Elluminate’s Plan revealed at NECC 2008 adds to their Live eLearning Solutions & Collaboration.

Jeet Dhindsa, communication specialist from Hitachi America Orchestrates an interactive FX DUO at NECC 2008 in San Antonio.

2008 HP Teaching with Technology Awards

Three of the 15 HP Awards recipients presented their projects at the HP Breakfast at NECC 2008.
Images now… more later!

Left to Right: Wendy Smith, Klem Road South Elementary School, NY; Mary Eldredge-Sanbo, Des Lacs Burlington High School, ND; Molly Hooks, New Glarus Elementary School, Wis.

Kindergarten teacher Molly Hooks explained that her students had 5th grade tech-buddies, who helped her students in the computer lab with their technology project about the life cycle of the frog. So along with finger painting, DVD projects went home with her students. Wendy Smith’s students tracked stream quality by studying stream organisms, and water quality throughout a school year, and then they formally presented to the their school. local government, and school board. Mary Eldredge-Sanbo’s high school biology students were able to have access to technology tools throughout the school day — everyday. Through the program, Eldredge-Sanbo was able to communicate with other educators throughout the country. She found that being able to discuss best practices with other educators made her teaching better. She also found that students wanted to finish projects instead of avoiding them.

Kurt Madden, Fresno Unified School District, has more than 7,000 HP Mini-Note computers in the hand of his students and staff, and when complete, his 1:1 project will have 10,000 of them in use. Madden said that it answered the question of space on desktops. The Mini-Note fits nicely on a normal-sized student desktop, along side traditional school work and books. He said that the long-life batteries make that usable all day, and make student digital portfolios a reality. With Microsoft as a partner, SharePoint allows blogs and Wikkis for teacher and students alike. In this program, the Mini-Notes stay in school and don’t travel home.

The HP Mini-Note is price under $500 and is a full-fledged computer.

Day 1 of NECC

My friend Tim, instructional technology specialist from Newtown’s Reed Intermediate School in Connecticut.

Here’s a computing size and shape that has a few look-a-likes at NECC.

Whether you call it the Classmate PC, or the 2Go PC, Intel’s design may become the shape of classroom computing. These small and light computers (the Classmate PC — $499 — pictured above and sporting an MPC logo weighs only 2.8 pounds) have bigger screens than handhelds, and their keyboards are perfect for smaller hands. The Classmate has 1GB of memory, can have up to a 60GB hard drive, has an SD card reader, 4 or 6 cell battery option, and runs Windows and Linux.

Warning: If the pricing gets beyond the $500 range, a regular-sized notebook will seem a better option. Call me crazy, but wouldn’t it make sense to sell them under $400 — and sell a lot of them?

Bowling at InFocus… and who drove the bus into the place!

The Day Before NECC 2008

]]> http://theroyaltreatment.wordpress.com/2008/06/29/necc-the-day-before/feed/ kroyalusa http://theroyaltreatment.wordpress.com/2008/06/29/two-new-games-from-educational-insights/ http://theroyaltreatment.wordpress.com/2008/06/29/two-new-games-from-educational-insights/#comments Sun, 29 Jun 2008 19:23:22 +0000 kroyalusa http://theroyaltreatment.wordpress.com/?p=428

Educational Insights introduces two new learning games, Freeze Up! and Digitz.

A quick overview of the two games:

Freeze Up! is a category name game that challenges students to name something that begins with a specific letter in one of 170+ “think-quick” categories. With Digitz, students race against time to complete five fun multiplication-skills games.

More detail about the two new games:

Digitz, for ages 8 and higher is priced at $49.99, offers five games that reinforce important multiplication skills, such as multiples (skip counting), memorization of facts, identifying factors, finding factor pairs, and sequencing. Problems appear on an LCD screen, and players enter their answers by pressing colorful paddles that feature bright LED numerals. Students race the clock to become a “Multiplication Master”.
With each answer, Digitz offers motivating lights and cool sound effects that make multiplication exciting. Digitz is self-correcting, includes a headphone jack for quiet classroom play. Digitz can be battery operated, or by AC adapter.

Freeze Up!, for ages 8 and higher is priced at $29.99. Students are given one of 170+ “think-quick categories”, and asked to name something in that category that begins with a specific letter. Students must answer before their time is up, or they’re frozen out of play. If stumped, students can press the “New Letter” button to receive a different letter choice, or the “New Category” button for a different category choice. Freeze Up! has an auto play mode and a manual mode. It includes a built-in timer and scorekeeper, as well as speech, and sound effects. Operation requires three AA batteries.

www.educationalinsights.com

New at Teachscape for NECC is a fully customizable professional development resource solution called Teachscape XL.

Teachscape XL takes online professional development in the form of text, videos, interactive elements, and even an educator’s individual items and puts them into a massive, searchable training library. Instructional coaches, teachers and instructional leaders can reassemble those items, or create new resources of their own.

Teachscape originally partnered with researchers at Stanford University, Ohio State University, Lesley University, and the University of Chicago in a U.S. Department of Education Teacher Quality Grant, in 2005, to explore literacy coaching and the improvement of literacy instruction. One of the results of this partnership was the creation of an online “case-study” content database and search engine called PDS2, which was designed to improve professional learning by giving teachers the chance to see a broad range of teaching practices targeted to their specific areas of interest. PDS2 is the backbone of Teachscape XL.

Users can select professional learning resources that will shape and improve instruction tailored to fit their teachers’ needs. The coach can use the Teachscape XL content creation and editing tools to add content to existing resources or make new resources, as well as reorganize content and mix resources from a variety of sources.

The instructional leaders can also add local student work, a district pacing guide or other digital content, and select from more than 1,000 learning resources. With these tools a district can create its own cases of professional practice.

Content provided by Teachscape gives users access to a wide range of strategies and resources from Teachscape’s many content partners and brings the best experts in literacy, math, ELL instruction, science and early childhood education directly to the desktop.

The instructional coach/leader can then share the content by pushing the selected or created content to teachers to support professional learning. With examples of classroom practice, teachers are able to use study guides to identify recommended paths for study. Teachscape XL’s coaching tools allow an instructional leader to observe the resources being used, post a message board, offer virtual coaching, and support conversation among professional learning communities. A journal function provides teachers with a private space to keep notes, ideas and thoughts.

Availability and Training
Teachscape XL will be available in September 2008, with pre-release versions available now. It is and is priced at $1,500 for a single-content family per school site annually, and $2,500 for 2-4-content families per school site annually. Basic and applied training is available online.
For a complete content catalog visit www.teachscape.com/xl.

www.teachscape.com

New from Califone

Califone has released two new products, the Sound Alert Monaural Headphone and Monaural Jackbox, designed to help educators and students combat unsafe listening practices.
According to Califone, many studies have found that irreparable hearing loss can result from high levels of noise over extended periods of time, and shares that the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders says that more than 30 million Americans are exposed to hazardous sound levels on a regular basis. The new products will provide educators with tools for managing students’ listening habits. The Sound Alert Headphone displays a bright red warning light when the volume is louder than the 85-decibel level the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) recommends.
For more information, visit www.califone.com.

Discovery Education and Wilkes University have teamed to offer a new master’s degree program.

Discovery Education and Wilkes University are launching an online master’s degree program in instructional media. The 30-credit course will be aimed at training educators to implement digital media tools to improve student achievement said. Courses will focus on topics such as digital storytelling, using digital media in the classroom, using technology to support creativity, and applying brain-based theories of how students process information to technology integration. Prospective students are encouraged to visit www.wilkes.edu/instructionalmedia, or for more information visit www.discoveryeducation.com.

Lexia Learning

Lexia Learning’s Lexia Reading comprehensive instructional software and management system is designed for grades preK-12. Lexia promotes phonemic awareness, phonics and reading fluency. A full review of Lexia Reading is posted at http://www.fcrr.org/FCRRReports/index.aspx.

WOW! That’s what I thought when I first heard it, and that’s what I say now. WOW!

Netop and GenevaLogic merged earlier this month (June 2008). Well, it’s not quite like the Yankees and the Red Sox combining teams to play as one, but it’s pretty close. These two companies working as one, will be more of a driving force in the education (K12 and university) desktop, classroom, and security management markets WORLDWIDE than they were as individual, competing companies. They were big, and this just makes them bigger.

I’ll be looking for them at NECC 2008. I wonder if the signage will change? Something similar to Brangelina maybe? How about NetGenLogic? NetOpGenLogic? NetOpGen? OK, Netop/GenevaLogic! — or would it be GenevaLogic/Netop? Any way you look at it, the name will be tough to fit on a soccer jersey!

Here’s more about the two companies… from the companies themselves. It’s a great way to see what they each bring to the table:

About GenevaLogic
GenevaLogic enables educators to manage, control and optimize the use of technology to support teaching and learning. Founded in 1996, with headquarters in Langenthal, Switzerland, and Portland, U.S., the privately held company is an international leader in active teaching systems whose Vision classroom management software is used in more than 50,000 classrooms worldwide. The company’s education software solutions - Vision, App-Control, Surf-Lock, Pointer^TM, Plan-It^TM, Protect-On^TM, Print-Limit^TM, and Print-Limit Pro^TM - allow schools, universities and training centers to get more learning value from their technology investments. For further information, please see www.genevalogic.com.

About Netop
Netop, formerly known as Danware A/S, is developing and marketing software solutions that enable swift, secure, and seamless transfer of screens, sound, and data between two or more computers. The company has three business areas, Netop Desktop Management, Netop Education and Netop Live. The core Desktop Management product, NetOp Remote Control, enables remote control of one or more computers. The Netop Education business consists of Netop and Vision software solutions for computer-based classroom teaching. Netop Live consists of modern solutions for unified communication and collaboration and includes products like Web, video and audio conferencing, secure chat, one button click to talk, desktop and file sharing. Netop has subsidiaries in the U.S., the UK, China and Germany and the Netop solutions are sold in more than 80 countries. Netop/Danware’s shares are listed on the Copenhagen Stock Exchange and are part of the SmallCap+ index. For further information, please see www.netop.com.

Fund For Learning E-rate Audit Help

Funds For Learning will be introducing a new E-rate Manager resource at NECC 2008. E-rate Manager is an online suite of tools is designed to assist schools and libraries with E-rate funding. Because random, yearly E-rate audits occur, Funds For Learning has added a new resource to facilitate audit preparation, by guiding applicants through each step of the process.

Key Curriculum Press Launches Sketchpad LessonLink at NECC 2008.

Key Curriculum Press will be launching a technology offering called Sketchpad LessonLink at NECC. It’s an online library of more than 500 activities for use with The Geometer’s Sketchpad, which is a commonly used school software application. The Geometer’s Sketchpad provides students in grades 3-12 a tangible, visual-way, to explore and understand abstract math concepts. Key Curriculum Press’ Sketchpad LessonLink will help teachers integrate The Geometer’s Sketchpad into their math curriculum by offering activities aligned to leading math textbooks and state standards.

FileMaker database solutions for education administrators

At NECC 2008 FileMaker will showcase the new Bento personal database software for Mac OS X Leopard, and will also demonstrate FileMaker Pro database solutions for school and district administrators.

Bento is a personal database software for Mac OS X Leopard. With Bento, Mac information, iCal, and your address book are organized in one place using an “iTunes-like” interface. A Bento trial software is available at http://www.bentotrial.com.

FileMaker database software helps schools collect, manage and report on student and administrative data. More than 10,000 K12 schools use FileMaker in their data-driven decision-making, helping them to comply with federal and state reporting requirements and track student performance.

FileMaker also offers a K12 Education Starter Kit, featuring five education starter solutions, and other helpful K12 resources. The Starter Kit with a trial version of FileMaker Pro 9 can be downloaded at www.filemakertrial.com/k-12.

QOMO HiteVision’s new QPC30 high-resolution portable Digital Document Camera

The new ultra portable QOMO QPC30 utilizes a 1⁄2″ CMOS with 1.3 megapixel resolution and advanced auto iris with white balancing circuitry. This CMOS imager, combined with the high resolution, multi-element lens features a 3X optical zoom and 8X digital zoom for high-resolution images with great accuracy and color accuarcy.

The camera head and arm assembly are fully articulated and movable making it easy to use with any subject matter.

Features include 1/2″ CMOS sensor for delivering ultimate clarity in text and object viewing, 1.3 mega-pixel high-resolution output, including XGA and SXGA, 3x optical and 8x digital zoom with auto focus/iris/white balance, and the rotating and pivoting head offers maximum viewing flexibility. Furthermore, the QPC30 has image freeze and split, positive/negative conversion, built-in LED light, internal memory for storing images, and a 2-year warranty.

Additionally, with the QOMO QPC30 connected via USB to a computer, you can capture and save images for playback at a later time. QOMO’s Interactive Classroom Solution is also environmentally friendly, using low power consumption and long lasting (25,000 hours) LED lighting in all of our document cameras.

The Fourier NovaCentro will be a hit at NECC and with educators and students. The price is right!

The Fourier NovaCentro, weighing only 2.4 lbs and running either the Linux or Windows CE operating system, is being offered as a low total cost-of-ownership device for under $500.

The NovaCentro is the new 1:1 classroom computing solution by Fourier Systems for under $500. It’s based on the same durability and flexibility offered by the Nova5000. The 2.4-pound NovaCentro, runs either Linux or Windows CE and features a lightweight clamshell design, fast processor, memory, and bundled software. It has a 624 MHz processor, 128 MB of RAM internal memory, 256 NAND Flash memory, and 8-hour battery life.

Additionally, the NovaCentro has a 2-D graphic accelerator for improved display performance, suitable for streaming video and use with other multimedia tools. It also includes a built-in microphone and stereo speaker for podcasting or videoconferencing.
And yes, the new NovaCentro hasn’t lost its great science classroom and experiment capabilities that made the Nova500 a science classroom favorite.

Curriculum Associates and Let’s Go Learn NECC 2008 Update

Curriculum Associates and Let’s Go Learn are announcing three new titles in their DORA/DOMA assessments line. they are DORA/EDELL Spanish, DORA Phonemic Awareness, and DOMA Algebra.
DORA/EDELL Spanish, Evaluación diagnostica Español de lectura en línea, isolates learning challenges and reading proficiency. Teachers are able to assess students across seven reading sub-skills to find the best way to utilize students’ Spanish reading skills to further develop their English reading skills. The seven sub-skills tested by DORA Spanish/EDELL tests are high-frequency words, word recognition, phonics, phonemic awareness, oral vocabulary, spelling, and reading comprehension.

Diagnostic Online Reading Assessment (DORA) Phonemic Awareness, a Web-based program, gives a thorough assessment of oral phonemic awareness skills to determine a students’ ability to hear and manipulate discrete sounds in spoken words.
It is designed for non-readers or struggling readers in grades K-2+. The program measures nine phonemic awareness skills presenting children audio and picture-only items, then asking students to manipulate the sounds in these items to produce a new word. The nine skills included are addition, deletion, substitution, identification, categorization, blending, segmenting, isolation, and rhyming.

Diagnostic Online Math Assessment (DOMA) Algebra is used to assess students in middle and high school math programs, and determine their understanding of key concepts taught in Algebra I. DOMA Algebra can also be used as an end-of-course assessment or in preparation for high school exit exams. DOMA Algebra adapts to student responses, adjusting in difficulty by item selection and construct selection to clearly identify mastery or non-mastery, either by full assessment or by placement pre-screening placement. With separate middle and high school interfaces, DOMA is able to engage students, while measuring a wide range of abilities efficiently and accurately.

NECC 2008 – San Antonio

I’m helping to cover NECC 2008 in San Antonio for District Administration.

I’ve already been reading about the exhibitors attending, as well as their product descriptions. While I know most, it’s great to find out what THEY, the vendors post about themselves and their products. The NECC Web site provides the list, so take a look – NECC 2008 Exhibitors, booth numbers and descriptions.

If InFoComm is a walk through technology heaven, NECC is a K12 educators dream journey through all the education products and solutions you’d ever hoped for and can now have — budget permitting of course.

NECC excites the young teacher, rejuvenates the veteran, validates an administrators needs, makes retired teachers, like me, want to teach again, and best of all, it brings people together who want to share and do good, educational things for kids. The latter is the most important, but it’s what I look for first at these conferences.

I will begin by posting some wonderful pre-NECC news. ~ Ken Royal

AVerMedia’s Document Camera Thinking Goes Beyond the Desktop.

AVerMedia has launched a new contest — the AVerMedia Forum Contest, with one new document camera being given away each month. How cool is that! Post to the forum for a chance to win. Rules and directions are at the contest site.
The Forum contest comes on the heels of AVerMedia’s very successful Document Camera Video Lesson Contest — the Lesson Contest Winners Videos are quite enjoyable. This link has all the Winners and their Lesson Plans. Not enough for you? Then check out AverMedia’s Online Lesson Plan Resource of the more than 500 Lesson Plans submitted during the contest.

NECC 2008 - AVerMedia Introduces the SPB Series

AVerMedia will be introducing two new SPB Series document cameras at NECC 2008 in San Antonio

The AVerVision SPB350 is a high quality, yet affordable visualizer. Featuring full High Definition 1080p Output Resolution, users are able to take advantage of the clarity of HD monitors and projectors. 8X Optical Zoom with 2.5X AVERZOOM provides 20X Optical Zoom quality while maintaining the ability to pan, and offers a total zoom magnification of 160X.
Included software provides the ability to share over a local area network, annotate, capture images, record video with audio, and control the features and functions of the visualizer. Images can be captured to the document camera itself, an SD card, or directly to a PC or MAC. The built-in 4” x 3” lightbox allows for the display of slides, negatives, or other transparent documents.

The AVerVision SPB370 featuresfull High Definition 1080p Output Resolution, users are able to take advantage of the clarity of HD monitors and projectors. 8X Optical Zoom with 2.5X AVERZOOM provides 20X Optical Zoom quality while maintaining the ability to pan, and offers a total zoom magnification of 160X.

The IP Network addressable capability of the AVerVision SPB370 enables users to connect to presentations from virtually any location where Internet access is available. Included software provides the ability to share over a local area network, annotate, capture images, record video with audio, and control the features and functions of the visualizer. Images can be captured to the document camera itself, an SD card, directly to a PC or MAC, or backed up to a USB flash drive. The built-in full-size lightbox allows for the display of x-rays, slides, negatives, transparencies, while the dual VGA input allows for multiple devices to be connected for output to a single projector or monitor display. The AVerVision SPB370 is a complete visualizer solution perfect for the classroom and lecture hall.

InFocus Shines at EduComm Presentations

I asked Brian Kelly, AV production and graphic designer at Professional Media Group (University Business and District Administration) about the IN35 InFocus projectors chosen for the presentation rooms at EduComm. Here’s what he said:

“For EduComm, the InFocus IN35’s exceeded my expectations. I’d tested them in the office, but not in the actual room size we’d be in. I’m pleased to say that at EduComm 2008, the small and light IN35, packing a big, bright lamp, filled the screens with sharp images. The necessary throwing distance to fill 180″ and 200″ screens was totally acceptable as well, given the space we had to work with. They’re also quiet - at one point I think one had maybe gone to sleep, and I wasn’t sure if it were on or not! I only heard positive comments about the projectors, and they were extremely simple to work - no hidden menus. Powering off was easy and brief.
I would definitely recommend InFocus in the future. They made my job much easier!” ~ Brian Kelly

Israeli company Tecom Electronics launched its TechPod Presenter at InFoComm 2008.

The TechPod Presenter packs away every audio/visual device a lecturer could want into one lectern. Depending upon the model and hardware you choose, pricing ranges from about $3,995 (15% education discount brings that to about $3,600) to about $16,750. You can choose to use your own equipment or Techpod can provide it — therefore pricing varies.

The lecturer has complete control during the presentation, using easy push-button icons to operate everything. No more last-minute gathering of presentation devices, and then wishing for a tech person to accompany them to operate the show.

There are many styles to choose from, so you pick the one that best suits your needs.

Everything locks away after the presentation, which should make tech admin extremely happy.

And if you’d like, the Techpod can go mobile.

The Techpod Video I found at their site will help share the product.

3M’s Super Close Projection Systems uses 3M’s Vikuiti technology.
3M encourages a “Build-what-you-need concept.

3M’s solutions can be wall-mounted…

or portable, so they can be used in more than one classroom.

Check out the SCP700 Series — SCP712 (2,000 lumens), which has folding and fixed wall mount options, the SCP740 (2,600 lumens) WXGA resolution (1280 x 768), and the SCP717 - coming soon offering 3,000 lumens, XGA resolution (1024 x768), six segment color wheel with Brilliant Color, and 3-year warranty.

Furthermore, if you want to combine projection, sound with interactive whiteboard capabilities, check the 3M Digital Media System (DMS) 800/815. The DMS 800 has an XGA projector, 40W speakers, which can be used with digital whiteboards or traditional screens. The Digital Media System 815 has an XGA projector, 40W speakers and allows you to turn ANY surface into an interactive whiteboard.

EduComm 2008

Registration…

Keynote reaction… What will Pogue say next? …

Journey to the many presentations…

David Fales, University Business, shares the EduComm line-up… and hosts the conference…

Dan Kinnaman, represents ProMedia Group with reflection and introductions…

EduComm attendees get access to InFoComm, too…

Education and Technology… together in one place… Oh what a conference…

And it didn’t hurt that it was held in Las Vegas!

I stopped by Panasonic’s exhibit at InFoComm and talked with Robert Harris, Vice President of Marketing for Panasonic Broadcast. He told me to look for the AG-HMC150 professional camcorder, priced at about $4,000, due to ship in September (2008). The AG-HMC150 is the big brother to the AG-HMC70 camcorder already reviewed by me at this blog ($2,495).

You will see the family resemblance. Both 70 and the new 150 models use SD recording technology.