Recap of Sessions I Saw at CUE 2010

March9

Adina Sullivan

Adina’s presentation was basically about using images to help with language development with vocabulary, comprehension, and writing. Adina’s presentation was great, and I learned about more than a few activities to incorporate into my classroom. My only regrets? Not getting her agreement to let me tape her, so I can share it with co-workers. My other regret is that when I’ve been presenting in the past, I have looked through the program to find related presentations, and then let folks at my session know when and where they were at. This would have been an excellent follow-up session for folks at my presentation on RTI who were looking for ways to improve both whole-class and small group instruction.

Features of Adina’s Presentation:

  1. She shows how images are used for teaching about homophones with multiple meanings.
  2. How she is using images to teach background vocabulary for study units.
  3. How she is using images to activate knowledge for writing. Using images for pre-writing organizers with students.
  4. How she has students use images to explain what they have learned.
  5. How she has students using animation to tell stories or explain things and oral language development.

My school/district is using Write Tools, and Adina’s has moved to the next step, GLAD strategies, so I was most impressed with the examples in number two, and will be sharing them with my staff.


Mathew Needleman on RTI with Apple Workflow

Mathew’s workshop was on using Macs but he is talking about the general stuff as well. Basically, if you are at a session on using these tools and it doesn’t match your platform, here is a “universal” translator from least to most sophisticated.

Apple/Mac Windows/Vista Online/Free
iPhoto Photo Story Animoto
iMovie Movie Maker VoiceThread
Final Cut Premiere Elements Just use the others above

I would strongly urge, that if you see a quality presenter like Mathew, and he is doing something that is platform specific, GO anyway because it’s the process not the platform. Highlights:

  1. Explains the tiers well, talks about it in term of time/intensity.
  2. Starts with using docs for tracking reports (graphs and reports) using Apple Works. You could use Word and Excel too.
  3. He is using an iPhone app to keep data on hand to show teachers (me gusta!)
  4. Went into using Apple for intervention with students.
  5. Showed videos for auditory and visual  support. He put them on ipod/computer for kids to do remote viewing.
  6. Used Readers theater photo movies (iMovie) to increase fluency. Windows users, can use Photo Story.
  7. He is using Garageband to show kids the visual of their fluency (Audacity would work well).
  8. Using stills and iSight (you could use a doc camera/web cam, or even a Flip camera) commentary by students to show concept attainment with camouflage (VoiceThread anyone?)

What’s up with State and Federal Funding?

Well, you can imagine that this, was a big part of the discussion. Here’s how it went:

  • ISTE director of government affairs, Hilary Goldman, started out by showing Schoolhouse Rock “I’m just a Bill”.
  • Most in the audience were teachers, but there was a lot of variety.
  • CUE Advocacy Platform just approved and will be on website. Because CUE has a platform for advocacy, this allows them to respond quickly to situations like the one below, without having to get prior board approval.

Then it moved onto the fun stuff, EETT ARRA money for the state.

  • EETT Funding should have been distributed by Nov. There is a disagreement between the Dept. of Finance and CDE (which I blogged about here).
  • Letters from districts to the legislature should come from superintendents.
  • CUE (through it’s Executive Director Mike Lawrence) is in contact with  CCSESSA, ACSA, and CETPA about this and they will be helping.
  • Hilary Goldman’s view from the federal level was there is no movement from feds to take money back, but will make DOE mad and they may become more directive, and more likely to cut funding.

Other State issues included:

  • The Digital Literacy Initiative is in progress but is not aligned yet.
  • State Senator Torleksson (winner of a CUE Award last year) is running for Superintendent of Public Instruction and is pushing state Ed Tech initiative.
  • The State’s RttT proposal was turned down and will be resubmitted in round 2
  • There is a new Secretary of Education for the state,  Bonnie Reiss. The outgoing Secretary did a lot of digital textbook, this initiative has now moved to CDE.
  • A new bill says districts  can use text money for instructional tech (although in the current budget climate, there are no $s). If funds come back in the next 4 years, this will allow for more flexibility.

On the federal level, eRate is only good news. The money situation is bad due to budget cuts, although not as bad as in California.

  • Trying to keep ed tech in ESEA reauthorization, which DOE would like to eliminate. Write a letter here.  The new DOE buzzword is technology infused.
  • The fed are doing eRate development as part of a US broadband plan including education.
    Good: Raising the cap, streamlining the process (bi yearly rather than yearly paperwork).
    Not as good because it will dilute the increase in funding: School to home connection would prefer these three don’t come out of erate because not enoght/money to go around includes eBooks, and community college and Head Start.
4 Comments to

“Recap of Sessions I Saw at CUE 2010”

  1. March 9th, 2010 at 8:03 pm      Reply sylvia martinez Says:

    Thanks for the recap! The state and federal funding news is not great, but could be worse, I guess.


  2. March 10th, 2010 at 10:18 pm      Reply Joe Says:

    Seriously, they started off the State and Federal Funding session with “I’m Just a Bill?!?!?!?” Perhaps I should start working on that Canadian passport.


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