C-Forum
Location:
Jordan School District
7905 S. Redwood Rd
West Jordan, UT 84088

October 9, 2009

  • Welcome and Introductions - Bonnie Muir and Lynn Sorensen
  • UTIPS Update -Julie Quinn
    • Servers will be upgraded and moved to a single location but the timeline has been slowed down.
      • CUES is done.
      • NUTIPS and San Juan will be next.
      • Additional migrations will be defined after these are complete.
    • Item Pool Update 
      • Approximately 3,000 new items.
      • Will be updated after server migrations are complete.
      • Should be available next fall.
      • Subject folders on the main UTIPS page(s) have been unpublished.  The questions from them will be incorporated into the item pool.
        • Performance Tests, reference sheets and other resources are in these folders now instead.
    • UTIPS Helpdesk - help@utips.org
      • Emails will be redirected to identified UTIPS trainers for each LEA.
      • If no trainer is identified, emails will be redirected to the Assessment Director.
    • Some Troubleshooting
      • If you have troubles printing, etc. try logging out and logging back in.
    • In training, help teachers learn how to align questions to the curriculum.
    • Online testing is moving ahead and will hopefully be a better experience for all this year.  Working relationships have been created that should help.
      • There is a toolbar that will be added for students with accommodations to have tests read to them.
      • Accommodations should be offered all year long.
      • There are no more listening sections on tests.
      • Tests have shorter sections.
    • Online Writing Assessment For All 5th and 8th Grade Students - Margaret Young
      • Formative piece is available for grades 5 and 8.
      • Formative practice by Measurement Incorporated at a reasonable price for districts.
  • Mac OS X - Snow Leopard - JSD Team member
  • Educational Gaming - Harrison Beckett
  • Interactive Video Conference (IVC) - James G Hodges & Lisa Cohne
    • Student opportunity with the Center for Puppetry Arts
      • They tie in science, arts, technology and social students with curriculum.
      • Monday they will be at The Canyons district (Quail Hollow Elementary) and everyone is invited to attend.
    • ConferenceMe (New UEN service) - perfect for one or two participants per site
      • UEN IVC provides a classroom/conference room setting solution (used to be called EDNET classes) and ConferenceMe is a desktop conferencing solution.  
      • The Puppetry Arts training will be delivered this way.
      • Only available for PCs (hopefully by the end of the year, it will be available on Macs)
      • Requires high-speed internet, headset, microphone, and webcam
      • Technical Services Support Center at UEN 1-800-863-3496
  • New Gadget: LiveScribe Pulse Smartpen - Martha Crook and Holly De Leon
    • Works like a pen and records audio.
    • Built-in speaker, camera and microphone
    • Can photocopy paper that is required.
    • Users can easily upload data to the computer and/or internet.
    • $129 - $169 each

  • UEN Update - Karen Krier and Rob Bentley
    • UEN Web Resources
    • Professional Development
      • Enrollment is way up this year. (over 600 registrations within the first 10 hours)
      • Classes are offered in the UEN lab Wed.-Sat. every week. Contact Victoria if you want an on-site training
      • Online classes have been expanded to 40 students and are all full through December.
      • Providing internet safety workshops - NetSafeUtah
      • Still offering faculty lounge.
      • Trying to cut down on spam related to online classes.
  • Thinkfinity Highlight - EconEdLink - Rick Gaisford
    • Children's literature is used to teach many concepts.
    • The group was surprised to find that there were good lessons for kindergarten as well as secondary students.
    • CyberTeach - interactive games, activities, and ways to think about the concepts in a different way
      • Related lessons go along with each activity.
    • Current Events - lists current events in reverse order with related lessons,
      • New events are posted every day.
    • DataLinks - links to additional sites that have activities for students
    • WebLinks - current data for classroom use and interpretation
    • New Finance In The Classroom web site that UEN developed for USOE and other partners

  • Hot Potato - Nancy Lagerberg
    • Create online activities that you can embed into websites and blogs.
    • It's free, easy, web based and cross platform.
    • There are good tutorials available on the site.
  • USOE Update - Rick Gaisford
    • Superintendent Larry Shumway - New vision/mission statement for Utah's public education - "Promises to Keep"
      • Ensuring literacy and numeracy for all Utah children.
      • Providing high quality instruction for all Utah children.
      • Establishing curriculum with high standards and relevance for all Utah children.
      • Requiring effective assessment to inform high quality instruction and accountability.
        * There are likely to be more budget cuts for USOE this year. Not anticipating any state funding for technology this year and potentially up to an additional 10% cut.
    • There is info. on how to use technology to create accountability standards on Rick's myuen site.
    • Qwest mini-grants for teachers will be available soon. (Up to $2,500)
    • Three options for ITC training:
      • Schedule traditional workshop during school day with subs
      • Friday and Saturday training
      • Online
    • SURWEB is no more - it's considered a malicious site.
      • UEN will work to get the pictures/resources into eMedia.
      • They're bringing SURWEB back up for a week so teachers can grab their own stuff.
      • TIPS is gone also.
    • Pioneer Library things to think about and discuss next month:
      • Is it a relevant resource for students and are they using it effectively?
      • What are some strategies to help teachers and students use the resources more effectively?
    • October 21st - Take a Veteran To School Day

  • UCET Update - Pam Turley
    • UCET web site
    • This year's theme is UCET 2010 - A clear vision for teaching and learning in a digital world.
    • Feb. 26, 27 at Murray High School
    • Anne Collier is the keynote speaker this year.
    • Two changes:
      • Seven sessions will have a 200 seat capacity.
      • Saturday workshops will be five 3-hour hands-on sessions and require pre-registration
    • They are still looking for presenters
    • ISTE is in Denver this year. UCET will potentially charter a bus to go and cover half the transportation cost.

   
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