April 3, 2009

Location:
Nebo School District
Grant Building
105 South 400 East
Springville, UT
Directions

Welcome

Google Earth - Mitchell Jorgensen
You can create your own Google Earth maps. http://maps.google.com/

Download the file and open the map created with Google Earth
Google Ocean is a big update to the program
Animal tracking can be used to get info. on animals and follow their movements
Map of Strange http://mapofstrange.com/ highlights strange things found in Google Maps
Interacts well with Wikipedia

Moodle - Tracy Poulsen
Moodle is a course-management system that allows two-way communication between teachers and students. http://moodle.org/

No papers to lose
Documentation for when assignments are turned in
Individual, anytime feedback
A variety of question types can be imported
Tests and assignments can be completed and submitted online
The interactive blog is one of the best features
Software is free – the only cost is for a server and maintenance
Flexibility and feedback opportunities are an advantage

Drupal - David Wadley
Drupal is open-source software used for web site creation. http://drupal.org/

You don’t need to know the back-end administration, just your site
Create content – Page – Type a title – Type in content
Drupal is like Word with a variety of editors
It’s best to know some basic html in order to edit source
Allows you attach pictures and other documents
Separates content management from the theme
Multiple themes and modules are available and created profiles may be installed
Backend is almost identical but the front view may be different for every site

ThinkQuest Projects - Pam Turley
ThinkQuest is sponsored by Oracle. http://www.thinkquest.org/en/

ThinkQuest Projects – elementary
Debate and survey functions
Teachers may limit access to classroom/school or open it to the world
Competitions: Website, Narrative and Local
ThinkQuest Library is full of resources

Wireless Whiteboarding - Pam Turley
USB wireless adapters will wirelessly connect to any USB device, including SmartBoard tablets.

The one that was shown is called a Cables Unlimited Wireless USB Kit with Transmitter and Receiver with Base and can be found at http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4211658&CatId=944

Wimba Classroom - Pat Lambrose http://my.uen.org/myuen/21
Pat shared a variety of lessons she has used with students in a Wimba classroom.

Where in the World is Pat? – she took pictures of her travels around the world and students tried to guess which country she was in
Puzzles to figure out – e.g. Two people are found dead in a cabin. (airplane crash) Students discover what happened by only asking yes or no questions.
Are you smarter than a 5th grader? (using polling)
Letters – straight lines vs. curves

Key Points or Ideas -

It’s easy to put powerpoint slides in Wimba
Wimba activities can be a chat and lesson all in one
Have students login with their name and their partner name rather than initials – it makes it easier to know who you are calling on
Wimba is a fun way to have students interact and respond to what they see on the screen
Mix up polling, multiple choice and go to web site to keep the lessons interesting
Round robin web site
Remember to close the room at the end of your session!
Every educator with a myuen web site has a Wimba classroom

Ideas for future uses of Wimba -

Meet the author(s), writer’s conference, spelling bee, geography bee, etc.
Archives of weekly Wimba training will help meet needs of those who cannot attend the Tuesday sessions.
Statewide and/or eMints common Wimba classrooms
My access for writing meet monthly via Wimba

Skype - Pat Lambrose and Robert Gordon
Skype can now be used with the iPod Touch (1st generation-don’t have speaker/volume buttons and therefore can only do text) and iPhone.

Turns the iPod Touch into a phone whenever you have a wi-fi signal
Make computer-to-computer phone calls for free

UTIPS Grade Level Account Discussion / Updates - Jared Orton and Julie Quinn

Phase 1 – Stabilization and centralization of the hardware – hardware will housed in one location

There are currently 4 blade servers at UEN, 6 more to come
A total of 10 blades will be running at UEN centrally to service the state
Individuals will still retain admin access, they just won’t house the servers

Phase 2 – switch to software other than Cold Fusion

Other UTIPS Information -

UTIPS is a high priority for the state
A message has been added to the TIPS site notifying users that the site will be taken off-line July 1, 2009
There was a discussion about the folders on the front page of UTIPS – something needs to be done with them (get rid of general access to them?) – they will be taken from the front page on July 1, 2009
Science pretests are cleaned up http://science.myutips.org/
There will be item updates 2 times a year – increasing quantity and quality of questions
One goal is to create a more robust set of training materials for UTIPS

USOE / UEN / UCET Updates - Kathy Webb, Rick Gaisford, Kelly Dumont (I hope I didn’t miss anyone else)

What would it cost to bring one-to-one computing to Utah?

More and more schools are going to start doing this because costs are going down
There is fear about bringing one-to-one in because teachers aren’t sure how to use it well
Kitchen Cabinet – curriculum support for high-access classrooms at any grade level (online curriculum support/books that is easy for teachers) http://pp1.ehs.uen.org/groups/zkitchentable/
Kitchen Cabinet is a way to share curriculum resources and to support teachers
There are 2 areas:
- wiki – how to teach/support,
- blog – push it
What’s being taught is on the calendar
Contact Kathy Webb if you would like to participate principal@ehs.uen.org

Other Info.

The UEN course schedule has been posted.
We discussed the possibility of an Online Integrating Curriculum class, perhaps starting with ITC-Level 2.
PEAC meeting – more open premium account access in order to use Wimba, etc.
Another Classroom 2.0 Workshop will be held August 10th and 11th at Jordan High School

Cool Trick
You can zoom in on whatever you are doing on your computer.

On a PC – Zoomit
On a Mac – it is built in to the operating system (control+ or control-) and in System Preferences – Universal Access

C-Forum Business - Lynn Sorensen
Margo Shirley was honored as the CForumer of the Year. This was a well-deserved honor for someone who has done much to benefit CForum. Thanks Margo and Congratulations!

Future meeting dates:

October 9, 2009 – Jordan
November 6, 2009 – Provo
December 4, 2009 – Canyons
January 8, 2010 – UEN
February 5, 2010 – Granite
UCET is February 26 and 27
March 26, 2010 – Nebo

In preparation for next year, please send a notification or email to all districts, especially those that may not currently be sending a representative to CForum.

For questions or comments contact us.