NEON is an e-newsletter provided by SEIR*TEC, Regional Technology in Education Consortium at SouthEast Initiatives, through the Instructional Resource Center (ITRC) at the University of Central Florida.

This West Coast Edition of NEON is made available to you through a collaboration of SEIR*TEC and WestEd RTEC. It is accessible to you by email and web page, and is published electronically once a month.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

ANNOUNCEMENTS
1. Reading Resources for Parents
2. Free Email & Web Sites for Your School
3. Summer Workshops
4. Instructional Design for Integrating Technologies
5. EETT Competitive Grant: Threaded Discussion For CA Grantees

CLASSROOM RESOURCES
6. Summer Olympic Games
7. Sign Language Resource Online
8. Teaching Media Literacy
9. Math Fun
10. Legislative Information on the Internet
11. Smithsonian Education

PUBLICATIONS
12. Sharing the Vision with Digital Photography
13. Ten Tips for Online Students

CONFERENCES
14. Register for the Sloan-C Conference
15. Upcoming Conferences

NETS RESOURCES
16. Finding Professional Development Resources

RTEC RESOURCES
17. Developing Rubrics with RubiStar
18. TechPlan Builder
19. Technology Tips for Differentiation

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ANNOUNCEMENTS
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1. READING RESOURCES FOR PARENTS

SEIR*TEC is pleased to announce the availability of a tip card featuring resources from their "Parent Pages," a collection of World Wide Web resources to help parents support national and state reading initiatives. You may order the card free of charge through the ITRC eStore, or download the card in PDF format.

This resource is for both parents and students, and includes information about the reading process and literacy, tips for parents who want to help their children become better readers, recommended booklists from authoritative sources, and sites for children and young adults that can help develop the National Reading Panel's five essential components of reading instruction: phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, comprehension, and fluency. There are resources for parents of children ages birth through high school. The site also provides links to reading initiatives in the six SEIR*TEC states.

Related URLs:
http://www.itrc.ucf.edu/other/seirtec/parentpages/
http://www.itrc.ucf.edu/publications/free.html

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2. FREE WEB SITES & EMAIL FOR YOUR SCHOOL

Oracle is providing Think.com for free to accredited primary and secondary schools. Think.com includes "My Web Site" - write stories and upload pictures in order to build your own Web site, "Email" - communicate with others, "Admin Tools" - create student accounts and review their work, "People" - visit other student and teacher Web sites and leave virtual sticky notes, "Groups" - work with others on collaborative Web sites.

Related URL: http://www.think.com/en_us/

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3. SUMMER WORKSHOPS

Summer is the perfect time to take those professional development courses you just don't have time for during the school year. Whether you're seeking recertification, or interested in honing your teaching skills, the Web has a workshop opportunity to meet your needs. Scholastic has gathered relevant resources from their site as well as links to other useful sites (Tom Snyder, PBS, Classroom Connect, Distance Learning Project at Teachers College, and WebEd).

Related URL: http://teacher.scholastic.com/professional/summer/

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4. INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN FOR INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGIES

This free online course introduces instructional design models and assists you through developing your own instructional design plan. Learn to integrate technology into instruction, and compare traditional testing with authentic assessment.

Related URL: http://netche.unl.edu/idit/reg.cfm

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5. EETT COMPETITIVE GRANT: THREADED DISCUSSION FOR CA GRANTEES

WestEd RTEC is pleased to announce a new threaded discussion to facilitate the sharing of experience and lessons learned among recipients of the EETT Competitive Grant, The WestEd Regional Technology in Education Consortia (RTEC) has set up a " threaded discussion" on their California's EETT Competitive Grant Support Site. The California Department of Education encourages the use of this site to promote constructive discussion among grantees, CDE staff, and representatives of the California Technology Assistance Project. To participate in the threaded discussion associated with the EETT Competitive Grant Program, please refer to the following Web site.

Related URL: http://www.westedrtec.org/eettdiscussion

If you have any questions regarding California's EETT Competitive Grant Support Site or the threaded discussion, please contact klarsen@wested.org.


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CLASSROOM RESOURCES
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6. SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES

EdGate has created a Web site, Gateway to the Summer Games, that provides educators with a host of resources, lesson plans and tools designed to teach students about the Olympics. The site includes sample lesson plans and worksheets for teachers, activities and games for students, and a tremendous amount of facts and historical information on the Olympic Games. In addition, students and teachers can research and study facts about the Paralympic Games, physical fitness techniques of Olympic athletes, the geography and history of Athens itself, and a number of other grade- and subject-specific curricula designed to empower and enrich young minds.

Related URL: http://www.EdGate.com/summergames
Contact Info: rstreet@edgate.com
1-253-853-7133 ext.226

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7. SIGN LANGUAGE RESOURCE ONLINE

From the Atlanta Area School for the Deaf (AASD), "MySignLink" is a resource designed to make it easier for educators to communicate with students who are hearing-impaired. It is an internet-based American sign language tool for Windows and allows you to see a sign, signed definition, or picture for many English words and phrases. It currently has approximately 17,000 entries.

Related URL: http://www.aasdweb.com/mysignlink/

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8. TEACHING MEDIA LITERACY

The MediaLit Kit provides teachers, parents, and community leaders with easy-to-access tools that can change the way media is used and viewed, and promote life-long learning. This resource includes a collection of free handouts in PDF file format, and a free 25-page Orientation Guide providing a "guided tour" of the media literacy process. It is adaptable to all grades.

Related URL: http://www.medialit.org/bp_mlk.html

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9. MATH FUN

The PBS KIDS cartoon Cyberchase is all about showing kids that math is fun and it's all around us. Now a related Web site gives parents and teachers concrete tips to make math come alive. This site is full of games, online stories, free stuff, and of course, Math! It helps kids use numbers and logic to solve problems.

Related URL: http://pbskids.org/cyberchase/parentsteachers/lessons.html

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10. LEGISLATIVE INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET

Whether for serious scholarship, for research by middle school and high school students, or just to see what our elected representatives have been doing, Thomas allows the user to learn the status of legislation in both the House and the Senate for the current legislative session or from past legislative sessions. One can search by bill number or by a key word or phrase.

Related URL: http://thomas.loc.gov/

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11. SMITHSONIAN EDUCATION

This Web site is the central education Web site of the Smithsonian Institution and includes a plethora of resources for educators, families, and students.

Related URL: http://smithsonianeducation.org/


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PUBLICATIONS
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12. SHARING THE VISION WITH DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY

Incorporating digital photography into a media program has resulted in creative outcomes for one school. This article offers a brief overview of a few of the projects they've worked on over the past year (electronic haiku book, acrostic poems, a virtual rock garden). (Source: Technology@Schools, written by Johanna Riddle, Media Specialist, Samsula Elementary School, Volusia County Schools, Florida)

Related URL: http://www.infotoday.com/MMSchools/may04/riddle.shtml

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13. TEN TIPS FOR ONLINE STUDENTS

The author shares a set of tips that his fellow classmates and he developed after entering the world of online education. (Source: techLearning, written by Mark Evans)

Related URL: http://techlearning.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=20900591


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CONFERENCES
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14. REGISTER FOR THE SLOAN-C CONFERENCE

Online registration is now available for the Sloan-C International Conference on Asynchronous Learning Networks. Conference dates are November 12-14, 2004 and the conference is being held in Orlando, Florida. The conference will feature Keynote and Plenary Addresses, over 100 Presentations in 6 concurrent sessions, Pre-conference Workshops, Interest Roundtables, Special Entertainment Events, and an Exhibit Hall.

Register now to receive the early bird price of $375.

Related URL: http://www.aln.ucf.edu/

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15. UPCOMING CONFERENCES

American Library Association Annual Conference
June 24-30, 2004
Orlando, FL
Related URL: http://www.ala.org/

Secretary's No Child Left Behind Leadership Summit
Increasing Options Through e-Learning
July 12-13, 2004
Orlando, FL
Related URL: http://www.nclbtechsummits.org/summit2/summit2.asp

Digital Generations: Children, Young People, and New Media
July 26-29, 2004
London, England
Related URL: http://www.ccsonline.org.uk/mediacentre/Events/main.html

EETT Competitive Grant Evaluation Workshop (for Round 1 grantees)
California Department of Education & CTAP
August 4, 2004
For more information contact CDE consultants Michelle Collins or Gary Quiring at mcollins@cde.ca.gov or gquiring@cde.ca.gov; also at: (916) 323-5715.

AECT 2004 International Convention
October 20-24, 2004
Chicago, IL
Related URL: http://aect.org/events/Chicago04/call/default.asp?

NSBA's T+L2
October 27 - October 29
Colorado Convention Center in Denver
Related URL: http://www.nsba.org/T+L

E-Learn 2004
The World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, & Higher Education
November 1-5, 2004
Washington, DC
Related URL: http://www.aace.org/conf/elearn/

GaETC
Georgia Educational Technology Consortium
November 10-12, 2004
Macon, GA
Related URL: http://www.gaetc.org/conference.htm

Sloan-C International Conference on Asynchronous Learning Networks
November 12-14, 2004
Orlando, Florida
Related URL: http://www.aln.ucf.edu/


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NETS RESOURCES
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Each month, we take a look at one of the National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS) at http://cnets.iste.org/teachers/t_stands.html and identify resources for helping teachers meet those standards.

16. FINDING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES

NETS for Teachers - Standard V(A): "Teachers will use technology resources to engage in ongoing professional development and lifelong learning."

Related Resource Sites:

Education World - Professional Development Center
http://www.education-world.com/#ProfessionalDevelopment
Professional Development resources at this site include an archive of articles, subject resources, and reference resources.

Eisenhower National Clearinghouse - Professional Development
http://www.enc.org/weblinks/pd/
This site contains an annotated list of Web sites for teachers to use to improve their pedagogical knowledge and practice.

TAPPED IN
http://www.tappedin.org/
At this Web site K-12 teachers and librarians, professional development staff, teacher education faculty and students, and researchers engage in professional development programs and informal collaborative activities with colleagues.

WWW4Teachers: Professional Development
http://www.4teachers.org/profdev/
This site offers resources to enhance teachers' skills and knowledge. Included at this site are links to resources grouped under headings such as Equity in Diversity, Funding & Grants, Student Assessment, and Technology Planning.


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R*TEC RESOURCES
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The Regional Technology in Education Consortia (R*TEC) program at http://www.rtec.org/ supports the integration of technology into K-12 environments and other educational settings. In each issue of NEON, we will explore some of the free and/or inexpensive resources being provided to educators by this program.

17. DEVELOPING RUBRICS WITH RUBISTAR

RubiStar is a free tool to help the teacher who wants to use rubrics but does not have the time to develop them from scratch. Simple and straightforward, RubiStar even includes a tutorial with information on changing categories, headings, and content.

Related URL: http://rubistar.4teachers.org/

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18. TECHPLAN BUILDER

Is your district eligible to participate in the EETT grant programs? Does your district meet the requirement for an approved district technology plan? If you answered yes to either of these questions we have a free online service for you.

Just released in time for NECC 2004-our nation friendly version!
You can now create and update an effective technology plan for your district quickly and easily with the WestEd Regional Technology Education Consortium's (RTEC) TechPlan Builder (TBP). This NEW tool was designed to help school districts in California write and update their technology plans; however, TPB will now work for ANY district in the nation, lending a hand to ensure compliance with requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act's Enhancing Education Through Technology (EETT). Based on a preeminent online tax preparation software model, TPB leads you through a series of interviews and worksheets that when complete, generates a district technology plan that is ready for approval, use, and updating.

Related URL: http://www.westedrtec.org/techplanbuilder

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19. TECHNOLOGY TIPS FOR DIFFERENTIATION - NEWLY RELEASED

Do you wonder how you can better use the technology you already have to meet the needs of all your learners? WestEd RTEC, in partnership with the Alliance for Technology Access, has just released a new web site that is aimed at helping teachers learn how to use software and devices they already have to meet the needs of diverse learners.

This web site also contains links to materials (PowerPoint and related handouts) for professional developers to adapt and use within their existing efforts to help teachers integrate technology into the curriculum. The format of the web site includes descriptions of each technology, who it helps, what the research says and how to use it.

The web site currently looks at strategies in the following areas: Talking and Digital text, the use of Word features and Enhancement of text for comprehension, Portable Devices and Graphic organizers.

We plan to add additional examples, activities and resources, and welcome your contributions and comments.

Related URL: http://www.westedrtec.org/techtips


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NEON (News for Educators Online Now! - the West Coast Edition) is designed to disseminate educational technology announcements and news. NEON provides a way for YOU to let others know what you are doing.

To submit an announcement of national interest, use the online form at http://www.itrc.ucf.edu/neon/archives/submitstory.html OR send email to ucfitrc@orion.itrc.ucf.edu. To submit an announcement of interest for West Coast educators, send an email to klarsen@wested.org. Each announcement should be sent separately and MUST include an email address or URL for people to go to for more complete information. We will use as space allows.

The IRTC staff reserves the right to determine which announcements will be used in NEON based on content, length, and timeliness. The ITRC staff also reserves the right to edit information provided.

The Instructional Technology Resource Center (ITRC) at UCF
University of Central Florida
Dr. Donna Baumbach, Director
Kathy Katz, NEON Editor
http://www.itrc.ucf.edu
ucfitrc@orion.itrc.ucf.edu
(407) 207-4962

SEIR*TEC
Elizabeth Byrom, Ed.D., Principal Investigator
http://www.seirtec.org

WestEd RTEC
Kurt Larsen, Principal Investigator/Director
http://www.westedrtec.org

DISCLAIMER: We do our best to verify the information in NEON, but we do not guarantee accuracy nor agree with every opinion expressed.

The Instructional Technology Resource Center (ITRC) at UCF is a partner in the SouthEast Initiatives Regional Technology in Education Consortium(SEIR*TEC). SEIR*TEC & WestEd RTEC are funded by the U.S.Department of Education under grant number R302A000011, CFDA 84.302A to support the integration of technology in education. The contents of this newsletter do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Department of Education, or any other agency of the United States government.