Jamestown Elementary-ROCKS !!!!
As the new school year begins, my conference schedule starts to heat up. We are 5 weeks into the school year and my Frequent Flyer miles are adding up quickly. Over the past 2 months I have received many phone calls about out new IVC (Interactive Conferencing) Professional Development Series. We use IVC equipment and connect to your school and do a live Interactive 21st Century Skills Workshop. Most are 3 hours in length and staff and teachers can ever receive certification credit or Graduate Credit for attending the workshops. This saves the districts travel costs and keeps the cost of Professional Development low.
I have completed sessions with Bangkok, Thailand, Colorado, Texas and Virginia. I recently completed a session with Jamestown Elementary in Arlington Virginia. Camilla Gagliolo is the Instructional Technology Coordinator for the Arlington Public Schools.
Her e-mail is: camilla_gagliolo@apsva.us
We are doing a series on 21st Century Skills including, Web 2.0 tools, Blogs, Wikis, Global Communication and Visual Literacy.
When you provide 21st Century Skills Professional Development, you never know if you have generated a spark, to get the staff fired up using 21st Century Tools in their classrooms or if the flame goes out. The session this week started a FOREST FIRE.
We started with the Wiki and discussed the applications, why to do one, how it works in their individual classroom and how to build one. Then we continued with “Blogs” answering the same questions. You never know what will happen after the class but, I want to share examples of their excellent work.
Second grade teachers completed Podcast projects called “The Best Part of Me.” The student selects a part of their body they are most proud of and then tells about that feature. The teachers took digital photos of the part of the body and than make a Podcast of each student. Check out the work here. Great job. Here is a note from Camilla.
“Hi Howie,
I want you to see the first products from our workshop, 2nd grade podcast on my favorite part of me at http://web.me.com/jamestownelementary/Favorite/Welcome.html
Photos with voice recording from iPod and strung together with Garageband end published with iWeb.
Camilla.”
Congratulations to Chrissi Weaver and Helaine Ortiz.
One of the Kindergarten teachers, Guye Turner made a Blog that really has everyone talking. Check out his K Blog here. Check it out at : http://turnerkindergarten.blogspot.com/
This is what he had to say.
“Welcome to Mr. Turner's Super Kinder Blog. We are a kindergarten class at Jamestown Elementary School in Arlington County, Virginia. Our class has 23 students, a lead teacher (Mr. Guye Turner), and an assistant teacher (Mrs. Valarie Kuehn). This Blog will serve two purposes. The first one is to give our parents an insight on what we do in our classroom. The second is to give us the opportunity to connect with other kindergarten classrooms around the world! My students are extremely excited and we are ready to start sharing with the world what we do.”
My special thanks goes out to Camilla and Laura Annan Glascoe, Principal, for their vision of providing 21st Century Skills for the staff and students and providing their staff a Professional Development Model for the 21st Century Classroom.
Jamestown “ROCKS”…all of you are great…Keep up the SUPER work…
I am traveling over the next 3 weeks to Dallas, Michigan, Arizona, California and then to Denver and Jamestown will be in all of my Keynotes. What a great example of teachers implementing 21st Century Skills in THEIR classrooms.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
N.E.T.A.: Omaha, Nebraska
N.E.T.A.: Omaha, Nebraska
Scott Plummer splummer@geringschools.net knows how to impress someone. I received an invitation from Scott to be a feature speaker at the 2,500 plus attendees of the Nebraska Educational Technology Association Conference this past April. During our conversations of making arrangements for the conference he mentioned a few of the other speakers;
Will Richardson,
Will Richardson is known internationally for his work with educators and students to understand and implement instructional technologies and, more specifically, the tools of the Read/Write Web into their schools, classrooms and communities.
Dr, Tim Tyson:
Dr. Tim Tyson, named one of Georgia's High Performance Principals by State Governor Sonny Perdue, served as the principal of Mabry Middle School in Cobb County, Georgia. The School Library Journal has referred to Dr. Tyson as the "Pied Piper of Educational Technology," and his innovative use of technology to maximize student achievement.
Bernajean Porter,
Bernajean, an educator for over 35 years, is internationally re-known to educators for her belief that technology can accelerate kids-of-all-ages rediscovering their joy and personal success as learners. Her philosophy of work uses cutting edge organizational processes for building local capacity to translate the power of technology’s potential into actual classroom practices.
…and then me…..
The selection committee liked the idea of a presenter who could think outside the box, challenge the group and provide new, hands on skills for the classroom.
I always do a survey at the beginning of a keynote, so I know the make-up of the audience. I ask 5 quick questions o; 21st Century Skills, Web 2.0, Blogs, Wikis and Podcasts. I am always amazed at the numbers of educators who know about the technologies but are not using any of the new “Tools” in the academic classrooms. Reasons are many but the number one issue is Professional Development. Many school districts still don’t get it. They buy the technology, put it in the classroom and tell the teachers to use it.
As a former C.I.O., my number one priority was Technology Staff Development. Our District Technology Committee always met before we installed and implemented any new technology. Our IT staff and Professional Development Coordinator always worked together to make sure the staff and instructors were proficient with the new equipment and software. Classes were offered using school time and we provided substitutes for the teachers to cover their classes. We also provided after school classes and provided college graduate credit to anyone who desired it.
In the past, when I meet with many administrators, I hear whining and wiggling reasons of not enough money or time for Technology Staff Development.
Fortunately, that is starting to change. In my next posting, I will share some real leaders around the country that make the Technology Staff Development and 21st Century Skills a priority.
Ok....Off my soapbox and back to the conference. I actually did 3 different presentations. The first on Web 2.0 tools, the second on Visual Literacy and the final one on Free Software for the 21st Century Classroom. I am always amazed at the response after the presentation as I travel from conference to conference. Educators that converse after the presentation about how they are inspired to stat and change the way they can use the new “Tools” in their classroom. BUT..the best part is when I get an e-mail from them and how they have transformed and changed their classroom.
An e-mail from a recent presentation.
Howie,
Just wanted to touch base with you and let you know that we have several teachers and classrooms that are already incorporating strategies that you introduced at the training you provided in Julesburg. The teachers and students are excited by the new teaching and learning experiences. Thanks so much for your assistance it is making a difference and I know sometimes when you present you never know if what you are doing makes a difference. Also am attaching the US News and World Report Rankings of the Best High Schools in America that I had mentioned to you during training. The Julesburg School District made the list for 2008, out of the 178 school districts in Colorado we were 1 of the 26 in Colorado to make it and out 18,000 High Schools across America we were in the top 2500 High Schools. We are proud of the academic achievement of our students and as district do very well but we are constantly trying to improve and the training you provided will definitely help us stay at the top and hopefully improve on our abilities to reach all students. Once again thanks so much for your efforts and keep up your important evangalistic mission of transforming education.
Shawn Ehnes
Julesburg School District
Next: T.I.E. Colorado
Scott Plummer splummer@geringschools.net knows how to impress someone. I received an invitation from Scott to be a feature speaker at the 2,500 plus attendees of the Nebraska Educational Technology Association Conference this past April. During our conversations of making arrangements for the conference he mentioned a few of the other speakers;
Will Richardson,
Will Richardson is known internationally for his work with educators and students to understand and implement instructional technologies and, more specifically, the tools of the Read/Write Web into their schools, classrooms and communities.
Dr, Tim Tyson:
Dr. Tim Tyson, named one of Georgia's High Performance Principals by State Governor Sonny Perdue, served as the principal of Mabry Middle School in Cobb County, Georgia. The School Library Journal has referred to Dr. Tyson as the "Pied Piper of Educational Technology," and his innovative use of technology to maximize student achievement.
Bernajean Porter,
Bernajean, an educator for over 35 years, is internationally re-known to educators for her belief that technology can accelerate kids-of-all-ages rediscovering their joy and personal success as learners. Her philosophy of work uses cutting edge organizational processes for building local capacity to translate the power of technology’s potential into actual classroom practices.
…and then me…..
The selection committee liked the idea of a presenter who could think outside the box, challenge the group and provide new, hands on skills for the classroom.
I always do a survey at the beginning of a keynote, so I know the make-up of the audience. I ask 5 quick questions o; 21st Century Skills, Web 2.0, Blogs, Wikis and Podcasts. I am always amazed at the numbers of educators who know about the technologies but are not using any of the new “Tools” in the academic classrooms. Reasons are many but the number one issue is Professional Development. Many school districts still don’t get it. They buy the technology, put it in the classroom and tell the teachers to use it.
As a former C.I.O., my number one priority was Technology Staff Development. Our District Technology Committee always met before we installed and implemented any new technology. Our IT staff and Professional Development Coordinator always worked together to make sure the staff and instructors were proficient with the new equipment and software. Classes were offered using school time and we provided substitutes for the teachers to cover their classes. We also provided after school classes and provided college graduate credit to anyone who desired it.
In the past, when I meet with many administrators, I hear whining and wiggling reasons of not enough money or time for Technology Staff Development.
Fortunately, that is starting to change. In my next posting, I will share some real leaders around the country that make the Technology Staff Development and 21st Century Skills a priority.
Ok....Off my soapbox and back to the conference. I actually did 3 different presentations. The first on Web 2.0 tools, the second on Visual Literacy and the final one on Free Software for the 21st Century Classroom. I am always amazed at the response after the presentation as I travel from conference to conference. Educators that converse after the presentation about how they are inspired to stat and change the way they can use the new “Tools” in their classroom. BUT..the best part is when I get an e-mail from them and how they have transformed and changed their classroom.
An e-mail from a recent presentation.
Howie,
Just wanted to touch base with you and let you know that we have several teachers and classrooms that are already incorporating strategies that you introduced at the training you provided in Julesburg. The teachers and students are excited by the new teaching and learning experiences. Thanks so much for your assistance it is making a difference and I know sometimes when you present you never know if what you are doing makes a difference. Also am attaching the US News and World Report Rankings of the Best High Schools in America that I had mentioned to you during training. The Julesburg School District made the list for 2008, out of the 178 school districts in Colorado we were 1 of the 26 in Colorado to make it and out 18,000 High Schools across America we were in the top 2500 High Schools. We are proud of the academic achievement of our students and as district do very well but we are constantly trying to improve and the training you provided will definitely help us stay at the top and hopefully improve on our abilities to reach all students. Once again thanks so much for your efforts and keep up your important evangalistic mission of transforming education.
Shawn Ehnes
Julesburg School District
Next: T.I.E. Colorado
Monday, September 1, 2008
TxDLA...If it is March..we must be in Galveston, Texas..
TxDLA
If it is March..we must be in Galveston, Texas..
I do not know how they do it…but every year they make it better and better. If you can only get to one Distance Learning Conference this is the ONE !!!!.The Texas Distance Learning Association is the most dedicated, professional, energetic and exciting group I have ever been involved with. I have been attending and presenting at this conference for the past 4 years and over 1,000 attend and the excitement is infectious.
Moody Gardens is a great location for a conference. Located in Galveston Tx., it has a beautiful hotel and several things to do right next to the hotel.
It is an island of fun. Many that attend the conference bring their families because you can enjoy the tropical destination and enjoy your time here to explore the oceans depths at the Aquarium Pyramid, to see penguins, sharks and thousands of tropical fish. You can visit the Rainforest Pyramid that features a diverse collection of exotic tropical plants and animals. Kids love the mysteries of science at the Discovery Museum. We loved the action of the IMAX® 3D, 4D and Ridefilm theaters. Several of us arrived a few days early and cruised aboard the Colonel Paddlewheel Boat and enjoyed the beautiful white sand beaches and blue lagoons at Palm Beach.
The conference is 4 days of mind expanding, information packed ideas and networking to the MAX !!!.
TxDLA is the largest state organization in the U.S and is worth a visit to see the movers and shakers in IVC and Distance Learning.
All of the big hitters were there sharing their experiences, innovations and passions for IVC and Distance learning. It is always a pleasure to see everyone face to face and share what we have all been involved with over the past year. Several familiar faces observed in the presentations rooms were:
Presenter:
Glaser,Roxanne.
Willis, Carol
Conn,Ken
Blackburn,Rhonda.
Lim, Jeanene
Maglia,Geri.
Allen,Vicki
November,Alan
Powell,Marci
Shuck,Elaine
Howard,Shane
Stager,Gary
Bearden,Tommy
Hieronymus,Paul
Brown,Charlie
Teitelman,Carol
Colavita, Dawn
Lentz, Linda
Zanetis, Jan
Some of the session included:
.
Colavita, Dawn, Lentz, Linda
School improvement goals focus on areas in which student improvement is needed and the professional development to provide educators the increased knowledge and strategies that lead to that improvement. See how videoconferencing and collaborative technologies provide access to professional development, student programming and collaborations which can meet these needs.
Ms. Heidi Ashbaugh, Texas Woman's University
This presentation will discuss the use of blogging as a tool for learning, and how it can be used to support the learning theories of constructivism and connectivism. An example of how blogging was integrated into an online Fiction course is included in the presentation, and there will be an opportunity for the audience to share their own ideas for implementing blogging as a learning tool. Educators of all levels (as well as anyone just interested in blogging) are encouraged to attend.
Dr. Howie DiBlasi, Digital Journey
Participants will explore six Building Community Projects and making a Global Connection with IVC. Projects allow students to learn 21st Century skills; prepare them to meet the demands of the global community; engage them in mastering writing and core curriculum skills. Learn how to improve learning through Digital Media/Multimedia Magic.
Ms. Gerri Maglia, Education Service Center Region XI
Don't get anchored down with the same ol content, matey! Come learn what the Connect2Texas interactive videoconferencing providers have to offer from science programs to fine arts. Hear about the latest and greatest shipmates that have joined the Connect2Texas crew.
Mr. Alan November, November Learning
In an economy where global outsourcing is commonplace, students must be prepared to participate in an increasingly competitive job market. In many ways they are in competition with bright energetic, hardworking students from all over the world. In this session Alan discusses some of the ways we can empower our students, help them build a strong work ethic and develop self-directed learning skills. We should not underestimate what our students are capable of achieving.
Rhonda Blackburn, The University of Texas at Dallas
Do you want to know how to become more involved with TxDLA? In this presentation I will talk about the various committees that you can join that will help you get a better idea of our wonderful organization. I will also talk about the fall leadership workshop that is held every Fall. Both committees and the workshop are excellent ways to learn more about the organization and to step up into a leadership role within TxDLA.
Ms. Roxanne Glaser, Education Service Center Region 12
Mrs. Paula Yezak, Temple ISD
Mr. Shane Howard, ESC Region 12
Schools can maximize videoconferencing budgets by finding and creating free collaborations. Paula and Roxanne will share practical strategies for transforming ideas into engaging collaborations that take student learning to the next level. Duplicate successful videoconference projects and sail into spring with great ideas to finish the year!
Gary Stager, Consultant Description:
Dr. Stager has been online since 1983 (unless you count using an acoustic coupler five years earlier), was instrumental in creating Pepperdine University's Online Master of Arts in Educational Technology Program in 1997 and has written online courses for Classroom Connect, Generation YES and Logo Computer Systems, Inc. In this session, Gary will reflect on his experiences teaching online, designing course content and observing children enrolled in online courses in order to challenge some the conventional wisdom about distance learning and offer examples of how online learning requires an amplification of the best teaching practices if it is to realize its potential for all learners.
Dr. Howie DiBlasi, Digital Journey
The places you and your students will go using Interactive Videoconferencing to see and hear each other simultaneously, whether across the state or around the world. Videoconference connections outside the classroom, increases student motivation and learning. Getting started for $288; how to deliver; costs; content providers; virtual fieldtrips, collaborations, meetings.
Ms. Marci Powell, Polycom, Inc.
Elaine Shuck, Polycom, Inc
Whether you are ready to set sail or have been navigating for awhile, this session will help you create an environment for smooth sailing in distance learning. Take a cruise through the many applications enabled by our tools and programs.
Elaine Shuck and Marci Powell
Sailings:
Itinerary: Ports of Call include Collaboration on Deck, Grand Streaming Islands, Ultimate HDX Vacation Adventure, and Content Provider Harbor
Jamaica this your choice for breakout sessions
Jan Zanetis, TANDBERG
Recent innovations in distance learning technologies and pedagogy are empowering educators to take learning to a whole new level. Come to this session to find out more about streaming video and how students can access archived video content from the web, IPods and even from your Moodle site! Learn how educators are using live and streamed video to empower their students in creating authentic lessons they share with peers across Texas and the nation.
Ms. Linda Gillis, Region 4 ESC
Mr. Fr Jose Losoya, Oratory Athenaeum for Universtiy Preparation
Using Bb as the medium to conncet 25 students, 6 teachers, and 2 coordinators who are physically situated in different countries and continents and you have a format for a unique K-20 collaborative and learning experience which meet all identified 21st Century Skills.
I want to give credit to all of the behind the scenes workers, officers and board members of TxDLA. There are a dedicated group of individuals that really know how to grow and support an organization
2008-2009 Officers
TxDLA Officers are elected by the general membership and are members of the Executive Committee which meets on a monthly basis to monitor the operation of the organization and to also report and make recommendations to the Board of Directors.
Rhonda Blackburn
University of Texas-Dallas
President
Bob Barnes
ESC10
President-Elect
Laurie Hogle
ESC11
Past-President
Terry Comingore
Brazosport College
Treasurer
Cindy Smith
University of Texas-Tyler
Secretary
Board of Directors
The affairs of TxDLA are managed by a Board of Directors which acts as the governing body, serving as an advocate for the broader field of distance learning. The Board is made up of its officers and members representing different distance learning constituencies in Texas, a regional group chair, and Chief Information Officer. The Board formulates policies of the organization and conducts all business pertaining to TxDLA
Raymond Hartfield
AT&T, Central Texas
Corporate/Private Sector
Kevin Eason
Tarrant County College District
Board Chair
Executive Partnership Council
Laura Johannsen
Texas Department of Transporation
Government/Military
Steve Welch
ESC18
K-12 Education
Patrick Pluscht
University of North Texas
Higher Education
Lance Zimmerman
Texas State Technical College Waco
Vocational/Technical Education
Bruce Niebuhr
University of Texas Medical Branch
Healthcare/Medicine
Carol Willis
Texas Education Telecomm Network
Member at Large
Kevin Lemoine
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
Member at Large
Oscar Hernandez
South Texas College
Regional Group Development Chair
Bennie Tschoerner
Retired-Paris ISD
Chief Information Officer
Vicki Traweek
Weatherford College
Parliamentarian
NEXT: Off to Omaha and the Nebraska Educational Technology Association Conference
If it is March..we must be in Galveston, Texas..
I do not know how they do it…but every year they make it better and better. If you can only get to one Distance Learning Conference this is the ONE !!!!.The Texas Distance Learning Association is the most dedicated, professional, energetic and exciting group I have ever been involved with. I have been attending and presenting at this conference for the past 4 years and over 1,000 attend and the excitement is infectious.
Moody Gardens is a great location for a conference. Located in Galveston Tx., it has a beautiful hotel and several things to do right next to the hotel.
It is an island of fun. Many that attend the conference bring their families because you can enjoy the tropical destination and enjoy your time here to explore the oceans depths at the Aquarium Pyramid, to see penguins, sharks and thousands of tropical fish. You can visit the Rainforest Pyramid that features a diverse collection of exotic tropical plants and animals. Kids love the mysteries of science at the Discovery Museum. We loved the action of the IMAX® 3D, 4D and Ridefilm theaters. Several of us arrived a few days early and cruised aboard the Colonel Paddlewheel Boat and enjoyed the beautiful white sand beaches and blue lagoons at Palm Beach.
The conference is 4 days of mind expanding, information packed ideas and networking to the MAX !!!.
TxDLA is the largest state organization in the U.S and is worth a visit to see the movers and shakers in IVC and Distance Learning.
All of the big hitters were there sharing their experiences, innovations and passions for IVC and Distance learning. It is always a pleasure to see everyone face to face and share what we have all been involved with over the past year. Several familiar faces observed in the presentations rooms were:
Presenter:
Glaser,Roxanne.
Willis, Carol
Conn,Ken
Blackburn,Rhonda.
Lim, Jeanene
Maglia,Geri.
Allen,Vicki
November,Alan
Powell,Marci
Shuck,Elaine
Howard,Shane
Stager,Gary
Bearden,Tommy
Hieronymus,Paul
Brown,Charlie
Teitelman,Carol
Colavita, Dawn
Lentz, Linda
Zanetis, Jan
Some of the session included:
.
Colavita, Dawn, Lentz, Linda
School improvement goals focus on areas in which student improvement is needed and the professional development to provide educators the increased knowledge and strategies that lead to that improvement. See how videoconferencing and collaborative technologies provide access to professional development, student programming and collaborations which can meet these needs.
Ms. Heidi Ashbaugh, Texas Woman's University
This presentation will discuss the use of blogging as a tool for learning, and how it can be used to support the learning theories of constructivism and connectivism. An example of how blogging was integrated into an online Fiction course is included in the presentation, and there will be an opportunity for the audience to share their own ideas for implementing blogging as a learning tool. Educators of all levels (as well as anyone just interested in blogging) are encouraged to attend.
Dr. Howie DiBlasi, Digital Journey
Participants will explore six Building Community Projects and making a Global Connection with IVC. Projects allow students to learn 21st Century skills; prepare them to meet the demands of the global community; engage them in mastering writing and core curriculum skills. Learn how to improve learning through Digital Media/Multimedia Magic.
Ms. Gerri Maglia, Education Service Center Region XI
Don't get anchored down with the same ol content, matey! Come learn what the Connect2Texas interactive videoconferencing providers have to offer from science programs to fine arts. Hear about the latest and greatest shipmates that have joined the Connect2Texas crew.
Mr. Alan November, November Learning
In an economy where global outsourcing is commonplace, students must be prepared to participate in an increasingly competitive job market. In many ways they are in competition with bright energetic, hardworking students from all over the world. In this session Alan discusses some of the ways we can empower our students, help them build a strong work ethic and develop self-directed learning skills. We should not underestimate what our students are capable of achieving.
Rhonda Blackburn, The University of Texas at Dallas
Do you want to know how to become more involved with TxDLA? In this presentation I will talk about the various committees that you can join that will help you get a better idea of our wonderful organization. I will also talk about the fall leadership workshop that is held every Fall. Both committees and the workshop are excellent ways to learn more about the organization and to step up into a leadership role within TxDLA.
Ms. Roxanne Glaser, Education Service Center Region 12
Mrs. Paula Yezak, Temple ISD
Mr. Shane Howard, ESC Region 12
Schools can maximize videoconferencing budgets by finding and creating free collaborations. Paula and Roxanne will share practical strategies for transforming ideas into engaging collaborations that take student learning to the next level. Duplicate successful videoconference projects and sail into spring with great ideas to finish the year!
Gary Stager, Consultant Description:
Dr. Stager has been online since 1983 (unless you count using an acoustic coupler five years earlier), was instrumental in creating Pepperdine University's Online Master of Arts in Educational Technology Program in 1997 and has written online courses for Classroom Connect, Generation YES and Logo Computer Systems, Inc. In this session, Gary will reflect on his experiences teaching online, designing course content and observing children enrolled in online courses in order to challenge some the conventional wisdom about distance learning and offer examples of how online learning requires an amplification of the best teaching practices if it is to realize its potential for all learners.
Dr. Howie DiBlasi, Digital Journey
The places you and your students will go using Interactive Videoconferencing to see and hear each other simultaneously, whether across the state or around the world. Videoconference connections outside the classroom, increases student motivation and learning. Getting started for $288; how to deliver; costs; content providers; virtual fieldtrips, collaborations, meetings.
Ms. Marci Powell, Polycom, Inc.
Elaine Shuck, Polycom, Inc
Whether you are ready to set sail or have been navigating for awhile, this session will help you create an environment for smooth sailing in distance learning. Take a cruise through the many applications enabled by our tools and programs.
Elaine Shuck and Marci Powell
Sailings:
Itinerary: Ports of Call include Collaboration on Deck, Grand Streaming Islands, Ultimate HDX Vacation Adventure, and Content Provider Harbor
Jamaica this your choice for breakout sessions
Jan Zanetis, TANDBERG
Recent innovations in distance learning technologies and pedagogy are empowering educators to take learning to a whole new level. Come to this session to find out more about streaming video and how students can access archived video content from the web, IPods and even from your Moodle site! Learn how educators are using live and streamed video to empower their students in creating authentic lessons they share with peers across Texas and the nation.
Ms. Linda Gillis, Region 4 ESC
Mr. Fr Jose Losoya, Oratory Athenaeum for Universtiy Preparation
Using Bb as the medium to conncet 25 students, 6 teachers, and 2 coordinators who are physically situated in different countries and continents and you have a format for a unique K-20 collaborative and learning experience which meet all identified 21st Century Skills.
I want to give credit to all of the behind the scenes workers, officers and board members of TxDLA. There are a dedicated group of individuals that really know how to grow and support an organization
2008-2009 Officers
TxDLA Officers are elected by the general membership and are members of the Executive Committee which meets on a monthly basis to monitor the operation of the organization and to also report and make recommendations to the Board of Directors.
Rhonda Blackburn
University of Texas-Dallas
President
Bob Barnes
ESC10
President-Elect
Laurie Hogle
ESC11
Past-President
Terry Comingore
Brazosport College
Treasurer
Cindy Smith
University of Texas-Tyler
Secretary
Board of Directors
The affairs of TxDLA are managed by a Board of Directors which acts as the governing body, serving as an advocate for the broader field of distance learning. The Board is made up of its officers and members representing different distance learning constituencies in Texas, a regional group chair, and Chief Information Officer. The Board formulates policies of the organization and conducts all business pertaining to TxDLA
Raymond Hartfield
AT&T, Central Texas
Corporate/Private Sector
Kevin Eason
Tarrant County College District
Board Chair
Executive Partnership Council
Laura Johannsen
Texas Department of Transporation
Government/Military
Steve Welch
ESC18
K-12 Education
Patrick Pluscht
University of North Texas
Higher Education
Lance Zimmerman
Texas State Technical College Waco
Vocational/Technical Education
Bruce Niebuhr
University of Texas Medical Branch
Healthcare/Medicine
Carol Willis
Texas Education Telecomm Network
Member at Large
Kevin Lemoine
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
Member at Large
Oscar Hernandez
South Texas College
Regional Group Development Chair
Bennie Tschoerner
Retired-Paris ISD
Chief Information Officer
Vicki Traweek
Weatherford College
Parliamentarian
NEXT: Off to Omaha and the Nebraska Educational Technology Association Conference
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Hey Babe..Want to go to Scottsbluff, Nebraska?
Hey Babe..Want to go to Scottsbluff, Nebraska?
I was invited to do a feature presentation in the middle of Feb. for the Educational Service Center and the S.O.A.R. group. My wife said she would pass on this one but she really missed an exciting and energizing group.
I want to thank Penny Businga, LaRrits Van Boskirk, and Craig Hicks for a great conference. Thanks Craig for setting up a Moodle server making Blogs and Wiki’s available to the 300 plus in attendance and the Educational Service Center that serves 25 school districts. Many came away with a good understanding of the 21st Century Skills and how to incorporate the newfound skills into the various classroom areas.
As with most of the conferences, I provide Keynotes or feature presentation to, I am always amazed at the small number of educators that are aware of 21st Century Skills but are not incorporating them in their classrooms. There reasons are many, some things that they cannot control. Technology Directors that want to control everything and lock out all sites that have anything to do with Web 2.0 applications, social networking and social bookmarking. They block the very things that we are trying to use to incorporate 21st Century skills in our classrooms. I understand the issues of filters and e-rate funding and making a safe network. But, why not take a different approach and teach our kids about what to do when you encounter an inappropriate site, teaching Internet Safety and inappropriate Material, Cyberstalking, Cyberbullying, Meaningful Consequences, how to search the Internet effectively, how to check vital information and the content, learn to think critically, even suspiciously, compare and contrast, why filters can be a false sense of security, inappropriate content and behavior, and what to do about accidental access to Porn.
Whoaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa….big fella, you are getting on your bandwagon….I will address this in another session…….back to the S.O.A.R.Conference.
At the S.O.A.R. conference, I provided sessions on 21st Century and Changing the Classroom, Visual Literacy and Web 2.0 Skills in the Classroom.
The absolute best part of traveling around the country and spreading the “21st Century Gospel are the e-mails and phone calls that I received after the conferences…..I have 2 of the responses below from Beth Still..What a champion…she jumped in with both feet and is making a change in her district and with her students.
“Howie,
This is Beth Still. I met you at the Civic Center earlier today. I just wanted to say thanks again for such a fantastic day. Your presentation was wonderful! I will continue to try to be the "one out of ten" who strives for change. I was so excited about the ePal program that I already posted a profile.
Each time you asked who was using podcasting, blogs, wikis, etc. there were only a few of us in the room who raised our hands. Please do not think this means that we are not interested in teaching 21st century skills to our students. I am so fortunate to teach in a school (an alternative high school) where we have 15 computers in a classroom with 12 students per class.But that is not the case for many of my colleagues..
I will continue to work closely with Craig to implement different tools into my classroom. I will keep in touch as my students begin to experiment. I will see you this summer in San Antonio at the ISTE conference.
Beth Still
This is the BEST !!!!!!!
Howie,
Thank you for keeping in touch. I have to share one thing that I have done this week. Out of all of the suggestions you shared last week I was most intrigued with the ePals program. I immediately registered and posted a profile. I literally got Goosebumps when I sent my first international email-----which was to Greece. Over the last few days I have heard back from schools in Japan, Germany, and Colombia. By the end of the week several of my students will probably receive their first correspondence from their pen pals. I cannot even begin to tell you how excited my students are about this project! Thank you for telling me about it.
I will share more projects as we go.
Beth Still
Keep up the GREAT work Beth…..
Next...On to Galveston Texas and TxDLA
I was invited to do a feature presentation in the middle of Feb. for the Educational Service Center and the S.O.A.R. group. My wife said she would pass on this one but she really missed an exciting and energizing group.
I want to thank Penny Businga, LaRrits Van Boskirk, and Craig Hicks for a great conference. Thanks Craig for setting up a Moodle server making Blogs and Wiki’s available to the 300 plus in attendance and the Educational Service Center that serves 25 school districts. Many came away with a good understanding of the 21st Century Skills and how to incorporate the newfound skills into the various classroom areas.
As with most of the conferences, I provide Keynotes or feature presentation to, I am always amazed at the small number of educators that are aware of 21st Century Skills but are not incorporating them in their classrooms. There reasons are many, some things that they cannot control. Technology Directors that want to control everything and lock out all sites that have anything to do with Web 2.0 applications, social networking and social bookmarking. They block the very things that we are trying to use to incorporate 21st Century skills in our classrooms. I understand the issues of filters and e-rate funding and making a safe network. But, why not take a different approach and teach our kids about what to do when you encounter an inappropriate site, teaching Internet Safety and inappropriate Material, Cyberstalking, Cyberbullying, Meaningful Consequences, how to search the Internet effectively, how to check vital information and the content, learn to think critically, even suspiciously, compare and contrast, why filters can be a false sense of security, inappropriate content and behavior, and what to do about accidental access to Porn.
Whoaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa….big fella, you are getting on your bandwagon….I will address this in another session…….back to the S.O.A.R.Conference.
At the S.O.A.R. conference, I provided sessions on 21st Century and Changing the Classroom, Visual Literacy and Web 2.0 Skills in the Classroom.
The absolute best part of traveling around the country and spreading the “21st Century Gospel are the e-mails and phone calls that I received after the conferences…..I have 2 of the responses below from Beth Still..What a champion…she jumped in with both feet and is making a change in her district and with her students.
“Howie,
This is Beth Still. I met you at the Civic Center earlier today. I just wanted to say thanks again for such a fantastic day. Your presentation was wonderful! I will continue to try to be the "one out of ten" who strives for change. I was so excited about the ePal program that I already posted a profile.
Each time you asked who was using podcasting, blogs, wikis, etc. there were only a few of us in the room who raised our hands. Please do not think this means that we are not interested in teaching 21st century skills to our students. I am so fortunate to teach in a school (an alternative high school) where we have 15 computers in a classroom with 12 students per class.But that is not the case for many of my colleagues..
I will continue to work closely with Craig to implement different tools into my classroom. I will keep in touch as my students begin to experiment. I will see you this summer in San Antonio at the ISTE conference.
Beth Still
This is the BEST !!!!!!!
Howie,
Thank you for keeping in touch. I have to share one thing that I have done this week. Out of all of the suggestions you shared last week I was most intrigued with the ePals program. I immediately registered and posted a profile. I literally got Goosebumps when I sent my first international email-----which was to Greece. Over the last few days I have heard back from schools in Japan, Germany, and Colombia. By the end of the week several of my students will probably receive their first correspondence from their pen pals. I cannot even begin to tell you how excited my students are about this project! Thank you for telling me about it.
I will share more projects as we go.
Beth Still
Keep up the GREAT work Beth…..
Next...On to Galveston Texas and TxDLA
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Howie...Where have you been????
My head is on overload…..so many events in the past months. I thought I would be watching the grass grow, watering the pants, playing golf and enjoying retirement. Little did I know how exciting my life would be after I retired January 31, 2008
I realized that I had not posted to the Blog in 6 months…SHAME on me…I advocate 21st Century Skills in the classroom and don’t keep my Blog up to date. Several conferences over the past 6 months have increased my airline miles but had prevented me from updating the Blog.. I will spend the next 2 weeks catching everyone up on the adventure of the “Emerging Technology Evangelist”.
The week of Feb.1,2008, found me in Austin, TX providing 3 days of hands on workshops. What a great group of teachers and administrators. Excited, energized, charged with enthusiasm and ready to set the work on fire. We looked at Global Communications via Building Learning Communities, created projects and then learned how to share them global. The second workshop included Visual Literacy and Digital story telling projects. Everyone created projects that told stories about their town, their favorites and a their best feature. We concluded with the third workshop on Web 2.0 and free software to use in the classroom.
In the Building Learning Communities Workshop we developed presentations that would provide background on six Community Projects and how to make a Global Connection. The projects allowed students to learn 21st Century skills and prepare them to meet the demands of the global community and engage them in mastering core curriculum skills. We discussed projects as models for driving education change and transforming educational institutions into model learning environments that cater to the broadest range of users and using collaboration tools.
In the Visual Literacy Workshop the participants now understand teaching, learning, and assessment strategies for working with the digital generation by creating Visual Literacy Projects. We helped them to interpret, use, appreciate, and create images and video using both conventional and 21st century media in ways that promote, advance thinking, decision-making, communication, and learning
In the Web 2.0 Workshop we discussed how Web 2.0 tools could translate traditional information skills for an information landscape into Web 2.0 application to use in the classroom. The participants discovered how Web 2.0 applications, Screencasting, e-pals communication projects, digital stories, Podcasts, Blogs, Wikis, handheld devices, and annotation software provide more engaging and collaborative personal computing environments for students and teachers, with emerging Web 2.0 development tools.
We created projects that involved social bookmarking and other classroom applications and discovered how to build an infrastructure for continual professional development
Our goal was to increase the awareness of educators with regard to Web 2.0 options and successful uses in classrooms in the U.S. as well as other countries.
Next POST…on to Nebraska
I realized that I had not posted to the Blog in 6 months…SHAME on me…I advocate 21st Century Skills in the classroom and don’t keep my Blog up to date. Several conferences over the past 6 months have increased my airline miles but had prevented me from updating the Blog.. I will spend the next 2 weeks catching everyone up on the adventure of the “Emerging Technology Evangelist”.
The week of Feb.1,2008, found me in Austin, TX providing 3 days of hands on workshops. What a great group of teachers and administrators. Excited, energized, charged with enthusiasm and ready to set the work on fire. We looked at Global Communications via Building Learning Communities, created projects and then learned how to share them global. The second workshop included Visual Literacy and Digital story telling projects. Everyone created projects that told stories about their town, their favorites and a their best feature. We concluded with the third workshop on Web 2.0 and free software to use in the classroom.
In the Building Learning Communities Workshop we developed presentations that would provide background on six Community Projects and how to make a Global Connection. The projects allowed students to learn 21st Century skills and prepare them to meet the demands of the global community and engage them in mastering core curriculum skills. We discussed projects as models for driving education change and transforming educational institutions into model learning environments that cater to the broadest range of users and using collaboration tools.
In the Visual Literacy Workshop the participants now understand teaching, learning, and assessment strategies for working with the digital generation by creating Visual Literacy Projects. We helped them to interpret, use, appreciate, and create images and video using both conventional and 21st century media in ways that promote, advance thinking, decision-making, communication, and learning
In the Web 2.0 Workshop we discussed how Web 2.0 tools could translate traditional information skills for an information landscape into Web 2.0 application to use in the classroom. The participants discovered how Web 2.0 applications, Screencasting, e-pals communication projects, digital stories, Podcasts, Blogs, Wikis, handheld devices, and annotation software provide more engaging and collaborative personal computing environments for students and teachers, with emerging Web 2.0 development tools.
We created projects that involved social bookmarking and other classroom applications and discovered how to build an infrastructure for continual professional development
Our goal was to increase the awareness of educators with regard to Web 2.0 options and successful uses in classrooms in the U.S. as well as other countries.
Next POST…on to Nebraska
Friday, January 25, 2008
Eyes Closed Tight
Gordon Freedman recently published an article in e-school News- He asked the question:
Why is it that educators who wouldn't dream of buying their airline tickets or banking anyplace but online have not been able to transform education with technology?
I just completed a 21st Century Skills Presentation at FETC in Orlando. What a great group that attended. They were energized, enthusiastic and listened with open ears and hearts. There were so many e-mail with questions, praise and challenges , it charges my batteries even more and provides additional passion for me to "Change The World".
So......back the Mr Freedman's question... Why is it that we have only changed about 5 % of our classrooms to integrate 21st Century Skills.....TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK
Why is it that educators who wouldn't dream of buying their airline tickets or banking anyplace but online have not been able to transform education with technology?
I just completed a 21st Century Skills Presentation at FETC in Orlando. What a great group that attended. They were energized, enthusiastic and listened with open ears and hearts. There were so many e-mail with questions, praise and challenges , it charges my batteries even more and provides additional passion for me to "Change The World".
So......back the Mr Freedman's question... Why is it that we have only changed about 5 % of our classrooms to integrate 21st Century Skills.....TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK
Monday, December 10, 2007
The New Adverture...The Last Lecture
Durango 9-R C.I.O. ends run at school district
DiBlasi winds up 14 year stint
After 14 years in Information Technology Management, Howie DiBlasi will leave Durango on Jan 15, 2007 to go traveling. And when he says traveling he means traveling. He has applied for a 3 month volunteer program in Italy, teaching college students on the Cruise Ship, Semester At Sea College program, enrolling in Siena , Italy Language School, spreading the word at seminars about 21st Century Learning Tools for Schools, providing consulting on 21st Century Workshops with Alan November and November Learning and try to complete 17 other items he has on his list.
DiBlasi’s successor is James Torres, who is the current e-learning coordinator for the school district. Torres brings extensive technology, education and leadership skills from the Albuquerque School District and Lorinix Systems. Torres will begin his new position Feb 1, 2008.
An avid outdoorsman who loves motorcycling, hiking, photography, skiing and travel to exotic locations, DiBlasi has dedicated himself professionally to the areas of , Education and Information Technology.
DiBlasi started work as a teacher in the area of Industrial Education in Florida. He moved to Michigan as a Vocational Education Teacher and then on to Arizona to become the Director Of Vocational Education in Lake Havasu, Arizona. DiBlasi’s department was awarded a Arizona State award for the “Best In The West” as the “Best Vocational Education Department”.
Howie DiBlasi was recognized as “Vocational Teacher of the Year” for the State of Arizona and nominated as a finalist in the “Top Secondary Leaders in America”. He has been featured in several magazines as “A CIO that really thinks outside the box”.
The call of running his own computer business was so great that he left education and opened the first retail computer business in Lake Havasu, Arizona as an IBM and Apple dealer. After 10 years, “Building Empires” , as he describe it, it was time to move on.
His computer business was sold and off to retirement…that lasted for 6 months, while he tried to figure out what to do next. His wife kindly informed him to “Get a job and stop driving me crazy around the house.” After a quick search for a new job he landed in Durango as the Education Manager of a local computer store and spent most of his time on the road. Covering areas like Aspen, Vail, Wolf Creek, Telluride and Durango to service and maintain computers at the school districts was a ”Tough Job” as he stated…. “But, I always managed a few ski runs when I was in the area.”
In 1993 the Durango School District was advertising for a new Technology Director and a friend convinced him to apply. After a phone call accepting the position, he was on a mission to change the world. The school district had 73 computers in 1993 and most of them were Apple II’s with a floppy disk drive.
DiBlasi started building the “Durango Empire” with new file servers (42 today), networks at every school, Internet connection to every classroom, high speed connections to all schools, Interactive Video Conferencing at all 10 schools, Voice Over IP phone system district wide, 911 caller ID in every classroom , and so many other technology upgrades, it would take several pages to list all of the changes.
Howie serves as a state board member to C.A.L.E.T. (Colorado Association of Leaders in Educational Technology), President Elect and Communications director for I.S.T.E –Interactive Video Conferencing Special Interest Group. He is known as a highly energetic, compassionate and approachable speaker. He is a trainer that blends humor, applicable stories of best practice and high levels of audience involvement. Over the past fifteen years, he has presented programs, courses and Keynotes to thousands of administrators, teachers, technology specialists and professionals around the country. He has been married to his wife Joan for 42 years, has two children and four grandchildren and will move to Georgetown, Texas. in January of 2008.
DiBlasi stated that he will begin working with Internationally known 21st Century Learning advocate “Alan November” in January and deliver 21st Century Digital Skills Workshops across the country.
His parting words were: “I guess I am crazy enough to think I can change the world and hope I have a small impact on what we do as educators,” DiBlasi said.
Friday, December 7, 2007
Running the last leg of the race…
Running the last leg of the race…
I will be turning over the baton and passing it on to James Torres in the next 30 days. The selection committee made the correct choice in selecting James from a candidate pool of representatives that were all very well qualified. James brings with him a wealth of experience in the education field and the business world. It will be a great experience to watch him lead the department as we move forward in the 21st Century.
Joan and I have sold our house in Durango and are building a new one in Austin Texas…Why???..well it is much easier to do my new adventure out of the Austin Airport that will require travel around the country.… but the real reason is a granddaughter named Ava, (age 1) and a grandson named Brock, (age 3).
I am sending this now, via my Blog and e-mail because I will be doing a Keynote in Nebraska on the eve of the retirement dinner for the retiring staff next April. I will be here for part of January training James for his “New Adventure”
In closing, I am thankful for everyone of you that I have know for the past 14 years…you have made this the BEST job I have ever had. Your support and kind words over the years is very much appreciated. It is my hope that I have made a small impact on you and the Durango School District.
I will miss you all… God bless you…everyone..
I am Leaving Durango, “ To change The World…. One Teacher At A Time”….
My new e-mail is howie@frontier.net
My new WebPage is: www.toolsfortheclassroom.com
IF YOU WANT CHANGE …BE THE CHANGE
IF YOU WANT CHANGE …
BE THE CHANGE
As to my future, a BIG new world is opening before me….I have been so blessed over the past 6 months for the new opportunities.. It began with a few phone calls and e-mails to request presentations and workshops at other school districts in my free time away from Durango. In July the floodgates opened. I was invited to present at the Building Learning Communities Conference directed by Alan November. If you do not know who Alan is, check out his Web Page at:
http://www.novemberlearning.com/ He is one of the most influential leaders in the country and the world, for 21st Century Classrooms and Building Learning Communities. What an opportunity to visit and work with Alan during the week. You can read about the details of that conference and my involvement at : A day at M.I.T with Mitchel Resnick: (link is below)
http://toolsfortheclassroom.blogspot.com/2007/07/part-3-day-at-mit-with-mitchel-resnick.html
The next thing I know I am doing Keynotes and Feature Presentation around the country in August, Septe
mber, October and November. As many of you know my passion is to the share the gospel of 21st Century Learning and to “Change the World….One Teacher At A Time.” Then I receive a phone call from Alan asking me to work as a consultant for November Learning. I was lying on the floor from disbelief, as he provided the framework of what would happen after my retirement. As I stammered and stuttered and said yes, the reality of it all hit me after I hung up the phone.
Another opportunity opened this past summer in the Center School District with Superintendent George Welch. It would take 3 pages to tell you about that exciting adventure. In a nutshell Center has a population of 1,500 , free and reduced of 86 per cent and a Hispanic population of 81 per cent. George with his school board has led the district thought 1 (one) year of McRel training (http://www.mcrel.org/topics/topics/Instruction/products/19/ and a one to one computer initiative so that all high school students have their own computer, personal computers for all of the teaching staff and providing his teachers in a series of 24 workshops on 21st Century Classroom Skills that I provided this fall. We specifically designed the workshops for 21st Century skills that the staff could take back to the classroom and implement the next day of school.
….Guess what happened…CSAP scores are going up…they make AYP for the first time…NCLB requirement are being fulfilled…..all because of a Superintendent that gets it. He and his board have made 21st Century Skills a priority in their district and provided the funds to make it a priority…..George is a real supporter of 21st Century Skills. It has been an honor to instruct his teachers and bring that district into the 21st Century.
Durango could take a lesson from George…as I stated above if there is one shortcoming that I have it is not having the district as a whole support 21st Century Skills for our Teachers. Other items have been a priority and it is my hope, this will change with the new Superintendent.
I think the best way to close is with a document that I send to anyone that requests the "Did You Know" PowerPoint. It is amazing what has happened with this video...There have been over 100,000 views on YouTube, traveled to China, Norway , many eastern Europe countries , India and thousands of school districts in the U.S. The"Did You Know 4" was released at a Keynote ,I recently did in Dallas , Texas.
Is My Life An Obligation or An Opportunity1.?
When my phone rings in my office, I respond to each call as an opportunity to serve, earn, learn, influence, network, encourage or teach. A sign on my desk reads “ Obligation or Opportunity.” The people who change the world around them –rarely act from a sense of obligation….they almost always act from a sense of incredible opportunity. They interact with the world around them because they want to, not because they have to. Those who lead effectively view the circumstances around them as opportunities not obligations.
Genuine, authentic leadership infuses meaning into your life, because you know that your efforts count and that you are serving the needs of others as well as your own. You can help, influence and inspire those around you.2
In August of 2006 Karl Fisch shared a Power Point with me about our changing world and the impact of the “New Global Economy”. I then read the Thomas Friedman book, “The World Is Flat”. I then came across an old 1986 commercial called “Think Different”. For me that week was life changing. All the pieces came together on changing the way we teach our “Digital Natives” in the classroom. The commercial content included snapshots of people who changed the world and the concluding statement was….”People who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do”. You can download or view the commercial on my web site at the following address: http://www.toolsfortheclassroom.com/page7.html
You can download the “Did You Know 4” along with the mp3 music file that goes with the presentation by clicking on the link below. There have been over 105,000 views on YouTube, presentations at 10 conferences and over 2,000 attendees that have carried the message back to their school district. The intent is for you to show the PowerPoint and start on a journey of teaching our “Digital Kid” differently. Have a discussion with your peers, administrators, and school board members and help “Change The World, one teacher at a time.”
Download the PowerPoint or Windows Media Video here:
http://www.toolsfortheclassroom.com/page12.html
Mark Sandborn said it best, “ People who take an active leadership role in their lives tend to be good thinkers…Great leaders tend to be GREAT THINKERS”.
Enjoy…..
“If You Want Change…Be The Change.”
Howie DiBlasi, Ph.D.
C.I.O. ( Chief Information Officer)
Durango School District 9-R
201 E 12 St.
Durango Colorado, 81301
970-247-5411 ex 1451
1 & 2…Content paraphrased from “The Fred Factor”; “You Don’t Need A Title To Be A Leader”; “The World According To Mister Rodgers”.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
LOOKING BACK…..
The school year began in August with a message to our Durango Administrators on 18 Ways to Change the World LINK HERE and ideas for implementing 21st Century Learning in their individual schools. Since my time is short and I will finish my 14 years with the Durango School District in December…I feel an urgent rush to share the message to implement what I preach in my own district. There are several changes going on over the next 6 months and it will make change difficult. After my announcement of retirement our Superintendent, Mary Barter announced that she will also retire. She has been an excellent supporter of implementing Technology in our district over the past 9 years.
Diane Doney, the Finance Business Manager has left to be the new Business Manager for the Douglas County School District. Diane was my greatest supporter and any crazy idea I had for changing the classroom for the 21st Century skills, she would listen to the project information, ask questions, challenge me back, find a way to do it financially and assist in the implementation of the program. Durango lost a fantastic asset when she left. Over the past 14 years we have made huge improvements in Educational Technology, Information Literacy and 21st Century skill implementation.
Over the past 14 years we have observed many significant changes in our district because of our Staff Development coordinators JoAnne Hibbard and Bonna Steinle. Bonna and I worked for the first 8 years and really broke ground in the area of Technology Staff development. This was back in 1996 – 2003… beginning with the Internet using Pine and all text based products on Apple II’s and the first IBM PC and the World Wide Web was developing.
We found early adopters and supporters of technology and offered FREE classes for the staff. We would provide a little food and a free class and it was amazing to look back on the results. Those early adopters would start using the new technology and then other teachers started asking what it was about and the group would grow. Bonna and I were on the cutting edge for several years teaching the new technology skills. She is now retired and living in, Mesa Arizona. I had no idea how important those early days would shape my future and the future of the Durango School District.
JoAnne Hibbard stepped in to fill Bonna’s shoes as we were writing our ET/IL (Educational Technology and Information Literacy) plan. http://web9r.durango.k12.co.us/grants/powered/kinder/Science_Healthy_heart_K.pdf The goal of the plan was to specify standards and ends to provide training and development to all staff and assist them in becoming proficient in Technology competencies and implementation. Our Durango plan was selected as a model for the state of Colorado and is the reason we have 100 percent proficiency for all of out 389 Teachers. JoAnne and I have continued to provide Technology Staff Development to our staff over the past 5 years and we have observed significant change in the classroom using Visual Literacy, Podcasting and Blogs. Our Technology Web Page has many samples for you observe and listen to.
http://web9r.durango.k12.co.us/conf/
Another significant success marker is our Media Specialists at our 10 Schools. They have been the connection for me to each school. They NEVER say no…..Our Technicians provide the training to assist them the basics of trouble shooting the technology equipment. Their dedication is such that I have arrived at their schools to find a lady in proper school attire – (i.e. dress and blouse) on the floor under a desk tracing the wire to find out why a computer would not start correctly. Every one of them go above an beyond the call… Thanks you to:
Janet Oliver, Sue Mooney, Ann Ruetschle, Mary Kay Oneil, Cindy Tucson, Marilyn Zion, Trish Kilpatric, Danna Neilson, Suzanne Wickman, – Michelle Brown – and Steve Powell.
Over the past 14 years there is so much history, including many Superintendents, including Walt Jackson who originally hired me, Harvey Guest, Gene Young (can I tell you stories about this piece of history), Joel Jones – (Interim) and Mary Barter. There have been many other Directors and Principals including many that were “run out of town” to those who should have been run out of town. As they say, the cream rises to the top as I remember; Walt Jackson, Dennis Simpson, Dan Patterson, Rich Yeager, John Welcher, Bonna Steinle, Judy Michalski, Kathy Deaderick, Pete Harter, Marci Dennahm, Judy Wilke, Nyla Gruver, Gene Giddings, Norm Higgans, Jean Thweat, Amy Kindorski, Brian Hester, Marc Cooper, John Cordalis, Kristy Rodri, Darlene Wylie and so many others that names do not all come to mind. I am sorry but it would take 10 pages to list everyone; that names above flash back to times remembered for things that had an impact on me.
The are only 2 incidents that are negative in the 14 years—you will have to ask me personally to re-visit the 2 individuals….one involved a situation with a former HR director and another with a former Superintendent…do any of you remember the vote of no confidence back in 97 for 2 administrators…that is another story to visit someday….
If I have one regret, it is not bringing about systemic change to the district for 21st Century Learning and 21st Century Skills for the District. My hope is that when I come back to visit in the next few years, I would see a shift in priorities and the emphasis on 21st Century Skills…..If you want to read an excellent article :
http://www.wvexecutive.com/featured/summer07/21st-century-education/
If you want to know what 21st Century Learning is all about:
and what are the skills…..?
http://www.ncrel.org/engauge/skills/skills.htm
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