Patrick+Thornham

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 * Monday **

This session showed how to create local .kwl files so that students can insert their own descriptions and photos on Google Earth. The session showed how to use this techniques for field trips, walking trips, and even adding scientific data based on place.
 * Big Idea:** Using Technology to Make Connections with Classroom Content
 * Google Earth in the clasroom-

This session highlighted the National Archives new website that lets students create and publish interesting documents to make deeper connections in history and Social Studies. Students can create time lines, evaluate evidence in history, and come to more complete conclusions than if they were simply reading a text book.
 * National Archives - using primary sources in the classroom

http://www.archives.gov/nae/ http://www.digitalvaults.org/


 * Tuesday **


 * Big Idea:** Students Solving Problems in the real world
 * Geography tools with National Geographic
 * This was a beta version of a piece of collaborative software used so that scientific data could be used by a range of users in one space. It is similar to google docs, except in a geographic format. Students and researchers are able to add data - say about water chemical levels in the Chesepeake Bay area to learn how to track issues in relation to water quality.
 * Google Wave - This session showed the updated and open version of wave. This tool is very powerful for collaboration and communication among people in large groups who need to collaborate. The session showed new tools and "Robots" to help the process ranging from translation to
 * www.fieldscope.us


 * Wednesday **


 * Big Idea:** Students Doing Research
 * 25 Google Tools
 * In this session the presenter showed several Google based tools to help educators for precisely use the site for their work. For example, the ability to contrast research from two different places to understand perspective, refined image searching, as well as ways to use Google Calendar more effectively.
 * Links and Resources so others can pick up on what you learned:
 * http://www.istevision.org/viewsession.php?id=144
 * http://www.istevision.org/viewsession.php?id=144


 * Keynote and other Special Sessions **


 * Big Idea:** Students becoming Problem Solvers

Innovation & Excellence: Buzzwords or Global Imperative?
My main take-away from this session was the notion that our job as educators now is to help students think critically about problems, and to help them learn how to solve them. This is a change from our job as information providers, since information is so readily available now.

As I go into this new school year my goal is to have kids involved in publishing in a variety of ways using Web 2.0 tools, and learning to evaluate and solve problems. My main goal is to give students some new skills, but more importantly help them use technology to understand the world, and think of their role in it.
 * Implications for your Classroom **