4T Virtual Conference Newsletter
May 20, 2017
Sunday Session Links Posted!
Session Time Frames
Sunday May 21: Breakout sessions 9am EST - 5:30pm EST
Sunday May 21: OPENING KEYNOTE 8pm EST
Monday May 22: Breakout session 3pm EST - 9pm EST
Monday May 22: CLOSING KEYNOTE 9pm EST
It's so easy to participate in the sessions!
- Just click on the session link below (or in the schedule page), download the Blackboard Collaborate room. Double click to open up the download.
- Type in your full name. (if it is your first time using Blackboard Collaborate, you will need to download the launcher, then double click again to open up the session room).
- Not Blackboard Collaborate DOES NOT work on Chromebooks, but you can use it on any other laptop/desktop or mobile device, even a phone.
- You can also participate via a mobile device (free Android App or free Apple IOS App).
- Problems? Contact Blackboard Help line at: Website or Tech Support Line at 1-317-333-7300
Make sure you TEST Blackboard Collaborate BEFORE SATURDAY to know that it is working on your computer BEFORE the conference.
Sunday May 21st Sessions
9:00am EST: Exploring Coding in the Elementary Classroom
Moderator: Melissa Brooks-Yip
Description: Every elementary student in every school should have the opportunity to learn computer science. Learn how to create a coding experience in your own classroom. This session will cover how to get started, free online resources, and strategies. The learning goal for this session is to inspire you to start exposing coding to your students and have them become designers and creators of their own digital content.
Session Recording: https://sas.elluminate.com/p.jnlp?psid=2017-05-21.0522.M.0629A0881CEEE61019C69770393392.vcr&sid=2008372
9:00am EST: Meet You At The Intersection
Moderator: Avni Desai
Session Description: What do a radar detector, visual arts, and science have to do with math? They are reflections of math in the real world. Math is not just a set of numbers; it is one important component of how we make decisions on a daily basis. A "Real World Math" approach to teaching this subject means developing assignments that integrate technology, higher level questioning, and interdisciplinary collaboration with school level experts. The result? Innovative classroom activities that invite your students to engage math in exciting ways.
Session Recording: https://sas.elluminate.com/p.jnlp?psid=2017-05-21.0558.M.26703C429CBD31C96C9A680D9DD541.vcr&sid=2008372
10:30am EST: Tweets for You, Tweets for Your Students: Building a Classroom Community 140 Characters at a Time
Moderator: Stephanie Haley
Twitter is infamous as a platform for incendiary celebrity and political perspectives but you can harness the power of the 140 character post for educational good. Twitter can be used to expand your personal learning network by connecting you with millions of educators, to extend student thinking about your content outside the classroom and to connect your students for building a classroom community.
Session Recording: https://sas.elluminate.com/p.jnlp?psid=2017-05-21.0721.M.4FA70BE312C1BAE1DA15C24C7FF1A3.vcr&sid=2008372
12:00pm EST: Guided Mathematics
Moderator: Kristin Fontichiaro
We love guided reading, so why don't we all do guided math? Guided math helps you differentiate to meet the needs of all your students and truly understand where they are at with each math topic.
Session Recording: https://sas.elluminate.com/p.jnlp?psid=2017-05-21.0832.M.F954A42130949867122FED5FABEFC7.vcr&sid=2008372
1:30pm EST: It’s Genius! Design Thinking in the ELA Classroom
Moderator: Amber White
Tapping into student interests is a key goal of educators -- but how do we include student choice and authentic writing while teaching quality research skills and standards-based writing? This session uses the premises of Genius Hour and Design Thinking to allow students choice and creativity in their research projects. We’ll discuss how we use technology to conduct conferences with students and how we monitor and assess work in progress. Participants will explore several different units based on Genius Hour principles and work to create their own product incorporating a variety of technologies. Participants will be inspired to implement these principles into any core ELA class successfully.
Session Recording: https://sas.elluminate.com/p.jnlp?psid=2017-05-21.0935.M.E2145A6D4D1E822633C69044556045.vcr&sid=2008372
3:00pm EST: The Power of Assessing Mathematical Understanding
Moderator: Megan Vanderkerkhove
This session will focus on how using technology to assess mathematical concepts such as rates and ratios can give students and teachers the power to understand each child’s level of understanding and drive student learning. Teachers can then be empowered to meet the needs of each student. These strategies and tools can be used in any curricular area.
Session Recording: https://sas.elluminate.com/p.jnlp?psid=2017-05-21.1125.M.F7DD546C32EC96BE177D9BF391F2A3.vcr&sid=2008372
4:30pm EST: Ask, Create, Play, Solve, Share
Moderator: Ben Rimes
When students are encouraged to Ask, Create, Play, Solve and Share we see student-centered classrooms with empowered learners. In this session we will share stories from classrooms where teachers are using digital tools and resources for student collaboration. We will also find ways to Ask, Create, Play, Solve and Share among ourselves.
Session Link: https://sas.elluminate.com/m.jnlp?sid=2008372&password=M.CE0B1DDAB395CBBC8DAB86C1D1A8D5
8:00pm EST: Opening Keynote: What is it you do again? Discussing the intents, purposes & vocabularies surrounding learning design
Moderator: Kevin Upton
Educational Technologist, Learning Designer, Instructional Coach, Blended Learning Specialist, Instructional Technology Coordinator – all titles that describe a category of work that is often ill-defined and understood. This discussion will:
- provide an understanding of the evolution of our work
- discuss current contexts and climates in which we operate
- offer tools and vocabulary to define our profession
Session Recording: https://sas.elluminate.com/p.jnlp?psid=2017-05-21.1532.M.ABF7046D603BC9743C19513F6ABDED.vcr&sid=2008372
Earn up to 19 FREE SCECHs
1) Make sure you are registered with the State of Michigan here.
2) Attend at least 3 sessions, for the entire session.
3) Log into the session with your full name
4) After the conference (Monday night or Tuesday), complete the online SCECH form (this includes a PDF that you sign and then re-upload to us). You must turn in your SCECH form no later than May 27th.
Click here to learn more about earning your free SCECHs this year!
How to participate in the conference
2) You do not need to sign up to attend specific sessions. Instead click on the room link to your session (posted on the Schedule page in May) that you would like to attend, and it should open up in Blackboard Collaborate. Make sure you TEST Blackboard Collaborate to know that it is working on your computer BEFORE the conference. If Blackboard is not working properly on your computer, please contact the Blackboard support room (the conference facilitators cannot help with individual issues in Blackboard). Please NOTE that Blackboard Collaborate DOES NOT work on CHROMEBOOKS. It works very well on iPads, Smartphones, iPods (via the app which is free) or any other desktop or laptop computer.
3) Click on the room link to the session you would like to attend at the correct time (according to the conference schedule). Type in your full name and let Blackboard collaborate download to your computer and open (you may have to double-click on the Blackboard download to get it to open).
4) Please note that we recommend logging into each session about 10 minutes BEFORE the start time to make sure you get a spot, and to make sure your computer is working properly with the session tool.
5) If you are interested in applying for SCECHs (no cost), please see the SCECHs page for more information. There are 19 SCECHs available.
Participants! Let us know were you are from!
A Big Thank You to the Ford Motor Fund
2017 4T Conference Sponsors
UofM Flint
Ford Motor Fund
New this year for non-MI teachers: optional certificate of attendance!
Website: http://www.4tvirtualcon.com/store/p1/4T_Virtual_Conference_Official_Attendance_Certificate.html