TEACHER+TABLE+DESCRIPTIONS+I+-+P

October** **20, 2009**
 * Teaching and Learning in the 21st Century: Welcome Home – A Guide to the Digital Nation
 * Chase Collegiate School

TEACHER TABLE DESCRIPTIONS Sessions I - P**

**I. Rwanda: Faces, Places, Deeds and Needs (Helen Kweskin, King Low Heywood Thomas) ALL GRADE LEVELS**
Helen Kweskin's presentation titled " Rwanda : Faces, Places, Deeds, and Needs" is based on her recent trip to Rwanda with a small group of English teachers. The presentation, accompanied by over one hundred photographs, focuses on the people, geography, history (with particular attention to the genocide of 1994), and educational needs of the people with whom she came in contact. Moved by her experiences in this small and impoverished Central African country, Helen has set up a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing educational materials and financial support to two designated orphanages and four specific schools in Rwanda. She is currently teaching a semester elective course to high school students on " Rwanda : A Case Study," as part of King School's global education initiatives.

**K. A 21st Century Apprenticeship: Collaboration to Provide an Historical Perspective (Long) - K-5 AMERICAN HISTORY**
As part of an American History unit, my 5th grade students become apprenticed to an interpreter at the Mystic Seaport. In doing so, they develop a greater understanding of the life of an apprentice, life in a seaport village in 1876 and crafts/trades people might have been engaged in at that time. I will describe this experience from its planning stages to its inception two years ago.

**L. Collaborative Research and Writing in History and English (George Lewis, Fairfield Country Day School) - GRADES 6-8 HISTORY / ENGLISH**
The 8th grade History/English research project is one that requires the students to work in pairs to select and research a topic in American history, work together to write a thesis-based research paper, and then build a wiki to showcase and support their paper. Students use laptops, Google Docs, Wikispaces, the internet for research, and Flash, among others. In addition, students are graded on various elements of the process--including note checks, a thesis statement, an outline, a first draft, the effectiveness of their wiki, a presentation, and participation. The teachers use weekly meetings to determine the progress of the project, as well as Google Spreadsheets to track students progress and communication. The presentation will include a discussion of the assignment, the rubrics used for the more important elements of the project, some student examples, and an opportunity to offer feedback.

**M. Tablets & Wikis & Jing (oh my)!” (Jim Foley, St. Luke's School) - ALL GRADE LEVELS / ACROSS THE CURRICULUM**
A look at new modes of collecting, processing, and sharing information made possible by combining three technologies: wikis, tablet pc's, and Jing screen capture software. After brief introductions and explorations of each of the three technologies, the presentation will examine new and combined uses for humanities, mathematics, and athletics, with an emphasis on pedagogy, classroom management, and assessment.

**N (11:05, 12:50(F), 1:15, 2:00). Using a Course Management System for Communication and Education (Stephanie Dumoski Wooster School) - ALL GRADE LEVELS / ACROSS THE CURRICULUM**
The popularity of course management systems is growing among educational institutions, including many colleges. For today's technologically aware students, these systems can offer a "cool" way to engage student interest. This presentation will showcase several ways in which a course management system (such as Moodle) can be used to increase communication with and between students. In addition, ways in which this medium can be used to enhance student learning will be discussed.

**O. Puzzle Hunting – Big Game (Matte) - GRADES 9-PG / ACROSS THE CURRICULUM**
A " Puzzle Hunt" is a collaborative event in which teams of students, faculty, and staff compete to solve whimsical lateral thinking puzzles. The GFA Puzzle Hunt, now in its 7th year, is an afternoon-long affair in which solutions to the puzzles lead teams around campus, ultimately leading to a "winner," but more importantly leading to an afternoon of fun. No specific knowledge is expected of participants -- solutions require teams to work together, think creatively, and make connections between seemingly disparate ideas. Use of a computer is required in some instances, but most puzzles can be solved with cooperation, brainstorming, general knowledge, and problem-solving skills. The purpose of the presentation is to explain the benefits of Puzzle Hunting from both the community and creativity standpoints. Numerous examples of puzzles will be presented and the motivation behind "why to have a Puzzle Hunt" will be emphasized. The GFA Puzzle Hunt is patterned after the (in)famous MIT Mystery Hunt, an intricate event that takes place annually on the MIT campus. More information about the GFA Puzzle Hunt can be found at: @http://gfapuzzlehunt.wikispaces.com

**P. Environmental Research (Havens) - GRADES 9-PG / SCIENCE**
This research class is actually an umbrella course that embraces several independent studies occurring at the same time. This year, the students completed investigations on invasive plants, water quality, paperless teaching methods, non-toxic cosmetics, electricity retro-fitting of a school building and plant taxonomy. We presented these projects at a regional science conference to both teachers and field experts. Several of the projects tested cutting edge technology. A couple involved working with state and town EPA people.