Leadership Seminar — Accelerate Technology Through Leadership
Tuesday, Feb. 3, 8:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Ballroom A
Click here to register
The Leadership Seminar is an all day event that requires advance registration. The fee to attend is $250 and includes the keynote luncheon and your registration for the TCEA Convention and Exposition.
Seminar attendees will study trends and issues related to the effective use of technology to support teaching and learning, explore new technologies, and establish new contacts. Some of the highlighted sessions will include innovative approaches to funding, visionary leadership, emerging technologies, project-based learning, and best practices.
8:00–8:30 a.m. Check-in and Afternoon Session Selections
8:30–8:45 a.m. Welcome and Introductions
8:45–9:45 a.m.
Technology Update
Anita Givens, Associate Commissioner, Standards and Alignment, Texas Education Agency
Take this opportunity to hear the latest from TEA on topics impacting school leadership and technology.
10:00–10:45 a.m. Break Out Session I
Campus Community Involvement: Student Technology Showcase
Jennifer Faulkner, Director of Instructional & Information Technology, Alamo Heights ISD
Show parents and the community how the technology is being used in schools to offer a student-centered Technology Showcase. Let students conduct 15- or 30-minute presentations showing work they created during the school year.
Achieving Excellence in Education with Technology
Robert Bostic, Principal of Rainwater Elementary, Carrollton Farmers-Branch ISD
The TCEA 2008 Administrator of the Year has been a pioneer in encouraging the use of technology to foster connection between home, school, and the community. Come and hear how this outstanding leader facilitates student achievement through technology-rich classrooms.
iPods and Podcasting in Education Part I
Maria Henderson, Apple Education Development Executive, Apple Inc.
In this session you will: understand the potential of podcasting as a personal and school communication tool; how schools are employing emerging learning environments such as blogging and podcasting for teaching and learning and professional development; and how to create an effective channel of communication to the school community.
Getting the Most Bang for Your Buck: Key Considerations for a Successful Technology Rollout and ROI
Sarah Acord, Education Consultant and Former Teacher, SMART Technologies
This session will highlight the key factors that make a large-scale technology implementation in education a success. Learn more about how to create technology-enabled environments that engage students and positively affect learning outcomes. Discover how to maximize your school or district’s technology investment with digital content and resources, professional development and engaged communities of teachers to share insights and best practices.
11:00–11:45 a.m. Break Out Session II
Step UP to the Future: Technology Tradition ... New Edition
Dr. Lynda Carter, Principal, University Park Elementary, Highland Park ISD
We've partnered with UP to create bright futures for learners by investing in instructional change. Learn how one campus principal and a technology team's vision transformed teaching and learning by abandoning technology traditions to create a new edition of classrooms for the future.
Funding for Technology Initiatives
Cathy Morton, Program Director, Rolling Plains Technology Consortium, Spur ISD
Districts seeking funding for technology initiatives — whether hardware or software — must approach grant writing as a process of continual planning, implementation, and evaluation. This session will explain the process as identifying needs, setting goals and objectives, writing a supporting narrative, developing an appropriate budget, and evaluating the program.
iPods and Podcasting in Education Part II
Maria Henderson, Apple Education Development Executive, Apple Computers
Now that you know the basics of using iPods and podcasting in the classroom, let’s move on. This session will focus on how students and teachers can easily create the content that is podcasted. From slideshows to movies, PDF documents to iQuizes. Podcasting allows access to focused content 24/7.
Good to Great – Using SMART Board interactive whiteboards to maximize instruction
Bill Landis, Executive Director of Instructional Technology and CTE, Lubbock ISD
Sherry Mitchell, District Instructional Technologist, Lubbock ISD
This interactive session will provide a practical guide for implementing SMART Board interactive whiteboards into the classroom. Topics covered will include ensuring teacher buy-in, professional development that makes real changes, using SMART Board interactive whiteboards to change instructional delivery, and using professional learning communities to keep the momentum of change.
12:00–1:15 p.m. Keynote Luncheon
Hitting a Moving Target: Best Practice Teaching and Learning
David Jakes, Instructional Technology Coordinator, Community High School District 99, Downers Grove, IL
Ask one hundred educators to define what constitutes instructional best practice and there may be one hundred different answers. While the concept of best practice may first appear to be a “moving target,” there are identifiable components of practice that contribute to what works best in classrooms. This session examines those components, and helps participants develop a conceptual framework for understanding how to impact student achievement positively and performance on a systemic basis. Additionally, the role that technology plays in best practice education will be explored, with examples of high-quality use demonstrated. Leave the session with a clear understanding of what works, and how your school district can accelerate its use of technology to support best practice teaching and learning.
Break Out Session III
(1:30–4:30 p.m. ) Manor New Tech High School Visit (Limited Room, offsite)
Manor is one of 35 sites selected to partake in the Texas Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (T-STEM) initiative. The $71 million project is designed to improve instruction and academic performance at high schools across the state. T-STEM was developed by the Texas High School Project, a public-private partnership working to ensure that all Texas students leave high school prepared for college and career.
Project Based Learning is the focus of rigorous instruction in math, science, and technology. Lessons will be infused with real-world activities and teachers will serve as coaches as the students practice higher order thinking skills, decision making and deductive reasoning while actively engaged in projects and presentations.
(1:30–4:30 p.m.) Experience Geocaching — Race to the Cache
Cindy Gault, Instructional Technology Coordinator, Hardin-Jefferson ISD
Global Positioning Systems (GPS) are one of the newest technologies proving to be very valuable as a classroom tool. GPS can be integrated into the classroom to teach many different concepts such as latitude and longitude, mapping, distance, and problem solving, as well as collaboration. Join this session for a hands-on look at how to use GPS units for geocaching.
(1:30–2:15 p.m.) Teaching and Learning Best Practices Round Table
David Jakes, Instructional Technology Coordinator, Community High School District 99, Downers Grove, Illinois
This follow-up to the keynote address will provide an opportunity to talk with David Jakes to get answers to your specific questions about how your school district can accelerate its use of technology to support best practice teaching and learning.
(1:30–2:15 p.m.) Differentiated instruction with technology to impact student achievement
Pam Flores, Principal, DeLay Middle School, Lewisville ISD
DeLay Middle School works daily to engage and inspire their students by seamlessly integrating technology into the classroom environment. Teachers diligently track each and every student's progress and use classroom learning centers to individualize learning for the diverse needs of their students, many of whom are not native English speakers. Come hear how DeLay has dramatically increased student test scores through the use of technology.
(2:15–3:00 p.m.) Surviving and Excelling at 1:1
Lori Gracey, Director of Instruction and Technology, Bastrop ISD
Hear from a district that’s implemented a 1:1 handheld and laptop program. Learn from the mistakes and our successes. Bring a laptop and leave with a ton of resources so that you don't have to reinvent the wheel!
