterEmail":["jgerst1111@aol.com"],"ScheduleSlot":"Session Two","Room":"307"},{"ID":"37","Class":"EduconConversation","ContextClass":null,"ContextID":null,"Created":1264831345,"CreatorID":"842","RevisionID":null,"Title":"Using Technology to Foster Exploration and Reflection in Science","Handle":"Using_Technology_to_Foster_Exploration_and_Reflection_in_Science","ShortDescription":"Share and discover ways of leveraging technology in your classroom to support hands-on, inquiry-based science instruction. Come learn and discuss ways to promote observation, exploration, and reflection using engaging curriculum materials and a variety of technology tools. Bring examples of student work to share!","Description":"During the summer of 2009, the University of Chicago Center for Elementary Mathematics and Science collaborated with Arlington Heights School District 25 (Illinois) teachers to model best practices in curriculum and instruction. Members of this team will share their experiences and will help educators discover ways of leveraging technology in classrooms to support hands-on, inquiry-based science learning. Come learn and discuss ways to promote observation, exploration, and reflection using engaging curriculum materials and a variety of technology tools.     CEMSE is also interested in developing materials to reflect best practices in 21st Century teaching and learning. Help us by sharing your ideas on improving elementary science instruction through the use of wireless, mobile devices and Web 2.0 technologies.","Link":["http:\/\/tinyurl.com\/educon2010"],"Audience":["Elementary School"],"Practice":"CEMSE is also interested in developing materials to reflect best practices in 21st Century teaching and learning. We would like to engage participants in the sharing of ideas related to improving elementary science instruction through the use of wireless, mobile devices and Web 2.0 technologies. During the course of this session, we hope to engage others in discussions regarding learning environments and science education. Ideas and suggestions will be documented in a public wiki.","Presenter":["Lucy Gray and Debbie Leslie"],"PresenterAffiliation":["University of Chicago Center for Elementary Mathematics and Science Education"],"PresenterEmail":["elemenous@gmail.com"],"ScheduleSlot":"Session Three","Room":"308"},{"ID":"4","Class":"EduconConversation","ContextClass":null,"ContextID":null,"Created":1264893006,"CreatorID":"1039","RevisionID":null,"Title":"What If...In the Digital Age","Handle":"What_IfIn_the_Digital_Age","ShortDescription":"We are living in an era where left-brain thinking is no longer sufficient for success; a more holistic approach is required. Daniel Pink, in A Whole New Mind, argues that right-brain capabilities are just as important, if not more.  How does this play into school curriculum, pedagogy, and community? What is the value of visual studies and design in a 21st century school?","Description":"This presentation explores cross disciplinary units of study in school; particularly emphasizing visual studies. We will explore the way in which faculty try to make connections on a daily basis throughout all subject areas. Professional development, unit planning, identifying resources, and community involvement all help play a key role in this endeavor. The vision of The Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush is that the arts provide an unequaled opportunity to foster intellectual growth. The Arts are not merely an add-on, they play an essential role in developing a student's growth and preparing them to be critical, creative thinkers for their future. By schools embracing these right-brain capabilities; design, empathy, and creativity, we will equip students with the necessary skills to succeed in the 21st century. What are the challenges that surround this work? What structures need to be put in place in order to support this vision?","Link":["http:\/\/educonpresentation.wikispaces.com","http:\/\/www.rushartsonline.org"],"Audience":["All School Levels"],"Practice":"Interactive presentation involving group discussions. Teachers in several subject areas will show student work and will pose questions to the audience on educational beliefs.","Presenter":["Jessica Brown","Jeff Evans","Louis Mazza","Paul Wagenhoffer"],"PresenterAffiliation":["The Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush","Philadelphia","PA"],"PresenterEmail":["jebrown@philasd.org"],"ScheduleSlot":"Session One","Room":"209"},{"ID":"65","Class":"EduconConversation","ContextClass":null,"ContextID":null,"Created":1264956221,"CreatorID":"877","RevisionID":null,"Title":"Youth Voices - A Social Network Where Teachers Nurture Student-to-Student Conversation","Handle":"Youth_Voices_-_A_Social_Network_Where_Teachers_Nurture_Student-to-Student_Conversation","ShortDescription":"On Youth Voices, students publish images, videos, audio, and text not just to communicate but to connect with each other in groups of passionate inquiry. National Writing Project and EdTechTalk teachers who have been building this site with their students for seven years. Come learn more about a multi-school, peer-to-peer social network.","Description":"Youth Voices:\r\n1. [url=http:\/\/youthvoices.net]Home[\/url]\r\n2. [url=http:\/\/youthvoices.net\/site-blog]New & Current[\/url]\r\n3. [url=http:\/\/youthvoices.net\/site-blog-list]Popular[\/url]\r\n4. [url=http:\/\/youthvoices.net\/node\/22573]Topics and Keywords[\/url]\r\n5. [url=http:\/\/youthvoices.net\/groupaudio\/full]Podcast[\/url]\r\n6. [url=http:\/\/youthvoices.net\/node\/26076]Allesia' Phone Log[\/url]\r\n7. [url=http:\/\/youthvoices.net\/video-gallery]Images, Videos, and VoiceThreads[\/url]\r\n8. [url=http:\/\/youthvoices.net\/node\/32350]Tribute Pic[\/url]\r\n9. [url=http:\/\/youthvoices.net\/node\/5383]Siskind White Comparison by Nick[\/url]\r\n10. [url=http:\/\/youthvoices.net\/node\/25455]Image Discussion[\/url]\r\n11. [url=http:\/\/youthvoices.net\/discussions\/full\/275?page=1]ORIGINAL Photo Discussion[\/url]\r\n12. [url=http:\/\/youthvoices.net\/node\/31387]Photo Manipulation[\/url]\r\n13. [url=http:\/\/youthvoices.net\/whatsup\/all]What's up?[\/url]\r\n14. [url=http:\/\/docs.google.com\/View?id=ah5m9qjtkbwf_59fp894bdp]Power Users' Weekly Assignments[\/url]\r\n15. [url=http:\/\/youthvoices.net\/curriculum]Collaborative Curriculum[\/url]\r\n16. [url=http:\/\/youthvoices.net\/guides]Guides[\/url]\r\n17. [url=http:\/\/youthvoices.net\/gaming]I-Search, Diigo, and Gaming[\/url]\r\n18. [url=http:\/\/groups.diigo.com\/group\/2010-haiti-earthquake]Diigo Group: 2010 Haiti Earthquake[\/url]","Link":["http:\/\/youthvoices.net"],"Audience":["All School Levels"],"Practice":"We will use simple, open protocols to invite participants to look closely at student work. We will also invite participants to use some of the guides and curriculum materials that we provide to students. We will plan an interactive workshop. If possible, we'll also see if we can webcast this as a special Teachers Teaching Teachers episode.","Presenter":["Paul Allison"],"PresenterAffiliation":["East-West School of International Studies and New York City Writing Project"],"PresenterEmail":["allisonpr@gmail.com"],"ScheduleSlot":"Session Five","Room":"311"},{"ID":"22","Class":"EduconConversation","ContextClass":null,"ContextID":null,"Created":1263666185,"CreatorID":"1","RevisionID":null,"Title":"Zapping the Buzzwords: \"Disruptive innovation,\" \"the widget effect,\" and more.","Handle":"Zapping_the_Buzzwords_Disruptive_innovation_the_widget_effect_and_more","ShortDescription":"With each wave of school reform, a new batch of jargon is deposited on our shores.  Take a critical look at the new wave of business model reform language, from \"Race to the Top,\" to \"non-negotiables,\" including our new \"higher, clearer, and fewer\" \"internationally-benchmarked\" \"college- and career-ready\" \"Common Core\" standards.","Description":"We've got a new generation of educational bureaucrats speaking to each other in management and economics informed language that they understand, but outsiders, particularly teachers, may not.  We'll start with a prepared look at a few key terms, and then open up the floor for discussion of suggested buzzwords from a list provided or from the imagination of the audience.","Link":[],"Audience":["All School Levels"],"Practice":"Start with a short presentation, then move to more audience-initiated whole group conversation.","Presenter":["Tom Hoffman"],"PresenterAffiliation":["SchoolTool"],"PresenterEmail":["tom.hoffman@gmail.com"],"ScheduleSlot":"Session Two","Room":"304"}],"conditions":["MATCH (Title,Description,Presenter) AGAINST (\"Alexa Dunn, Joshua Block and SLA Student Assistant Teachers\")"]}