Technology Medley

Earlier this week, I attended the annual VSTE (Virginia Society for Technology in Education) conference at Hotel Roanoke. Some of you occasionally ask me how I stay up-to-date on emerging technologies for classroom use.  Conferences such as this provide staff development for me and other ITRTs throughout the state.I attended 5 sessions presented by Tammy Worcester, an education technologist from Kansas who specializes in activities that are simple to use in the classroom while teaching vital computer skills to young children. I will be sharing her numerous ideas with you as time allows, but if you’d like to go ahead and check out her website, you’ll find a wealth of resources already posted and ready to adapt into your curriculum.

Another favorite of mine was a presentation showing how to incorporate Marzano’s strategies from Classroom Instruction That Works using Kidspiration, PowerPoint, and other readily available software in our schools. Here is a link to lots of templates that are ready for you to use. Many thanks to Sherri Miller with Gloucester County Schools!

We’ve talked quite a bit recently about internet safety, and I would like to remind you to discuss with your students the importance of not sharing personal information online. In one of the sessions I attended, the ITRTs from Hanover County generously shared several activities that they had created for elementary students. Check them out!

There were numerous other wonderful sessions. You can click here if you’re interested in exploring more of what folks are saying about the VSTE conference this year.