CEN: Spotlight Archives

{Web 2.0 for 21}

Web 2.0 Resources for 21st Century Instruction

The "Web 2.0 Guru" has compiled this extensive list of free Web 2.0 tools to support educational technology integration. Included are the "Top 10 Web 2.0 Must Haves for Every 21st Century Classroom." Be sure to bookmark (and share) this fantastic resource collection!

{iste vision logo}

ISTE Vision features video-on-demand from the recent National Educational Computing Conference. Included is streaming footage of sessions and keynotes, digital stories, and other features, available for online viewing at your convenience.

{NECC Unplugged badge}

Also variously referred to as "NECC 2.0," the NECC "Fringe" Festival, or the NECC "Unconference." NECC Unplugged is held during and as a part of the National Educational Computing Conference (NECC) June 28th - July 1. It is three days of presentations where anyone can sign up to present, either on-site or virtually, and held on-site in its own "lounge" area and hosted virtually in Elluminate.

If you're unable to travel to Washington D.C. at the end of the month to attend NECC in person, consider participating virtually via NECC Unplugged.

{principal sign}

Watch CPTV's production of "The Principal Story: Town Meeting," an exploration of the role of school principals as instructional leaders in the 21st century. CPTV originally broadcast this program on April 23 from 9-10 pm and invited viewer input via email and phone. Panelists included Steven J. Adamowski, Superintendent of Hartford Public Schools, Stephen Perry, Principal of Hartford's Capital Preparatory Magnet School, Barbara E. Mechler, Principal of Naugatuck's Prospect Street School, and Alex Johnston, Founder of Connecticut Coalition for Achievement Now.

{Connecticut China Connection}

This month a group of 27 teachers and principals from Connecticut schools are traveling to China to visit two sister schools in the Shandong Province of China. Two of the teachers are maintaining a blog in which they'll share news, audio, and video from their travels. Included already is a Google Earth Video Tour that illustrates where the group will be traveling. Check out the Connecticut China Connection blog and share in this exciting journey!

{Yale professor with students}

Open Yale Courses

Open Yale Courses connects the general public with video lectures and course materials from faculty at Yale University. The project's goal is to provide access to quality academic resources for anyone with a desire to learn. All content on the site is offered under a Creative Commons License.

Explore Open Yale Courses.

Teaching American History Project
{Teaching American History Project} A high-quality collection of nearly 170 American history lessons for grades 5-12 is now available – for free – thanks to a devoted and enthusiastic group of Connecticut history teachers who participated in EASTCONN's federally funded Teaching American History Project. Explore the Teaching American History Project.

CT Colleges Collaborate on Software Project

{Humanitarian Free and Open Source Software}

The Humanitarian FOSS Project is a collaborative, community-building project that was started by a group of computing faculty and open source proponents at Trinity College, Wesleyan University, and Connecticut College. Their goal is to build a community of academic computing departments, IT corporations, and local and global humanitarian and community organizations dedicated to building and using Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) to benefit humanity.

Work on Your Financial IQ!

{Who Wants to be Financially Responsible}

The Connecticut Department of Higher Education is working with the UConn School of Business and Connecticut Public Television to develop a series of web-based modules designed to enhance Connecticut learners' financial literacy skills. The modules are designed in a multimedia game show format, complete with a cast of characters to help students learn about credit cards, saving, investing, identity theft, checking account management, debt management, and student financial aid. The first two modules are up and running. The full set should be live by next summer. Check the first two modules out!

Google Tools: The Mock Election

{obama and mccain}

photos by NewsHour and LeTiger

This year, Google is working with the National Student/Parent Mock Election to get students of all ages excited about the November elections. Students engage in activities to learn about the candidates and issues, then cast mock ballots that are counted along with those of millions of other students across the nation. This year's Mock Election takes place on October 30, 2008. Enroll your classroom now.

Here are some great free tools you can use to engage your students in exploring the candidates and issues before they cast their votes in the Mock Election.

West Hartford Uses Technology-Enhanced Science Curriculum

{Science Discoery logo}

King Philip Middle School in West Hartford, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences, developed Science Discovery, an interactive science curriculum for middle school. The animated lessons cover such topics as Mechanics of the Universe and Matter in the Universe. Explore the simulations and multimedia resources of Science Discovery here!

Student Creativity and Ingenuity Shine at CT Innovation Expo

{two students working with a laptop}

More than 1200 middle and high school students from across the State gathered at the CT Convention Center on May 9-10 to showcase projects they developed in such areas as Biotechnology Research & Development, E-Commerce & Entrepreneurship, and Information Technology Research & Development. All year long, the CEN connected students with resources, tools, partners, and ideas that helped them create their work. Now those projects may serve as resources and inspiration to others! Explore the student projects.

{US-China Video Chat}

Students from Connecticut and China Engage in Video Chats

Last month, students from the Connecticut Innovation Academy used Skype to communicate with students in China. The virtual interaction was described as "a wonderful cultural exchange" during which students from both countries shared stories about school, extracurricular activities, and culture. Read more about this exciting online international meeting!

{Branford and Glastonbury High Schools Video Conference}

Branford & Glastonbury High Schools Collaborate with Videoconferencing

Thanks to ACES' Transforming Learning with Videoconferencing program and the bandwidth of the CEN, French classes at Branford and Glastonbury High Schools have been able to collaborate virtually. Students from both high schools strengthen their language skills and broaden their perspective on their studies through videoconference exchanges with their virtual partners. Read more about this outstanding collaboration across the CEN!

{graphic of people holding hands across the globe}

Collaboration Nation: Where Students Rule

Paul Bogush, a social studies teacher at James H. Moran Middle School in Wallingford, CT , maintains with his class an active blog and wiki connected to daily learning activities. The blog and wiki, aptly called "Collaboration Nation," include "blogging buddies" and content contributors from learners and educators in other states and countries. You'll also find student podcasts and video resources. Check out Mr. Bogush's "Collaboration Nation" to see how he is successfully integrating Web 2.0 technologies into his teaching!

{image of planet Earth}

Greenwich School Uses Online BBC Science Clips to Create Assured Learning Experience

Targeting fifth graders, Greenwich Public Schools have designed and published a webquest on astronomy that integrates online animated clips from the BBC and a "virtual postcard" creation tool. Students are responsible for working as a team to create an oral and visual presentation for which an evaluation rubric is provided.

> Check out this technology-integrated project.

{An Gorta Mor, The Great Hunger}

Quinnipiac Publishes Digital Archive on The Great Irish Famine

Through their site, An Gorta Mor: A Great Hunger Archive, Quinnipiac University offers access to digitized primary source documents, images, supporting audio tracks, and other resources from the period of Ireland's Great Famine. The web site serves as a robust online supplement to the university library's special collection about Ireland. Explore An Gorta Mor.

{The Promise, Danbury High School}

Danbury Students Produce Video on Darfur

A group of students from Danbury High School has tackled the challenge of educating others on the violence in East Africa using multimedia to engage and inform their audience. Learn more about the student production and to view the video, entitled The Promise.

{CT High School Innovation Expo}

Connecticut High School Innovation Expo

On May 12, 2007, high school students from across the State gathered at the Connecticut Convention Center to present the projects they created in response to this year's challenge: "Research, design, develop and present an 'Innovative Web 2.0 Service' that incorporates information and technology, in order to bring about 'business transformation and positive societal change.'" (Source) Check out the student presentations.