Friday, October 30, 2015

Recap: Project Tomorrow at the 2015 California STEM Symposium

This is a special blog post from Project Tomorrow Direct of Advancement, Greg Nicholson:

We enjoyed seeing many colleagues and friends yesterday at the 2015 California STEM Symposium, and making new friends in our two sessions:  “The Gender Divide and Digital Learning in STEM Fields” and “Recruiting the Next Generation of STEM Teachers through YouthTEACH2Learn.”  Both topics have been much in the news lately, and so interest and attendance was high. 

In the second session, we discussed the fact that the teaching shortage, especially in STEM disciplines, has reached crisis proportions.  In California, according to the California Department of Education, the school year began with 21,500 open teaching positions, while only 15,000 new teaching credentials are issued per year.  This is a result, in part, of a 55% reduction in enrollment in teacher preparation programs in California in recent years.  Unfortunately, the problem is a national one; from 2010 to 2014 there has been a 30% drop in enrollment in teacher education.  The predictable result is an increase in the number of emergency credentials issued to underqualified teachers: up 36% in one year in California.

Project Tomorrow’s YouthTEACH2Learn (YT2L) program is addressing this crisis by moving the starting line for teacher recruitment from college to high school.  YT2L is a science and math education program in which high school students take a full year class to learn about teaching math and science. The students develop a series of hands-on science and math lessons and teach these standards-based lessons in local elementary school classrooms on a regular basis throughout the school year, increasing the time that elementary students have in authentic science and math instruction and allowing high school students to gain real world experiences within teaching.

In our session yesterday, we shared newly released YT2L program results from 2014-15.  Some of the highlights include:
  • Increased student interest in teaching: 63% indicated that they are now interested in teaching after taking the course (51% were considering it before)
  • 93% of participants were comfortable managing a classroom; teaching skills improved on all indicators as a result of the program
  • Plans for attending a 4 year college rose from 87% to 94% from the beginning of the program to the end
  • 84% of elementary teachers said their students were more excited about learning science after YT2L high school students taught them science lessons
Thank you to everyone who attended our sessions, and especially to the teachers and students of YouthTEACH2Learn!  We will continue to share our results, and look for more information on student interest in teaching careers as a result of a special question on Speak Up 2015, which is available now!

Reminder: Today is the last day to help Project Tomorrow win $5k!

Last chance to help Project Tomorrow win $5,000!


Project Tomorrow is a finalist in the Cox Cares $5k Giveaway social media competition that will award $5,000 to a deserving Orange County nonprofit organization.

Reminder: today is the last day to vote for Project Tomorrow in the Cox Cares $5k Giveaway social media competition! Take five minutes of your time to vote for Project Tomorrow and help us win $5,000. There are two ways to vote:

Cox Cares website

2. Choose Orange County from the dropdown menu.
3. Click on "Project Tomorrow" to vote!

Twitter

2. Retweet their tweet with Project Tomorrow's name.
3. Spread the word - each retweet counts as a vote!

Thank you again for supporting Project Tomorrow!

-- The Project Tomorrow Team

About Project Tomorrow 
The vision of Project Tomorrow is to ensure that today’s students are well prepared to be tomorrow’s innovators, leaders and engaged citizens of the world. To learn more about Project Tomorrow, please visit tomorrow.org.

About Cox Cares Foundation 
The philanthropic arm of Cox Communications, the Cox Cares Foundation, is funded by employee payroll donations that are matched by the company. The foundation provides scholarships to students, grants to non-profit organizations, and funds programs that improve the quality of life for children and families throughout Southern California. For more information about the Cox Cares Foundation, visit www.cox-cares.org.

Thursday, October 29, 2015

Don't miss Project Tomorrow's sessions at the California STEM Symposium!

We are excited to attend this year's California STEM Symposium at the Anaheim Convention Center and are thrilled to host two sessions today, October 29th! If you are at the symposium, be sure to mark your calendars for the following sessions:

The Gender Divide and Digital Learning in STEM Fields
Thursday, October 29
9:40am to 10:55 am
Room 206B
Presented by Ann McMullan, Project Tomorrow Consultant

Speak Up Project Research annually demonstrates the connection between gender differences in students’ use of digital resources for learning, and how girls want to use technology to explore STEM fields. This session will review the latest CA Speak Up results and discuss promising practices for erasing gender divides in learning.

Recruiting the Next Generation of STEM Teachers Through YouthTEACH2Learn
Thursday, October 29
3:30pm to 4:45pm
Room 207C
Presented by Gregory Nicholson, Director of Advancement, Project Tomorrow

YouthTEACH2Learn is a high school class teaching students how to develop and teach mathematics and science lessons to elementary students. Presenters share the experiences of students, past and present, and review seven years of research on this program’s impact on student interest and motivation to pursue STEM teaching careers.

If attending, send us a shoutout on Twitter at @SpeakUpEd and @ProjectTomorrow. We look forward to seeing you all at the Anaheim Convention Center today!

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Webinar from Connected Educators: The Future of “Future Ready”


The Future of "Future Ready"
TODAY, October 26, 2015
1pm PT/4pm ET

Join a panel of ed tech leaders as they explore the lessons learned and challenges ahead of the Future Ready initiative and similar efforts to help schools move towards being 21st century digital learning environments.

Panelists

Katrina Stevens, Senior Advisor Office of Education Technology USDOE
Katrina manages Future Ready, Education Innovation Clusters and rapid cycle tech evaluation work. In former roles, Katrina worked to bring together stakeholders across the edtech ecosystem for meaningful dialogue and action. She spent the first 20 years of her career as an educator in schools, most recently in the central office at Baltimore County Public Schools. She cofounded and moderates #edtechchat, served as an international Startup Weekend Education Facilitator, and founded a monthly edtech happy hour.

Brian Lewis, CEO ISTE
Brian joined ISTE in September 2012 following a 25-year career in both the public and private sectors. He has served as a nonprofit association leader in several capacities, including chief strategy officer and interim CEO for the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), assistant executive director for the California School Boards Association (CSBA), director of governmental relations for the San Diego County Office of Education and the California County Superintendents Educational Services Association (CCSESA).

Julie Evans, CEO Project Tomorrow
Julie has been CEO of Project Tomorrow, one of the nation’s leading education nonprofit organizations, since 1999. She developed the Speak Up National Research Project in 2003 and has served as the chief researcher on this project and other digital learning national research projects. She is a speaker, writer and commentator on K-12 and higher ed issues around digital learning. Ms. Evans was named in April 2008 as one of the Top Ten Most Influential People in Education Technology over the past 10 years by eSchool News.

Darryl Adams, Superintendent Coachella Valley Unified School District, CA
Dr. Adams has spent 26 years as an educator serving as a music teacher, band director, middle school assistant principal, high school assistant principal, high school principal, director of human resources, assistant superintendent of human resources and superintendent. Dr. Adams has recently been selected by the White House and the USDOE as one of the Top 100 Innovative Superintendents in America and was praised by President Obama for leading the way in ensuring students have equity and access to technology and the Internet.

Moderator

Frank Gallagher, VP Education Cable Impacts Foundation
Frank is VP of Education of the Cable Impacts Foundation, the non-profit foundation of the cable telecommunications industry. Mr. Gallagher is the immediate past chair and member of the executive committee of the Partnership for 21st Century Learning and has previously served on the board of directors of National PTA. He also serves on the Board of the National Coalition for Technology in Education and Training (NCTET), the National Forum on Information Literacy.

Special thanks again to Connected Educators for inviting us to be a part of Connected Educators Month. We hope to see you all online at today's webinar!

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Orange County Principal, Teacher and Student Win Innovation in Education Awards

Annual Awards Recognize New Approaches to Preparing Students for 21st Century Lives and Careers

Irvine, Calif. – Foothill High School, a teacher from Aliso Niguel High School and a 10th grader from Oxford Academy Cypress won the 2015 Innovation in Education Awards presented by Project Tomorrow and the OC Tech Alliance. The awards are given to schools, educators and high school students who are charting new paths in education.

Project Tomorrow, the nation’s leading nonprofit group focused on science, math and technology
education, and the OC Tech Alliance have been recognizing outstanding education programs, educators and students for their innovative uses of science, math and technology with this award since 2006.

The 2015 award winners are:

Innovative Schoolwide Program of the Year in Science, Math & Technology – honoring the strong leadership of a school principal in driving innovation in education with an outstanding, results-based school wide program

  • Foothill High School, Tustin Unified School District
    Program: Foothill Engineering and Technology (FEAT)

High Impact Teacher of the Year in Science, Math & Technology – acknowledging the influence of a great teacher in his/her use of science, math or technology to significantly impact student academic achievement

  • Dwynn Famalette, Aliso Niguel High School, 10th-12th Grade Science Teacher

Emerging Student Innovator of the Year in Science, Math & Technology – recognizing eighth grade, freshman, sophomore, or junior high school students who are creatively using science, math and technology resources to solve a school or community problem

  • Anna Lou, Oxford Academy, 10th Grade (rising junior)

The 2015 Innovation in Education Awards were presented at the 22nd Annual High-Tech Innovation Awards Dinner on Thursday, October 8th, 2015 in Costa Mesa. This year’s event represents the 10th annual education focused awards segment, a partnership between Project Tomorrow and corporate sponsors, Microsemi, Astronics, Avago Technologies, Orange County Department of Education and
Haworth & IOS Inc.

Julie Evans, CEO of Project Tomorrow, reports, “This year’s competition was the strongest yet, and we are thrilled to be able to recognize and reward the strong work each of the finalists is doing to advance STEM education in Orange County. We couldn’t do this without the support of our sponsors or our partners at the OC Tech Alliance, so I want to express our gratitude to them as well.”

More about the Awards, including this year’s finalists and past recipients, can be found online: http://www.tomorrow.org/programs/innovationawards.html

Nominations for the 2015 Project Tomorrow Innovation in Education Awards could be self- submitted or submitted by a district and/or school staff person. Organizations such as a PTA unit, parent advisory committee, or any youth based organization(s) were also eligible to nominate. An independent review panel of local education and business leaders selected the award recipients. The annual Innovation in Education Awards are open to all public and private schools in Orange County.

About Project Tomorrow
Project Tomorrow (www.tomorrow.org), a national education nonprofit organization headquartered in Irvine, California, supports the innovative uses of research-based science, math and technology resources to develop critical thinking, problem solving and creativity in K-12 students. Project Tomorrow addresses the challenges of developing schools for the 21st century through national research projects, community and school-based programs, online tools and resources, and advocacy efforts to ensure that all students are prepared to be tomorrow’s leaders, innovators and engaged citizens of the world.

About Orange County Technology Alliance
Orange County Technology Alliance is a 501(c)6 nonprofit trade association committed to fast-forwarding the local innovation economy. It is the only technology association addressing the needs of technology companies of all sizes, from small privately held enterprises to large publicly traded entities, based in Orange County, Calif. The alliance serves members through local networking, professional development, state and federal advocacy, savings on business services and industry recognition. To learn more about OC Tech Alliance visit www.octechalliance.com or email Brenda@octechalliance.com. Follow alliance activities on Twitter at twitter.com/octechalliance.

Monday, October 26, 2015

Help Project Tomorrow Win $5K!


Vote online from October 26 - October 30, 2015

Project Tomorrow is a finalist in the Cox Cares $5k Giveaway social media competition that will award $5,000 to a deserving Orange County nonprofit organization.

We need your help this week! From today through October 30, vote for Project Tomorrow in the Cox Cares $5k Giveaway social media competition and help us receive $5,000! Voting is simple and will take only five minutes of your time. There are two ways to vote:

Cox Cares website

1. Visit http://cox-cares.org/-5k-giveaway.html.
2. Choose Orange County from the dropdown menu.
3. Click on "Project Tomorrow" to vote!

Twitter

1. Visit http://twitter.com/CoxCalifornia.
2. Retweet their tweet with Project Tomorrow's name.
3. Spread the word - each retweet counts as a vote!

Thank you for supporting Project Tomorrow!

-- The Project Tomorrow Team

About Project Tomorrow 
The vision of Project Tomorrow is to ensure that today’s students are well prepared to be tomorrow’s innovators, leaders and engaged citizens of the world. To learn more about Project Tomorrow, please visit tomorrow.org.

About Cox Cares Foundation 
The philanthropic arm of Cox Communications, the Cox Cares Foundation, is funded by employee payroll donations that are matched by the company. The foundation provides scholarships to students, grants to non-profit organizations, and funds programs that improve the quality of life for children and families throughout Southern California. For more information about the Cox Cares Foundation, visit www.cox-cares.org.

Friday, October 23, 2015

The 2015 Youth Leadership Summit is tomorrow!


We are excited to learn about careers in science, technology, engineering, and math at our sixth annual Youth Leadership Summit tomorrow! Tomorrow's event features discussions with a diversified set of Orange County companies and engineers on the role of math and science in their industry and their expectations for employees in the future, as well as break out sessions and tabletop exhibits to introduce students to local career opportunities and college programs.

Please note registration for this event is closed. As a reminder for those attending, the event takes place from 8:45am to 2:00pm at Edwards Lifesciences Global Headquarters (1 Edwards Way, Irvine, CA 92614). If you have any questions about the summit, please visit http://www.tomorrow.org/programs/youthLeadershipSummit.html. We look forward to seeing you all there!

Thursday, October 22, 2015

Save the date! Speak Up America 2015 will take place this December.

This year's Speak Up America campaign will take place from December 7th through December 11th, 2015. Our week long event will feature opportunities to win free conference registrations, Speak Up 2015 preliminary data snapshots, and more!

 Click here to read a recap of last year's Speak Up America campaign, and stay tuned for more details about Speak Up America 2015.

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Happy Back to the Future Day!

Today is the day that Marty McFly traveled into the "future" to in Back to the Future Part II! While we still haven't perfected the time traveling car or hoverboard, a lot has happened in the thirty years since the original Back to the Future film came out.


In honor of this historic day in film - and the fact that Marty was a time traveling high school student - we encourage you and any students you know to take the Speak Up survey and share your predictions about the future of learning! This year's Grade 6-12 surveys ask students to predict what "school" will be like five years from now in 2020:

Help us predict the future of learning! What will “school” be like five years from now in 2020? How will emerging technologies change the way students go to school, take classes, interact with their teachers and classmates, and learn about the world? Share your ideas with us and we will share them with the futurists who are thinking about this same topic – your ideas are important to those discussions!

What do you think the future of learning will be like in five years? In thirty years? Will we finally have hoverboards - or a Jaws 19 film? Let us know in the comments section below or tweet your predictions to us at @ProjectTomorrow and/or @SpeakUpEd.

We also encourage you to follow the White House's Back to the Future Day virtual celebration, where they will be discussing the current state of time travel, the human brain, and more! Click here to join the fun.

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Project Tomorrow at the California STEM Symposium

This year's California STEM Symposium takes place from October 29 to October 30, 2015 at the Anaheim Convention Center. Now in it's third year, the California STEM Symposium continues to improve STEM instruction by defining the "how" or how to teach and integrate STEM subject matter and how to make it relevant and engaging for all students, as well as connect teachers and organizations that are working to build tomorrow's STEM workforce with like-minded partners and resources.

Project Tomorrow is excited to host two sessions at this year's event! If you are attending this year's symposium, be sure to mark your calendars for the following sessions:

The Gender Divide and Digital Learning in STEM Fields
Thursday, October 29
9:40am to 10:55 am
Room 206B
Presented by Ann McMullan, Project Tomorrow Consultant

Speak Up Project Research annually demonstrates the connection between gender differences in students’ use of digital resources for learning, and how girls want to use technology to explore STEM fields. This session will review the latest CA Speak Up results and discuss promising practices for erasing gender divides in learning.

Recruiting the Next Generation of STEM Teachers Through YouthTEACH2Learn
Thursday, October 29
3:30pm to 4:45pm
Room 207C
Presented by Gregory Nicholson, Director of Advancement, Project Tomorrow

YouthTEACH2Learn is a high school class teaching students how to develop and teach mathematics and science lessons to elementary students. Presenters share the experiences of students, past and present, and review seven years of research on this program’s impact on student interest and motivation to pursue STEM teaching careers.

Are you attending this year's California STEM Symposium? If so, let us know. We look forward to seeing you there!

Monday, October 19, 2015

Educators Rising California – October Newsletter


Greetings!!
We hope the school year is off to a good start and you have had a successful first meeting of your Educators Rising California chapter!
Don’t forget to register your school’s chapter with Educators Rising California. Once you do, you will receive a Chapter Starter Kit and a customized version of our YouthTEACH2Learn curriculum, which is full of lesson plans and activities that you can use throughout the year as you explore careers in teaching. Contact Gregory Nicholson at GNicholson@tomorrow.org for more information.

Webinar

In case you missed it, Educators Rising California State Director Julie Evans (Project Tomorrow CEO) participated in a webinar about the conditions needed to support great teaching for deeper learning with the Alliance for Excellent Education and the National Commission on Teaching & America's Future.
Click here to watch a recording of the event and learn more about the potential of technology to transform teaching and improve student learning.

From National

Students and Teacher Leaders, please register for Educators Rising Virtual Campus!
Click here to register
Google Hangouts
Through a series of Google Hangouts, Educators Rising connects students and teacher leaders with education experts and peer leaders for interactive, engaging discussions on high-interest topics.
Up Next: Episode 2: Education Policy 101: How to Be an Empowered Rising Educator
The 2016 National Conference for Educators Rising will be June 24th-27th at Boston University.
More details here: National Conference

Additional Resources

Are you up for the challenge? Our friends at TEACH.org have collected stories from current teachers about how and why they teach. Watch the videos here.
Help students shift back into schoolwork after a summer of fun through these fun math and science apps. Check out this list of apps from the New York Times.
***
Thank you for your interest and continued support of Educators Rising California!
Be sure to stay updated on all things Educators Rising by visiting our website.

Friday, October 16, 2015

Speak Up Direct Start Links

Shed a few minutes off your survey taking time through our direct start links!

Do you want to save time while taking the survey? Our direct start links allow participants to bypass searching for their school and head straight to taking the survey. We have links available for each of your school(s) and survey groups. If you are interested in sharing your direct start links with your school(s), please contact Lisa Chu at LChu@tomorrow.org with your school or district name.

Thursday, October 15, 2015

Catch up with our Storify of last night's #SUchat!

Did you miss last night's #SUchat about Future Ready leaders? Check out our Storify summary of the chat below, and thanks again to Connected Educators for inviting us to participate in Connected Educator Month!

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Today's #SUchat: Developing Future Ready Leaders

#SUchat:  Developing FutureReady Leaders – using data to inform digital initiatives

Wednesday, October 14 at 4 pm PT, 5 pm MT, 6 pm CT, 7 pm ET

Co-hosted by Julie Evans with several district leaders who are leveraging Speak Up data to inform their digital learning initiatives. Discussion will be around how to use stakeholder data specifically to engage your community, understand the needs of your stakeholders and advance your vision. Join the conversation by including the hashtag #SUchat.

Other hashtags to use include:  #CE15, #FutureReady, #digitallearning

Discussion topic 1:  

Stakeholder data: friend or foe?  How do district leaders currently value the importance of student, teacher or parent ideas around the use of technology within learning?  Are most districts deliberately seeking stakeholder data, and if so, for what purposes?   

We have heard from some districts that at times their preference is “not to know” what their stakeholders’ want or value.  Is that a common strategy?  

What are ways that districts are collecting stakeholder data to inform their plans?   Are those methods effective or efficient?  Or what challenges do leaders face in collecting or using stakeholder data?  

Discussion topic 2: 

Using stakeholder data:  What are some examples of how you have used stakeholder data from students, teachers or parents to advance your vision or to address the 7 gears of the Future Ready framework (http://dashboard.futurereadyschools.org/app/framework)?   

What has worked well for you?  What did not work for you? 

Does stakeholder data address some of the Future Ready gears better than others?  What ones are best?   Professional learning, community partnerships maybe?  Why is that?

Discussion topic 3:  

Using Speak Up to collect and analyze stakeholder data:  How does the Speak Up process help district leaders understand and appreciate the views of key stakeholders such as students, teachers, parents, administrators and community members?   What are the benefits of using Speak Up to address these goals? 

What have you learned from the Speak Up data that helped you advance your vision or address those Future Ready gears?  

How are you planning on using stakeholder data this year to inform your digital learning plans?     

We hope to see you on today's #SUchat!

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

#SUchat: Developing Future Ready Leaders - using data to inform digital initiatives

We're hosting another #SUchat tomorrow, this time in honor of Connected Educator Month! Check out the details below:

Developing Future Ready Leaders - using data to inform digital initiatives
Wednesday, October 14
4pm PT/7pm ET

Co-hosted by Julie Evans with 3 district leaders who are leveraging Speak Up data to inform their digital learning initiatives.  Discussion will be around how to use stakeholder data specifically to engage your community, understand the needs of your stakeholders and advance your vision.  

Click here to join the conversation!

Friday, October 9, 2015

Speak Up family & friends: webinar from Rosetta Stone Education

EdTech and Traditional Instruction: Mixing It Up In Today’s Language-Learning Classroom
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM (Eastern Time)

Our friends at Rosetta Stone Education are hosting a webinar next Wednesday about the use of technology in language-learning classrooms! Check out the details below:

Today’s language teachers are challenged to keep instruction current and relevant. In this webinar, Boris Morew, Language Education Expert at Rosetta Stone Education, will discuss how to improve student performance by mixing edtech and traditional instruction in your language-learning classroom.

Join Boris to:
  • Discuss the impact of technology in K-12
  • Discover how easy and effective it is to implement language learning technology into the traditional classroom using a blended learning approach
  • Discuss pros and cons of online program use within the traditional classroom

Come ready with the challenges you face to keep language instruction engaging and relevant, and Boris will answer your questions during this live, interactive session. This webinar will benefit teachers, school administrators, as well as district administrators, including superintendents and directors/coordinators of curriculum and instruction, world languages, global studies, foreign languages, and ELL.

Sponsored by Rosetta Stone

Join the Using Technology for Language Instruction community to access the webinar recording and resources.

Thursday, October 8, 2015

The Project Tomorrow 2015 Innovation in Education Awards is tonight!


The Project Tomorrow 2015 Innovation in Education Awards will be presented at the 22nd Annual High-Tech Innovation Awards dinner reception tonight in conjunction with OC Tech Alliance’s own corporate awards at the Westin South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa. This high profile event attracts over 300 business and community leaders each year. Award finalists and a guest will be hosted at the reception. Award recipients will receive regional and national recognition through both online and traditional media outlets. In addition, all finalists will receive funding to use to expand a science, math or technology program in their classroom.
Finalists for this year’s awards are:
Innovative School-Wide Program of the Year in Science, Math & Technology – distinguishing a public, private, or parochial school that demonstrates innovation with an outstanding, results-based school-wide program
  • Stoddard Elementary School, Anaheim City School District
    Program: Stoddard STEAM Academy
  • Foothill High School, Tustin Unified School District
    Program: Foothill Engineering and Technology (FEAT)
  • The Prentice School in Santa Ana, Private
    Program: Assistive Technology Tools

High Impact Teacher of the Year in Science, Math & Technology – acknowledging the influence of a great teacher in his/her use of science, math or technology to significantly impact student academic achievement
  • Dwynn Famalette, Aliso Niguel High School, 10-12th Science Teacher
  • Sharon McCubbin, Springbrook Elementary, 3rd Grade Teacher
  • Suzy Hardy, St. John’s Episcopal School in Rancho Santa Margarita, 6-8th Math/Technology Teacher

Emerging Student Innovator of the Year in Science, Math & Technology – recognizing eighth grade, freshman, sophomore, or junior high school students who are creatively using science, math and technology resources to solve a school or community problem
  • Anna Lou, Oxford Academy Cypress, 10th Grade (rising junior)
  • Ruoxi Michelle Chen, Sage Hill School, 11th Grade (rising senior)
  • Sean O’Bannon, Foothill High School, 11th Grade (rising senior)
We are excited to announce our three winners at tonight's event! Stay tuned to view the names of the winners later this week!

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Around the Web Wednesday

Happy Around the Web Wednesday! Browse all the links below for the latest news and topics trending in education and technology. Be sure to let us know which article intrigued you the most!


Speak Up 2015 is now open for participation! Join the 3.9 million students, parents, educators, administrators, and community members who have spoken up about education and technology since 2003. Surveys will run through December 18, 2015. Take the survey today to ensure your voice is heard! http://bit.ly/SU15survey

Registration for the 6th Annual Youth Leadership Summit is now open! SoCal students - this is the perfect opportunity to explore careers in science, technology, engineering, and math! Click here to register for our event on October 24th, or contact Kelly Moriarty at kmoriarty@tomorrow.org for more information.

Monday, October 5, 2015

Why should your district participate in Speak Up 2015?

The Speak Up National Research Project collects and reports on the authentic, unfiltered views and opinions of K-12 students, parents and educators on critical 21st century education and technology issues. Since 2003, nearly 4 million K-12 education stakeholders have participated in the annual online surveys.  Data findings are shared each year with federal, state and local policymakers to inform education programs, policies and funding. Results will be available for participating schools and districts in February 2016, with preliminary results available beginning in November 2015. Speak Up is facilitated by Project Tomorrow® (www.tomorrow.org), a national education nonprofit organization.

Top 5 reasons why your district should participate in Speak Up 2015: 
  1. Gain a better understanding of what your district’s technology needs are
  2. Learn about the aspirations for your teachers for using technology more effectively – and what is holding them back
  3. Find ways to improve school to home communications using new technology tools
  4. Make more informed funding decisions
  5. Ensure that your parents and students have a voice in national, state and local decisions about education.
To Speak Up, simply visit our official Speak Up 2015 page in order to register your district. Be sure to mark your calendars for our launch date, October 1st! Furthermore, check out our promotional materials page for tools to use to get your district on board and ready for Speak Up.

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook to stay up to date on all things Speak Up!

Friday, October 2, 2015

Speak Up Family & Friends: webinar from our friends at SETDA

Digital Instructional Materials Acquisition Portal (DMAPS) Launch Webinar
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
3:00-4:00 pm ET

You are invited to join SETDA for the Digital Instructional Materials Acquisition Portal (DMAPS) Launch on October 7, 2015 at 3pm ET.  This webinar offers the opportunity to share state policies and practices related to the procurement of digital instructional materials, including exploring the flexibility in state policies and practices to encourage the implementation of digital learning resources. The webinar will launch the Digital Instructional Materials Acquisition Portal (DMAPS), a new, online database providing details regarding each state’s policies related to the acquisition of digital instructional materials. The goal of the portal is to provide a clear picture of each state’s instructional materials policies and practices to help encourage increased implementation of digital instructional materials. Educators, policy makers and private sector executives will all have the ability to review state policies and practices regarding the procurement and implementation of instructional materials including the ability to access individual state profiles, to compare states and make further comparisons via an interactive map that displays national trends. In addition, the webinar will offer the opportunity for questions and comments regarding a range of policy and practice issues related to digital content.

Presenters Include:
  • Lan Neugent, Interim Executive Director, SETDA
  • Kelly Callaway, Division Director, Instructional Materials and Educational Technology, Texas Education Agency
  • Allan Griffin, Curriculum Content Specialist, Utah State Office of Education 
  • Christine Fox, Director of Educational Leadership and Research, SETDA
Reserve your seat here: http://www.k12insight.com/k/SsRPUWsSWPsPsPsP . This event is free and open to the public. For access to additional SETDA resources related to Digital Content and OER visit http://www.setda.org/priorities/digital-content/ 
 
For questions about the event please contact, Christine Fox, Director of Educational Leadership and Research at cfox@setda.org.
 
About SETDA:
The State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA), founded in 2001, is the national non-profit association representing the interests of U.S. state and territorial educational technology leadership. SETDA’s mission is to build and increase the capacity of state and national leaders to improve education through technology policy and practice. For more information, please visit www.setda.org.

Thursday, October 1, 2015

Join us for Today's Speak Up Intro webinars

Interested in learning more about Speak Up, join us today for a 30 minute introduction to Speak Up. 

Webinar: Getting started with Speak Up 2015 – a 30 minute introduction
Powered by Blackboard Collaborate
Thursday, October 1, 2015
9AM PT/12PM ET
12PM PT/3PM ET
3 pm PT, 6 pm ET
Join us here!

In the Getting Started live webinar, Julie will address these key questions for you:

  • What is Speak Up?  What types of questions are asked on the online surveys and what types of schools or districts participate in Speak Up?
  • Why should my school or district participate in Speak Up?  What will be the benefits?  How could I use the Speak Up data to inform our local plans? 
  • How do I register our school or district to do Speak Up 2015?  What do I need to do to use the surveys?  What promotional materials can Project Tomorrow provide?

Got questions about the live webinar or wondering if your school or district has previously participated in Speak Up?  Contact Lisa Chu at LChu@tomorrow.org or (949) 609-4660 ext. 12.

And don't forgot to participate in Speak Up, surveys open today: www.speakup4schools.org/speakup2015/