Thousands of educators online and in-person congregated together, as the DEN team went house to ‘house to house’ to explore the many digital treats available to educators today.  During this unique professional development event, attendees had the flexibility to attend online or in-person at one of many regional events hosted by the DEN Leadership Councils.  (Thanks to Lance for posting this on the National Blog!)

9 AM
Can I Help You With That?  The Student as Collaborator, Creator and Director
with Justin Karkow

10 AM
Do You Have the Audacity to Podcast?
with Jennifer Dorman

11 AM
Thinking Outside the Slide
with Mike Bryant

12 PM
Putting the Bling in Your Builders
with Steve Dembo

1 PM
What on Earth is a Gloggle?
with Traci Blozoski

2 PM
Be Nice and Share: Publishing Your Media-Infused Projects for the World to See
with Steve Dembo

3 PM
Can I Help You With That?  The Student as Collaborator, Creator and Director
encore presentation with Justin Karkow

It was also a first for us (I think).  It was the first time we were at an event that was all Mac.  Not a PC in sight.  Well, as long as you don’t count mine fired up hiding in a corner so it wouldn’t feel so inferior.  At least by the end of the day I knew where the volume button is on a Mac keyboard!

Sally and Carole kicked off the event with an introduction into the basics of Streaming.  Tina followed up with a look at the Builders, and Teryl and Tim finished out the session with some tricks to using DE Streaming more effectively in the classroom.  And Teryl convinced 5 or 6 to start the STAR application process while they were there.  Go, Teryl!

I have to mention the incredible library facilities we used at Gresham.  Carole, one of our newer LC members, is the media specialist at Gresham, so we were in her element.  The main seating area (which you can see in the Animoto video below) has the old, hard, wooden chairs.  But they have a tremendous twist!  Each chair has been meticulously painted in the style of some famous painting.  It really adds an incredible charm to the seating area!

We had a great time at Gresham.  I hope we get to go back soon!

The Siemens’ “We Can Change The World” Challenge is open to K-8 teachers this year.  (Don’t worry, it will be K-12 next year).  Since this is a program that the vast majority of the DEN community can participate in, Discovery has pulled out all the stops to get as many of us enrolled as possible.  How about these prizes?

• Any STAR Discovery Educator who enters the challenge by January 31, 2010 will have his/her name put into a drawing to win a trip to the NSTA National Conference in Philadelphia, PA (March 18-21, 2010).  Airfare, hotel, and conference registration will be covered by the DEN!  You must be a STAR Discovery Educator, and you must let the DEN know that you and your students have entered the “We Can Change The World” Challenge by filling out this form.

AND

• The state (where there is a DEN Leadership Council) with the highest number of entries to the “We Can Change The World” Challenge will earn a Day of Discovery in conjunction with the DEN’s Spring Virtual Conference!  The entire day will be planned, managed, and executed by the DEN team giving the state LC a break.  Hall Davidson, Steve Dembo, and other members of the DEN team will be there in person to conduct workshops!!!

I’m putting in my application this weekend.  We want someone from TN to go to the NSTA Convention.  We also want to be the state that hosts this great Day of Discovery!

What are you waiting for?  Sign up today!

Thanks to the video crew, Discovery Education, and the dozens of teachers from all over Eastern Tennessee who participated in the day to make it a huge success for the DEN!

We will cover three areas of DE Streaming that morning:

• DE Streaming Basics
• Building a Better Builder
• Beyond the Stream (50 ways to use DE Streaming in your classroom)

Fill out the form below today! Space is limited.  And the door prizes are fantastic!

Click here to register!!