Using technology to stay connected is now a daily necessity for many. Teaching students to communicate online with respect for others, protect their private information, and take responsibility for their digital footprint is more relevant than ever. This week, and all year long, I’m here to support you and your district with resources to practice healthy digital skills.
If you are looking for activities to celebrate Digital Citizenship Week, here are some you might consider:
If you do any of these activities, I would love to hear how your teachers and students participated.
Contact Tiffany Kinney at tkinney@learning.com.
Webinars by Topic for all Learning.com PSUs
• Digital Citizenship Skills for the Empowered Technology User– Offered November 5th and 10th
Click here for more information and registration links: bit.ly/NCLearningDigitalSafety2020
Free virtual, instructor-led training and pre-recorded webinars are available and can be customized to your district or charter school needs. Contact me tkinney@.learning.com if interested!
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November Home Base Meet Up
The November Home Base Meet Up invitation will be coming your way soon. This year, Home Base Meet Ups will include training that may be credited at the discretion of your PSU as .1 CEU!
Please share these learning opportunities with your educators. 😊
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DLI Planning and Implementation Grantees
On October 8, 2020 the State Board of Education approved the following PSUs as DLI Grantees, and the Digital Teaching and Learning Division would like to take a moment to congratulate them: The Catamount School, Caldwell County Schools, Hickory City Schools, Community School of Davidson, Surry County Schools, Wilson County Schools, Alexander County Schools, Mooresville Graded School District, Pioneer Springs Community School, Guilford County, Mount Airy City Schools, Granville County Schools.
Thank you to those of you who applied for a DLI grant. We greatly appreciate the time and effort your PSU committed to preparing and presenting an application for review. We are hopeful that we will have a second round of DLI Grants in 2021. Please check the DLI Website and be on the lookout for a communication that will be forthcoming.
Click here to access the DLI website and read more about the DLI Grants. Please direct all DLI Questions to Lindsey Sipe (Lindsey.Sipe@dpi.nc.gov) and Julie Gurganus (Julie.Gurganus@dpi.nc.gov.
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Science Museum Hosts STEM Career Showcase for Students w Disabilities Virtually, Nov. 17
The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences hosts the 8th annual STEM Career Showcase for Students with Disabilities on Tuesday, November 17, 1:00-3:30 p.m. The Showcase is a free educational event where students in grades 6–12 meet role models with disabilities who have thriving careers in STEM fields. This year’s showcase will be an entirely virtual experience that will feature remarks from keynote speaker Gina-Maria Pomann and the opportunity for students to engage with several panelists. Attendees will learn about how the panelists’ lived experiences and diverse perspectives shaped their unique approaches to navigating and pushing boundaries in their fields.
Keynote Speaker
Dr. Gina-Maria Pomann is a statistical research scientist and the Director of the Duke Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Research Design (BERD) Core. She works with the interdisciplinary network of clinical investigators conducting research at Duke by providing expertise in study design, implementation of statistical methodology, and interpretation of results.
Moderator
Ed Summers is a blind software engineer and an accessibility specialist. He has a BS in computer science and 25 years of professional experience as a software developer and a development manager. Ed’s personal mission is to enable people with disabilities to realize their full potential in the classroom and the 21st century knowledge economy.
Registration
The 8th Annual STEM Career Showcase for Students with Disabilities will start at 1pm EST on Tuesday, November 17. Please visit this link to register for the 2020 STEM Career Showcase. Registrants will receive a link for the breakout rooms closer to the event date.
ASL interpretation and live captioning will be provided for the entire program and for each breakout room. Please contact Jessie Rassau at accessibility@naturalsciences.org to request additional accommodations. Or visit https://naturalsciences.org/stem for more information.
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North Carolina Business Committee for Education (NCBCE) Invites All North Carolina Teachers and Parents to the REAL 2.0 Remote Learning Conference
Free Conference to Be Held on October 28, 2020
Raleigh, NC, October 14, 2020 – All North Carolina teachers and parents are invited to attend a free virtual remote learning conference later this month that will be hosted by the North Carolina Business Committee for Education (NCBCE). The REAL 2.0 (Remote Education & Learning) Conference will be held on October 28, 2020. It will provide educators with remote learning professional development and help parents navigate technology and new ways of learning.
“This is an unprecedented time that we’re in right now for education,” said Caroline Sullivan, Executive Director, NCBCE. “We’re pleased to be able to support our teachers and parents by providing a resource that will assist both of these groups in their new roles.”
Similar to the first REAL Conference held in August, educators from across the state are serving as content advisers for REAL 2.0. Sessions for parents will be available in both English and Spanish, and all sessions will include closed captioning.
Some of the topics that will be covered for educators include navigating asynchronous learning; how to teach students effective study habits, time management and daily routines for virtual learning; tips and timesavers in Canvas; ideas for getting students motivated during virtual learning; Google Classroom and Google Meets tips and tricks; resources for struggling students; addressing the needs of exceptional learners in the regular classroom; video creating and editing tips and much more. Exceptional student needs will be addressed throughout.
The topics that will be covered in the parent sessions include digital literacy; understanding Canvas and Google Classroom; how to support children with autism during remote learning; the college application and FAFSA process; fostering good mental health for themselves and their children and much more.
Anyone wishing to attend REAL 2.0 can register at ncstudentconnect.com up until October 28. Educators can also view the recordings from the first conference at the same link.
Images, possible messaging and hashtags to use for promoting the conference can be found in the social media kit.
REAL 2.0 is the first in a series of three virtual remote learning conferences that will be held this fall through Governor Roy Cooper’s NC Student Connect initiative. The STEM Connect Conference will be held on November 17, 2020, for STEM educators to learn best practices for incorporating STEM into the virtual classroom, and the Cultural Arts LIVE Conference will be held on December 15-16, 2020, for arts and humanities educators and their classes.
The North Carolina Business Committee for Education is a nonprofit that operates out of the Office of the Governor. Its Board of Directors and membership are business leaders from across North Carolina. NCBCE’s work, along with that of the Remote Learning Working Group and Hometown Strong, informed the statewide NC Student Connect program that Governor Cooper launched in September. NC Student Connect will invest $40 million to address internet connectivity gaps that are a barrier to remote learning for many North Carolina students and support professional development for educators and digital inclusion efforts for parents and caregivers.
For more information about NCBCE and its ongoing work to support education in North Carolina, visit www.ncbce.org.
About the North Carolina Business Committee for Education (NCBCE)
The North Carolina Business Committee for Education is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates out of the Office of the Governor. Its Board of Directors and membership are business leaders from across North Carolina. NCBCE is the leadership organization that connects businesses, educators, students and policy makers to support workforce development ensuring NC has a vibrant economy.
NCWiseOwl - Britannica LTI Available
Britannica School Canvas LTI is now available for all North Carolina PSUs! The LTI places Britannica School in the side toolbar for all students and educators to access seamlessly from within Canvas with no additional password required. Canvas administrators can request setup information using this form. For more information about Britannica School, visit the Encyclopedias section of the NCWiseOwl Toolkit. www.ncwiseowl.org
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Save the Date: DLS Course Webinar
PSU leaders, mark your calendars and consider participating in a webinar on a Digital Learning Standards course that will be available in the Canvas Commons for districts to implement with their educators. The FI, in partnership with DPI, developed this course to support districts as educators integrate the Digital Learning Standards for Students in their curriculums. The webinar will introduce participants to the course, provide an overview, detail course navigation, etc. District and charter leaders can join us to learn more about this course on November 3, at 2:00 PM. Join information has been sent out via our listserv. Please contact your regional DTL consultant if you need more information.
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Wide Open School - Reading and Writing
Last week, we introduced you to the site, "Wide Open School". Because this site offers so many exciting and educational activities for kids, we decided to revisit it but focus on a new area: Reading/Writing.
Most educators will agree that the 2020-2021 school year has begun with its share of challenges. Remote learning, the COVID-19 pandemic, and social and political issues at the forefront of our news media are some of the things educators must observe and be prepared to address with their students.
Wide Open School - Reading and Writing encourages young minds to express themselves on paper either with a daily journal, writing a story in their own words, or through poetry. Whichever route they choose to express themselves, it will be both educational and therapeutic.
Toontastic 3D - Preschool - Grade 3
Writing Inspiration - Grades 1-8
Letters of Love - Grades 3-12
Recipe Zine - Grades 3-8
18 Images to inspire a short story - Grade 7-12
Make a Magazine - Grades 6-12
How Big is Your Voice - Grades 6-12
Writing for students can be beneficial in various ways. Not only does it enhance their writing skills, but it serves as an outlet for releasing internalized pent-up feelings and stress. In addition, Creative Communicator is one of NC’s Digital Learning Standards for Students!
Writing is an exploration. You start from nothing and learn as you go.
E. L. Doctorow
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