| More Digital Disconnect | | | 7/19/2008 7:49 AM
Posted by Al Summers |
| I am traveling between Alan November's Building Learning Communities Conference in Boston and NMSA's Institute for Middle Level Leadership in Charleston, SC. One of the presenters at blc08 mentioned a report from the Department of Commerce. I am reading the latest copy of the Journal and, in an article by Mary Ann Wolf, the Executive Director of the State Educational Technology Directors Association, that report is mentioned.
In this DoC report, educat ... |  | | Comments (0) | More... |
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| A Digital Disconnect? | | | 7/9/2008 12:36 PM
Posted by Al Summers |
| With technology heavily on my mind, two studies I read about recently seem to indicate that what should be going on in schools to most effectively prepare our students for their futures may not be happening.
In "State of Digital Content in America's Classrooms, 2007-2008" it notes that just 9 percent of teachers report spending more than half their instructional time using digital technology while 16 percent report never using technology a ... | | | | Comments (0) | More... |
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| 21st Century Classroom | | | 7/2/2008 10:37 AM
Posted by Al Summers |
| Back in January, I was telling you about NMSA's focus on technology for this year's conference in Denver. Since that time, our staff has been very busy working on those technology features and I have some big news. You readers of this blog are going to be the first to get the news.
We had heard about a California company that could maybe help us build an actual physical classroom in the exhibit hall. After much time and pursuit, it seems that they are no longer in business. ... | | | | Comments (2) | More... |
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| The Exhibit Hall | | | 5/27/2008 1:33 PM
Posted by Al Summers |
| Having taught for 28 years, I am a teacher at heart. Whenever I attend a conference, the exhibit hall is one of the first places I go. Up and down the aisles, looking for what each booth is giving away. I can go back for substance later. Lots of giveaways in the exhibit hall—and we teachers love freebies!
The exhibit hall at the NMSA annual conference is a special place. And this year it is going to be more speci ... | | | | Comments (0) | More... |
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| Technology Infusion | | | 5/7/2008 8:50 AM
Posted by Al Summers |
| | On our most recent site visit to Denver, we were privileged to visit two school districts who are doing great things with educational technology. I am struggling with wording as technology, technology integration, educational technology, etc, could all be misnomers. Maybe Ivan Duran's term of technology infusion is my favorite right now. Ivan, by the way, is the education technology director for Aurora Public Schools (one of the districts we visited in ... | | | | Comments (0) | More... |
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| The climate in Colorado | | | 4/2/2008 2:22 PM
Posted by Al Summers |
| A lot of talk about climate always comes up when we plan our annual conference. NMSA has been very fortunate in the past several years to have experienced an excellent climate at each of our conference sites. Now, of course, the talk has turned to Denver. What will the climate in Denver be like?
Well, I have experienced the climate first-hand and I can tell you that it is pretty fine. Last June, Dwight Jones was named Commissioner of Education for Colorado. Dwight has been ... | | | | Comments (3) | More... |
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| Marlee Matlin | | | 3/12/2008 3:04 PM
Posted by Al Summers |
| | Marlee Matlin will be our Saturday closing general session speaker. Many of you would recognize the name from her first movie "Children of a Lesser God." Most of you also know that she is hearing-impaired. A couple of the things that you may not know is that she is the author of three novels for children and has served as the spokesperson for the American Red Cross. She is truly multi-faceted and multi-talented. Her name is going to bec ... | | | | Comments (2) | More... |
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| Another great conference | | | 2/6/2008 7:52 PM
Posted by Al Summers |
| | All right, I know this is an annual conference blog, but reader Lynn Scearcy mentioned another conference and I thought it appropriate to write briefly about it. NMSA does a smaller conference in the spring. We call it Middle Level Essentials and this April 4-5 it will be held in Minneapolis, MN. This year's line up is unbelievable! Carol Ann Tomlinson going indepth on differentiated instruction; Janet Allen doing a full day on literacy; Katy Bainbridge an ... | | | | Comments (0) | More... |
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| The Road to Denver | | | 1/24/2008 4:48 PM
Posted by Al Summers |
| | I have taken a couple of weeks off during which time I was treated for a brain tumor (non-cancerous) and became a grandpa for the first time- both significant occurences in my life. I am now sitting in a session at the FETC conference in Orlando. FETC is a technology conference and it has me thinking a lot about our upcoming Denver conference. Alan November, who is our keynote presenter for Thursday evening, has done several very thought provoking sessions here at F ... | | | | Comments (4) | More... |
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| New Blog Design | | | 12/19/2007 9:16 AM
Posted by Al Summers |
| Welcome to my new blog. You will see that it is now interactive and you can post responses/questions/etc. in addition to my entries. I am hoping that this will be a feature that will encourage a lot of response. After all, how many times can you make suggestions or ask questions directly to the director of the conference?
I wish you all a great holiday season and may the new year be the best ever! Start making preparations for Denver—it is going to be the best NMSA confere ... | | | | Comments (3) | More... |
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