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The
Western Regional Computer Advisory Committee presents... |
'December
7, 2006' |
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Keynotes |
Morning Breakouts |
Afternoon Breakouts |
Survey |
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We look forward to seeing you next year:> |
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The R.C.A.C. Symposium Committee would like to recognize our generous door prize supporters |
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Ready to move your website up to the next level. Emphasis will be placed on adding subscription feeds (RSS), using style sheets for dynamic site changes, and running “Contribute” templates for content submissions.
The Internet has transformed the way we communicate. No one group of society has embraced this opportunity more than our youth. Youth have a tendency to be innocent, curious and especially talkative when behind a keyboard. Learn how the Internet is creating new communities and changing attitudes of youth.
Anytime, anywhere access to technology, also referred to as to 1:1 computing, is changing and expanding the value proposition of effective use of technology in education. Researchers and education consultants agree that this is a significant milestone on the road to successful and effective use of technology to impact student outcomes. Realizing that it is a major step, districts should also be aware of the scope and parameters of such a major undertaking. This session is a summary of a two day project definition workshop that IBM runs for school districts who are considering wireless 1:1 projects. An overview of the technologies available to districts and an overview of the critical success factors will be presented and discussed. If your school or district is considering a wireless 1:1 initiative, or have started on that path but are interested in hearing other districts’ experiences, don’t miss this informative session.
Implementing new curriculum can be a challenging experience. This session will provide some strategies for assisting teachers in addressing many of the expectations in the new Language Media strand through a variety of motivating and meaningful activities. As part of the session, IT Teacher, Karen Falls will share her experiences in Digital Storytelling, in which her students used storyboarding, scanners, digital cameras and free software to create their own multimedia ‘stories’.
An overview of the rate of change in technology and the rate of change in educational IT. This session will offer some insight on where we are and were we should be going regarding the use of educational technology. It will include priorities that should be emphasized for both staff and students in the educational environment.
Learn how GPS devices work with GIS software to help students and teachers make data-based decisions about every day life. Award-winning teacher, Dino Crapsi will demonstrate how students in Grades 7-12 can quickly gather geographic data in real time, then plot it three-dimensionally, and then interpret it for impact use. Dino will show examples of student work (many of his students show impressive results at province-wide GIS competitions) and will share easy to follow lessons on how to use geographic information in cross curricular settings.
This presentation will answer the questions: 
Imagine a school where the building itself is the learning tool…a school where current technologies are available to support learning. Whether designing new buildings, additions or renovating existing spaces, opportunities to apply new understandings about learning environments abound with school improvement projects. Learn more on how to embark upon an exciting strategy with new building projects around themes such as Diversity, Exploration and Discovery. Participants will be taken on a visual journey through a number of these schools, offer information and advice about the pitfalls and challenges faced along the way in creating these new learning environments, and suggest ways in which all educators can learn from our experiences.
Why are consumers so fed up with their computers? “Software Rage” has become an epidemic, help lines are flooded and people are flinging their machines out the window in frustration. More often than not it is the software design-the interface. The design of programs and Web sites grows in importance every day. Getting it right, packing a lot of features, the right way, into a small screen area is extremely difficult, and the masters of the art are few and far between. I have found some fascinating real-world examples that help to illustrate both clever solutions and horrifying failures.
The focus of this workshop is on the development of early reading, writing and math skills using assistive technology and specialized software. The presentation will include an overview of various Ministry-Licensed programs ( Smart Ideas, Kid Pix, Write OutLoud, Co-Writer, Clicker) and how they support students with complex needs. Some commercially available software and hardware will be explored as well.
Many schools now have access to digital cameras and scanners. Students also may have access to personal or family owned digital cameras. They can be used to capture images at a variety of school events or field trips. These images may be used as starters for writing activities. They may also be included in the writing to further illustrate the student’s ideas.
If you think that Google is a search engine, then you're on the right track. But, Google services offer so much more for the connected educator and student.With some major development, Google provides so much more than the search engine that you may use regularly. Learn how to enhance your online experience with all that Google has to offer.
According to Wikipedia, open-source software is computer software whose source code is available under a copyright license that permits users to study, change, and improve the software, and to redistribute it in modified or unmodified form. Much of this software is available at no cost for educational use, and more and more educational applications are being developed. Most popular software applications now have one or more open-source counterparts. This session will highlight some of the available open-source applications that should be of interest to educators, and also explore some of the issues surrounding the use of open-source software in schools and school districts.
Data is definitely a factor that has motivated education reform in Ontario. From EQAO to MISA, using data to promote student achievement is a reality. At the classroom, school, and district level, data surrounds us. The next step becomes turning the data into information. This session will provide examples of how teachers, principals, and superintendents have been supported in building capacity to uncover trends, identify patterns, and strategically determine next steps of action.
Elise Daragon, Kelly Rilley, Susanne Garneau, Kathy Gallager, Michelle Bodde Windsor Essex Catholic District School Board A Wireless Writing Project Bridging the Digital Divide This workshop will describe the curriculum first venture involving over 500 junior students who were provided with iBooks or MacBooks in a one to one environment. This curriculum first endeavor aligned with the Education Foundations Initiative from the Ontario Ministry of Education intended to increase instructional capacity in Junior teachers and enhance student achievement in writing. The goals for the initiative develop a focused, process-based instructional approach to writing with the full integration of technology and to engage junior students in meaningful writing experiences that will increase motivation and foster positive attitudes toward writing. The wireless writing initiative addresses specific learning need/challenges and to close the achievement gap for our schools that have specific challenges (gender differences, social economic circumstances, ESL, and Special Needs).
This break out session deals with the Smart Board interactive Whiteboard. The Smart Board is a touch-sensitive display which connects to your computer and digital projector. It will show your computer image. You can then control computer applications directly from the display and write notes in digital ink. This session will demonstrate Basic Functionality, Ink Awareness, Notebook Software and Smart Board Tools.
Learn how the Waterloo Catholic District School Board introduces technology in the Mathematics classroom at the Intermediate level.
