Featured Speaker

Thomas Hutton

Senior Staff Attorney for the National School Board Association

Thomas Hutton joined us from Washington DC to discuss:

• What are the legal issues emerging from the use of technologies?
  
• How can schools balance First Amendment protections with student safety?
  
• How should school board policies adapt to technological advances?

View his presentation slides:
BARC_Apr09 THutton AUPs Cybersafety Cellphones.pdf

View the webcast.

CTAP Region IV Updates

CTAP 4 Centralized Services to End

Because CTAP funding was placed in Tier 3, the County Offices of Education have decided to exercise flexibility with CTAP funding and distribute the money directly to the County Offices of Education. CTAP Region 4 will cease to exist in its current state as of June 30, 2009. Keep you program; it might be collectible some day.

Upcoming Events:

Teaching With the Flip Video (Ultra Model) - $115 for the camera and two days of PD.  To be held at two lcoations, Berkeley and Redwood City. Handout was included in the packet.  Registration is open to teachers in all counties and school districts.  Register is by fax or online at:  http://ctap4.k12oms.org

K-12 Voucher Program

Still waiting for final word on first cy pres.  Initial first round was 2006.  Second round supposed to begin in 2010.

Enhancing Education Through Technology

Formula  & Competitive Grants -
Money must be spent up front for formula grants.  Then you can apply for reimbursement.  Stimulus funding for EETT will be out in the Fall.  Timeline not yet established.  Will be a second allocation of dollars for both EETT formula and competitive grants.  RFA is still delayed for EETT Competitive but we are hoping it will be out in time for districts to apply before July 1.

New changes in funding proceedures are in motion for this year. Districts will expend all their funds for their grant and then submit paperwork for reimbursement. See a detailed article.

We will be holding informational meetings for districts with expiring technology plans. They will be held on May 13, 2009 at Alameda COE. A second meeting will be held on May 19, 2009 at Contra Costa COE with a video conference to Marin COE.

If you are wondering when your district technology plan expires, you can view the current status.

Horizon Report: K-12

Horizon Report is a research-oriented effort that seeks to identify and describe emerging technologies that will likely have a significant impact on K-12 education.  Find the latest Horizon Report here http://www.nmc.org/publications/2009-horizon-k12-report

Details

Featured Speaker

Thomas Hutton

Attorney, NSBA

The PPT handout for Thomas Hutton is posted on the CTAP Cybersafety site.  CSBA Acceptable Use Policy and Student Code of Conduct policies can be emailed to you on request.

Spotlight Speaker

Linda Urenholt

AT&T Regional Education Director

One Ringy-Dingy, Two Ringy-Dingies!? Cell Phones in Education!

We have come a long way with phones since the wisecracking "Ernestine the Operator." Discover how cell phones can be used as a learning tool and not just a distraction. We will explore using mobile phones as digital cameras, data collection tools, pollcasting, podcasting.....and the list goes on!

Smart Phones in Education
Cell phones as learning tools - what is the story?
So many applications that one can access via these new smart phones
Kids are developing iPhone applications nit just using them. Kids are making money on these and creating them to do things they want to do.

Example of a local HS student and how he uses the cell phone in so many ways in day-to-day his life and how all o this is not supposed to happen at school. Big disconnect!

For more info:
Liz Kohl - good for info about cell phones. She is from U of Michigan -
From Toy to Tool: Cell Phones in Learning is her webpage and she has authored an ISTE book
Hall Davidson - also has many cell phone info & resources

How can we make cell phones ok rather than just stuffing the genie back in the lantern? Much of business is connected via cell phones these days so are we doing a disservice by not allowing our students to learn these skills sets.

We do know that we need to liven up our classes - some educational uses:

• Polling & Response Systems (for example an application called Turning Tech or Poll Everywhere)
• QR Codes- quick response code easy yo do and makes things more interactive
• Flashcard Applications
• Voicethread has a cell phone comment feature where you can comment on a picture of doc
• Yodio - kind of like Voicethread but less expensive
• Podcasting - Gabcasting - use gabcast to create a podcast
• Many universities are using cell phones as promotional devices for classes or uses that bring learning into everyday activities
• Science - many uses in the science area! Use of pictures taken with the phones, and many more
• Geocaching
• Stopwatches and timer for use in the classroom and out in the field
• Storytelling - using the cell phone to take pictures out in the community and have the students tell the story of where we live

When ae we going to include the use of Cell Phones and include their use as a 21st Century Skill that we need to address and teach

Meretricious Texting - a fun little video of a game being played between 2 kids on a date...

Details