stonington retreat 2008: an intensive technology retreat for educators

This summer Vision Ed. will be hosting the 14th annual Stonington Retreat in New York City, a four-day intensive workshop aimed at empowering teachers, parents, and administrators to effectively integrate creative technologies into their classrooms and after-school programs. With hands-on workshops in Robotics, Computer Animation, Game Design, Digital Video and Blogging, participants will walk away with the resources needed to start or continue a technology program at their school or organization. For over a decade, Stonington has provided a space for educators from all over the world to engage in intensive training and high-level discussion about the future of education and technology. Join us this year and see what it's all about!

The retreat will take place this summer July 8th-11th, 2008 at New York University's Kimmel Center in lower Manhattan.

To find out more, please visit: http://www.vemny.org/stonington.htm
Register at: http://www.vemny.org/stonington-reg.htm

Featured speakers:

Laura Allen, Vision Ed Inc founder and president, has over 16 years of experience implementing creative technologies in the classroom and has worked with giants in the field such as Seymour Papert. This will be her 14th year leading the Stonington Retreat.

Mitchell Resnick is the Director of both the Okawa Center and the Lifelong Kindergarten group at the MIT Media Lab and will be leading hands-on workshops in 2 technologies he has helped to develop: the PICO Cricket and Scratch software.

Vision Ed. believes that effective work with technology can have an enormous impact on learning and teaching. Our mission is to share this understanding with educators and learners to inspire educational excellence and school reform.

Please email or call with any questions.

Emilie Reiser
Retreat Coordinator
212.245.0444
emilie@vemmny.org

Exciting Hands On Training for NYC DOE Students & Teachers

Vision Education & Media has partnered with the NYC DOE Office of Instructional Technology to offer iLearn Saturdays, an exciting new opportunity for students and teachers in all five boroughs to participate in a series of free hands-on workshops. Interested schools in each borough will send up to 3 students and 1 teacher grades 6-12 to take part in 6 Saturday sessions of interactive training in Robotics, Game Design or Digital Filmmaking. All programs focus on inter-disciplinary project-based learning while teaching students 21st century technology skills. Working alongside students in these interactive workshops, teachers will be paid by their schools per session for professional development. They will learn the technology and skills necessary to implement this curriculum in their own schools. The program will culminate in a final share-out in which students in all 3 workshops will have a chance to present their projects for family, fellow students, teachers and school administrators.

Dates & Times
November: 17
December: 8, 15
January: 5, 12, 26 (tentative)
All workshops are from 9 AM to 1 PM. Lunch will be provided.

Workshop Locations:
Brooklyn - PS 38
Bronx - High School of Computers and Technology (Evander Campus)
Queens - JHS 226
Staten Island - PS 57

To Participate
To register for workshops in your borough, visit http://protraxx.com
* Click on "Online Catalogs"
* Click NYC Department of Education/City Hall Academy
* Log in if you have an account or Register as a New User
* For Department, please choose Instructional Technology
* When you find the class you're interested in, click Enroll Now

If by any chance you are unable to register using protraxx, please email Emilie Reiser at Emilie@vemny.org with your registration information.

Cost
Workshop sessions are free for teachers and students. Participating schools are required to pay a $75 fee to the Deputy Chancellor and a per session fee for teachers.


Workshop descriptions:
Robotics
IBOTechs, is a hands-on, learn-by-doing opportunity open to 6th -8th grade students and teachers. Participants will design, build, and program a robotic invention to solve complex problems. Students will participate in a final share-out at the end of the program. Participants will need to bring their own laptop to each session. The device must have NXT Mindstorms Software installed. This 6- session course is designed for one teacher and 3 students per school that has purchased the Robotics kit. LEGO Mindstorms Education Base Set for 4 students- $250 LEGO ID# W979797 LEGO Mindstorms Education Software 1.1 (individual) - $49 LEGO ID# W700077 Additional software needs to be purchased with additional base sets.

Simulation / Game Design
Students and teachers grades 6-12 will learn MicroWorlds and Scratch multi-media programming environments for Simulation and Game Design. Incorporating text, sound, graphics, and basic programming syntax, participants will create several interactive animated projects that will be presented in final share-out for family, fellow students, teachers, and school administrators. This inter-disciplinary curriculum is designed to strengthen Math, Science, Technology, and Language Arts skills through hands-on project-based learning. Working alongside students, teachers will participate in professional development, learning the skills and programming necessary to implement this curriculum in their own schools. No equipment/software required.

Video
Students in grades 6th-12th will learn how to use research to produce storyboards, scripts, documentaries, videos and short films. Participants will write, film, edit and produce a short video (1-5 minutes) while learning the filmmaking process and use of film equipment and editing software. This 6-session course is designed for one teacher and 3 students per school. Schools will be expected to participate in a NYC Student Film Festival to showcase their work. Participants must bring their own laptop to each session. Mac is preferred (i-Movie software) OR PC laptop with Moviemaker installed.