We had a great time at FETC and TCEA. We got busy taking pictures and sharing our latest creation, Qtopia, with everyone on site.  Qtopia provides free online access to thousands of ready-to-use activities, motivating games, avatar features, 24/7 online homework access with automatic grading, in-classroom review modes, and the ability for educators to use ‘as is’ or completely customize the learning experience. To learn more, visit Qtopia.com.

Click here to see more images.

AUSTIN (KXAN) – Teachers at Bowie High School are feeding information to students in a way they can relate.

Chalkboards, traditional desks and worksheets are out. Remote controls, digital screens and texting is in. Well, sort of.

In the education circle, these new high-tech classrooms are part of a fresh concept called “project-based” learning that is picking up speed in schools across the country.

New teaching tools include hand-held remotes that students use to answer questions and conduct research. According to the Austin Independent School District , these technologies have been proven to increase student participation and engagement.

Students have embraced the change they are already familiar with in the outside world. The district hopes it will help them compete in the 21st century job market.

The technology provides teachers with instant feedback on student progress and comprehension, transforming the way teachers teach.

Click here to read the original post.

Students are using hand-held remotes, innovation stations, computers, and giant digital screens in an interactive classroom. The technology uses concepts that students can relate to like texting through wireless keyboard and mouse that students use to input answers during class time.  The clickers create an atmosphere where students can conduct fun research while interacting with others. The new devices help teachers get instant feedback on student progress and comprehension so that they can see which student needs extra help.  Principal of Bowie High School, Stephen Kane states on getting information to students in way they want to relate, “Kids live with technology, and it helps engage our kids.”

Visitors to the school were able to see the technology in the school’s chemistry class.  Denise Sanders, chemistry teacher, speaks on the clickers, “it makes teaching easy.  Through the remote response center any resource I have can be shown.  If kids are able to discuss they retain the information.”  Sanders has seen the positive impact from getting feed back from every kid in the room. Although Sanders admits she can not replace lab with technology, she claims, “nothing replaces actual hands on but the technology helps with great training before lab.”

Ignacio Ruiz has seen a more engaged foreign language classroom.  Ignacio Ruiz, Spanish teacher at Bowie, uses different forms of media to keep students engaged from cartoon strips to short film.  Ruiz said, “I create PowerPoint and it is easy to put program together.  I want to give as many different media options as possible to keep students minds moving.”  Ignacio Ruiz uses competition in the classroom through the concept of race cars. As students answer correctly and quicker to different forms of media scenarios their race cars move ahead in the computerized racetrack.  The programs even allow for students to interact with people from foreign countries.

The Digital Asset Manageable Systems also allow for instructors to record class time and post videos on their Blogs for students to catch up to missed lessons. Principal Stephen Kane, “We are in a world of technology.”

By Monica Pena
Austin Times Staff

Click here to read the original post .

AUSTIN (KXAN) – Teachers at Bowie High School are feeding information to students in a way they can relate.

Chalkboards, traditional desks and worksheets are out. Remote controls, digital screens and texting is in. Well, sort of.

In the education circle, these new high-tech classrooms are part of a fresh concept called “project-based” learning that is picking up speed in schools across the country.

New teaching tools include hand-held remotes that students use to answer questions and conduct research. According to the Austin Independent School District , these technologies have been proven to increase student participation and engagement.

Students have embraced the change they are already familiar with in the outside world. The district hopes it will help them compete in the 21st century job market.

The technology provides teachers with instant feedback on student progress and comprehension, transforming the way teachers teach.

Click here to read the original post.

“Today two New Orleans schools showed off new technology in their classroom… Parents and members of the community got a glimpse of how students are using hand held devices to make the grade.”

Mark Campoli’s student Johnny explains the functions of the Q6 and how it helps his class.

Isaiah Porter, 13, center, and Chris Chan, 13, right, feel the thrill of competition as they answer U.S. History questions using the Qwizdom Student Response System at school. The technology keeps kids engaged and encourages quiet students to participate at Los Alamitos School District schools.

LOS ALAMITOS–Oak Middle School has seen a significant jump in its state test scores since the introduction of a new learning technology that forces students to participate in classroom lessons and helps teachers better tailor their lectures, officials said.

Social Studies teacher Todd Schmidt acted as the guinea pig for the Los Alamitos Unified School District in using a hand-held, question-and-answer program called Qwizdom that he says helps students better learn and retain information.

“There’s this lofty goal that sounds unattainable, but (we can) actually achieve it: to get every student to answer every question, every time,” he said.

The technology allows the teacher to ask a question related to the lesson, then students plug in the answer on a hand-held remote. The teacher can see who has answered and who hasn’t.

Answers are projected onto a computer screen that uses kid-friendly graphs and games to keep students engaged.

Schmidt said Qwizdom specifically benefits students who are shy or not confident to answer questions out loud in the classroom because it allows them to participate anonymously.

“It is non-threatening,” he said. “I have proof that shows these kids are definitely getting it.”

And that proof comes in the form of better standardized state test scores, he said.

“We had a 20-point jump in Social Studies in theCalifornia State Test,” Schmidt said. “Los Alamitos is 75 percent proficient, which is three times the state average. Last year, we went up to 84 percent because we’ve been using these. I think next year our scores are going to be even higher.”

The program also lets teachers better mold their lesson plans because they can see what students are grasping or what concepts may need more attention.

“Now, I know exactly what to hit,” Schmidt said. “It has impacted my teaching so dramatically… because I know they’re understanding and retaining the material.”

The program started in Schmidt’s classroom last year and this spring the district has been incorporating the hand-held devices into more classrooms and a variety of subjects including math, language arts and science, he said.

Contact the writer: jfletcher@ocregister.com

Click here to read the original post.

unning a successful school, getting corporate sponsorship, providing quality curriculum, with energetic teachers and the technology to back it all up, needs the right person at the helm. I doubt many can say no to “Ms. Miriam” when it comes to her kids, teachers, and school. Makes sense that kids travel from all over—some taking 3 buses, to attend there—and that the school population increases each year. Every space in the building is used. If you’re looking for a school example where success breeds success, Archimedes Academy stands at the top of the list.

Archimedes has partnered with Qwizdom, IBM, and Vision Ed Inc. Its computing technology runs the playing field with IBMs, Dells, and Macs. Furthermore, the staff maintain blogs and use Google Docs with students. While it is a math, science, and technology school, educating the whole child is the ultimate goal. Students learn fencing, ballroom dancing, and are even part of NYC Golden Gloves competition. And yes, their teams compete and win robotics challenges, too.

Teachers are called by their first names—Mr. Andy, Mr. Josh and even Ms. Miriam for Principal Lazar, but in three very different classrooms, I observed respect, kindness and an excitement for learning. There’s a pride of uniform, school, and participating. On my way out of one class, I dropped some equipment that I was carrying, and was immediately surrounded by helpers.

When observing a school or classroom, far beyond the technology, I look to see if kids enjoy being students there, as well as whether teachers enjoy teaching there. The Archimedes Academy answers yes to both. Whether you call it student-based, project-based, or experiential learning—it’s happening at Archimedes in the Bronx. And if Principal Miriam Lazar isn’t on a speakers list somewhere—she should be. What she’s doing needs to be shared. Look for my Archimedes visit video, soon to be posted at http://www.scholastic.com/administrator/.

Read the original story here.

Archimedes Academy, on Thursday, March 11 at 1:00 pm, welcomed guests for the first time, to show off how technology is dramatically changing the way kids are learning in some NYC public schools.

The school’s tech-savvy 6^th grade Math and Science teachers opened their doors and allowed visitors to literally join the class and challenge themselves with hand-held student response remotes. This technology provides instant feedback; allowing teachers to gage student comprehension on the spot. (No more waiting all week to see who passes or fails an exam.)

The remotes increase student participation and help decrease disciplinary issues. This amazing technology lessens each classrooms carbon footprint with paperless exams and test preparation. Guests had the opportunity to speak to students who are especially well-served by this high-tech change (those with special needs have “found a voice” and advanced students are able to move ahead even farther).

Archimedes Academy is a comprehensive 6-12 public school whose mission is to provide a rigorous, innovative, college preparatory education focused on math, science, and technology applications while regularly celebrating the accomplishments of its diverse student body.

The school serves the community of the South East Bronx. Currently, the school population is made up of 36% African American, 61% Hispanic, and 3% Asian students. The student body includes 8% English language learners and 22% special education students. The school is in receipt of Title 1 funding with 68.2% eligibility.

Click here to read the original post.