SIG Forums at NECC 2007
This year at NECC, 6 SIGs will host individual forums, and, for the first time ever, a cross-SIG collaborative summit, hosted by SIGILT, SIGHC, SIGTel, SIGTE, and the International Committee. A SIG Forum is a unique opportunity for you to gather with like-minded individuals and explore a particular focus while networking with peers. Our SIG Volunteer Leaders have been working hard to organize these events, and they are sure to be exciting for all who attend. Please take a moment to read the descriptions below. Remember, you can still sign up for these events at the conference, but there is extremely limited space, so register as soon as you arrive on site.
SIGCT Forum
Monday, June 25
7:30am – 10:30am, Room B202
Following SIGCT's name and mission statement change, the SIGCT forum will focus on how to bring traditional Computer Science ideas to the K–12 realm. The breakfast forum, planned for Monday morning, June 25, is intended to allow SIGCT membership to network, to be involved in a panel discussion related to teaching computing concepts (who, what, when, where and how) and to work together in smaller groups to formulate direction for SIGCT activities in the coming year. The panelists include Debbie Carter (Lancaster Country Day School (K-12)), Philip East (University of Northern Iowa) and Michael Kolling (University of Kent). Joe Kmoch (SIGCT President) will moderate. Other SIGCT Officers attending will also be offering their ideas.
SIGDE Forum
Wednesday, June 27
7:30am – 11:30am, Room B203
At this SIGDE-sponsored event on Wednesday morning, June 27th, participants will identify their most pressing priorities for improving equitable access to learning technology resources for learners and their educators and families. Participants then will work with SIGDE chair, Robert McLaughlin, and several other digital equity specialists, to develop practical action plans for dramatically improving equitable access to these resources. "We know that many educators, especially those who work in communities plagued by persistent poverty, become discouraged about the prospects of accessing the resources they need to serve their students effectively," McLaughlin explained.
The aim of the forum is to assist each participant to develop an action plan in which they learn about and draw on proven "digital equity" resources that meet their students' and colleagues' most pressing needs. All ISTE members are encouraged to participate.
International Leadership Summit
Monday, June 25
7:30am – 12:30pm, Room B203
The 1st International Leadership Summit, hosted by SIGILT in collaboration with SIGDE, SIGHC, SIGTE, SIGTel and the International Committee, will be held Monday morning June 25th and is bringing together national and international leaders in professional associations and in learning technology R & D and dissemination. The goal is to generate practical recommendations by which learning technology leaders will work more systematically with professional associations to disseminate effective learning technologies that are relevant to the associations' members' priorities for improving their professional practice and their students' learning.
Collaborating associations include the Aspira, Association of Teacher Educators, Council for Opportunity in Education, European Council of International Schools' IT Committee, National Alliance of Black School Educators, National Education Association, National Staff Development Council, and New Teacher Center. Immediately following NECC, an invitational day-long gathering will be held on Thursday June 28th where 30 leaders of professional associations and in learning technology will meet to map out specific steps to begin to implement recommendations arising from the summit, in the nation's 21 largest school systems, in collaboration with the Big 21 Network, which is comprised of the staff development system leaders of the nation's 21 largest districts.
"We have spent hundreds of millions of dollars trying to infuse technology into the world's classrooms, without first having a sustained conversation with educators to first find out what their priorities are for improving teaching and learning, and then equipping them with the technology resources keyed to their priorities," explained SIGILT chair Robert McLaughlin. "This summit will kick off a long term conversation to address this important challenge."
During the summit, presenters who have developed promising and proven learning technologies relevant to the collaborating associations' priorities will showcase their applications and the data attesting to their effectiveness. All ISTE members are encouraged to participate in this important showcase, conversation and action-oriented initiative.
SIGIVC Forum
Tuesday, June 26
10:30am – 1:30pm, Room B303
SIGIVC will be hosting its first forum at NECC 2007, with a wonderful lunch provided! If you are interested in using interactive video communications to connect your students with people and resources from around the world, please attend. The highlight of the forum will be a "Speed Networking" activity in which pre-selected participants will have 2 minutes to highlight their successful IVC programs and projects, followed by time to network with those presenters you wish to connect with. All attendees will receive printed material outlining all projects presented. We will use the remainder of the forum for group discussions based on area of interest. You may join in one of the following groups: Communications, Research, Professional Development, or Emerging Technology.
SIGMS Forum
Tuesday, June 26
10:30am – 12:30pm, Room B206
This year, SIGMS has lined up an impressive list of presenters at what will surely be an exciting event at NECC. The forum will focus on the 21st Century School Information Center. Already lined up to present are David Warlick, Will Richardson, Larry Johnson, Alice Yucht, Joyce Valenza, Doug Johnson, Lisa Perez, and Brian Kenney. Topics for discussion will include the changing scene of the School Information Center, Web 2.0 tools that can enhance education in Media Centers, training staff to adopt new technologies, the dangers presented by these new technologies, and how to use blogs, wikis, podcasts, virtual reference centers, online resources, muves (multi-user virtual environments), and other virtual tools to revolutionize information access and improve student achievement.
Says organizer and Chair of SIGMS, Peggy Milam Creighton, " I am excited about this SIGMS forum because it brings together some well-known experts in the field who can speak to the potential for Web 2.0 tools to impact the library media program and student achievement. We will discuss the future of the school information center program and the potentials and pitfalls of using blogging, wikis, podcasts, online resources, virtual teaching and reference, muves, and more. It is an exciting time to work in a school information center and it is challenging to navigate the virtual world and incorporate its newest tools into information literacy instruction. We appreciate the diverse backgrounds and levels of expertise of our panel. The forum promises to be a high-interest feature at NECC!"
SIGTC Forum
Sunday, June 24
1pm – 4pm, Room B304
The SIGTC Forum will feature Nancy Willard with a presentation on Internet Safety and how we as educators can educate students, staff and parents about the potential perils on the Internet. Attendees will receive a copy of Ms Willard's Book— Cyber-Safe Kids, Cyber-Saavy Teens. There will be small and whole group discussions of the issues facing Schools today and what can be done to properly educate everyone involved. Snacks and beverages will be provided.
SIGTE Forum
Tuesday, June 26
10:30am – 12:30pm, Room B203
The SIGTE Forum at NECC 2007 will build on the resolution we drafted at our Forum last year, and subsequently sent to the board, expressing our support of any efforts ISTE makes "toward the effort of leading a collaborative effort to advance our field by designing valid and reliable methods and tools that authentically assess higher order learning outcomes and the higher order skills required by collaborative, lifelong learners in the 21st Century."
We have booked a panel of participants from SRI who will present a few assessment-related projects with which they have been involved, with a range of high/medium/low-cost scales of assessment, to demonstrate ways to assess even when you don't have a large budget. An example of the low-end is a "toolkit" they created for Apple's 1:1 initiative. Through these examples, we are hoping his group can help us to understand such questions as:
What assessment protocols and instruments are now available to educators and researchers to better demonstrate the outcomes of the appropriate application of technology in teaching and learning environments? What other protocols and instruments do we want to see developed?
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How do we account for variability in technology uses when assessing its effectiveness?
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How we can show that the integration of hands-on information and communication technology enables students' understanding at a higher order and problem-solving level in each discipline they study?
We are envisioning it almost as an interactive workshop where we would use the cases to understand options that would apply to our own teaching and learning situations, and then be able to look forward together at what roles SIGTE might play to advise ISTE in this area. It should be a fast-paced 2-hours with plenty for members to take away to use immediately and to ponder for long after the event.
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