Some very clever Roanoke County students created this very informative video about safety rules.
DINO SAFETY

A small group of ITRTs gathered at the DOE this week to learn how to use data gathered from standardized tests to support teaching and learning.  Not necessarily a setting where you’d expect a discussion about Blogging to begin.
The workshop was informative. We spent a good deal of time analyzing test data and learning to identify strengths and weaknesses within demographic and program areas. We strategized about how to best work with teachers and building administrators to use this information to improve instruction.  The magic didn’t happen, though, until the discussion turned to how technology could facilitate instructional changes.
With a group comprised of Instructional Technology Resource Teachers there was no need to worry about technology “buy in”.  We all understand how technology can improve instruction. What was interesting to me was the way information was generated.  Enthusiasm electrified was what I witnessed.  It started gently, just a few polite suggestions about technologies that might support certain curriculum areas. Soon, though, a group of curious educators were exploring how technologies were being used in different districts and with each inquiry, the energy level grew. Blog, wiki, De.icio.us and twitter accounts were shared and the learning grew exponentially. Soon, we were sharing, exploring, teaching, learning, and creating simultaneously. The room took on a life of it’s own.
It occurred to me that this was exactly the type of learning that today’s students should be experiencing in school.  If we can help teachers use technology to generate this type of energy for learning, there might be less need for data analysis.

TAG! You’re it!!

I was scrolling back through a week of Twitters tonight when I discovered that I’d missed a tweet from fellow ITRT, Tina Coffey.  Tina tagged me with a meme…a Passion Quilt.  By accepting the meme, I need to share why I’m passionate about teaching with technology.  I also need to add an image that captures my passion.

Like my friend, Tina, I’ve struggled with narrowing my focus to just one reason that I’m passionate about technology as an avenue to learning.  Technology opens doors and it certainly levels the playing field for learners everywhere, but what I love best about technology is that it allows me to bring another passion of mine into the classroom from anywhere in the world.

So I’ve chosen this image, one that my husband snapped on the reefs of Cozumel in 2005. It is one of many images available on my flickr site. The title I give it is “Seeing What Is.”

 I love that I can use technology to bring the ocean to my students in a very real way. I love that I can give my students a “fish-eye view” of the world beneath the waves.  I hope that it also inspires them to express and share their own passions.  And while using technology to learn about the ocean environment is certainly not the only trick up my sleeve, it is by far, my very favorite.

And so, I pass on the passion with a little Meme toss of my own! 

The rules are simple:

The Meme toss goes to:

• Thom Ryder -http://www.newt9.blogspot.com/
• Melanie Lewis - http://melanielewis.edublogs.org/

I know I’m supposed to share with five, but I’ll have to get some Blog addresses at VSTE this week and toss to the rest. Tina swooped most of the bloggers I know, so I’ll have to find a few others.