Instructional Technology Update

Budgets / Grant Programs
Technology Network Program [See MOREnet’s TNP tenth anniversary article below]

Title IID “Ed Tech” Program
The only final allocations the Department has available at this time are for Title I and Title I, Migrant. We expect to have the final allocations for Title II.D available on or around July 9.

•       Formula Grants – Estimated district allocations for Title II.D formula grants are posted at http://dese.mo.gov/divimprove/fedprog/financialmanagement/04-05Allocations.htm. Based on district Title I allocations, 515 districts are eligible to receive Title II.D grant funds in FY05. Districts apply for these formula funds via the consolidated Federal Grants Application. Payments follow the federal grants payment schedule.

•       Competitive Grants – Decisions regarding Title II.D competitive grant awards for 2004-2005 were finalized in June. Another three districts had New-Year 1 applications approved in mid- to late-June as a result of savings accumulated during grant budget negotiations. A total of 76 applications are now approved: 26 New-Year 1 grants, 18 Established-Year 1 grants, and 32 New-Year 2 grants. The payment schedule is as follows: 40% in August and 35% in September of 2004, with the balance, based on the Final Expenditure Report, paid in May or June of 2005.

Safe Schools & Pilot Safe Schools Grant Program
For FY05, 67 Safe Schools and 18 Pilot Schools applications have been approved. The payment schedule for these grants is as follows: 10% in August and 40% in September of 2004, with the balance, based on the Final Expenditure Report, paid in May or June of 2005. 

Census of Technology / Core Data Screens 30 and 31
COT Data Collection – As of June 30, all but 25 districts had completed their COT data entry. Instructional Technology staff are tracking their progress, hoping to be able to complete the data analysis and the writing of the statewide report by July 31. 

COT Alignment with PBDMI Data Collection and NETTS Study – The 2003 and 2004 COT screens were revised to align with data needs of the federal Performance-based Data Management Initiative (PBDMI) and the National Education Technology Trends Study (NETTS). All districts receiving NCLB funding must report to the PBDMI. Data for the NETTS will be collected from 2,561 respondents to be selected from across the nation over the three years of the study.  

District Technology Plan Approval
2004 Approval Process – As of June 29, all but two districts had State-approved technology plans. Instructional Technology staff have been working with these districts to have a plan approved by the June 30 deadline – as to not affect the district’s eligibility for the E-rate (including the MOREnet TNP) and Title II.D programs. 

Scoring Guide Updated for 2005 – The 2004 approval process reached the three-year mark, by which time all districts should have a State-approved plan using the scoring guide that was developed to meet the 2002 Missouri Education Technology Strategic Plan and the new requirement imposed by the Title II.D program. The scoring guide is updated for 2005 and not only asks for plans for the coming three years, but also asks districts to address the accomplishments of the previously approved plan and describe how that plan evolved over the past three years into the new plan being submitted for State approval. A copy of the updated scoring guide can be accessed from Instructional Technology’s district tech planning website. 

E-rate Program
Funding Year 2003 – Wave 32 for E-rate funding for funding year 2003 (July 1, 2003 – June 30, 2004) was issued Tuesday, June 29, 2004. In this wave, the SLD committed over $32.2 million in 187 letters to school and library applicants. Funding associated with this wave included support for priority 1 services (telecommunications and Internet access) at all discount levels and for priority 2 service (internal connections) at the 70% to 90% discount level. With the issuance of this wave of E-rate funding commitment decision letters, the SLD has committed over $2.6 billion in over 33,711 letters for Funding Year 2003. Additional waves will be issued every other week until the process is complete. See: http://www.sl.universalservice.org/ 

Funding Year 2004 – Wave 7 for E-rate funding for funding year 2004 (July 1, 2004 – June 30, 2005) was issued on Wednesday, June 30, 2004. In this wave, the SLD commits over $19.2 million in 310 letters to school and library applicants. Funding associated with this wave includes funding for only Priority 1 services (telecommunications services and Internet access). Funding for internal connections will be delayed until such time that it becomes clear how much will be available for internal connections. To date, the SLD has committed over $374.9 million in 18,429 letters for funding year 2004. Additional waves will be issued every other week until the process is complete. See: http://www.sl.universalservice.org/ 

E-Rate in the News
The press continues to report on instances of fraud and abuse in the E-Rate program. But, for every story of abuse, is a story of a district that has benefited from the program. In 2005, Congress is scheduled to reauthorize E-rate and a few opponents will likely propose revamping it, but few observers think the accounting problems will sink the program altogether. 

v      House Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations -- held its first in a series of hearings to examine waste, fraud and abuse in the E-Rate program. Held on June 17 and lasting five hours, the first hearing concerned widespread mismanagement, waste, and potential fraud by the Puerto Rico Dept. of Education. While the hearing provided more information on what in the program needs changing, perhaps the most significant development was the fact that many of the Subcommittee members expressed admiration for the goals and accomplishments of the program and their desire to fix the program rather than eliminate it. 

v      ESN News Flash: Greenwood calls for eRate overhaul – The harshest criticism in the June 17 hearing was aimed at the USAC (Universal Service Administrative Company) and the FCC regarding their inability to effectively audit the program and prevent the situation in Puerto Rico. Rep. Greenwood (R-Pa.) called for a complete, rapid overhaul of the program because its structure and rules (and the USAC) have allowed for rampant waste and abuse.
See: http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/Pfshowstory.cfm?ArticleID=5115   

v      Schools achieving a dream: Near-universal Net access -- In Alaska, E-Rate funding has allowed isolated village schools to provide the same courses that students in other places take for granted; the program has brought Internet connections to villages themselves.
See: http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2004-06-09-e-rate-success_x.htm
 

Washington News
FCC Saves ITFS for Schools
The FCC voted to retain the existing eligibility rules for ITFS (Instructional Television Fixed Service) spectrum, which means that ITFS licenses will remain restricted to educational institutions. The FCC had considered a plan that would have allowed businesses to compete for the unused part of the spectrum, under the premise that private companies might make better use of that portion by developing new commercial services such as digital broadcasting. The FCC also decided to maintain its policy of allowing educators to lease spectrum to companies such as Nextel and Sprint, but ruled against allowing the widespread sale of educational licenses. Currently, schools can license 120 megahertz of the 194 MHz band, and educators are permitted to lease as much as 95% of their airwaves to commercial users and spend the proceeds for educational purposes. Critics had charged that some educators had not made good use of their licenses, but most educators opposed outright sale of the licenses, comparing the idea to the sale of national parks. See: http://www.fcc.gov   

On June 17, the Ed Tech Action Network (ETAN) emailed a thank-you message to “all of those individuals who responded to our latest action alert pertaining to the proposed rule changes to the ITFS Spectrum. Because of the vast support of the education community and your direct efforts, the FCC Commissioners recently voted unanimously to keep spectrum for educational entities. While commercial entities may continue to lease spectrum from education licenses, they will not be allowed to buy the spectrum outright. Thank you for your involvement with this important issue.“  To learn about ETAN see: http://www.edtechactionnetwork.org

Notice Inviting Applications
Technology & Media Services for Individuals with Disabilities – Cultural Experiences for Deaf or Hard of Hearing Individuals (Federal Register: June 25, 2004 [CFDA# 84.327T]) 

The purpose of the Technology and Media Services for Individuals With Disabilities -- Cultural Experiences for Deaf or Hard of Hearing Individuals competition is to: (1) Improve results for children with disabilities by promoting the development, demonstration, and use of technology; (2) support educational media activities designed to be of educational value to children with disabilities; (3) provide support for some captioning and  video description; and (4) provide cultural experiences through appropriate nonprofit organizations.

• Applications Available: June 25, 2004.
• Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 30, 2004.
• Eligible Applicants: State educational agencies; local educational agencies; Institutes of Higher Education; other public agencies; nonprofit private organizations; outlying areas; freely associated States; Indian tribes and tribal organizations; and for-profit organizations.
• Estimated Available Funds: $550,000.
• Estimated Average Size of Awards: $110,000.
• Maximum Award: Applications that propose budgets exceeding $110,000 for a single budget period of 12 months will be rejected.
• Estimated Number of Awards: 5.

Additional Information: Applicable regulations, priorities, and other information are available in the Federal Register notice. See: www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/announcements/2004-2/062504c.html 
 

  Ed Tech Research, Publications, Resources

New online tool assesses student technology literacy
An often overlooked requirement of No Child Left Behind is that by 2006 every American eighth-grader must be proficient in technology literacy skills. The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) partnered with Microsoft Corp. to develop a new online tool to help teachers monitor student progress toward meeting that requirement. The free online tool will be accessed through ISTE's Web site (http://www.iste.org/) and will contain 12 assessments as well as classroom curriculum and teacher support materials. Each of the assessments is aligned with the National Education Technology Standards for Students (NETS•S) and involves between five and 10 tasks. The performance-based assessments use authentic, real-world scenarios to test middle schoolers' technology literacy skills using Microsoft® Word, Excel, PowerPoint®, Internet Explorer, Outlook®, Access and FrontPage® applications.

Survey finds leadership and community involvement impact education technology budgets
The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) and Grunwald Associate (www.Grunwald.com) released results from a new survey of more than 455 K-12 school district technology decision makers. The “Digital Leadership Divide: Without Visionary Leadership, Disparities in School Technology Budgets Increase” survey reveals large and growing disparities in funding for school technology. With visionary leadership and strong community support, some schools are able to maintain and even bolster technology plans and budgets. The survey found that schools committed to deepening the impact of technology in the educational process are finding ways to raise or repurpose funds to maintain or increase their level of support for technology, even in difficult budgeting cycles. And, conversely showed that schools that are less committed to using technology are falling behind — cutting budgets, reducing staff and forgoing the professional development needed to enable educators to use technology more effectively. CoSN issues four recommendations to counter the disparities that signal a widening digital divide between the technology “haves and have-nots”. Source: http://www.cosn.org/about/press/061004.cfm 

Results from Teachers Talk Tech survey
Nearly two-thirds of K-12 teachers say that availability of computers improves student performance on standardized tests, yet they do not believe they have enough computers for their students in their classrooms – according to the second annual Teachers Talk Tech survey released today by CDW Government, Inc. Teachers also made it clear that to achieve the advantages afforded by technology, they need additional training and adequate equipment for the students. While teachers as a whole believe computers aid student performance, 77 percent report they only have a few computers in the classroom that students have to share. Teachers at schools with more than 2,000 students are more likely to say they need "a lot more" computers in the classroom. See article: http://www.eschoolnews.com/resources/partners/showrelease.cfm?ReleaseID=491 

Results from Speak Up Day for Teachers online survey
NetDay, a nonprofit supporter of educational technology in schools, released the results of its Speak Up Day for Teachers, an online survey of 11,132 teachers representing 885 schools across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and several U.S. Dept. of Defense schools overseas. According to the survey, classroom teachers are using technology more than ever before to improve teaching and learning. But even as their sophistication with computers and the Internet grows, other barriers are keeping them from using technology to its full potential. Gone are the days when teachers claimed ignorance and blamed their inability to bridge the digital divide on a sheer lack of technology know-how. These days, a lack of time during the school day, too few school computers, and complex security measures--including school firewalls and filtering systems--are among the biggest impediments to effective technology integration, survey respondents said. See article: http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/Pfshowstory.cfm?ArticleID=5131 

YTSC releases decision-makers guide to student technology support programs
The Youth Technology Support Collaborative (YTSC), a coalition of nonprofits, associations and companies, released “A School Decision-Maker's Guide to Student Technology Support Programs: The Power of Learning & Leadership”. YTSC was established with the goal of creating a national dialogue focused on the emerging trend of students providing technology support and leadership in their schools. The Collaborative has examined the growth of technology support programs, in which students in all grades provide organized assistance in the deployment, creation, maintenance and use of technology resources, and offer mentoring for teachers, other students and schools. The Guide outlines the goals of a student tech support program and discusses factors for success and the benefits which can accrue to the entire school, including student success, teacher confidence and improved IT. See article: http://www.eschoolnews.com/resources/partners/showrelease.cfm?ReleaseID=487 

Finding Funding: The money is out there if you know how and where to look for it

v      An article in the June issue of Technology & Learning (http://www.techlearning.com/) details “a dozen daring ideas” for finding funding for technology. Author Gwen Solomon writes that districts have to think strategically and look for creative ways to fund priorities – “the money is out there if you know how to look for it, create it, or borrow it”. Read how some school districts have been successful in supporting technology programs and budgets.
See: http://www.techlearning.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=21700262

v      Another report states that, “believe it or not, funding for school technology is plentiful” – the trick is “you must know where to find it, how to ask for it, and how to play by the rules when you get it”. With support from Dell, the editors of eSchool News have assembled resources that should facilitate the grant seeker. See: http://www.eschoolnews.com/resources/reports/grants/    

Microsoft Fresh Start for Donated Computers program
Microsoft's Fresh Start for Donated Computers program was set up specifically for primary and secondary (K-12) institutions to help eliminate confusion about whether donated personal computers have a legitimate operating system license.  Schools often receive donated computers that lack the appropriate supporting documentation and media for the MicrosoftR WindowsR operating system. To help resolve this problem, Microsoft supports this program, which provides the proper documentation and Windows installation CDs for those that are now missing at no cost to the primary and secondary schools.  Schools can register donated computers for use in their school at the Fresh Start for Donated Computers Web site, and Microsoft will send a copy of the missing Windows operating system and proper documentation at no charge. See: http://www.microsoft.com/education/freshstart/freshstart.asp/  

SBC Excelerator Technology Grant Program  
The SBC Foundation, the philanthropic arm of SBC Communications Inc., has made available $9 million to national and local nonprofit organizations for projects that use technology to build stronger communities. To qualify for an SBC Excelerator grant, an organization's major focus and project must emphasize education, community development, health and human services, or arts and culture. Grant funds may be used for data communications services, hardware, software, technology training, personnel, and application development. Grants will range from $2,500 to $25,000 and are one year in length. Through the SBC Excelerator program, the foundation has committed a total of $28 million to connect the nation's neediest residents--including at-risk youth and underserved urban families--to important community resources, such as internet access, computer training, math and reading classes, and job skills programs. The deadline for applying is August 13, 2004. Contact: (800) 591-9663. See: http://www.sbc.com/foundation 

Primer on education research: understand, evaluate and use
As part of an ongoing effort to enhance the ability of educators and policymakers to make good use of the research in education in crafting policy alternatives, the Education Commission of the States (ECS) and Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL) have developed a Policymaker's Primer on Education Research. The Primer provides guidelines to answer 1) What does research say? 2) Is the research trustworthy? and 3) How can the research be used to guide policy? Funded by ED, the Primer was originally conceived by ECS as part of a larger project that seeks to improve the connection between research and policy and includes several reports on the state of research in education. See: http://www.mcrel.org/ and http://www.mcrel.org/topics/productDetail.asp?topicsID=12&productID=163 

2004 Kids Count report published
The 15th annual KIDS COUNT Data Book reports that national trends in child well being are moving in a positive direction. Nonetheless, there are enormous differences among the states in many critical indicators. Although the child poverty rate declined in nearly every state between 1996 and 2001 (a period of economic expansion), the child poverty rate in America is among the highest in the developed world. Additionally, the Data Book highlights the fact that nearly one in six young adults, ages 18 to 24, is not working, has no degree beyond high school, and are not enrolled in school. The number of "disconnected" young adults increased by 19 percent since 2000, reflecting the difficulty many young folks are experiencing in the current tight labor market. This year's essay, "Moving Youth From Risk to Opportunity," explores how these disconnected youth face a particularly tough transition to successful adulthood and presents examples of public and private initiatives around the country that reflect more effective investments in our most at-risk young adults. See: http://www.aecf.org/kidscount/databook/
 

  State Vendor Offers Offers [Reminder – Programs still in Progress]  

State vendor “bulk purchase program”
World Wide Technology (WWT) is offering an opportunity for schools to participate in a Bulk Purchasing Program for the procurement of computers, printers, software, and networking equipment. The program will be administered through August 31, 2004. Periodically during the program period, WWT will combine the purchasing needs of multiple schools and state agencies through bulk purchase orders to WWT’s suppliers, thus driving down each school’s individual price. For more information about the program, contact Molly Jones with WWT at 573-636-3731.    

State vendor and Software Plus offer special pricing on Adobe and Microsoft products
WWT and Software Plus announced statewide programs that significantly reduce the costs for various Adobe and Microsoft software products: the Adobe CLP and Microsoft Select programs. Available to all Missouri K-12 schools, even the smallest school can receive the best academic pricing available while also not having to worry about minimum purchases. For additional information contact Linda Rice with WWT at 888-234-8898 or Marcy Rodriguez with Software Plus at 888-251-7638, extension 110.  

  MOREnet  Update
--Submitted by Eric Nicklas, Program Manager, K-12 Technology Network Program, MOREnet 

2004 Missouri Educational Technology Conference
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Division of School Improvement - Instructional Technology and MOREnet continue to work together to bring the latest and greatest in educational technology and best practices to conference attendees.

Planning for the 2004 Missouri Educational Technology Conference: Technology Exploration:  Improving Teaching and Learning is almost complete. Online registration for the conference will open on August 16 and close September 24. Registrants are encouraged to register online. Even though walk-in registrations will be accepted, session availability will likely be limited.  

The dates for the conference are October 3-5, 2004, at Tan-Tar-A in Osage Beach, Missouri. Participants may reserve rooms at the special conference rate of $82 until Friday, September 17, 2004. For information or reservations, contact Tan-Tar-A at (800) 826-8272 or visit the Tan-Tar-A website at http://www.tan-tar-a.com/. 

Please direct your conference questions to Sandra Monnig (conferences@more.net) or call 1-800-509-6673. Additional conference information is available online at http://www.more.net/conferences/fall2004/. 

MOREnet’s Technology Network Program Enters Its Tenth Year!
Welcome to the tenth  year of the MOREnet K-12 Technology Network Program (TNP). We have seen many changes during the past nine years of the K-12 Technology Network Program. Do you remember Gopher, or accessing one of MOREnet’s online resources by using Telnet? What about that thing called the World Wide Web? The technology and resources through the Internet have certainly evolved.  

Now with an interactive World Wide Web that is rich in multimedia, the educational opportunities are countless. Through MOREnet’s K-12 Technology Network Program, participating school districts continue to have access to the bandwidth needed to take full advantage of the educational resources on the Web, as well as access MOREnet’s online resources and conduct videoconferencing over the Internet.  

As the technologies evolve, so do the needs and issues school districts face when using these technologies. As program manager of MOREnet’s K-12 Technology Network Program, one of my duties is to serve the customer and act as a point of contact and customer advocate for any matter relating to the services MOREnet provides. Whether it is a problem, question, or suggestion for a new service, MOREnet is interested in receiving input from its customers to better understand these issues. Please feel free to contact me, Eric Nicklas, through e-mail (eric@more.net) or phone (1-800-509-6673).  

If you are not familiar with MOREnet and the services available to its participating schools district, visit MOREnet’s website at http://www.more.net/programs/k12tnp/ to learn about MOREnet and the services available through the Technology Network Program as well as additional MOREnet fee-based services.
 

  2004: An Odyssey of Learning

The Missouri Distance Learning Association (MoDLA) will host 2004: An Odyssey of Learning, the annual summer distance learning conference, July 15-16, 2004, at the Clarion Hotel, in Springfield, MO.  The conference is designed to provide educators, administrators, technology coordinators and others interested in distance education, information on current trends in instruction, and information on the latest instructional technologies along with a multitude of exemplary presentations of distance learning strategies in action. 

Conference Location
2004: An Odyssey of Learning will be held at the Clarion Hotel, Springfield, MO.  Participants may reserve rooms at the special conference rate of $64.95 until July 1.  For information or reservations, contact Clarion Hotel at (417) 883-6550. 

Conference Features
Keynote Speaker
            Thursday, July 15 - "Educational Evolution: The One-Room School House meets the Virtual Classroom"
            Dr. Jim Baker, Assistant to the President, Southwest Missouri State University 

Friday, July 16  - "Thriving or Surviving in Difficult Economic Times"
            Dr. Ed Gould, Department Chair, Higher Education Leadership, School of Education Capella University President,
            Beacon Resource Group, Higher Education Consultants 

Vendor Fair
The vendors will be available from 1:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 15 and 8:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. on Friday, July 16 to give attendees the opportunity to view and discuss the latest distance learning technologies. The Vendors will help kick off the conference with a Vendor Reception from 4:30 p.m.- 6:30 p.m., Thursday, July 15.  

Virtual Field Trips
Throughout the day, attendees will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of live videoconferences with presenters in different locations around the world.  

Silent Auction
Visit the Silent Auction and browse through the donations. Take the opportunity to enter a bid on one or more items.  The Auction will continue for the duration of the conference so you will have an opportunity to return often to see if someone has upped the ante.  The Silent Auction will close at 1:00 p.m., July 16.

Cyber Cafe
The Cyber Cafe will be open for the duration of the conference for attendees to have the opportunity to check email and web sites.  

More Information
For more information, contact the MoDLA Office at 417-836-6150 or by email through the MoDLA director MichelleNorgren@smsu.edu


   Missouri Schools and Programs in the News 

Cape Girardeau
Congratulations to Cape Girardeau! Franklin Elementary received a grant from the Beaumont Foundation. They will be receiving a laptop cart of 24 Toshiba laptops (wireless with access point and Microsoft Office and three year warranty) along with a projector (with document camera attached), network printer and five digital cameras. They wrote the project ‘e-MINTS II’ patterned after what is going on with their regular e-MINTS classes. It is worth about $65,100 in equipment and it will be installed in September of 2004. The Foundation link is:  http://www.bmtfoundation.com/bfa/us/public/en/yearbook/ 

Center School District
SMART Technologies Inc. announced that Center School District, Kansas City, Missouri, standardized on SMART Board interactive whiteboards and SMART Ideas concept-mapping software. The installation is part of the district's comprehensive plan to equip all of its schools with the technology to support its rigorous curriculum and provide hands-on use of technology to students in kindergarten to grade 12. The project encompasses seven schools and 177 classrooms. To assist with the purchase, the district received a grant from the SMARTer Kids Foundation. Congratulations! 

Missouri Schools Receive Technology Grants
Congratulations to Chillicothe Middle School in Chillicothe, and Margaret Buerkle Middle School in St. Louis! Hewlett-Packard Co. (HP) on May 11 announced the names of 193 schools nationwide that will receive more than $10 million in wireless equipment, help-desk support, and professional development. The company's Technology for Teaching program, which aims to accelerate learning through the innovative use of technology, will give $8 million in donations this year, and recipients who have successful projects will be given the opportunity to apply for an additional $2 million in 2005. In K-12 education, HP is awarding $5.3 million in cash and equipment to teams of five teachers at 151 public schools. Each package, valued at more than $35,000, includes five Tablet PCs, software, five projectors, an all-in-one printer, a digital camera, help-desk support, a professional development program, and a $500 teacher stipend. Source: eSchool News staff and wire service reports. June 1, 2004. http://grants.hp.com/us/programs/tech_teaching/2004_recipients.html 

  eMINTS Questions of the Month 

Q.   What is the most important thing in making a lesson inquiry-based?
The most important thing to consider in making a lesson inquiry-based is the type of questions you ask your students. If there is one correct or a specific set of "right answers" then it is not inquiry-based. Raising the level of questions you ask raises the level of thinking the students must do. Check out http://www.youthlearn.org/learning/teaching/questions.asp (Jennifer Kuehnle) 

Q.   Is it possible to teach math facts using inquiry-based teaching?
Learning math facts is basically not an inquiry-based activity. However, discovering the patterns that bring us to those facts can definitely be inquiry-based. Ask a group of three of four students to look specifically at the nines, or eights and look for patterns within the numbers, or on a hundreds chart and then explain why the pattern occurs. That's where the memorization takes a back seat and the thinking begins. (Jennifer Kuehnle)
 

  Copyright Question of the Month

Q. May an educator (e.g., administrator, classroom teacher, substitute teacher, or student teacher) other district employee, volunteer, or others make copies of a workbook or a standardized test? 

A:  No Workbooks, exercises, standardized tests, test booklets, and answer sheets are consumable materials.  Under copyright guidelines, their reproduction is not fair use.  Copying is never allowed to avoid purchase. 

  Mark Your Calendar
 

   Upcoming 2004-2005 Conferences
 

      From the Mailbag    

Have you heard about Chalkwaves Plus?
www.chalkwaves.org
Chalkwaves Plus is the next generation of instructional programming.  It’s digital video that flows from your high speed Local Area Network (LAN), not the Internet. 

Quality content matters.  This is why PBS staff and School Media Specialists annually select the 22,000-clip collection (1,300 titles) from an array of educational video publishers.  It’s the “greatest hits” of the K-12 digital-video world. 

Students learn in a variety of ways and Chalkwaves’ barrier-free approach enables them to fulfill their needs immediately --- without advanced downloading, Internet congestion, fuzzy/jumpy images, or Internet bandwidth expenses. 

Imagine an encyclopedia of quality video enriching your students’ learning environment, instantly, like water from the tap.  Just turn it on! 

• Single 250 GB hard drive delivers entire collection to 38 different users simultaneously
• Videos are segmented for targeted application
• Instant video as a learner-centered tool for: research, reinforcement, and remediation
• Video displays on computers, television or by projection
• Free, on-site staff development in rich-media strategies included
• More than 75,000 students already benefiting!

For a Free Six-Week Test Drive, visit www.chalkwaves.org or call toll-free: 866-584-7500. 

Chalkwaves is a partnership among PBS stations KCPT – Kansas City, Smoky Hills Public Television, KMOS – Warrensburg, KETC – St. Louis and WSIU – Carbondale;  education service centers; and schools.  Chalkwaves provides educational media libraries and related teacher development resulting in increased student performance while reducing costs through collective licensing. 

SimDesk Technologies
      What is SimDesk?

• SimDesk is a secure method to create, store, and share information among educational institutions, faculty, students, and parents.  SimDesk provides ubiquitous access to information anytime, anywhere, from any Web-enabled device.

• SimDesk’s World Wide Server (WWS) provides the ability for information to be shared with others in a secure environment, no matter where people are physically located.  Due to its scalability, millions of people can access SimDesk without the burden of a major IT infrastructure.
• SimDesk is currently available to all residents of the City of Houston and all residents of the City of Chicago.
• SimDesk has been implemented in the North Forest Independent School District in Houston.
• SimDesk is being implemented in Indianapolis Public Schools as part of a state-wide rollout, which will include all residents.

Financial Benefits for School Systems
      SimDesk dramatically reduces the total cost of system ownership for schools:

• Reduces server and network hardware costs.
• Requires zero infrastructure investment issues.
• Minimizes bandwidth usage resulting in lower Internet and network costs.
• Operates on older equipment, providing cutting edge technology without the costs of brand new hardware.
• SimDesk client software can be distributed free of charge on an unlimited basis.

School Administrator, Teacher and Student Benefits

• SimDesk can easily open and save into commonly used file formats, and it provides the same look and feel as popular office applications, thereby minimizing training time.
• Communications between users can be controlled on a per domain basis.  This allows schools to securely communicate between faculty and students, or other schools.
• Teachers can easily create groups based on class, grade, subject, assignment, etc. to provide specific attention to certain individuals and teams.
• Students can access their homework assignments in shared folders on the WWS, allowing them to retrieve those assignments from ANY Web-enabled device (home computer, library computer, friend’s computer, PDA, cell phone, etc.).  A student can begin a homework assignment at school, finish it at the library or at home, and then return it to the shared folder.
• SimDesk is as equally effective from public terminals (i.e. libraries and computer technology centers) as from private computers.
• Schools can use SimDesk to support advanced education at a lower cost.  This renders SimDesk the affordable choice for school systems to provide one-to-one technology inclusion solutions across student populations.

For more information call 866.SimDesk.

 2004 National CyberConvention Project
http://surfaquarium.com/NCC/
Classes from every U.S. state are invited to join us in tracking candidates, issues and polls, culminating in state-by-state predictions of who will win our national elections in November 2004! Each participating class will study the candidates, issues and polling trends in their state for the 2004 presidential and congressional races, using print, broadcast and Web-based media. Each week your class will be emailed a topic to research; topics covered will include candidates, issues and media literacy. You will submit your weekly findings to the National CyberConvention website, sharing the concerns and likely voting patterns of your home state. Data will be posted on our site to allow classes to analyze trends state by state and nationally. As a culminating event, each class will cast their delegate votes online a week prior to the national elections predicting the outcome of the vote on election day! Register online at http://surfaquarium.com/NCC/register.htm May 1 - August 28, 2004 

Missouri Schools are Going Solar!
http://www.dnr.mo.gov/energy/renewables/solar-schools.htm
The Missouri Energy Center and AmerenUE are partnering to bring solar power and education to

K-12 schools!  This program provides solar array equipment and energy education to the schools so that students, staff, and the whole community can explore the subject of energy.  Missouri Schools Going Solar (MSGS) exists to educate students, teachers and communities about the importance of electricity as an energy form, the value of energy efficiency and renewable energy in meeting current and future energy needs, and solar energy technologies.  This project serves K-12 schools that have an interest in energy education and the initiative to create a partnership with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources' Energy Center, AmerenUE and the local community to install a solar array. The solar array offers a great opportunity for students, parents, teachers, governments, utilities, and whole communities to increase their awareness and familiarity with solar electric energy technologies that are successfully in use throughout the world.  

Public schools and private schools not having religious affiliation are eligible. Schools must provide a $2500 cash match.  The next application deadline is October 29, 2004 for installation in the 2005-2006 school year.  

iEARN-USA Grants
Scholarships are available for US Teachers and Schools to Work Online Through iEARN.  Do you know a middle or high school that has a unit on the Middle East? Do you know teachers who might wish to have students go beyond media reports of countries with Muslim populations to have students talk directly with peers in collaborative educational projects? Do you know teachers who would like their students to go beyond studying about the Silk Road and work with students who actually live on it? Do you know teachers who would like to support student-to-student dialogue and interaction between US and Iraqi schools? Do you know teachers who would like to have a school site license for Rosetta Stone Arabic language software, FREE of charge? Do you know teachers who would benefit from an online professional development course on how to integrate online collaborative project-based learning (and learn how the projects align with state standards)? iEARN-USA has received grants from the US Department of State that make it possible for more US school classes to interact with and engage in projects with peers in countries with significant Muslim populations.  Countries included are: Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, Morocco, Pakistan, Tunisia, UAE, Uzbekistan, Yemen. All at no cost to the US school. Teachers in these countries have received training on how to integrate Internet technologies into their classrooms and they are eager to engage their students with peers in the US. Membership and online course fees are covered through these State Department grants. For information on how to participate in these programs, contact Mariam Habib mailto:memberships@us.iearn.org  For information on these programs, see: http://www.iearn.org and http://www.thebridgeproject.org 

Portraits of Learning 2004
http://www.techlearning.com/content/contest/photos
Technology & Learning’s Digital Photo Contest for Kids
Sponsored by Adobe Digital Kids Club

What:  Technology & Learning invites K-12 students to participate in the fourth annual digital photography contest.  This year’s theme, “My Personal Universe,” encourages you to capture and share your own unique vision with our editors and readers.  The subject of your photo is entirely up to you. 

Winners:  Twelve winners will be named, with one first place and three second place winners in each of the following categories:  elementary, middle school, and high school. 

Prizes: 

• First Place:
  • Student winner:  A Nikon 2200 Digital Camera and Adobe Systems, Inc. PhotoShop Elements/Photoshop Album software.
  • Student Winner’s School:  A Digital Kids Club Digital Photography Lab Kit, including 3 Nikon Coolpix 2200 Digital Cameras and Accessory Kits, “Digital Camera and Photo Editing for Teachers,” mousepads, bookmarks, and more.
• Second Place:
  • Student Winner:  Adobe Systems, Inc. Systems, Inc Photoshop Elements/Photoshop Album software.

All Winners:  Winning photos will be featured in the December 2004 Awards Issue of Technology & Learning magazine, a national publication with over 81,000 subscribers, and online at techLEARNING.com and Adobe Digital Kids Club Web site. 

2004 SBC Excelerator Grant
www.sbc.com/foundation
SBC Foundation is sponsoring the 2004 SBC Excelerator competitive technology grants program.  This year’s multi-million dollar program focuses on helping nonprofits fully integrate technology into their ongoing operations and community outreach.

The competitive grants range from $2500 to $25,000 and are for one year in length.  Collaborations by two or more organizations will be considered for grants up to $50,000 for one year.  No grants over $50,000 will be awarded.  The application deadline is August 13, 2004. Visit the website for more information. 

WeatherBug
http://www.weatherbugachieve.com/default.asp
Connect With Your Students - and the World
When was the last time your students were really excited by a lesson? With so little time and resources at your disposal, it can be difficult to engage your students and meet your learning objectives.

WeatherBug Achieve is a unique combination of live weather data, dynamic graphics, standards-based lesson plans, and Web-based instruction. It enables you to introduce technology into your classroom without losing control of your classroom to technology. 

Our award-winning curriculum can be used as is or easily tailored to meet your individual needs. Up-to-the-second data from The WeatherBug Network, the world's largest weather network, is automatically integrated into your lesson plan, helping your students to grasp even the most complex educational concepts across a range of subjects.

WeatherBug Achieve provides a connected learning environment that extends beyond your classroom, into the community and out to the rest of the world. It makes the entire classroom experience more interactive, collaborative and fun - for your students and you. 

WeatherBug Achieve lesson plans meet National and State Standards for math, science, geography and technology in grades K-12. Teachers can easily deliver standards-based lessons across multiple subjects to fulfill instructional objectives. Additionally, students' participation in hands-on WeatherBug Achieve activities, like mapping and graphing, reinforces educational concepts, and helps develop skills such as critical thinking and analysis. 

Because WeatherBug Achieve is Web-based, teachers can tailor its lessons - or develop new ones - on-the-fly for individual classes, subjects or grade-levels. The weather's universal appeal makes it easily adaptable and understandable across all types of lessons and activities. Live data from any of WeatherBug's 7,000 schools can be instantly integrated with a click, extending the study of real world conditions to anywhere in the US. 

WeatherBug Achieve is regularly reviewed and updated to ensure that it continues to comply with the latest academic standards and advancements in technology and Web-based instruction. No matter how teachers choose to use WeatherNet Classroom, they can have confidence in its proven ability to help improve student performance.


 Internet Sites of Interest 

eThemes
Literature: Recommended Reading for Elementary Students
http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001316.shtml
This resource is a compilation of booklist web sites for elementary school students. The lists were compiled by teachers, librarians, and students. Some of the lists are divided by grade level, readability, or genre. There are also links to eThemes resources on various literature awards.

Space: Sky Maps
http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001320.shtml
Use these sky maps to learn the constellation and planet locations each month. Learn what cosmic events takes place in the night sky throughout the year. The sites contain interactive maps, images, movies, in class activities, and lesson plans using sky maps.

Westward Expansion: Mormon Pioneer Trail
http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001340.shtml
These sites are about the Mormon Pioneer Trail. Included is information about why the pioneers traveled west, the conditions of the trail, and how long the journeys took. Resources include journals kept by the pioneers, interactive maps, and lesson plans. There are links to the Westward Expansion eThemes resources on Trails West and Pioneers of the Frontier.

Literature: "Dear America: Voyage on the Great Titanic" by Ellen Emerson White
www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001313.shtml
These sites include author biographies, lesson plans, excerpts, and book reviews. Also includes information about the themes of the books, such as historical journals. There are links to eTheme resources on the Titanic and historical fiction. 

Solar System: Earth
www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001318.shtml
Learn about the fifth largest planet in our solar system and the largest planet among inner planets called Earth. Find out what made our planet suitable for life to be created. Learn about the planet's rotation, geological composition, atmosphere, hydrosphere, gravity and other necessary components for human kind to survive on its surface. The sites include photographs, audio, puzzles, quizzes, and hands-on activities. 

Space: Supernova
www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001314.shtml
Learn about the gigantic explosions in the universe that are produced by dying stars and cause new star formations. Find out how scientists are trying to predict supernova and how they group supernova. These sites include images, schematic drawings, audio, movies, and animated simulations. 

Solar System: Planetoid Sedna
www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001291.shtml
Learn how and when the new planetoid Sedna was discovered. Read about different theories and mysteries surrounding the planetoid and its hypothetical moon. Includes graphics, photographs, and an animation. There is a link to an eThemes Resource on the solar system. 

Updated eThemes
Orphan Trains, 1854-1929
www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00000381.shtml
Read historical accounts of the orphan trains that took children from New York City and the East Coast to the Midwest. Includes personal accounts, photographs, and booklists. There are also photographs of New York City at the beginning of the 20th century. 

Country: Taiwan
www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00000043.shtml
These sites are about Taiwan's culture, geography, and animals. Includes information on Taiwanese food, government, festivals, and historical sites.

Declaration of Independence
http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/
This site provides a wealth of information about the signers of the Declaration, the history of the Declaration, and an online version of the Declaration for you to read. 

The Fourth of July -- A Day to Remember!
http://www.education-world.com/a_lesson/lesson069.shtml
Education World remembers --- and celebrates America's struggle for independence with 13 patriotic activities, one for each of the original colonies. 

4th of July Lesson Plans
http://www.lessonplanspage.com/4thOfJuly.htm
A collection of lesson plans, primarily at the elementary level, that were developed by Kyle Yamnitz, students, and faculty at The University of Missouri. 

Dell Education store
http://www1.us.dell.com/content/default.aspx?c=us&cs=RC957242&l=en&s=k12
Check out for grant writing information and other resources on “Intelligent Classrooms.” 

Endangered Species ARKive
http://www.arkive.org/
Any kid who likes animals will love this site. “It is the Noah's Ark for the Internet era,” says their “About” page. You’ll find photographs, video, and information about hundreds of endangered species from around the world. There is also a companion site for teachers, at http://www.arkiveeducation.org, with lesson plans and project ideas. A site just for kids is in the works, but right now it’s not nearly as interesting as the main site. You can check it out at http://www.planetarkive.org.

Holiday: Independence Day
http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00000710.shtml
These sites have information about the history of Independence Day. There are many online games, crafts, and activity ideas. Listen to patriotic music, create your own fireworks show, and download free patriotic clip art. Includes links to eThemes Resources on the Revolutionary War, the Declaration of Independence, and citizenship.

Literature: "Harry Potter" Books by J.K. Rowling
http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00000543.shtml
Learn more about the "Harry Potter" books and author J.K. Rowling. There are many interactive quizzes and games. An audio file tells how to pronounce the difficult words, and a lexicon site explains what many of the words mean. Also, view the book covers as they appear in other countries.

Physics: Gravity
http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00000579.shtml
These sites explain how the earth's gravity works. Includes photos, simulations, videos, hands-on activities, and online quizzes.

Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan -- Our 40th President - February 6, 1911 - June 5, 2004. Lifeguard, athlete, movie star, governor, president -- there wasn't much that Ronald Reagan did not do in his lifetime. 

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Library
http://www.reaganlibrary.com/welcome.asp  
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Library is part of the presidential libraries system administered by the National Archives and Records Administration. The library's collection includes 50 million pages of government documents, and the museum is home to more than 100,000 artifacts related to Reagan's life and legacy.

The Ronald Reagan Legacy Project
http://www.reaganlegacy.org  
The Ronald Reagan Legacy Project's mission is to honor and memorialize the historic achievements of President Ronald Reagan. It aims to do so by naming at least one notable public landmark in each state and all 3067 counties after the 40th president.

Balancing Budgets: From Reagan to Today (grades 9-12) @ DiscoverySchool.com
http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/programs/thereaganlegacybalancingact/  
Students will understand the following: The concept of a balanced federal budget has attracted much attention from the 1980s through today. Citizens, politicians, and interest groups have considered various approaches to balancing the federal budget. 

American Experience-Ronald Reagan
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/presidents/40_reagan/index.html
American Experience - Ronald Reagan @ PBS Teacher's Guide In 1989, after two terms in office, Ronald Wilson Reagan left the White House one of the most popular presidents of the 20th century -- and one of the most controversial. A Democrat turned Republican and an actor turned politician, Reagan is a study in complexity.

Bugs
3-D Insects
http://www.ento.vt.edu/~sharov/3d/3dinsect.html
If you like real insects, you would love virtual insects because you can see them big without a microscope. Virtual insects are clean and have no smell, they will not bite or sting you! 

Insectclopedia
http://www.insectclopedia.com
A great site for young students learning about insects and how they fit into various ecosystems. There is a lot of information here, with lots of images, worksheets, lessons and more! 

Insects on the Web
http://www.insects.org
This site aims to help you really see insects for the miniature marvels they represent and to understand how intertwined our cultures have become with these alien creatures. 

Koday's Kids Amazing Insects!
http://www.ivyhall.district96.k12.il.us/4th/kkhp/1insects/bugmenu.html
Click on the insect names to get some great information and see lots of excellent photographs! You'll see some of the best insect photos on the Internet and find great facts for your science reports.

Cicada Watch 2004
http://www.msj.edu/cicada/
 

DESE 3370-19 7/04