Research and Curriculum Unit Professional Development Newsletter
Volume 1, Issue 2
November 25, 2002
E-Rate will pay for Safe Student Email Program
E-rate will pay for up to 90% of the cost of Gaggle's Subscription Service. You can eliminate the advertising on Gaggle and get many extra features!
The reimbursement rate depends upon your school's eligibility, but ranges between 20% and 90%. Most schools qualify for at least a 50% discount. The only catch is that you will need to apply by December 19th. Email service is now classified as "Internet Access" which is a priority one category. Even if your school does not usually qualify for inside wiring you are still eligible for email service. Give Gaggle.net a call at 800-288-7750, and we will help you get started with your E-rate application. You can also check out their E-rate page at http://www.gaggle.net/ The filing deadline for form 470 and E-rate eligibility is Thursday December 19th. Don't let this opportunity bypass your school.
Assessment, Assessment Rubrics and Evaluation Guidelines
http://www.techlearning.com/db_area/archives/WCE/archives/evalguid.html
Teachers make judgments about students every day, based on informal and formal appraisals of classroom work, homework assignments, and performance on quizzes and tests. Assessment rubrics listing benchmarks for student achievement assist in this evaluation by providing objective guidelines to measure and evaluate learning. These rubrics also improve learning because students who understand them before a project is due can take the evaluation criteria into account as they complete their work. For assessment tips and tools, and for help in developing, adapting, or adopting assessments that detail what you expect students to learn and evaluate what they have mastered for any given lesson, visit the web sites listed on this web page.
Using Instant Messenger Services
How can IM be used in education?
□ Test review and last-minute questions the night before an exam
□ Teachers can answer questions regarding the night’s homework. If you’re using a service such as windows Messenger for Windows XP, the whiteboard feature can provide information such as graphics, diagrams, and charts. Groups of students can meet with their teacher in a private chat room for group tutorials and Q&A sessions.
□ Parents and teachers can IM to discuss student progress.
Inspiration 7
This is a computer program that will help you harness the power of visual learning with the newest version of Inspiration, the premier tool to develop ideas and organize thinking. Educators use Inspiration across the curriculum for brainstorming, webbing, diagramming, planning, critical thinking, concept mapping, organizing, outlining, and more. With Inspiration, you’ll help students tap creativity, build new knowledge, and improve organizational skills. You can download a free trial at www.inspiration.com. If you like the program, you can purchase it for only $69.00.
Information Technology Links
http://www.ecis.org/links/it_links.htm
These sites have been checked by our researcher and recommended as useful for teachers, parents and students alike. ECIS has provided this information as a useful resource; however, inclusion on the list does not imply endorsement by ECIS.
Top 10 Technology Schools
http://www.techlearning.com/db_area/archives/TL/2002/11/topten.html
What's a "smart" technology? While one might argue that all technology-from a toaster to a moon rover-is smart, those we present in the following Top 10 list meet their own set of criteria. In contrast to the breakthroughs we profiled last year, which included such broad topics and trends as wireless and virtual learning, the technologies we've chosen to examine here perform more specific, identifiable functions. Fingerprint recognition and artificial intelligence can free educators and school staff of time-consuming tasks. Telementoring and virtual reality enable collaborations and instant expert guidance from any spot on earth. And voice-to-text technology and hybrid devices support young and challenged learners in formerly unheard of ways. In the hands of well-trained educators, these technologies can offer powerful new solutions for teaching children.
Professional Development Specialist
Research Curriculum Unit
Mississippi State University
Phone: 662-325-8553
E-mail: rab3@ra.msstate.edu
Homepage: http://www.msstate.edu/‾rab3
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