what is innovative? what is innovative? what is innovative? what is innovative? generation X, and millennials and how technology provides the support for this innovative way of learning. Cheryl may be contacted at cward@uakron.edu Kyle Menchhofer from St. Marys City Schools (St. Marys) district is implementing over 550+ smart phones and 85+ PDA's in the classrooms in grades 3rd through 6th. The students have WiFi/broadband service to access the Internet. The students are using the devices in all subject areas. The district has created an anywhere, any time learning atmosphere. Kyle may be contacted at kyle.nchhofer@smriders.net
Terry Murphy from Monarch Teaching Technologies (Shaker Heights) team has been working to harness the efficiencies of web 2.0 technology and apply them to the problems faced by public school districts educating students with special needs like autism. We have translated a visual language educational approach into web-based software that allows easy sharing of engaging and effective content at www.monarchtt.com. Terry may be contacted at murphyt@monarchtt.com OREGON Judy Shasek from Redmond School District (Redmond) uses exergames and FootPOWR computer peripherals to add physical activity and balance to computer time, software and learning games via ExerLearning. Judy may be contacted at genfit@bendbroadband.com PENNSYLVANIA Denise Decheck from Allegheny Intermediate Unit (Pittsburgh) is leading local superintendents through the coordination of a buffet of digital curricula and technology tools for use county-wide, which has been huge for our region. Districts are now discussing the sharing of content, courses, teachers, and students, breaking geographical boundaries and meeting student's needs on an individual basis. Denise may be contacted at denise.decheck@aiu3.net Cory Schmitt from Drexel University School of Education (Philadelphia) Goodwin College has developed the Pocono 500 Raceway and Women's U.S. Open Golf Championship, Spectator iPod Research Projects. Hospitality and Sport Management students utilized iPod Touches to conduct the surveys via the iPod Touch. Once analyses on both are completed, the studies will provide the organizations with valuable marketing data. Cory may be contacted at cas326@drexel.edu Lori Sheldon from Wayne Highlands School District (Honesdale) and with the help of some third grade teachers, they launched a project called "GeoFrog." GeoFrog is a stuffed frog that travels from school to school, and comes with a wiki centered on the geography theme. To learn more, visit http:// geofrog.wikispaces.com. Lori may be contacted at lorips@mac.com Denise Decheck from e-CADEMY, Allegheny Intermediate Unit (Pittsburgh) is working with the e-CADEMY program and collaborating
with regional school districts to provide online courses for students so that they may experience a cyber environment without withdrawing from the current district and enrolling in a cyber school. The tuition through e-CADEMY is approximately 75% less than cyber school tuition. Denise may be contacted at denise.decheck@aiu3.net
Contributor Judy Shasek Dr. Stephanie Edel-Malizia from Penn State University, World Campus (State College) has been working to develop activities for a film studies course which will enable students to respond to the instructor and classmates regarding a specific topic via voice, video, image, text and drawing through the use of Voicethread. This course will be offered in both an online and blended format. She may be contacted for further information at sae12@psu.edu. Rich Kiker from Palisades (Kintnersville) as a creativity/knowledge expansion project, he has a Tech Seminar class building a surfacecomputing, multi-touch input device that is made up of some custom software, a box and a webcam. The device uses the webcam to read the shadows of up to 10 points (fingertips). It s a great multimedia application! Rich may be contacted at rkiker@palisadessd.org Robin Martin from Charles F. Patton Middle School (Kennett Square) knows the use of wikis is not brand new, but out principal is having our staff use wikis in several ways. We have faculty meetings on Mondays and work in small groups. Each group will have a wiki page to keep notes of meetings and progress. During our Wednesday grade level meetings we break into subjects and they will also be keeping notes on the wikis. Robin may be contacted at rmartin@ucfsd.org Cory Schmitt from Drexel University School of Education (Philadelphia) shares that, "Drexel's School of Education produced the 'Oval Office' iPod tour for the National Constitution Center. The tour was developed for elementary school students to learn the history of executive power. Agents receive clues from an animated contact at mission headquarters. Answers to their questions enable them to complete their mission. Cory may be contacted at cas326@drexel.edu Martin Weiss from Susan P. Byrnes Health Education Center (York) shares, "The Susan P. Byrnes Health Education Center has developed free online health activities for grade K-12. At LearntobeHealthy.org students can work through the lessons individually or in groups with interactive video supplemented by paper based activities. This year we added mental
health kits and an enhanced health log. " Martin may be contacted at mweiss@byrneshec.org Cory Schmitt from Drexel University School of Education (Philadelphia) shares, "Drexel’s School of Education produced 'Signing the Constitution' a Live Virtual Field Trip from the National Constitution Center. Ninety-five schools and home-schools from over 16 states participated virtually. The 30-minute program also connected Constitution High School students for Q&A, broadcast to online participants who were able to participate via chat." Cory may be contacted at cas326@drexel.edu TENNESSEE Scott Merrick from the University School of Nashville (Nashville) would like to share that Tandberg International Education Market Manager Jan Zanetis has awarded a $14,000 Tandberg Edge95 System loaner unit to University School of Nashville’s Scott Merrick in exchange for Tandberg Connections Professional Development program offerings over the coming academic school year. These sessions will be promoted soon through CILC at http://cilc.org. Scott may be contacted at smerrick@usn.org
Contributor Kay Conners TEXAS Jean Kiekel from University of Houston (Houston) is using instant messaging with online high school students as a way to hold virtual office hours, communicate with students, and tutor. Instant messaging has worked for students who need that teacherstudent interaction. It allows instructors to answer questions in real time when the students are working on their course work rather than have them post a question and wait for an answer. It can be used in a classroom setting as well. Shy students can submit questions via IM during a lecture and the teacher can address those questions without revealing who asked the question or embarrassing the student. Jean may be contacted at heymsk@comcast.net. Raylene Truxton from Aldine ISD (Houston) Students at our 9th grade campus are coming to after school tutorials using Moodle, Dimdim and a digital tablet while at home. Many of our students have to go home right after school in order to take care of younger brothers and sisters. After they get home, they join the Dimdim meeting where they get synchronous Algebra tutorials from their teacher. Students say they feel very connected to the classroom as everyone can see their responses. After the session is over, students log into their Moodle course and may continue working on their own. The level of participation is miraculous!
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