Thursday, April 05, 2007

e-mail directory of CT Librarians




iCONN maintains the statewide e-mail directory of Connecticut librarians - now located at http://www.iconn.org/staff/EmailDirectory.aspx - which is updated weekly and contains over 1,300 entries. Please check your listing to make sure it is accurate. If you would like your e-mail address to be listed, or if you need to change a current listing, please use the "update form" which you can access from the directory search screen. Also, if you see any obvious errors in the directory, please let us know. Thanks for your assistance!

The April issue of the iCONN Times is now available.

Computer Assisted Writing and Testing Grant Awardees

Thirty nine districts submitted proposals. If it were up to the quality of the proposals and not the finite amount money available, most of the districts would have received awards. Thirty five volunteers read and scored the proposals; each proposal was read by at least five people.

The awardees are: Branford, Coventry, Newington, North Haven, Portland, Regional District 16, Regional District 19, Simsbury, Somers, Stafford, Stamford, West Hartford and Windham. (Awarded amounts may not be exactly what was requested - most grants were reduced a small amount based on grant reviewers' comments...details will be e-mailed to districts.)

For a copy of your district's summative evaluation, send a request to arthur.skerker@ct.gov.

Saturday, March 24, 2007

ISTE Releases Draft of New NETS for Students

The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) has just completed a draft of its National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) for students--a groundbreaking paradigm for what young people should know about technology and what they should be able to do with it before graduating. Now, ISTE is asking educators for feedback on the new draft.

ISTE first issued its NETS for students in 1998, and this framework has since found its way into the standards of at least 45 U.S. states. Now, nearly 10 years later--and having also issued NETS for teachers and administrators--ISTE is in the process of revising its NETS to keep pace with the changing demands of advancing technology and a new global economy.

Draft of Refreshed ISTE NETS for Students (1/4/07)
Working Document – Copyright ISTE® 2006 - 2007
“What students should know and be able to do to learn effectively and
live productively in an increasingly digital world …”

Please provide feedback to ISTE by completing the survey at http://www.iste.org/nets-survey

I. Creativity and Innovation (new)

Students think creatively, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products using technology. Students:

A. apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas and products.
B. use technology for creative self-expression.
C. use systems thinking to explore complex issues.
D. identify trends and forecast possibilities.

II. Communication and Collaboration (4)

Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. Students:

A. collaborate, publish, and interact with peers, experts, and others employing a variety of digital media and formats.
B. communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences utilizing a variety of media and formats.
C. develop cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with learners of other cultures.
D. contribute to project teams to produce original works.

III. Research and Information Retrieval (5)

Students access, retrieve, manage, and evaluate information using digital tools. Students:

A. locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and use information from a variety of sources and media.
B. evaluate and select information sources and technological tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks.
C. process data and report results.

IV. Critical Thinking, Problem-Solving and Decision-Making (6, 3)

Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems and make informed decisions using appropriate technology tools. Students:

A. identify and define authentic problems and significant questions for investigation and plan strategies to guide inquiry.
B. plan and manage activities to develop solutions and complete projects.
C. collect and analyze data to identify solutions and make informed decisions.
D. use multiple processes and diverse perspectives to explore alternative solutions.

V. Digital Citizenship (2)

Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior. Students:

A. advocate and practice safe, responsible use of information and technology.
B. exhibit positive attitudes toward technology uses that support collaboration, learning, and productivity.
C. demonstrate personal responsibility for lifelong learning.
D. exercise proactive leadership for digital citizenship.

VI. Technology Operations and Concepts (1, 3)

Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations.

Students:

A. understand and use technology systems.
B. identify and use applications effectively and productively.
C. troubleshoot systems and applications.
D. transfer current knowledge to learning of new technologies.

Please provide feedback by completing the survey at http://www.iste.org/nets-survey

Friday, March 23, 2007

Open Source Technologies fair - May 9th

Promoting Open Source Technology (PromOTEing) Solutions fair will bring experts and current practitioners together will enable the sharing of information about:
• What is Open Technology and why is now a good time for educators to seriously consider this alternative?
• What experiences have other schools and school districts had?
• What does Open Technology look like and how does it compare to proprietary products?
• What is coming next?

For more information on how to register for the fair, please contact Lynn Barton by phone at 860.567.0863 x164 or by email .

For more information on the PromOTE project, please contact Ed Edelson by phone at 860.567.0863 x164 or by email.

PromOTEing Solutions Fair @ Education Connection
directions to EdConnection's Litchfiled office
Wednesday, May 9, 2007 - from 8:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.