Ed Tech Learning Opportunities at Jeffco L3- Registration Opens Today!

Mark your calendar!

August 7th, 8th, and 9th Ed Tech will be providing professional learning opportunities at Jeffco’s Academy for Professional Learning- L3.

Find your favorites and REGISTER HERE  starting today, May 9th at 4:30pm

View Ed Tech’s available sessions in the presentation below.

Questions about our courses? Contact Ed Tech
Questions about registration or other L3 opportunities? Contact the Center for Professional Learning

Bits, Boxes, Bases... Oh My!!

Why Chrome Devices?

Chrome devices run on Google’s Chrome operating system, and they deliver applications over the internet. This means that software is primarily web-based and does not need to be installed. They provide easy access to all the G-Suite tools so work can be collaborative, apps can be integrated and work is saved continuously to the cloud. Chrome devices boot up quickly so very little class time is wasted waiting on a device. Chrome devices, unlike Windows devices, actually get faster with age as new operating system updates get installed.  But let’s face it, the best thing about Chrome devices is the budget-stretching low price.

Which Chrome Device?

Jeffco is now offering many different flavors of Chrome devices for purchase, so how do you match the right device to the right instructional purpose? The key is to begin with your learning goals and teaching vision in mind, and then choose the device and tools that can help teachers and students achieve those goals. Look through the slide deck for details about each device type.

What are some other considerations?

What do you need to know if you are making a change to Chrome devices from Windows devices or iPads?  Chrome devices do not run “installed software” like Microsoft Word or Smart Notebook and they also do not print. This can be a shift, especially for teachers currently using a Windows laptop as their primary device.  For students or teachers moving from iPads, the new touchscreens on Chromebooks and flips can ease the transition. Not all iPad apps are available for Chrome devices. Although this might take a little exploring to discover a Chrome app, extension or web tool that has a similar functionality, new apps are added daily.

Jeffco Tech Share Fair

It's almost here! The Jeffco Tech Share Fair is this Saturday at Arvada West HS from 8:00 am-1:00 pm. Check out the slideshow below for more details on some of the exciting sessions that will be happening.

This is just a sampling of learning opportunities that will be available. Check out our website for full details and don't forget to sign up to attend.

tinyurl.com/jtsf2016fall

Not only are we providing the gift of knowledge, we are also giving away some fabulous prizes including Chromebooks, device storage carts, registration to the GAFE Summit in Boulder, vendor swag, and much more!

Check out the Ed Tech Website

Last year, our Ed Tech team set out with the mission to improve our department's web presence. Our goal was to provide a location where teachers could find the support and resources they need to successfully integrate technology into their daily lesson plan design.

Last spring, after several revisions, we launched our newest Ed Tech Website design!

On our website you will find the following:

• Team bios
• Our blog
• @JeffcoEdTech on Twitter
• Ed Tech Resources
• Professional development

The resources button might just be our favorite section of the Ed Tech website! It is here that you will find access to a variety of different resources to help you get started using technology in your classroom! 

The resources section is organized in two ways: 

• By Skill
• At the top of the resources page, you will see 4 buttons: Collaboration, Communication, Creativity, and Critical Thinking. Hover over each of these buttons to get a description of how these strands connect technology and education. By clicking on the button, you will be directed to a webpage that provides inspiration and tools to help you embed these technology strands into your classroom instruction. 

• By Topic:
• Underneath the 4 buttons listed above, you will see a variety of dark blue buttons by topic. If you are searching for a tool or specific piece of information, this is the place to look. 

When you visit a page on a specific tool, you will receive a description of that tool, why you would use it, how you can get started, and additional resources (links, presentations, and videos) to help you get started using the tool in your instruction! 

We hope you find the new Ed Tech Website helpful in successfully integrating technology in the classroom. If you have an idea about something you'd like to see on our website, please leave us a comment! 

Welcome Back!

Welcome back to the 2016-2017 school year! We have had some changes in our Ed Tech office over the summer and we would like to dedicate our first blog post to getting you acquainted with those changes!

Linda Glynn, one of our Title 1 Ed Tech Specialists, has changed roles and is the new half-time Digital Teacher Librarian (DTL) at Belmar Elementary. We wish Linda the very best in her new role and we know she will be a wonderful asset to her school.

We would like to welcome two new additions to our team, as well:

Ming Scheid is our newest Educational Technology Specialist. Many of you might know her as Ming Vlasich ~ she got married this summer. Congratulations Ming! She taught for several years at Mount Carbon Elementary before spending the last school year in Littleton Public Schools. Ming is excited to rejoin Jeffco and support teachers and students in 21st century learning.

Heidi Floyd joins the team as a second Library Coordinator specifically supporting our elementary Digital Teacher Librarians and library programs. She has a variety of library and technology related experiences and comes to us most recently from Edgewater Elementary where she supported and led their 1:1 iPad program as the Digital Teacher Librarian.

Additionally, our Ed Tech Website has undergone several new changes over the past year. Visit our website for information on each team member, a link to this blog and our Twitter feed, tech-based professional development opportunities, and a wealth of technology-based resources: Google, iPads, Chromebooks, digital citizenship, planning with and for technology, and much, much more! 

Our team looks forward to providing you with new tips, updates and inspiring ideas this year on our blog each Tuesday. Don't forget to sign up for our blog via e-mail (right-hand margin) so that our blog posts get delivered straight to your inbox! 

Follow us on Twitter @JeffcoEdTech

Visit our website: Ed Tech Website 

Feedback Form

The Jeffco Ed Tech Team has been blogging every Tuesday throughout the 2015-16 school year and we would love your feedback!

Please take 5 minutes or less to tell us what you think. We hope to use your feedback to improve our blog for next year.

We thank you in advance for your time.

~The Jeffco Ed Tech Team

Meet the Ed Tech Team

Have you ever wanted to know who is on the Ed Tech Team? Or, perhaps you needed to contact someone with an ed tech question...Well, here you go! Be sure to check out our staff bios on the new Ed Tech Website - coming soon!

Need Ed Tech Support? Follow this link to contact us!

Welcome to our Ed Tech Blog: We Make Ideas Click!

Welcome to our Ed Tech Blog: We Make Ideas Click! Each Tuesday the Ed Tech team will post an integration idea that could be used to support your instruction. Each post will show you how technology can connect to the ISTE Standards, the JEFFCO teacher rubric, and will provide you a variety of resources or CAP materials. On the last Tuesday of each month, we will spotlight a JEFFCO teacher who demonstrates exemplary technology integration in his or her classroom.

Our team is eager to come out and support you in your work with technology integration in your classroom. Here are some great ways we can help!

"We build capacity in technology integration to increase communication, collaboration, creativity and critical thinking."

Techie Tuesday Tip:

Schoology allows teachers to embed videos for students and gives them the ability to watch from anywhere they have access to their Schoology course. They can then complete a task in response to the video, which is a great feature to add to your toolbox. If you are beginning to blend your classroom, providing students with some online and some face-to-face work, then using Schoology is an easy way to start this transformative practice. Watch this video to see how easy it is to create a page in Schoology and embed a video:

Need Ed Tech Support? Follow this link to contact us!

New Blog Coming Soon!

Welcome to the JEFFCO Ed Tech Team's new tech blog! We are excited to bring you news and ideas about educational technology. Many new things are happening at the Ed Tech office! We are working hard to bring you our new blog, a Twitter feed and a completely redesigned and updated website... all coming soon! Don't forget to sign up with your email so that you can receive all of our posts sent to your inbox!