Vermont Fest 2015: Full Schedule

Vermont’s Premier Education Technology Conference

1:00pm EST

Leveraging the Chromebooks for Student Centered Learning

Come learn how to effectively integrate Chromebooks into the classroom to create a student-centered, creative and collaborative environment. In this hands-on workshop, we will explore strategies for not only understanding and using Chromebooks, but also the Chrome Browser, and Google Apps for Education in purposeful ways. Participants will learn how Google Education Apps can help improve student accountability and increase engagement, while helping students learn strategies for collaborating and communicating, and becoming responsible individual learners. Get a new Chromebook or bring your own.

Presenter Material

Presenters

Jessica Wilson

Digital Learning Leader, Champlain Valley School District

Jessica Wilson is the Digital Learning Leader at the Williston Schools . She works closely with the PreK-8 teachers and staff to help transform the school into a flourishing learning environment that incorporates 21st century skills through the use of technology, so everyone can develop... Read More →

Sessions

Wed - Pre-Conf

Wednesday November 4, 2015 1:00pm - 3:00pm EST
Escapade II

Wed - Pre-Conf

Company Early Education, Elementary, High School, Middle School, Post High School

5:00pm EST

iPads and Early Elementary Students

In this session I will share how iPads have transformed learning, enriched conversations, engaged, enriched and captures our learning. Within this session I will also be sharing how the children have evolved around the use of iPads in regards to their learning experiences inside and outside of kindergarten. Using either Skype or Google Hangout I will be highlighting some of my students and/or their parents in regards to how ipads have enriched their child’s learning experiences. I will also share Apps I use and how they connect with CCSS too! Get a new iPad or bring your own.

Presenter Material

Presenters

Sharon Davison

Teacher, Allen Brook

Sharon Davison is a passionate Kindergarten teacher at the Allen Brook School in Williston, Vermont. She is the Vermont-NEA Angelo J. Dorta Teacher of the Year, a National America Achieves Fellow, Kidblog Ambassador, NEA Foundation Global Leadership Fellow and an online facilitator... Read More →

Sessions

Wed - Pre-Conf

Wednesday November 4, 2015 5:00pm - 7:00pm EST
Escapade II

Wed - Pre-Conf

Company Early Education, Elementary

8:30am EST

PLPs at PAML: One Schools Journey Creating Personal Learning Plans

With Act 77 all Vermont students are required to have a personal learning plan. Come and hear about how Peoples Academy Middle Level, a school that serves students in grades 5-8 created and implemented personal learning plans. We will walk you through the process of looking at the requirements of Act 77 to creating meaningful school transformation through the implementation of PLPs and student led conferences.

Presenters

Shaun Noonan

Sessions

Thu - Regular

Thursday November 5, 2015 8:30am - Saturday November 7, 2015 9:30am EST
Escapade II

D2 Thu Sess 1

Company Middle School, High School, Post High School

11:00am EST

Look Mom...I really did do something at school! How proficiency-based electronic portfolios bridge the gap between home and school.

Using proficiency-based portfolios can bridge the gap between home, school and the community by demonstrating the skills and learning students acquire throughout the year. Moreover, as we move toward PLPs, portfolios can provide a needed mechanism for archiving and reflecting on achievement. This workshop provides a framework and timeline for the easy implementation of electronic portfolios. Additionally, students will share their experiences and tips for helping them to be successful in developing proficiency-based portfolios.

Presenter Material

Presenters

Beth Brodie

Sessions

Thu - Regular

Thursday November 5, 2015 11:00am - 12:00pm EST
Escapade II

D2 Thu Sess 2

Company High School, Middle School

1:30pm EST

Bringing Genius Hour & Makerspace Into YOUR Classroom Brainstorms, Idea Dumps, Logistical Hurdling, and Time to Get Inspired!

One of the biggest questions teachers ask when we talk about “20% time” is WHEN? The next question is HOW? After that, it’s usually WHAT? This work session will help teachers who are interested in implementing a Genius Hour or 20% time program into their schedules. We will also discuss how to add a “maker” component to existing core content area work through the NGSS Design Tech standards and units you are already teaching.

Teaching teams and partners would benefit from attending this session together because there will be time to plan and brainstorm ways to bring more choice, more making, and more engagement into your current plans. Bring a unit you are working on or plan to teach, bring your ideas, questions, and other possible barriers you have to adding this amazing way of teaching and learning to your school week--we will knock them all down together!

Presenter Material

Presenters

Kate La Riviere Gagner

5/6 Classroom Teacher, Monkton Central School

I'm the one who says, "Wait. What if we ...?" and makes everyone else kind of nervous... until they, too, realize that the "what ifs" are the fun part.

Sessions

Thu - Extended

Thursday November 5, 2015 1:30pm - 3:00pm EST
Escapade II

D2 Thu Sess 3 Extd

Company Elementary, Middle School

3:15pm EST

Interact With Learning Using TouchCast

A TouchCast is a very special kind of presentation/storytelling tool that allows the creator to pull in all kinds of media right into the presentation. The viewer can interact with the media freely! Imagine watching a video that you can touch a link, picture, video, etc. and get more information on the topic and then go right back into the original video? Well now you can and it is a great way to teach, learn and use as an assessment! This presentation will demonstrate to you how it is done!

Presenters

Clarena Renfrow

IT Teacher, Rutland High School

Clarena M. Renfrow, M.Ed., has been an educator for 22 years. She is an Information Technology Teacher (Rutland High School), a Technology Integration Specialist, Educational Technology Consultant, and an Instructor at Castleton University who teaches graduate-level courses in Educational... Read More →

Sessions

Thu - Regular

Thursday November 5, 2015 3:15pm - 4:15pm EST
Escapade II

D2 Thu Sess 4

Company Middle School, High School, Post High School

8:30am EST

K-2 Tech Stars 2.0

Ever think your students are just too young? Want to use technology but not sure where to start? This session will provide you with realistic ways students in K-2nd grade can become Tech Stars, using tools such as Google Classroom and Drive, Educreation, Digital Paint and Padlet. It will also give you ways to use Blogger, Twitter, Photostory and iMovie in your classroom.

Presenter Material

Presenters

Nicolette Raney

Sessions

D3 Fri Sess 1

Friday November 6, 2015 8:30am - 9:30am EST
Escapade II

D3 Fri Sess 1

Company Elementary

9:45am EST

How to Make a Great Educational Podcast

Want to get in on podcasting in your classroom? We’ll talk you through the process, soup-to-nuts: recording equipment and apps, editing software, and how to publish, host and publicizing your classroom podcast. We’ll go over what to record and when, what makes a great audio story, and how to use podcasting with students for assessment and reflection. This session will be great for administrators interested in telling their school’s story.

Presenters

Christian Arthur

Michael Berry

Audrey Homan

Sessions

D3 Fri Sess 2

Friday November 6, 2015 9:45am - 11:15am EST
Escapade II

D3 Fri Sess 2 Extd

Company Elementary, High School, Middle School

12:45pm EST

Hands On Programming for Primary Grades

Get ready to become best friends with Dash and Dot, gather your treasure by programming Robot Turtle and star in a short story that you also produce. This workshop will cover the why and how for coding in elementary grades. You will be introduced to different robots, iPad apps, computer games and unplugged activities. Come prepared to try out different resources and commit to taking at least one idea back to your classroom.

Presenter Material

Presenters

Erica Bertucci

K-8 STEAM teacher, St. Albans City School

I am currently tasked with developing STEAM curriculum for K-2. I also teach most grades from K-8 so am interested in all project ideas that engage students in thinking critically, being creative and persevering through challenges. I also am always looking for ways to encourage... Read More →

Sessions

D3 Fri Sess 3

Friday November 6, 2015 12:45pm - 1:45pm EST
Escapade II

D3 Fri Sess 3

Company Elementary

2:00pm EST

Take Back Control of Your Digital Learning Environment

GoGuardian empowers educators to see and positively shape student behavior and mold them into responsible digital citizens by giving them powerful insights into what is actually happening on their Chromebooks. Built for Chrome Operating System so it integrates seamlessly with your browser making it easy and fast to set up and manage.

We increase classroom productivity by promoting on-task behavior. Educators are able to ensure safe online access, detect serious matters such as bullying or intent to commit suicide, and open a dialogue between administrators, parents, and students. Detailed analytics provide insights into student activity, so educators can adapt to positively influence student behavior. We protect millions of students and their devices across five continents. M

Company Presenters

Whalley Computers (Executive and Corporate Sponsor)

Presenters

Mark Russo

Friday November 6, 2015 2:00pm - 3:00pm EST
Escapade II

D3 Fri Sess 4