Friday, July 31, 2009

123vc: Jazzing Up Your Curriculum with Interactive VC 2009

Wow, what a week! It is hard to believe that this 5-day training is over all ready... Our participants and the projects they completed were FABULOUS!!

What a dedicated group of teachers we worked with this week! I'm proud to know that they are part of our region. We're lucky to have such dedicated educators teaching our students.

So, you might be asking yourself, "What went on during this Jazz training?" And I might reply, "What didn't go on??"

Our participants were immersed in a variety of educational video conference strategies throughout the 5 day training. We learned about and participated in Academic Challenges, Exchange Projects, connected with various content providers, and so much more.

They also worked in small groups throughout the week with participants from other sites around the nation to complete a small group project. One of our participants remarked that even though the small groups might have participants from different sites, the video conference technology allowed for relationship-building.

Participants left with a completed project and are looking forward to video conferencing with Jazz participants from other locations and their classes this school year. Read some of their comments from the last session from today.

Roxanne Glaser, one of the lead facilitators for Jazz from the great state of Texas, summed up the experience today with a quote from Oliver Wendell Holmes, "One's mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions. " That's very true. This is the second time GST has participated in this training and I enjoy it more and more each time. This training is intense, but once you complete it, you feel as if you can conquer anything video conferencing has to throw at you!

Looking forward to next year already... But I need a nap first!

3 comments:

Unknown said...

It was so much fun to have GST BOCES in Jazz again this year. It is probably my absolute favorite workshop to give. The participants leave truly "jazzed" about using IVC.

Can't wait to do it again next year.

Cheryl Tice said...

We had a blast working with everyone, too! It's a fun training and I thoroughly enjoyed it. (So did our participants!!!)

Looking forward to next year's myself :-)

Roxanne Glaser said...

Cheryl, I napped all weekend and I am STILL tired! Shane and I really enjoyed working with you and Rene and Mary this week. Looking forward to additional opportunities.

Roxanne