Let
Your Voice Be Heard: TCEA Elections
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During
the month of November, Americans exercise their right to vote in local, state, and
national elections. November is also the month for you to cast your
ballot as a TCEA member as we elect members to the board of
directors. In addition, this year you are also being asked to vote
on changes to the Association Bylaws.
The election
for board officers runs from Nov. 1 through Nov. 12 and is
conducted online. All members in good standing will
receive an email with a link to their individual voting site. Up
for election are the area directors for the odd-numbered areas,
president elect, vice president elect, and vice president-records
and finance.
The
election for the proposed Bylaws changes is done
via a paper ballot, which will be mailed to each member's primary
address. Members must return the postage-paid ballot
by Nov. 30. Changes to the Bylaws include the
following:
- Article III Membership (Sections 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7) -
Reducing the type of memberships available to just two, Regular and
Student. Please note that Distinguished Membership will still be
awarded by the Board of Directors to Past Presidents.
- Article IV Dues (Section 3) - Reducing the time
before removing membership due to non-payment of dues from 90 days
to 30 days after expiration.
- Article XI Standing, Special Committees, and
Appointments (Sections 1 and 2) - Adding a Strategic Planning
Committee to the list of Standing Committees of the Board of
Directors.
- Article XV Amendments - Allowing for electronic
voting on Bylaws changes.
- Article VI Organization Structure (Section 3),
Article VIII Area Council (Section 1), Article IX Local Chapters
(Section 1), and Article XII Board of Directors (Section 6) -
slight corrections in editing.
Please
vote and help set the future direction of the organization. The
results of both elections will be posted to the TCEA website and
included in a future issue of
TechNotes.
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Creating
Effective and Engaging Student Learning Experiences |
As teachers create lessons, there is
an easy flowchart process that will help to ensure that the lesson
is both effective in teaching the content required and engaging so
that students are interested and active in the learning process.
The result is increased achievement, fewer discipline problems, and
greater depth and retention of curriculum. The process consists of
questions that a teacher thinks through as he/she creates the
lesson plan.
- What
is the specific content (skills and knowledge) that must be
learned?
- What
are three activities on this content that have worked well in the
past?
- Would
a problem-based learning approach best help students master this
content?
- Is
a hands-on component needed?
- How
will you accommodate for different learning styles in the
lesson?
- Can
technology (1:1 device, laptop cart, CPS,computer lab, probeware,
interactive whiteboard, etc.) help the students to better master
the content?
- How
can the students best be grouped (individual, pairs, small group,
whole group) to master the content?
- If
the students work in small groups, would cooperative learning
strategies help them?
- What
type, if any, of visual/graphic organizer will help the students
better comprehend the content?
- Is
there a particular thinking tool (KWL Chart, problem-solving
process, research process, Venn Diagram, etc.) that will help the
students retain the content?
- How
will you provide for student self-reflection after the learning
experience?
Once
the teacher has answers to these questions, then he/she is ready to
write a brief description of the proposed learning process. As a
final check, answer the questions below. If the answer to any of
these questions is "no," then the teacher must start at the
beginning of the process again to ensure that the learning
experience is effective and engaging.
- Does
the learning experience that has been created concur with the
latest brain research about how Millennials learn?
- Will
the experience actively engage the students?
- Will
the learning experience teach the content required?
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In
the Spotlight: CAMP-SIG
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CAMP-SIG is the special interest group for campus technology
specialists. It is the oldest of the SIGs and has the potential for
the widest range of membership. CAMP-SIG provides assistance and
networking opportunities for campus instructional technologists,
campus technology coordinators, district or campus technology
trainers, and technology specialists. We have a listserv that
provides for the sharing of information and ideas between members.
A new CAMP-SIG website, Moodle, and blog are currently being
developed and should be online by the end of the year.
Our annual meeting is in February during the TCEA convention in
Austin. This year, a breakfast meeting will be held on Tuesday,
February 8 from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Attendees can register for
a drawing where we will be giving away two iPads, along with some
other great door prizes! The breakfast is free for members to
attend, but pre-registration is required. Register now as seating is
limited to the first 60 registrants.
I would like to invite you to join CAMP-SIG and help to encourage
an active interest in technology PreK-12 throughout the state of
Texas. Membership in CAMP-SIG is open to
everyone with the above interests and is only $10.00 a year. See
you at TCEA 2011.
Glenn English, President of
CAMP-SIG and Instructional Technology Specialist, Tyler
ISD
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Convention
2011 Update
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SIG Meetings at
Convention
TCEA has six special interest groups
(SIGs) for members who want to become even more involved in
educational technology and network throughout the year with other
educators in similar positions. Why should you join a SIG?
- Build your learning network with like-minded
professionals.
- Become known as a leader in educational technology by becoming
actively involved to advocate for your passions in educational
technology.
- Grow your knowledge and become an indispensable resource for
your campus, district, and students.
Each Special Interest Group is hosting an
event at the TCEA annual convention. You are encouraged to attend
to learn more about each group, their activities, and how you can
become involved. To view times and details, visit this link.
Meet Your TCEA Representative;
Win an iPad!
TCEA is divided into 20 areas across
Texas so that the needs of our members can be more easily met.
These 20 areas are defined by the regional education service
centers. We encourage our members to stay in touch with the area
directors so that everyone will be an active member. In addition to
the annual state conference, there are numerous area conferences
and activities in which educators and students can participate. The
conferences and contests will link you with other professionals in
your geographic area as well as across the state.
During the convention, we invite you to
meet your area representative, enjoy some snacks, and mingle with
others. Explore the benefits of being a member and learn more about
what's happening in your area. Out of state attendees are welcome
to attend as well. Plus, each area is giving away an iPad at the
end of the event! So join us Thurs., Feb. 10 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00
p.m. We hope to see you there!
Find your TCEA representative and
see what's going on in your area.
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Great Websites
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Chartle - easily create and share
charts.
Readability - a simple tool that makes reading on the
web more enjoyable by removing the clutter and ads around what
you're reading.
Stop Forwarding
- allows you to politely and
anonymously ask your friends and family to stop forwarding silly
jokes, contests, and other spam to you.
Timetoast
Timelines - easily create and
share timelines over the web.
Vark - type in your question and it is relayed
to the collective group for answers.
Aviary - Edit images, create mind-blowing
effects, design logos, find colors, collaborate, and
more.
Do Ink - create animations and download them to
us anywhere.
Compare My Docs
- Compare two documents to see the
differences quickly and easily.
Edistorm - a web tool that
bridges the gap between taking notes and making mind maps.
Draw Function
Graphs - if you need a great math graph drawn, this website
will do it for you.
Museum Box - tools for teachers
and students to build up a description of a person, place, or
historical event by placing items in a virtual box.
Penzu - create an online diary and share it
with others or keep it private.
Wordia - create your own videos
of different vocabulary words or view the videos of others.
Down for Everyone or Just Me? -
a great site for IT folks. If you think the Internet is down, just
type in the URL you're trying to get to and find out if the problem
is on your side or for everyone.
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