ITTIP’s Quarterly Byte Summer 2019
ITTIP hosts Camp Invention This summer, ITTIP staff hosted two, one-week Camp Invention learning experiences for elementary students. The first week of camp, July 22-26, 2019, had upcoming fifth- and sixth-grade student participants, while the second week (July 29- August 2) had upcoming third - and fourthgrade students. During each Camp Invention week, students participated in hands-on challenges that involved various skills (e.g. critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, etc...) throughout each day around four themes: a mystery at sea, modifying a robot for challenges, agriculture and technology, and protoBelow: Testing a student’s prototype of a sailboat during a challenge.
Above: Students transform from their true identities to defeat plagiarizers of ideas.
The mission of ITTIP is to transform teaching and learning in PK-12 classrooms through the use of technology by providing high-quality professional development for educators and engaging programs for students, in order to maximize their learning experiences and opportunities in a globally competitive workforce.
Upcoming events
typing and protecting ideas. Sept 2 Holiday - Offices Closed Each day students participated in building and testing prototypes through various challenges that enabled students to rethink many of their ideas and make changes to perform tasks more successfully. The final day of camp brought on culminating activities that included earning points for their robot teams during a timed obstacle course and designing a farm with technology to help it prosper.
Sept 18 SVRTC Meeting, Nottoway High School Sept 19 STEAM Night, Henrico, Virginia Sept 24 11th STEM Summit, Longwood University In This Issue Page 1 Camp Invention Page 2 Global Education Mindset (GEM) Page 3 Grant Partnership Page 3 ISTE 2019 Presentation Page 4 STEM Learning Summit Page 4 SVRTC Meeting Dates
Above: A student works to etch their superhero logo to illuminate with a stand and LED light.
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Summer 2019 Quarterly Byte - Longwood University ITTIP
GEM Teachers Create Virtual Tours This spring, ITTIP facilitated an
GEM had 18 participants from 6
8-week blended learning book
counties and 10 different schools.
study around the framework of a
After participating in the book
growth-mindset and global educa-
study, teachers met on Saturday,
tion, Global Education Mindset
May 11th, to celebrate what they
(GEM).
learned and how it will be used in their classrooms. During the short 8-week period, many teachers were able to connect their students with other students outside their classrooms through activities like Mystery Skype, Flipgrid, and collaborative art projects. Most teachers shared plans for changes they were making to prepare for their upcoming school year to in-
Above: A GEM participant experiences virtual reality through Google Expeditions with a tour created by participants during the last day of the professional development.
clude a global education mindset. During the final Saturday session, teachers also got to experience
Above: Participant shares what they learned from GEM and how it has and will be implemented into their classroom.
Google Expeditions through a virtual tour created by the facilitators, then learned how to create their own tours using Tour Creator . Teachers were left empowered to check out a virtual reality kit through ITTIP’s loaner program and have their students create their own tours to share!
Boomwriter Are you looking to add a writing application to your classroom toolbox?
If so,
check out Boomwriter, a free online platform where teachers can create assignments and writing prompts for students, all the while, students build an online portfolio of their writing! The tool allows teachers to control assignments, add vocabulary to be used, assign rubrics, link supplemental resources through Google, and even provide grades and feedback! Boomwriter also has an option to allow your students to write collaboratively. Boomwriter is appropriate for grades 2-12, but esthetically is designed for elementary aged students. Check out Boomwriter, it’s free!
Summer 2019 Quarterly Byte - Longwood University ITTIP
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WATERS: Grant Partnership with Concord Consortium For nearly a decade, ITTIP has
the impact of integrating inquiry
partnered with Concord Consor-
activities with embedded Uni-
tium through National Science
versal Design for Learning (UDL)
Foundation (NSF) grant funding to
technologies and career-oriented
bring inquiry-based science learn-
activities in middle school science
ing to classrooms across the state
classrooms.
of Virginia. This spring, Concord Consortium was funded another
To begin the project in Virginia,
NSF grant, Watershed Awareness
three sixth-grade teachers from
using Technology and Environ-
Portsmouth School District par-
mental Research for Sustainability
ticipated in a three-day training
(WATERS), continuing this part-
in August. The training involved
nership with ITTIP and Virginia
exploring a local water source for
school divisions.
water quality with a diversity of technologies that the teachers will
The WATERS grant is a three-year
be using through developed cur-
intervention that will support
riculum with their own students.
teachers in three states (California, Pennsylvania, and Virginia).
Follow-up professional devel-
The project will be investigating
opment for Virginia teachers is
Above: Teacher participant tests a component of water quality at Paradise Creek Nature Park.
scheduled in January 2020, with monthly webinars throughout the year to support curriculum implementations. Following the first year, participating teachers will become master teachers for their state and share curriculum implementations with other teachers in their states.
Longwood University Presents at ISTE 2019 Longwood University’s ITTIP
er Education of Virginia (SCHEV).
order to improve student achieve-
Director, Dr. Paula Leach, and
The project provided professional
ment and increase engagement.
STEM Learning Specialist, Stepha-
development on the integration of
Check out the conference presen-
nie Playton, along with Dr. Vir-
technology, problem-based learn-
tation, yourself, to see the project
ginia Lewis, Associate Professor of
ing, and global collaboration in
outcomes!
Mathematics Education, presented at the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) conference held in Philadelphia, PA this June. The trio presented the outcome of a 2017-18 grant, InTEL, funded through the State Council of High-
Right: Slide from presentation representing the number of projects that involved limited collaboration, a way to describe activities that connect students outside the classroom, but through informal collaboration (e.g. discussions, Q & A, etc.).
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Summer 2019 Quarterly Byte - Longwood University ITTIP
ITTIP Announces 11th STEM Learning Summit On September 24, 2019,
STEM Learning Summit from
$20. Space is limited, so use
Institute for Teaching through
9am-3pm, in the Blackwell
the link for registration to sign
Technology and Innovative
Ballroom. The theme will be
up: https://forms.gle/JfoD-
Practices (ITTIP) at Longwood
artificial intelligence:
sQ82hWfK5kNF7
the
University will host the 11th More and more we are hearing about Artificial Intelligence (AI), but what exactly is AI and how will it impact K-12 education? Come to ITTIP’s 11th STEM Learning Summit to learn more about AI from experts in the field and hear from educators who are using AI in their classrooms to provide their students with
Helen Crompton Associate Professor Old Dominion University, VA
opportunities to learn about and use AI in both elementary and secondary settings. ITTIP encourages K-12 educators and administrators to attend. The registration fee is
2019-2020 SVRTC Meeting Dates
April DeGennaro Elementary Educator Atlanta, VA
Wednesday, September 18, 2019 Wednesday, October 16, 2019 Wednesday, November 20, 2019 No December Meeting Wednesday, January 15, 2020 Wednesday, February 19, 2020 No March Meeting – Awards Banquet (TBA) Wednesday, April 15, 2020 **All meetings for the 2019-2020 school year begin at 10:00 am at Nottoway High School, 5267 Old Nottoway Road Crewe, Virginia For more information, visit www.svrtc.org
Willy Kjellstrom Secondary Educator Albemarle County, VA