CRSTE Leadership Fprum
Tuesday August 18, 2009
8:30 AM - 3:00 PM
Arlington Career Center
816 S. Walter Reed Drive
Arlington VA 22204
This August 18, 2009 CRSTE Leadership Forum is an interactive day for Principals to learn, connect and collaborate with one another in a conducive, supportive environment! This is a one-day opportunity for busy building administrators to learn, discuss and collaborate with other connected principals. Practical uses of technology for productivity and instruction will be showcased by experienced practitioners in computer lab settings.
The focus is on interactive white boards, modeling best use of this technology and offering thoughtful insight into their role in the classroom. Learn important skills within the context of a strong pedagogical foundation for technology integration that will help to empower your teachers to make the most of your technology investment.
Sessions will include:
- Exemplary lessons taught by world-class teachers
- Small group hands-on workshops
- Your choice of working on SMART or Promethean technologies
- “Look-fors” when observing a lesson using an interactive whiteboard
- Marzano’s research on the efficacy of interactive whiteboards
Registration
Registration is open until all 60 seats are filled - register now!
The $25 registration fee includes continental breakfast and lunch.
Pay online by credit card at http://crste.org/events/crsteleadershipforum.html
Mail purchase order, cash or check made out to CRSTE to:
CRSTE
PO Box 7501
Arlington VA 22207
Mailed registrations must be postmarked by Tuesday August 11th to be processed on time.
Please be sure to include the name(s) of all registrants covered by your payment, and an email address so we can send you a registration receipt once your payment is processed.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
CRSTE Meeting at NECC and Kick-Off Celebration a Success!
Inaugural member organizations of CRSTE met at NECC on June 30, 2009 from 4:45 to 6:15 PM in room 150 A of the Washington Convention Center to discuss plans for the upcoming year. Close to 100 educators attended, representing the length and breadth of this new regional NECC Affiliate.
It was agreed that each member organization will appoint two representatives to the CRSTE Board in preparation for its first meeting in September.
Meeting attendees all generated the following list of possible initiatives for the Board to consider:
- providing information on the National Ed Tech Plan due out later this year
- promote information and knowledge exchange at all levels across the region
- identify and pursue advocacy for ed tech
- providing a virtual conference when the ISTE conference is on the west coast
- providing an east coast conference in alternating years from when the ISTE Conference is in our region
- building a virtual library of professional development resources
- building open channels for communication and collaboration with other nations
- receiving student input on CRSTE initiatives
- providing teacher grants to promote use of technology in instruction
- creating outreach to library media specialist organizations across the region
Hot topics identified from the session that were also recommended for consideration include:
- sharing how technology coaches/integration specialists/resource teachers are utilized across the region
- showcasing instructional applications of Web 2.0 tools
- providing guidance and support for sustaining DOE initiatives after initial funding
- offering professional development and leadership on effective management of student data and information systems
- creation and sharing of learning objects
- engage technical staff in ongoing dialogue about their role in education
After the meeting, NECC attendees celebrated the launch of CRSTE with a Kick-Off Celebration at the Historical Society of Washington, D.C. right across the street from the Convention Center. Free food and drink, live music and open exhibits were enjoyed by all attending. Many thanks to Smart Technologies for sponsoring this event as our first platinum sponsor!
For more than a century, The Historical Society of Washington, D.C. has been a respected and valued city institution. It is a dynamic and professional organization with a daring vision for the future not only for the Historical Society but also for the exciting city it calls home - the very same goals and aspirations to which CRSTE aspires! For these reasons, CRSTE chose to host its celebration at this most appropriate impressive and historical setting.
The reception offered all NECC attendees a chance to meet with CRSTE supporters from around the mid-Atlantic region: the District of Columbia, Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia while enjoying fresh hors d'oeuvres, cold drinks and live music. Guests also enjoyed entrance into two exquisite exhibits: The Quilts for Obama and Lily Spandorf's collection of Washington Nevermore. CRSTE buttons and name badge ribbons abounded in support of this newly formed regional organization!
Many thanks to Smart Technologies for supporting the celebration as our first Platinum sponsor!
It was agreed that each member organization will appoint two representatives to the CRSTE Board in preparation for its first meeting in September.
Meeting attendees all generated the following list of possible initiatives for the Board to consider:
- providing information on the National Ed Tech Plan due out later this year
- promote information and knowledge exchange at all levels across the region
- identify and pursue advocacy for ed tech
- providing a virtual conference when the ISTE conference is on the west coast
- providing an east coast conference in alternating years from when the ISTE Conference is in our region
- building a virtual library of professional development resources
- building open channels for communication and collaboration with other nations
- receiving student input on CRSTE initiatives
- providing teacher grants to promote use of technology in instruction
- creating outreach to library media specialist organizations across the region
Hot topics identified from the session that were also recommended for consideration include:
- sharing how technology coaches/integration specialists/resource teachers are utilized across the region
- showcasing instructional applications of Web 2.0 tools
- providing guidance and support for sustaining DOE initiatives after initial funding
- offering professional development and leadership on effective management of student data and information systems
- creation and sharing of learning objects
- engage technical staff in ongoing dialogue about their role in education
After the meeting, NECC attendees celebrated the launch of CRSTE with a Kick-Off Celebration at the Historical Society of Washington, D.C. right across the street from the Convention Center. Free food and drink, live music and open exhibits were enjoyed by all attending. Many thanks to Smart Technologies for sponsoring this event as our first platinum sponsor!
For more than a century, The Historical Society of Washington, D.C. has been a respected and valued city institution. It is a dynamic and professional organization with a daring vision for the future not only for the Historical Society but also for the exciting city it calls home - the very same goals and aspirations to which CRSTE aspires! For these reasons, CRSTE chose to host its celebration at this most appropriate impressive and historical setting.
The reception offered all NECC attendees a chance to meet with CRSTE supporters from around the mid-Atlantic region: the District of Columbia, Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia while enjoying fresh hors d'oeuvres, cold drinks and live music. Guests also enjoyed entrance into two exquisite exhibits: The Quilts for Obama and Lily Spandorf's collection of Washington Nevermore. CRSTE buttons and name badge ribbons abounded in support of this newly formed regional organization!
Many thanks to Smart Technologies for supporting the celebration as our first Platinum sponsor!
Monday, June 29, 2009
What Is A Regional Affiliate? And For That Matter, What Is It Not?!
Traditionally ISTE affiliates have been defined by state boundaries. It makes sense; schools are generally identified by their geo-political location. But in the last ten years, technology has broken down the traditonal boundaries, be it four classroom walls, political boundaries, and even global distances. Regional affiliates have become a sensible next step in collaborating beyond traditional boundaries. Never talked to the next school district over from you? Never collaborate with the next county over because you have to take the bridge across the river? Never collaborate with the state next door regardless how close it is to you simply because it's not technically the same state? It's time to ask yourself why! In past eras these kinds of assumptions may have been accepted as "the way it is." But now that resources are dwindling and the Web is expanding the classroom, is it acceptable to be that provincial, that parochial anymore?
A regional affiliate is an umbrella organization - a consortium - that brings cohesion and communication across existing organizations to promote opportunities for coordination and collaboration when some or all of the organizations involved are interested in working together for the mutual benefit of all their memberships.
A regional affiliate:
- facilitates discussion among like-minded organizations
- helps to establish a common vision and initiatives across the region
- encourages cooperation by finding common points of energy aka "synergy"
- cultivates communication among state tech directors whose educators are involved
- promotes partnerships that promote cooperation, teamwork and 21st century skills
- fosters a culture of collaboration which can expand beyond the region to global opportunities
- shares energy and ideas so like-minded organizations are not trying to "re-invent the wheel" in isolation
- nurtures models of success that can be shared and replicated across the region
- develops a stronger voice for educational technology by sheer numbers of membership
- creates opportunities for savings as services are delivered on an economy of scale
At the same time, a regional affiliate:
- does not compete with member organizations
- does not supplant the governance of member organizations
- does not interfere with the independent operation of member organizations
- does not usurp the individual character, unique charism and/or individual authority of member organizations'
- is advised by a regional Board consisting of representatives from each member organization
Yes there are concerns and considerations that need to be negotiated in forming a regional affiliate, but the resulting benefits are worth it.
A regional affiliate is an umbrella organization - a consortium - that brings cohesion and communication across existing organizations to promote opportunities for coordination and collaboration when some or all of the organizations involved are interested in working together for the mutual benefit of all their memberships.
A regional affiliate:
- facilitates discussion among like-minded organizations
- helps to establish a common vision and initiatives across the region
- encourages cooperation by finding common points of energy aka "synergy"
- cultivates communication among state tech directors whose educators are involved
- promotes partnerships that promote cooperation, teamwork and 21st century skills
- fosters a culture of collaboration which can expand beyond the region to global opportunities
- shares energy and ideas so like-minded organizations are not trying to "re-invent the wheel" in isolation
- nurtures models of success that can be shared and replicated across the region
- develops a stronger voice for educational technology by sheer numbers of membership
- creates opportunities for savings as services are delivered on an economy of scale
At the same time, a regional affiliate:
- does not compete with member organizations
- does not supplant the governance of member organizations
- does not interfere with the independent operation of member organizations
- does not usurp the individual character, unique charism and/or individual authority of member organizations'
- is advised by a regional Board consisting of representatives from each member organization
Yes there are concerns and considerations that need to be negotiated in forming a regional affiliate, but the resulting benefits are worth it.
Green Computing
The Capital Region Society for technology in Education (CRSTE) promotes and supports the concept of green computing as a set of strategies that can be employed within K-16 educational institutions to save on the costs of technology, energy consumption and disposal of e-waste while maximizing the return on education’s investment in technology. As part of a larger movement towards community practices that decrease our carbon footprint and promote a healthy, sustainable environment for generations to come, today’s educational technology organizations are facing a myriad of challenges:
* rising costs and shrinking budgets to manage assets
* aging inventory that is less energy efficient and expensive to maintain
* quickly-changing technology industry standards for hardware and software
* networks in need of refurbishing and upgrading
* lack of bandwidth to handle heavier traffic and larger multimedia files
* disposal of e-waste the is inexpensive and in compliance with the law
While there are a variety of practices emerging to address these concerns, CRSTE supports the following strategies to promote the goals of green computing:
* devise a green computing plan for your school(s) that sets goals for improved cost and energy savings over the next five years
* establish a regular computer replacement cycle that promotes energy efficiency and savings
* consider the use of fair market leasing, wherein technology hardware is returned to the vendor at the end of the life of the lease
* craft an agreement with your procurement office to only purchase computers that display EPEAT and Energy Star registrations
* set computers to shut down after being idle for 30 minutes and monitors after 15 minutes
* use an energy use calculator to calculate your energy costs for the past fiscal year and identify a savings target for the new year
* combine technology purchases with those of other educational institutions to increase your purchasing power
* explore the possibilities for donating surplused technology to local groups or agencies
* utilize an EPA or BAN e-stewards approved program for removal and disposal of e-waste
CRSTE will facilitate a dialogue among educators in the region to generate additional ideas that promote green computing by maximizing the use of our resources in responsible ways that respect our environment.
* rising costs and shrinking budgets to manage assets
* aging inventory that is less energy efficient and expensive to maintain
* quickly-changing technology industry standards for hardware and software
* networks in need of refurbishing and upgrading
* lack of bandwidth to handle heavier traffic and larger multimedia files
* disposal of e-waste the is inexpensive and in compliance with the law
While there are a variety of practices emerging to address these concerns, CRSTE supports the following strategies to promote the goals of green computing:
* devise a green computing plan for your school(s) that sets goals for improved cost and energy savings over the next five years
* establish a regular computer replacement cycle that promotes energy efficiency and savings
* consider the use of fair market leasing, wherein technology hardware is returned to the vendor at the end of the life of the lease
* craft an agreement with your procurement office to only purchase computers that display EPEAT and Energy Star registrations
* set computers to shut down after being idle for 30 minutes and monitors after 15 minutes
* use an energy use calculator to calculate your energy costs for the past fiscal year and identify a savings target for the new year
* combine technology purchases with those of other educational institutions to increase your purchasing power
* explore the possibilities for donating surplused technology to local groups or agencies
* utilize an EPA or BAN e-stewards approved program for removal and disposal of e-waste
CRSTE will facilitate a dialogue among educators in the region to generate additional ideas that promote green computing by maximizing the use of our resources in responsible ways that respect our environment.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Sunday NECC Events of Interest
See if these events are already on your radar!
Walking Tour of Georgetown 10 AM
http://www.washingtonwalks.com/tours/georgetown.shtml
Walking Tour of U.S. Capitol 1:30 PM
http://www.washingtonwalks.com/tours/us-capitol.shtml
ISTE Member Welcome & Conference Orientation 2:00pm–3:45pm WWCC Ballroom C
Strategic Planning Using School 2.0 2:00pm–4:00pm WWCC 151 A (SOLD OUT)
International Networking Reception 4:00pm–5:30pm WWCC 201
Leadership Strand Orientation & Networking Session 4:00pm–5:30pm WWCC 207 A
Malcolm Gladwell Keynote 5:45pm–7:00pm WWCC Ballroom B
Gala Celebration of ISTE's 30th Anniversary 7:00pm–8:30pm WWCC
Walking Tour of Georgetown 10 AM
http://www.washingtonwalks.com/tours/georgetown.shtml
Walking Tour of U.S. Capitol 1:30 PM
http://www.washingtonwalks.com/tours/us-capitol.shtml
ISTE Member Welcome & Conference Orientation 2:00pm–3:45pm WWCC Ballroom C
Strategic Planning Using School 2.0 2:00pm–4:00pm WWCC 151 A (SOLD OUT)
International Networking Reception 4:00pm–5:30pm WWCC 201
Leadership Strand Orientation & Networking Session 4:00pm–5:30pm WWCC 207 A
Malcolm Gladwell Keynote 5:45pm–7:00pm WWCC Ballroom B
Gala Celebration of ISTE's 30th Anniversary 7:00pm–8:30pm WWCC
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
Recommended Visit in DC: Smithsonian National Folklife Festival
The Smithsonian Folklife Festival http://www.festival.si.edu/ is a special annual event sponsored each June-July by the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage celebrating cultural traditions around the world. The Folklife Festival includes daily and evening music and dance performances, crafts and cooking demonstrations, storytelling and discussions of cultural issues. The themes of the 2009 program will be: Giving Voice: The Power of Words in African American Culture, The Americas: A Musical World and Wales Smithsonian Cymra. Plan on eating lunch or dinner at the festival - the food is great and reflects the themes!
Giving Voice: The Power of Words in African American Culture will examine how African American oral traditions have shaped American culture. From poetry to storytelling, from journalism to debate, the program will include performances and interactive programs designed to inspire, and to give insight into the aesthetics of language.
The Americas: A Musical World will feature outstanding artists from the United States and Latin America representing the rich diversity of musical styles in the United States and throughout the Americas, including Puerto Rican bomba, plena, and jíbaro music, Mexican son music from various regions, mariachi music, Colombian vallenato, joropo, and currulao, Dominican merengue típico, bachata, and salve, Chilean cueca, tonada, and nueva canción, Venezuelan música llanera, Paraguayan polca, Guatemalan marimba, and Salvadoran chanchona music.
Wales Smithsonian Cymru will celebrate the culture of Wales, examining the language, literature, crafts and occupational skills, music and cooking, and a wide range of contemporary arts. A focus will be on sustainable living and climate change with an explanation of how materials continue to be refashioned, recycled, and reinvented to meet modern demands and to continue to connect Wales to the world.
The festival is located on the National Mall, between 7th and 14th Streets in Washington, DC. Parking around the Mall is extremely limited, so the best way to get to the festival is by Metro. The closest stations are Smithsonian, Federal Triangle and National Archives. It will be held June 24-June 28 and July 1-5, 2009. from 11 AM to 5:30 PM. Evening events begin at 5:30 PM Admission is free. During the Festival, you may call (202) 633-7484 to hear a recorded description of daily events.
Giving Voice: The Power of Words in African American Culture will examine how African American oral traditions have shaped American culture. From poetry to storytelling, from journalism to debate, the program will include performances and interactive programs designed to inspire, and to give insight into the aesthetics of language.
The Americas: A Musical World will feature outstanding artists from the United States and Latin America representing the rich diversity of musical styles in the United States and throughout the Americas, including Puerto Rican bomba, plena, and jíbaro music, Mexican son music from various regions, mariachi music, Colombian vallenato, joropo, and currulao, Dominican merengue típico, bachata, and salve, Chilean cueca, tonada, and nueva canción, Venezuelan música llanera, Paraguayan polca, Guatemalan marimba, and Salvadoran chanchona music.
Wales Smithsonian Cymru will celebrate the culture of Wales, examining the language, literature, crafts and occupational skills, music and cooking, and a wide range of contemporary arts. A focus will be on sustainable living and climate change with an explanation of how materials continue to be refashioned, recycled, and reinvented to meet modern demands and to continue to connect Wales to the world.
The festival is located on the National Mall, between 7th and 14th Streets in Washington, DC. Parking around the Mall is extremely limited, so the best way to get to the festival is by Metro. The closest stations are Smithsonian, Federal Triangle and National Archives. It will be held June 24-June 28 and July 1-5, 2009. from 11 AM to 5:30 PM. Evening events begin at 5:30 PM Admission is free. During the Festival, you may call (202) 633-7484 to hear a recorded description of daily events.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Obama Administration Tears Down Symbol of NCLB
"Seven years ago, a rally at the Department of Education promoted one of then-President George W. Bush's most significant domestic achievements -- the No Child Left Behind law. The backdrop: a red schoolhouse. But now that symbol has been ripped down. "
Read the full story at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/22/AR2009062202971.html
Read the full story at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/22/AR2009062202971.html
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Recommended Visit in DC: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Dedicated in 1993, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum http://www.ushmm.org/ is one of the most moving and thought-provoking experiences you can have while in DC. I can personally attest to the powerful exhibits and the impact it has on visitors. Even though I already was well-versed on the history of the Holocaust, I was strongly affected by this experience.
The exhibits begin on the top floor and work their way downward. As you descend you follow the Holocaust chronologically, viewing some nine-hundred artifacts, seventy video monitors, and four theaters that include historic film footage and eyewitness testimonies. The museum also rotates special exhibitions that address topics such as propaganda, anti-semitism, genocide.
At the conclusion of your tour, you enter the Hall of Remembrance. This chamber serves as a fitting memorial to the victims and survivors of the Holocaust. As you enter you are struck by the use of light and silence - a sense of sacredness pervades the room. Visitors can light candles in remembrance of the victims of the Holocaust as a final act commemorating your visit to this special place. As an extension, the museum also has its own channel on YouTube that provides free videos to viewers, its own official account on Facebook, a Twitter page, and an email distribution list for those who who want to learn more not only about the Holocaust, but about human rights violations in the world today.
The U.S. Holocaust Museum is recommended for children age 11 and older. Exhibitions and the Museum Shop are open 10 AM - 5:20 PM daily, and admission is free. You can find a series of helpful visitor's guides on the museum web site http://www.ushmm.org/ to help you prepare for your visit.
The Museum is located near the National Mall, just south of Independence Ave., SW, at 100 Raoul Wallenberg Place, SW adjacent to 14th Street. The Smithsonian Metro stop is on the orange/blue lines, one block from the Holocaust Museum.
The exhibits begin on the top floor and work their way downward. As you descend you follow the Holocaust chronologically, viewing some nine-hundred artifacts, seventy video monitors, and four theaters that include historic film footage and eyewitness testimonies. The museum also rotates special exhibitions that address topics such as propaganda, anti-semitism, genocide.
At the conclusion of your tour, you enter the Hall of Remembrance. This chamber serves as a fitting memorial to the victims and survivors of the Holocaust. As you enter you are struck by the use of light and silence - a sense of sacredness pervades the room. Visitors can light candles in remembrance of the victims of the Holocaust as a final act commemorating your visit to this special place. As an extension, the museum also has its own channel on YouTube that provides free videos to viewers, its own official account on Facebook, a Twitter page, and an email distribution list for those who who want to learn more not only about the Holocaust, but about human rights violations in the world today.
The U.S. Holocaust Museum is recommended for children age 11 and older. Exhibitions and the Museum Shop are open 10 AM - 5:20 PM daily, and admission is free. You can find a series of helpful visitor's guides on the museum web site http://www.ushmm.org/ to help you prepare for your visit.
The Museum is located near the National Mall, just south of Independence Ave., SW, at 100 Raoul Wallenberg Place, SW adjacent to 14th Street. The Smithsonian Metro stop is on the orange/blue lines, one block from the Holocaust Museum.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
PD 2.0
The Capital Region Society for Technology in Education (CRSTE) promotes and supports professional development and training that meets the needs of today’s education and technical professionals. In the quickly-changing landscape of K-16 education, the map for professional development must closely match the needs of those getting the work done on the ground.
Professional development offerings must be timely, targeted and quickly transferable to the needs of schools. One size does not fit all any more for staff than it does for students. To provide high-quality just-in-time professional development, CRSTE is committed to being receptive and responsive to the needs of educators and technical staff throughout the national capital region.
Today’s education and technical professionals:
* are stretched for resources
* fill a variety of roles on the job
* require support and training on the fly
* learn best when training is job-embedded
* will work through a number of jobs across the span of their careers
* seek interaction and collaboration among peers of similar interests and skills
While there is certainly a place for a wide-range of professional development offerings across the national capital region, CRSTE advocates for training and support that extends and enriches professional skills, knowledge and understanding.
Today’s professional development must be:
* ongoing – serving educators beyond the initial training event
* sustainable – able to be supported over time by schools
* replicable – delivered in a way that can be repeated successfully in multiple venues
* flexible – able to be modified to meet the unique needs of attendees
* collaborative – promoting interaction and synergy among like-minded professionals
* connected – modeling optimal uses of technology for instruction and productivity
* engaging – applying adult learning theory and constructivist strategies
* meaningful – accommodating the immediate and future needs of educators
* accessible – easily available to interested educators face-to-face and online
* affordable – making professional development inexpensive and reasonable
When a CRSTE event is successfully held, it will be offered to other member organizations across the region for replication to their respective audiences, and every effort will be made to extend professional development beyond the initial experience.
Professional development offerings must be timely, targeted and quickly transferable to the needs of schools. One size does not fit all any more for staff than it does for students. To provide high-quality just-in-time professional development, CRSTE is committed to being receptive and responsive to the needs of educators and technical staff throughout the national capital region.
Today’s education and technical professionals:
* are stretched for resources
* fill a variety of roles on the job
* require support and training on the fly
* learn best when training is job-embedded
* will work through a number of jobs across the span of their careers
* seek interaction and collaboration among peers of similar interests and skills
While there is certainly a place for a wide-range of professional development offerings across the national capital region, CRSTE advocates for training and support that extends and enriches professional skills, knowledge and understanding.
Today’s professional development must be:
* ongoing – serving educators beyond the initial training event
* sustainable – able to be supported over time by schools
* replicable – delivered in a way that can be repeated successfully in multiple venues
* flexible – able to be modified to meet the unique needs of attendees
* collaborative – promoting interaction and synergy among like-minded professionals
* connected – modeling optimal uses of technology for instruction and productivity
* engaging – applying adult learning theory and constructivist strategies
* meaningful – accommodating the immediate and future needs of educators
* accessible – easily available to interested educators face-to-face and online
* affordable – making professional development inexpensive and reasonable
When a CRSTE event is successfully held, it will be offered to other member organizations across the region for replication to their respective audiences, and every effort will be made to extend professional development beyond the initial experience.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Recommended Visit in DC: The International Spy Museum
One of the more popular tourist destinations in DC is the International Spy Museum http://www.spymuseum.org/. In the nation's capital, nothing is more fun than international intrigue and espionage. The Spy Museum affords you the opportunity to learn and play as a spy!
This Saturday night beginning at 6:00 you can join Operation Spy, playing the role of a U.S. intelligence officer on an action-packed international mission. The hour-long interactive experience combines live-action, video, themed environments, special effects, and hands-on activities to create a series of reality-based challenges where participants think, feel, and act like a real intelligence officer in the field. Operation Spy is $14 and recommended for ages 12 and up.
Spy in the City allows you to take a GPS guided tour of DC as the museum sends you clues, codes and intercepts to help you complete a secret mission. It's sightseeing and role-playing all wrapped-up into one, and you can do this at any time you visit the museum.
For $59 a person, you can enjoy Spy City Tours, taking you by bus to see the site of the most notorious spy cases over the last 65 years. High-level former intelligence officers provide video briefings and tradecraft secrets as the tour winds its way through the city. This two hour tour features over 25 of Washington's most notable espionage sites used by some of the nation's most infamous spies!
The Spy Museum is located in Downtown, Washington, DC between 9th and 8th Streets at 800 F Street, NW. It is one block from the Gallery Place/China Town Metrorail Station and the MCI Center. It's six city blocks south of the Washington Convention Center straight down 9th Street NW. The Spy Museum is open from 9 AM - 7 PM daily with the last admission at 5 PM. Admission is $18 for Adults (ages 12-64) and $15 for Children (ages 5-11). Children under 5 years are free.
This Saturday night beginning at 6:00 you can join Operation Spy, playing the role of a U.S. intelligence officer on an action-packed international mission. The hour-long interactive experience combines live-action, video, themed environments, special effects, and hands-on activities to create a series of reality-based challenges where participants think, feel, and act like a real intelligence officer in the field. Operation Spy is $14 and recommended for ages 12 and up.
Spy in the City allows you to take a GPS guided tour of DC as the museum sends you clues, codes and intercepts to help you complete a secret mission. It's sightseeing and role-playing all wrapped-up into one, and you can do this at any time you visit the museum.
For $59 a person, you can enjoy Spy City Tours, taking you by bus to see the site of the most notorious spy cases over the last 65 years. High-level former intelligence officers provide video briefings and tradecraft secrets as the tour winds its way through the city. This two hour tour features over 25 of Washington's most notable espionage sites used by some of the nation's most infamous spies!
The Spy Museum is located in Downtown, Washington, DC between 9th and 8th Streets at 800 F Street, NW. It is one block from the Gallery Place/China Town Metrorail Station and the MCI Center. It's six city blocks south of the Washington Convention Center straight down 9th Street NW. The Spy Museum is open from 9 AM - 7 PM daily with the last admission at 5 PM. Admission is $18 for Adults (ages 12-64) and $15 for Children (ages 5-11). Children under 5 years are free.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
CRSTE Offers Inexpensive High-Quality Online Professional Development
In cooperation with North Tier, CRSTE is offering 16 high-caliber online professional development courses for $25 each. Topics range from Reading and Math instruction to technology-infused lessons and projects.
These high-quality six-week courses are open to members of all CRSTE-member organizations! Topics include ETLO, PBS TeacherLine, and original North TIER-developed courses. These asynchronous courses have no required login time during the week. Instructors post assignments and discussions online and participants login during the week, complete class assignments and participate in class discussion. Participants may register for 2 classes for the summer semester, and typically spend 4-5 hours a week completing class activities.
All course facilitators have been certified by the Education Development Center. See http://crste.org/onlinelearning.html for course offerings!
These high-quality six-week courses are open to members of all CRSTE-member organizations! Topics include ETLO, PBS TeacherLine, and original North TIER-developed courses. These asynchronous courses have no required login time during the week. Instructors post assignments and discussions online and participants login during the week, complete class assignments and participate in class discussion. Participants may register for 2 classes for the summer semester, and typically spend 4-5 hours a week completing class activities.
All course facilitators have been certified by the Education Development Center. See http://crste.org/onlinelearning.html for course offerings!
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Follow CRSTE on Twitter!
You can now follow CRSTE on Twitter! Simply point your browser to https://twitter.com/CRSTEChirps and choose to follow CRSTE live updates and announcements in real time via your phone or browser!
Friday, June 19, 2009
Mid-Atlantic Education Employment Listings
Sifting through a myriad of newspapers and online directories for current job openings is a daunting task. CRSTE understands how difficult it is to find jobs targeted specifically for educators and educational technology professionals. Every Sunday we post current job openings for administrators, teachers, school psychologists and counselors, technical staff, higher education, and more. The jobs posted cover the entire CRSTE region: North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Delaware and Pennsylvania. Jobs are posted for one month, and can be renewed as necessary.
If you have links to job openings that you would like to post on CRSTE, please send links to complete job announcements including job title, description, requirements and application information to info@crste.org and it will be included in the subsequent Sunday's postings.
Prefer to have the weekly job listings arrive in your email inbox every Sunday? You can sign up for this free service by self-subscribing to Job Announcements at CRSTE Connect: http://crste.org/connect.html. Be sure to check out the opportunities to receive eCommuniqué and News & Events emailings while you are there!
If you have links to job openings that you would like to post on CRSTE, please send links to complete job announcements including job title, description, requirements and application information to info@crste.org and it will be included in the subsequent Sunday's postings.
Prefer to have the weekly job listings arrive in your email inbox every Sunday? You can sign up for this free service by self-subscribing to Job Announcements at CRSTE Connect: http://crste.org/connect.html. Be sure to check out the opportunities to receive eCommuniqué and News & Events emailings while you are there!
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Recommended Visit in DC: The Newseum
The Newseum http://www.newseum.org/ bills itself as "the worlds most interactive museum." From newspapers to movie reels, television to the World Wide Web, the Newseum showcases history through the lens of our media. Whether you are a history buff or a journalism junkie, the Newseum is a fabulous environment that will stir strong memories and stimulate your imagination.
There are seven levels of galleries, theaters, retail spaces and visitor services, offering a unique environment that takes museum-goers behind the scenes to experience how and why news is made. The Newseum features 14 main exhibition galleries exploring news history, electronic news, photojournalism, world news and how the media have covered major historical events. The News Corporation News History Gallery, Comcast 9/11 Gallery, NBC News Interactive Newsroom and Bloomberg Internet, TV and Radio Gallery are all must-sees!
The Newseum is located at the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and Sixth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., on America’s Main Street between the White House and the U.S. Capitol and adjacent to the Smithsonian museums on the National Mall. The exterior’s unique architectural features include a 74-foot-high marble engraving of the First Amendment and an immense front wall of glass through which passers-by can watch the museum fulfilling its mission of providing a forum where the media and the public can gain a better understanding of each other. Adults (13 to 64) admission is $20, Seniors (65 and older), military and students with valid ID: $18, Youth (7 to 12): $13 and Children (6 and younger): Free. You can plan your visit at http://www.newseum.org/plan_visit/about.aspx?item=plan_directions&style=d.
There are seven levels of galleries, theaters, retail spaces and visitor services, offering a unique environment that takes museum-goers behind the scenes to experience how and why news is made. The Newseum features 14 main exhibition galleries exploring news history, electronic news, photojournalism, world news and how the media have covered major historical events. The News Corporation News History Gallery, Comcast 9/11 Gallery, NBC News Interactive Newsroom and Bloomberg Internet, TV and Radio Gallery are all must-sees!
The Newseum is located at the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and Sixth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., on America’s Main Street between the White House and the U.S. Capitol and adjacent to the Smithsonian museums on the National Mall. The exterior’s unique architectural features include a 74-foot-high marble engraving of the First Amendment and an immense front wall of glass through which passers-by can watch the museum fulfilling its mission of providing a forum where the media and the public can gain a better understanding of each other. Adults (13 to 64) admission is $20, Seniors (65 and older), military and students with valid ID: $18, Youth (7 to 12): $13 and Children (6 and younger): Free. You can plan your visit at http://www.newseum.org/plan_visit/about.aspx?item=plan_directions&style=d.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Engaging Technical Staff in the Business of Education
A strong technical staff is important to the success of today's schools. Working in the trenches but often behind the scenes, school technical support needs to be included in the discussion of world-class educational excellence. Working with teachers, administrators and students, technical staff should be strongly connected to the education goals of the organization.
Ed tech organizations should serve technology staff by providing lines of communication that promote the sharing of expertise and information while working to meet the ongoing demands of educational technology. Network analysts, break/fix technicians, software developers, programmers, database administrators, functional analysts, telecommunications specialists, trainers, project managers, technology coordinators and every other technical job in between should be encouraged to grow beyond technical expertise, beyond relationships with technology vendors.
Effective ed tech organizations must work to break down silos of isolation by providing ongoing communication, training and resources that help technical staff to become trusted partners in the business of education. CRSTE is looking to engage technical staff in this dialogue, bringing them out of their areas of expertise to share, collaborate, plan and implement ed tech solutions that will best support and promote 21st century skills.
Ed tech organizations should serve technology staff by providing lines of communication that promote the sharing of expertise and information while working to meet the ongoing demands of educational technology. Network analysts, break/fix technicians, software developers, programmers, database administrators, functional analysts, telecommunications specialists, trainers, project managers, technology coordinators and every other technical job in between should be encouraged to grow beyond technical expertise, beyond relationships with technology vendors.
Effective ed tech organizations must work to break down silos of isolation by providing ongoing communication, training and resources that help technical staff to become trusted partners in the business of education. CRSTE is looking to engage technical staff in this dialogue, bringing them out of their areas of expertise to share, collaborate, plan and implement ed tech solutions that will best support and promote 21st century skills.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
CRSTE Announces Inaugural Member Organizations
CRSTE is pleased to announce the six inaugural organizations that make up its membership:
- District of Columbia Public Schools
- Delaware Center for Educational Technology
- North Carolina Technology in Education Society
- Pennsylvania Association for Educational Communication and Technology
- Virginia Department of Education
- West Virginia Department of Education
We look forward to celebrating our launch at NECC! Please join us!
Membership is open to any educational technology organization interested in promoting the purposes of CRSTE with their membership. CRSTE member organizations automatically extend CRSTE rights and priviliges to all of their registered members. There is no fee to become a CRSTE member organization.
CRSTE promotes collaboration, cooperation and coordination of efforts across the Mid-Atlantic region. We look forward to welcoming additional ed tech organizations in the future!
- District of Columbia Public Schools
- Delaware Center for Educational Technology
- North Carolina Technology in Education Society
- Pennsylvania Association for Educational Communication and Technology
- Virginia Department of Education
- West Virginia Department of Education
We look forward to celebrating our launch at NECC! Please join us!
Membership is open to any educational technology organization interested in promoting the purposes of CRSTE with their membership. CRSTE member organizations automatically extend CRSTE rights and priviliges to all of their registered members. There is no fee to become a CRSTE member organization.
CRSTE promotes collaboration, cooperation and coordination of efforts across the Mid-Atlantic region. We look forward to welcoming additional ed tech organizations in the future!
Monday, June 15, 2009
Recommended Visit in DC: Folger Shakespeare Library
The Folger Shakespeare Library http://www.folger.edu/ is a unique DC institution. Located on Capitol Hill, it is home to the world’s largest and finest collection of Shakespeare materials and to major collections of other rare Renaissance books, manuscripts, and works of art.
Opened in 1932, the Folger was a gift to the American nation from Henry Clay Folger and his wife Emily Jordan Folger. It is administered by a Board of Governors under the auspices of Amherst College, Henry Folger’s alma mater. Whether you are a literary fan or history buff, this is a must-see stop while you're in the nation's capital!
As part of the Library, the Folger Theatre annually performs a three-play season of innovative productions designed to forge strong connections with modern audiences, continuing the lively legacy of Shakespearean stagecraft. The intimate Elizabethan Theatre is the setting for Folger Theatre productions. With its three-tiered wooden balconies, carved oak columns, and half-timbered facade, the theater evokes the courtyard of an English Renaissance inn. Overhead, a canopy represents the sky. In Shakespeare’s day, such inns often served as playhouses for traveling groups of players, who performed on a raised platform at one end while spectators gathered in the yard and on the balconies above.
The Folger is open to the public Monday through Saturday from 10am to 5pm, and admission is free. You can take Metro’s Orange or Blue Line to the Capitol South stop and walk 4 blocks, or take Metro’s Red Line to the Union Station stop and walk seven blocks to the Folger. The front entrance is on East Capitol Street between Second and Third Streets. For more directions by subway, bus and car, see http://www.folger.edu/Content/About-Us/Plan-a-Visit/Directions.cfm.
Opened in 1932, the Folger was a gift to the American nation from Henry Clay Folger and his wife Emily Jordan Folger. It is administered by a Board of Governors under the auspices of Amherst College, Henry Folger’s alma mater. Whether you are a literary fan or history buff, this is a must-see stop while you're in the nation's capital!
As part of the Library, the Folger Theatre annually performs a three-play season of innovative productions designed to forge strong connections with modern audiences, continuing the lively legacy of Shakespearean stagecraft. The intimate Elizabethan Theatre is the setting for Folger Theatre productions. With its three-tiered wooden balconies, carved oak columns, and half-timbered facade, the theater evokes the courtyard of an English Renaissance inn. Overhead, a canopy represents the sky. In Shakespeare’s day, such inns often served as playhouses for traveling groups of players, who performed on a raised platform at one end while spectators gathered in the yard and on the balconies above.
The Folger is open to the public Monday through Saturday from 10am to 5pm, and admission is free. You can take Metro’s Orange or Blue Line to the Capitol South stop and walk 4 blocks, or take Metro’s Red Line to the Union Station stop and walk seven blocks to the Folger. The front entrance is on East Capitol Street between Second and Third Streets. For more directions by subway, bus and car, see http://www.folger.edu/Content/About-Us/Plan-a-Visit/Directions.cfm.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Successful Leaders in the 21st Century Don't Work Alone
Today's leaders have unique needs for professional development and leadership support, and in the rigorous world of K-16 education they often neglect those needs to tend to the demands of the job. In the 21st century though, effective leadership is defined not by moving forward in isolation, but by making connections, building relationships, and collaborating beyond traditional boundaries.
CRSTE strives to be a voice for educational leaders, advocating for positions and practices that promote effective management of programs, staff and assets. We work closely with private sector partners, elected officials, Departments of Education, and other professional education organizations to connect you with the people and resources you need to optimize your efforts. By connecting with CRSTE, you can maximize your success by taking the good work you already do to the next level.
As a leadership partner, CRSTE will help you move from isolated effectiveness to collaborative success, reaching out to you and your leadership peers to renew and re-energize your collective efforts across the region. Seeking points of synergy, promoting a progressive vision and advocating for 21st century skills, CRSTE works with you to make a difference for your community and all its stakeholders.
We invite you to join us as we work to move education forward into the 21st century, both across the mid-Atlantic region, and around the globe!
CRSTE strives to be a voice for educational leaders, advocating for positions and practices that promote effective management of programs, staff and assets. We work closely with private sector partners, elected officials, Departments of Education, and other professional education organizations to connect you with the people and resources you need to optimize your efforts. By connecting with CRSTE, you can maximize your success by taking the good work you already do to the next level.
As a leadership partner, CRSTE will help you move from isolated effectiveness to collaborative success, reaching out to you and your leadership peers to renew and re-energize your collective efforts across the region. Seeking points of synergy, promoting a progressive vision and advocating for 21st century skills, CRSTE works with you to make a difference for your community and all its stakeholders.
We invite you to join us as we work to move education forward into the 21st century, both across the mid-Atlantic region, and around the globe!
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Recommended Visit in DC: Freer Gallery
The Freer Gallery http://www.asia.si.edu/ is one of two National Museums of Asian Art in the Smithsonian Institution. The Freer specifically focuses on East Asian art. Unlike the more well-known Smithsonian museums, the Freer is less crowded and unique in its collection; a jewel of a find that you will remember long after your trip to DC!
Visitor favorites include Chinese ceramics and Chinese paintings, Korean Ceramics, and Korean pottery, Japanese folding screens, Indian and Persian manuscripts, and Buddhist sculpture from various regions and time periods. Artwork ranges from Neolithic to modern, with emphasis on the Song, Ming, and Qing Dynasties of China.
A highlight of the Freer is the Peacock Room, a dining room designed for the British shipping magnate F.R. Leyland. In 1876, the artist James McNeill Whistler lavishly decorated the room with a blue and gold peacock design. After the owner's death, Freer purchased the entire room and had it shipped to the United States and permanently installed in the Freer Gallery true to its original look. It's my favorite part of the museum!
The Freer is located on the National Mall, steps from the Smithsonian Metro stop. Two blocks east of the Washington Monument, the Freer lies between the Hirshhorn Museum and the Department of Agriculture on Jefferson Drive between 9th and 12th Streets NW. More detailed directions can be found at http://www.asia.si.edu/visitor/default.htm
Visitor favorites include Chinese ceramics and Chinese paintings, Korean Ceramics, and Korean pottery, Japanese folding screens, Indian and Persian manuscripts, and Buddhist sculpture from various regions and time periods. Artwork ranges from Neolithic to modern, with emphasis on the Song, Ming, and Qing Dynasties of China.
A highlight of the Freer is the Peacock Room, a dining room designed for the British shipping magnate F.R. Leyland. In 1876, the artist James McNeill Whistler lavishly decorated the room with a blue and gold peacock design. After the owner's death, Freer purchased the entire room and had it shipped to the United States and permanently installed in the Freer Gallery true to its original look. It's my favorite part of the museum!
The Freer is located on the National Mall, steps from the Smithsonian Metro stop. Two blocks east of the Washington Monument, the Freer lies between the Hirshhorn Museum and the Department of Agriculture on Jefferson Drive between 9th and 12th Streets NW. More detailed directions can be found at http://www.asia.si.edu/visitor/default.htm
Friday, June 12, 2009
Capitol Hill Educational Technology Showcase Slated for Next Tuesday June 16
The House Education & Labor Committee is conducting a hearing and showcase on “The Future of Learning: How Technology is Transforming Public Schools" June 16, 2009. The hearing begins at 10:00 AM at the Rayburn House Office Building, and the showcase runs from 12:00 - 3:00 PM in the Rayburn Foyer. The event is hosted by the State Educational Technology Directors Association and the Software & Information Industry Association.
The showcase will engage policymakers, educators, and the public on the evolving national discussion on the importance of technology to transforming education. Innovative educational approaches will be highlighted by educators and leading providers, including:
• Educational software, multimedia content and instructional simulations
• Home school connections
• Interactive white boards
• Data and assessment tools
Attend to experience these advances in education firsthand, and learn from experts in education and technology. RSVP Sara Lense at sara.lense@widmeyer.com
The showcase will engage policymakers, educators, and the public on the evolving national discussion on the importance of technology to transforming education. Innovative educational approaches will be highlighted by educators and leading providers, including:
• Educational software, multimedia content and instructional simulations
• Home school connections
• Interactive white boards
• Data and assessment tools
Attend to experience these advances in education firsthand, and learn from experts in education and technology. RSVP Sara Lense at sara.lense@widmeyer.com
Thursday, June 11, 2009
A New Kind of Leadership
Why are we touting Web 2.0 and not providing Leadership 2.0? Educators are embracing portable computing, social networking, webcasting, virtual reality…..all kinds of revolutionary technology tools that have implications for teaching and learning. So why are we still offering educators professional organization models from the industrial age?
We see society is changing through an information-driven revolution, with technology providing the means for the transformation. Both data and technology change so quickly, today’s students expect flexible, dynamic options for learning, creating and problem solving. Why should educators demand any less?
Today’s students and young professionals (aka Generation Y or the Millennials):
We see society is changing through an information-driven revolution, with technology providing the means for the transformation. Both data and technology change so quickly, today’s students expect flexible, dynamic options for learning, creating and problem solving. Why should educators demand any less?
Today’s students and young professionals (aka Generation Y or the Millennials):
- value flexibility, mobility and portability
- are savvy consumers of information and media
- will have several careers in their professional life’s time
- are social entrepreneurs: culturally diverse; globally aware
- seek meaningful work that is in balance with life out of work
- use technology for entertainment, information, multi-tasking, networking and synergy
- are not influenced by branding, celebrity and commercialism
- do not join organizations for the sake of belonging or out of professional loyalty
- participate in organizations for immediate impact and outcome
Sustaining existing organizations by doing things the way they have always been done and relying on technological innovation to fuel interest in potential members will not suffice. Memberships and monies are dwindling, and Millennials feel no loyalty to organizations that are top-heavy with overhead and inflexible to their quickly-changing needs. The 20th century model for professional organizations needs to evolve in order to remain vital and relevant moving forward.
To survive, twenty-first century organizations will need to mirror Millennial values by:
- espousing a dynamic vision
- operating to meet Millennial needs rather than meeting a bottom line
- diversifying across cultural, geographic and political boundaries
- emphasizing immediate benefits over the value of long-standing membership
- creating flexible opportunities to connect and get involved
- offering just-in-time professional development on the fly
- using Web technologies for communication and professional development
- developing partnerships and sponsorships with existing organizations
- contribute to an individual’s balance of life and work
Certainly society is still transitioning into this new paradigm of the twenty-first century, and there is still time for organizations to transform themselves to address the demands of this new way of teaching, learning, living and working. As we launch at NECC, CRSTE is ready to get started!
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
eCommuniqué Preparing to go to Press this Weekend!
As we are tightening up details for not only NECC but our first CRSTE Leadership Forum in August, our June edition of the eCommuniqué newsletter is almost ready to go out to CRSTE members. Coordinating planning, resources and communication in any organization.....but especially in a fledgling organization.....can be a challenge! Thankfully the good people already stepping up to help launch CRSTE are doing a great job of getting things done. Be looking for the June eCommuniqué in your mailbox this weekend. If you're not already subscribed, you can self-subscribe at http://crste.org/connect.html.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Getting ready for NECC!
Nineteen days and counting until NECC begins here in DC! We at CRSTE are thrilled to be launching our regional affiliate during the NECC event. I'll be posting news, announcements, observations and comments here right through the end of the conference. Check back often for CRSTE's reporting on the big event!
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