CILC eNote - January 2010

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Tips for Site Coordinators – January 2010

Dear Site Coordinator,
As a site coordinator, you most likely are the only one in your building or district who does what you do!

The goal of CILC's e-Note is to help you create a network and keep you up-to-date on what's happening at CILC.

The CILC NING for Site Coordinators offers a chat feature. Why not invite another site coordinator to meet you there for a discussion! Feel free to contact me with any needs or questions.

Sincerely,
Dawn Colavita
866-474-5226
IP 216.37.44.22

Featuring
Amy Spath

Coordinator of E-Learning and Special Projects
Central New York Regional Information Center

BEST EXPERIENCE
I helped coordinate a videoconference between a high school class and a Young Adult Literature class from a local college to discuss Persepolis, a graphic novel about a young girl's life under the Islamic Revolution. The groups asked each other questions about the novel and also shared thoughts about the use of pictures in the story.

Some of the college students mentioned that they were planning to become teachers and were very interested in the high school students' thoughts. They asked questions such as:

• What are your thoughts about graphic novels?
• Why are you enrolled in the class?
• What makes a good class?
• What are you reading outside of class?
• What graphic novels or comics should they read next?

What a great experience for both groups!

LESSONS LEARNED
Two big ones come to mind!

When planning a collaborative activity with multiple sites, make sure to conduct a "dress rehearsal" of the activity. This helps with any confusion about who is supposed to do what and makes everything go much smoother.

Always be available. With many of the teachers in my area being new to videoconferencing, I give them my IP address and always leave my equipment on. I have teachers and administrators calling into my office all the time while they are learning how to use the equipment and also when they are demonstrating to colleagues or students.

LINGERING QUESTION
How can we get more authors, especially of children's books, to utilize videoconferencing equipment to speak with students?

Respond to Amy's question in
The CILC NING for Site Coordinators
Share your knowledge with Amy and others!

CLASSROOMS NEEDED
KC3 students need audiences.  Grades 2-5  Grades 4-6   Grades 6-8

Focusing on 21st Century Skills?

These five (5) workshops prepare educators to incorporate 21st Century skills using the Problem Based Learning approach.

Workshops are available as stand alones or in a package.

For Details and Pricing Call
Monica Cougan 317-231-6526