DTL Insider September 4, 2020

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

 

DTL Banner

September 4, 2020     

Digital Teaching and Learning

NC DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION

DTL Icon

Reconnect

 

 

We’re excited to announce that our Fall ReConnect meeting will be held virtually on September 30, from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. We hope you will be able to join us in this gathering where NCDPI DTL and guest speakers will be sharing information, providing Q&A opportunities and participant-driven unconference sessions. If you have questions, please contact Kathy Parker (kathy.parker@dpi.nc.gov) or Cynthia Sartain (cynthia.sartain@dpi.nc.gov). Registration is now open for PSU media and technology leaders. We look forward to reconnecting with you then.


NCBOLD Virtual Conference for NC Educators

NC Bold

Registration is OPEN

The NCDPI's Digital Teaching & Learning Team is coordinating a series of virtual conferences for the 2020-2021 school year, designed to support educators across North Carolina as they develop effective remote/hybrid instruction to meet the learning needs of each & every student. The series is #NCBOLD - Beacons of Learner Diversity.

 

Our first event in the series is on September 15-16, 2020, and registration is OPEN! We will be kicking off this event with 2018 North Carolina Principal of the Year, Tabari Wallace, as our Keynote Speaker. Concurrent sessions will be 80 minutes in length, scheduled throughout both days and evenings.

How to register through NCEES information, session details, and registration links can be found at bit.ly/NCBold. Please follow #NCBOLD and @ncdpiDTL for the latest information.


Digital Learning Plan Panel Volunteers Needed

digital age learning

In this time when online learning has become the norm, crafting a quality digital learning experience is more important than ever. Educators in North Carolina are using all their resources to ensure that students receive the instruction they need to succeed with the Standard Course of Study, whether in person or online. Digital teaching and learning in the state has been a priority for many years, and now it’s vital.

The Friday Institute is working with the NC Department of Public Instruction to review the NC Digital Learning Plan in order to identify which goals have been achieved, which goals still need work, and what needs to be added or changed in the plan.  We would like to hear from you about the state’s progress on the plan and what you think the plan should include in the future. Although we are interested in hearing your thoughts on all areas of the plan, we are especially interested in hearing from you about the Technology and Infrastructure components of the NC DL Plan.

 

If you are willing to participate in a 30 minute virtual panel about the Digital Learning Plan, please use this form to indicate your interest and availability. Once we receive your response, we will be in touch with you with details about the focus group.

 

Direct Link to Participation Form: https://ncsu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5sUeSSBRH1LLvwx


If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact Dr. Shaun Kellogg, Director of Research and Evaluation, at ssbkellog@ncsu.edu.


SketchUp Pro At-Home Licenses

Sketch Pro

Do you have CTE or other programs that utilize SketchUp Pro? If so, we have a few options for them to utilize.

If students are utilizing Chromebooks, they may use the web-based version at SketchUp for Schools. SketchUp for Schools is the core SketchUp modeler now available in a web browser for any Primary or Secondary School signed up with G Suite for Education or Microsoft Education.

Given the current COVID-19 situation and the variety of in-person, remote, and blended learning environments, this fall we are going to an At-Home Learning license for the grant program:

At-Home Licenses: These licenses are approved for student/teacher at-home use and DO NOT require IP address whitelisting. Since these licenses are not secured they are only valid through the end of 2020. We will be evaluating the COVID-19 situation in the US and abroad this fall and plan to issue another temporary license in the event that schools have not returned to in-person classes.

Please contact your regional consultant if you are in need of the At-Home Licenses.


Innovative Learning Catalysts

ILPCD

 

The Innovative Learning Catalysts are hosting weekly 1-hour PD on a variety of topics, changing each week. In September, we’ll discuss strategies for reaching readers through virtual platforms, blended learning in Plan B, and Flipped Classrooms. Sessions are more like a dialogue than a presentation, and are open to any NC educator to attend. Learn more about topics and sign up at bit.ly/ILCPD


Friday Round Up

International Children’s Digital Library


With everything from A – Z being accessible virtually nowadays, it is wonderful to have access to a library also. But this is not just any library. This library is a multicultural library that features books that have been carefully selected, are age-rated and includes books from every country in every language. You can even search for books from your childhood to the present.


The focus of the International Children's Digital Library Foundation (ICDL Foundation) is for children and their families to have access to books not only of their culture but other countries as well. According to a paper published in 2005 by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), “In terms of pedagogy, children learn best in their mother tongue."


The ICDL Foundation aspires to build a collection of books that represents outstanding historical and contemporary books from throughout the world. Their goal is to have every culture and language represented so that every child can know and appreciate children's literature from the world community.
The site offers several ways to search for reading material. You can search by country, recently added books, author, etc. One interesting search option is the White Ravens List. The White Raven label is given to books that deserve worldwide attention because of their universal themes and/or their exceptional artistic, literary style and design. Currently the list features:
· 3557 books
· Representing 84 countries
· In 60 languages

You can choose to register on the site, which is optional. Registering for the site enables you to 1) select the language you prefer 2) return to the last page you were reading 3) save your favorite books in a personal bookshelf 4) access these from any computer, and 4) help improve the ICDL by providing information to aid in expanding the site.

Lastly, ICDL has created a teacher's training manual to explain digital libraries and how they can be useful in the classroom. The ICDL can be accessed by iPhone/iPad Apps and StoryKit which is their family-friendly iPhone app that children can use to create stories on their phone (or iPod Touch) with text, pictures and other story elements.

As with other sites that have been featured, we hope that this can be a valuable tool to assist you this school year both virtually and on-site.

IMPORTANT:  Please check PSU policies and consider HIPPA, FERPA, and COPPA laws with regards to student privacy BEFORE implementing any free resources.