Local Web 2.0 Teacher Academies (not Google-sponsored)

I've had this idea, after watching the response to the Google Teacher Academies, of holding regional/local 1-day Web 2.0 workshops for educators. (I have already talked to the folks running the Google stuff just to make sure they didn't feel I would be competing with them.)

Here's what I was thinking:

1. Organize in certain cities, and have local educators sign up to actually facilitate topics
2. No requirements to come (geared toward newbies)
3. Short on lecture, long on hands-on

Any appeal? Any ideas?

Tags: pd

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Permalink Reply by Meg Ormiston on June 30, 2007 at 9:22am

You can do it!
I just finished tech camp! Next year one suggestion ws to stay at a camp, they didn't want to go home each night! Then when they did go home the were so ecited they worked more! They wanted to take a week away from RL (real life) and really dig in!
If you need inspiration, check out the videos they created! http://techcamp.ning.com/ Week one camp helped week 2, awesome!
Let me know if I can help, this was a three hour course, syllabus is written and approved!

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Permalink Reply by Teralyn Cohn on July 4, 2007 at 9:45pm

Deanna -

You might also check into the Nebraska Writing Project at UNL. They utilize technology in the writing process and are experimenting with podcasting and PhotoStories/Moviemaker projects. This summer's facilitator is Cathie English.

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Permalink Reply by Mike Lawrence on May 7, 2007 at 11:12pm

Steve,

CUE runs several web 2.0-based workshops under the CUEtoYOU Professional Development program, and I'd love to collaborate with you to support/present these in California and beyond.

I think one of the keys to encouraging the draw for non-users would be to include equipment with the workshop - Dig. Cam. with the flickr workshop, iPod or mic with the podcasting workshop, etc. We've had great success with this approach at the CUE Conference, Monterey Technology Conference, and our CUEtoYOU events.

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Permalink Reply by Meg Ormiston on June 30, 2007 at 9:18am

I agree, the equipment is a big draw! I love the flickr and digital camera idea, we used you tube extensively during my tech camp the last two weeks!

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Permalink Reply by Meg Ormiston on June 30, 2007 at 9:16am

I have to jump and and scream let's do it!!
I am finally home from two weeks on the road doing week long tech camps for teachers, and I am so energized! Each group had a wide range of skills and splinter skills, and we had pre-school through high school. I was in a rural part of Illinois for one week and week two in a larger city. We have already set dates for next summer and almost every camper is returning! After one week with the powerful tools we know next year will be a whole new ballgame, all new things to work with and a new class will be written.
This is my fifth year offering this course, but everything shifted for me when I committed to using Ning as my teaching and learning platform. This decision was transformational for me as well as all the campers. My frustration in the past was that we had a wonderful week together, and then it was over, we tried e-mail groups, but the fizzled. This time week one campers joined week two campers in rich and creative conversation along with our international friends that have also joined our camp group. You really must see what we created together! Please view the videos; they are nothing short of magnificent! http://techcamp.ning.com/
Let's figure out a way to get started, I still have two weeks available in August, I'll join the road show!
A special thank you to all of you in Classroom 2.0 that pushed me to step out of the same old, same old!!

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Permalink Reply by Steve Hargadon on June 30, 2007 at 11:12am

Meg:

Wow. Who sponsors the tech camps? I'd love to learn more.

Steve

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Permalink Reply by Laura Gibbs on June 30, 2007 at 11:25am

Skip's comment about follow-up and support got me to thinking about how I could possibly contribute to this great project - I'm in a rural area, and not affiliated with any of the local organizations here since I teach for a school in a different state.

BUT I would be glad to volunteer as a "follow-up coach" or something like that for a conference participant who wants to turn to a live human being for help with PBWiki, Bloglines, Blogger.com, Desire2Learn, Feed2JS, Quia.com, or any of the other tools that I am using regularly and could provide support for.

So....... in addition to presenters, if you want to have "follow-up coaches" (or something like that), I've be glad to take on several conference participants to connect with online afterwards to help and encourage them as they integrate the tools they are learning about at the conference into their teaching, etc. Maybe we could create some kind of matchmaking board where people could volunteer as coaches for specific tools or types of projects, and conference participants could "grab" somebody to help them along...

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Permalink Reply by Adina Sullivan on July 16, 2007 at 7:11pm

I'm a little late on this conversation, but I LOVE the idea. I am the only one at my site (and one of the very few) in my district (San Marcos, CA) who attends ed tech conferences. For my colleagues, there are a couple of key issues. #1= They are afraid it will be over their heads and only "techies" will benefit. There are many teachers around me who would love to add more tech into to student learning, but don't know where to begin. It might be helpful to separate into specific groups. 1 group could be for absolute beginners who want to know where an effective place to start would be (blog? wiki?).--something that connects easily to what they already understand. Other goups could move into podcasting, digital storytelling, etc, etc. etc. The other issue #2= Cost! It has to be local and inexpensive.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Hargadon on July 16, 2007 at 8:59pm

Hard to keep local and inexpensive if only a few folks would attend. I'm hoping that this network is showing an increased interest and belief in the value of collaborative technologies, which then might generate enough interest to do exactly what you suggest. Do you have a county office of ed offering classes?

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Permalink Reply by Adina Sullivan on July 17, 2007 at 3:09pm

I understand your point completely. There have to be enough attendees to make it viable. I'll be promoting this network when I get back to school. Unfortuately, the COE classes here are few and far between. I'll keep going to the classes and conferences I can. Any option of setting it (or part of it) up as an web conference?

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Permalink Reply by Steve Hargadon on July 17, 2007 at 9:21pm

We've talked about web conferences, although the feedback I get is that they need to be of a shorter duration. I think the Sacramento County Office of Ed holds web trainings with some success.