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Virtual Learning Center News

Greetings!

Our goal with this monthly newsletter is to keep you informed of VLC programming, news, and instructional technology updates. If you want to learn more about any Virtual Learning Center program, email us. Also, to see daily updates of VLC activities, be sure to regularly visit our blog,The Wired Classroom.
Trial By Wire: Criminal & Civil Cases
Mock Trial over Videoconference for High School Students 
 

 

 

Trial by Wire: Criminal allows several sites to try a murder case. This project entails research by the students and their participation in a videoconference.They will simulate a court trial (taken from an actual Missouri court case). A librarian from the St. Louis County Library acts as judge and helps students research. Three classes from different schools are required to participate. One will act as the prosecution, one will be the defense, and one will be the jury. Here is the criminal case program breakdown:    

 

1. Prosecution presents their evidence and argument, then the Defense presents.

2. Both sides present their final arguments; jury is allowed to question the judge before deliberating. Judge instructs the jury as to their task and deliberations; jury deliberates & reaches a verdict.

3. Jury announces their verdict; jury explains their verdict. Judge makes a statement. Students ask additional questions and discuss their learning experiences.  

  

Trial by Wire: Civil allows several sites to try an illegal entry/excessive force case. This project entails research by the students and their participation in a videoconference. They will simulate a court trial (taken from an actual Federal civil court case). A librarian from the St. Louis County Library acts as judge and helps students research. Three classes from different schools are required to participate. One will act as the plaintiff, one will be the defense, and one will be the jury. Here is the civil case program breakdown:
 

1. Plaintiff presents their evidence & argument, then Defense presents.

2. Both sides present their final arguments; jury is allowed to question the judge before deliberating. Judge instructs the jury as to their task and deliberations; jury deliberates & reaches a verdict.

3. Jury announces their verdict; jury explains their verdict. Judge makes a statement. Students ask additional questions and discuss their learning experiences.

Please contact CSD with your requested date & time. This fits best with a block scheduling high school, but it is not required. If you want your class to participate in either mock trial, or have questions about the program, contact Rebecca Morrison. The programs are free of charge. 

Educational Resources

Book Lamp is a service for reading & literature teachers to use to locate books that are interesting and appropriate for their students' age and reading abilities. Book Lamp also offers a book discussion forum which seems to have a fairly active community.

Fridge is a service that makes it easy to set up your own social network. Signing up and creating your private social network on Fridge takes just a couple of minutes. Once you've created an account and network, you can invite people to join your network. In addition, you can create multiple separate groups within your Fridge account. This feature enables teachers to monitor and participate in the online conversations taking place in each section without having to create and manage multiple log-ins.

The Art Project, powered by Google, features interior tours of seventeen world famous art museums. Select a museum from the list on the homepage and you can virtually tour it using the same interface style you experience in Google Maps Streetview. Inside the museum just double click to zoom to a location. You can also open a floor plan overview and click on a room to navigate to that part of the museum.

March 2011
In This Issue
Mock Trial over Videoconference
Resources for the Classroom
Virtual METC

Keynote Speaker Lee Crockett at his book signing during METC 2011   

 

metc logo

Virtual METC is Available Online, Courtesy of:



Midwest Education Technology Conference 2011 Keynote and Featured Speaker presentations (like Lee Crockett, above) are now available for free at METCconference.org.

Log in for some high quality, free PD from the convenience of your school, office or home!

Thanks to Chris Hayes at  IDSolutions for archiving these 2011 presentations for the Virtual Learning Center.




The summer TELE class schedule will be released soon! To keep updated on instructional technology opportunities such as our SMART Board, Google Apps, Moodle and Discovery Education classes, be sure to stop by our
website.
 

 


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