Video-conferencing

=**Videoconferencing at Jay School Department.**=

**2008 Teleconferences:**
We are scheduling events into June, 2008. One (6/10/08 12:00) will be at the Challenger Learning Center: [|"Space Station Alpha."]

Our 4th grade participated in a video conference with 3 other schools, where they were required to research the 50 states and find out which state each class was describing with clues and cues. Our students presented information on Maine for our state and Rangeley for our city. We were required to find the answers to some questions about the state we were presenting as well as the city. Once we found the answers, we came up with visual cues to use with our presentation. Once connected with the other schools, each school had 5-7 minutes to present their information and each responded to questions from the other schools. After the question and answer period, the students were required to work in groups to figure out what the mystery states and cities were. After 40 minutes of researching, each school had an opportunity to tell what state and city they thought each school presented and learned the real answers. Our students did really well, figuring out 2 of the three other schools. Overall the conference was awesome and fun! The students integrated their classroom unit, the 50 states. **CR** [This was the best lesson I'd seen yet over distance. It ran over two hours, and the "research period" was something to see, with kids scrambling to study clues given by the other teams, and link them to states and cities. One laptop per table, each a hive of busy (frantic?) kids interacting over the content, doing additional Internet research, and preparing an authentic assessment (live on a microphone in front of students from three other states.) ] **JM**
 * May 13th, 2008**
 * [|Mystery Quest USA 2008]:** [|BCISD]

3rd Grade participated with the Center for Puppetry Arts, on the topic of Native Americans, in a video conference. There were a few pre-program activities, given to us by the Center for Puppetry, the students and classroom teachers completed prior to the video conference where the students focused on which areas the different Native Americans tribes were located in across the U.S. The day of the conference, everything went smoothly. The dial-in worked perfectly. Someone on the other end was there to greet us and after the classrooms filed in, the conference began. We were the only connecting school to the site. The content, both the teachers and I thought, was a little below the 3rd graders level of comprehension, maybe geared more for a 1st or 2nd grade class studying Native Americans. After the 3rd graders answered a few questions and listened to a little bit on location of tribes, they began making the Kachina dolls out of pre-cut construction paper and toilet paper rolls.The students had a great time, were great listeners and all successfully made their Kachina dolls. After the VC was over the students came to the lab for a post-program activity that included the [|Carnegie Museum's Native American on-line exhibit] and a worksheet that they needed to complete in their Native American groups. The teachers and I agreed that we most likely would not do that VC again because the content was too far below what they are learning in the classroom already. I can foresee the puppetry being a real asset to a beginning Spanish class, as Mr. Ochoa will test for us very soon when he has a VC on Mexico.
 * April 28th, 2008: **[| Center for Puppetry Arts: Native Americans]


 * April 15, 2008**- Jay Middle School 7th and 8th grade GT Language Arts Class did "Midsummers Night Dream". This was presented through [|Center for Puppetry Arts.] The presenter used video clips and explained how they interpret various themes to perform with puppets and people. This was the first video conference for the MS this year.

This morning we did an IChat with a School in Brazil, the [|Amazon Valley Academy], in [|Belem]. There were a few technical glitches, but we had enough up time for the groups (1st, 2nd, 3rd graders) to ask questions of each other, to see each other, etc. The kids are very thirsty for this kind of interaction. Their enthusiasm is contagious. "What kind of animals live there?" "Snakes!" What kind of snakes? "Anacondas and Boas..." This was really fun, and I believe kids are going to expect this kind of thing as we move forward. Many thanks to [|Matthew North] of Washington Jefferson University for facilitating this exchange during his students' trip to Brazil.
 * January 14, 2008:**

2007 Teleconferences:

 * August 17, 2007:** Tested with [|Smithsonian American Art Museum] There was some difficulty for them in showing their slides to us. We arranged to have them email us the slides, and we showed them on a different screen alongside. It worked fine, but I'd like to know what caused it. Tandberg reps said it was their equipment. JM


 * September 18, 2007:** We held the Smithsonian teleconference. It was wonderful. The Docent was exceptional, considering she was only working with slides. Our camera was off, so she couldn't see the students, but she could hear them and interacted well. Staff were impressed. And no fee!JM

November 7, 2007: We had about 45 staff attend a training from Tandberg, [|COSI], and others which included live teleconferences. We all did the [|COSI Gadget Works lesson] and talked with a Kentucky algebra teacher.JM
 * November 6,2007:** I just had a great video conversation with a guy in Kentucky, getting ready for the the big event tomorrow's staff day where we introduce the Tandberg gear and some of the opportunities. Scott MacCallum and I spent several minutes more than I though we would gettting it to work right. It required a few voice calls. One thing I've learned so far is that cell phones are essential. Everyone involved needs to charge their cell. It's not a time for a failure. When you connect to a remote site and "nothing happens," that voice call is what gets you through.


 * November _ Spiders Teleconference** with COSI was presented today at the elementary school. Reports are, it was great! (These guys send out kits beforehand.)JM


 * November 26** Scheduled ([|Columbus Zoo]) event was canceled for technical reasons. (It looked like it was working, but they were refusing our connection.) Bummer! We arranged to have a Tandberg representative here for the reschedule.JM


 * November 28, 2007:** Tandberg User's group event was hosted here at Jay High School. It was a bridged event centered at the [|Christa McAuliffe Technology Conference] sponsored by Tandberg. There were about 60 sites bridged in, and they rotated on screen. We had about twenty visitors from nearby Dixfield, and Rumford, and they got a look at the MediaPlace units. We also had an interesting live tour of the [|New York Hall of Science].JM


 * December 3rd, 2007:** We were scheduled to test again, but had a snow day. Final test occurred on Thursday of that week, and it failed! (same error as before. It looked like their site was working, but kicking us out.) JM


 * Friday, December 7, 2007, 2PM:** We finally connected to the [|Columbus zoo]! Very glad to have made this connection, because the presentation (on Coral reefs from Ohio!) was of high pedagogical quality. Once again... students happy, teachers impressed! Tech details: We were still getting the "call dropped" error from their end. Just in time, the zoo's presenter suggested she contact the "Ohio bridge" and they set up a bridge or us. She gave me an IP address. The Ohio bridge guy popped up on the screen and caught everyone's attention, (100 fourth graders in a cafeteria; I could barely hear him.) He agreed to "bridge us through" and saved the day. We connected just in time and it was a great lesson! JM

[|**Tuesday, December 11, 2007:**__** A Visit With Mrs. Clause (at CESA 7, Green Bay, Wi.)] The teachers and students loved it! We connected via a bridge with a conference # and had no problem. Monday we have the Polar Express with grade 1. That will complete all reservations for December and then on January 10th Pre-K will have a VC called Lets Go to the Show in their own classroom. I will be setting up a VC for 3rd grade and when that occurs all grades will have tried one VC at the elementary school. Carol Reed Computer Teacher Jay Elementary School Jay, Maine 04239

[|Monday December 17, 2007: The Polar Express (Virtual Conference through Muskingum Valley Educational Service Center] Again the teachers and students loved this VC. It integrated language arts and math into a thorough reading of the Polar Express book by Chris Van Allsburg. The presenter had unbelievable energy and excitement during this entire lesson. It was a great VC to have scheduled the week before Christmas also. The students listened and responded with great excitement. We were all very impressed with their level of engagement during this VC.