Wilber, the official mascot and application icon of GIMP

This application is especially useful for teachers and educators who may not have the budget to acquire expensive image editing software for their sites. With a large community of users, a wealth of free resources and tutorials (including on Youtube) and extensive platform support (Windows, OSX and Linux), GIMP is an excellent tool for educators and students who need to work with images for their projects.

GIMP can be download at www.gimp.org

Image used under Creative Commons from ddluong_ via Flickr

A recent study published in the International Journal of Educational Psychology and reported by Phys.org, details many of the factors affecting student participation in mathematics. These factors include challenges both inside and outside the classroom. The study’s findings indicate that schools need to make an effort to promote positive attitudes towards math and encouraging student self-belief.

Associate Professor Janette Bobis, chief investigator of this study states that: “If a school is going to do something to improve mathematics competencies they need to come from two or three angles to enhance the children’s self-belief and promote their positive engagement with mathematics. But they also need to develop strategies to reduce the negative attitudes to maths, such as anxiety and negative parental attitudes to maths.”

One of the other factors covered in the study are the impact of parents and their level of interest in mathematics. “Parents can have a really positive role to play – including stressing positive attitudes to mathematics and building up their child’s self belief.”

Source: http://phys.org/news/2012-04-students-maths.html

Thanks to your support, our MERIT and FAME graduates are celebrating their successes and sharing their new technology and pedagogy success with their students and other educators. We recently secured a third-year grant from the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, which along with donor contributions, will allow us to continue our FAME middle school math (pre-algebra and algebra) program for underserved schools.

I would like to share what one of our 2011 MERIT participants shared about her experience and the impact this professional development program has had on her teaching. Karen Weir Brown is a teacher at Fallon Middle School in the Dublin Unified School District.

“Everything about my teaching style and thought process has been changed by my experiences at MERIT over the past year. My students are excited by lessons; they perform at a higher level; and they tackle challenges I never thought they could. My classroom is truly a collaborative environment—I am learning from my students as much as they do from me! The level of discussion and confidence in class is outstanding. Students are suggesting websites and Web tools, and they are able to help peers and other teachers. My own confidence level has soared—I now realize that I don’t have to be an expert, I just have to know how to find the answers. I am excited by the possibilities for upcoming lessons, some of which my students have suggested. “

“My colleagues are also beginning to engage in lessons using technology based on the successes I report in test scores and overall grades. None of this could be possible without your generous support of this outstanding program. Thank you for believing that change can happen at any level.”

We deeply appreciate your partnership, which is vital to sustaining and expanding our programs, even with serious community college funding cutbacks. Your support will help Bay Area teachers prepare their students to become more engaged and better prepared with true 21st-century skills.

Regards,

Gay Krause
Executive Director
Krause Center for Innovation

We have already selected the 2012 MERIT cohort and are gearing up for July. Over the last two years, we have continued to expand our reach, and this year we expect to have more states represented than ever before. Applications came in from Washington, Virginia, Ohio, Florida, Oregon, and, of course, California. We will have two Italians on the team again and look forward to reaching other counties.

One of the KCI goals is to expand our pool of excellent instructors, and MERIT graduates have stepped up to the challenge. We’re pleased to welcome this year’s instructional team:

• David Cross (Earn While You Learn 2004);
• Nicole Dalesio (MERIT 2010);
• Roni Habib (MERIT 2009);
• Lisa Highfill (MERIT 2010);
• Karen Larson (MERIT 2011);
• Diane Main (MERIT 2011Instructional Team);
• Gene Tognetti (MERIT 2011); and
• Sean Williams (Los Angeles area).

We also welcome Cobey Doi and Kristin Tarnas, two participants from MERIT 2010 from the Hawaii Preparatory Academy (HPA), as the first non-Californians to join the instructional team. Cobey and Kristin are training to take the MERIT Program back to HPA, as we are in discussions on how their academy might replicate the program.

MERIT will be held the last two weeks in July. If you’d like to visit the MERIT Program in session and see transformation in action, please call or e-mail KCI Executive Director Gay Krause at (650) 949-7113 or .

Students using Globaloria (photo courtesy World Wide Workshop).

Globaloria is the first and largest social learning network where students develop digital literacy; knowledge in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM); and global citizenship skills through game design. More than 5,000 students and educators across the nation have taken part in Globaloria, which teaches how to create educational Web games and interactive simulations through a yearlong academic curriculum.

For schools and community centers to successfully adopt Globaloria, teachers need comprehensive and structured professional development and a support system that combines face-to-face and online training. This is where the KCI comes in.

When World Wide Workshop came to California, it recognized that to have a systemic impact, it needed a West Coast professional development center with deep experience working with teachers and
technology—qualities the KCI is known for.

In June, the KCI will kick off the partnership with an intensive week of training for educators participating in the Globaloria Network in Silicon Valley. The group will learn the ins and outs of lobaloria as well as how to run effective blended-learning classes, integrating 1:1 computing with game design and content studies in their classrooms.

We are thrilled to be working with the KCI to provide educators with the rigorous professional development they need to be master innovators and skilled managers of 21st-century classrooms. The KCI mirrors our commitment to education transformation and is the perfect partner to bring change to Silicon Valley today and all of California tomorrow,” said Idit Harel Caperton, Ph.D., president and founder of the World Wide Workshop.

“This is a great opportunity for two like-minded organizations to work together,” said KCI Executive Director Gay Krause, “and we look forward to expanding the partnership as Globaloria extends its reach in the Bay Area and California.”

Learn more about Globaloria at worldwideworkshop.org/programs/globaloria.

The quality of instruction is the single most important component of an effective mathematics program. Research suggests that student achievement can improve when teachers are able to spend time planning and evaluating instruction.

FAME 2012 Cohort

The KCI’s core mission is aligned with this research: to prepare teachers to use integrated technologies for improving student learning outcomes. The KCI sponsors a professional development program for middle school mathematics teachers called the Faculty Academy for Mathematics Excellence (FAME) to address the need for higher mathematics success in our local schools. The FAME 2011 cohort completed its seven-month program cycle in January, and applications for the new cohort are under review.

The FAME Program comprises two weeks of intensive instruction in July followed by 12 additional hours of professional development in which participants learn multiple ways to teach middle school math concepts and how to integrate technology into instruction. The instructional team models hands-on learning activities, such as discussion, team problem solving and math manipulatives. Integrating technology—the hallmark of all KCI-sponsored programs—makes the FAME program unique. Teacher participants use free online manipulatives, graphing and table functions within Microsoft Excel, and algebraic functions using GeoGebra.

The innovative program prepares teachers based on research included in the Mathematics Framework for California Public Schools, published by the California Department of Education. The Framework states that an effective school mathematics program includes teachers who are knowledgeable about content and able to use a wide variety of instructional strategies. FAME is designed to increase student achievement in pre-algebra and algebra courses, reduce the achievement gap between well? and underserved students, and promote the use of technology to enhance the teaching and learning of mathematics.

The FAME Program model is strongly aligned with best practices found in the Mathematics Framework. Professional development is a long-term, planned investment that is strongly supported by the school administration and designed to ensure that teachers continue to develop skills and knowledge in both content and instructional options. In addition to active involvement during classroom-style staff development, teachers have the opportunity to interact with the instructional team during in-class coaching sessions. FAME teachers are given time and opportunities to work together to plan mathematics instruction.

The KCI received grant funding for FAME for three years from the Silicon Valley Community Foundation and coordinates the program with the Santa Clara County Office of Education and with support from the San Mateo County Office of Education.

“MERIT has challenged me to move out of my comfort zone, and try new ways of teaching and having my students demonstrate their understanding. In addition to sharing this knowledge with the staff at my school, I am now a part of our district technology professional development team (something that I probably would never have applied for prior to MERIT) and can help spread the things I’ve learned on an even more far-reaching basis.” Cris Lawson, Garden Gate Elementary School

Teachers collaborate during the MERIT Program Summer Institute.

“MERIT has helped me reinvent my curriculum in a fun, challenging and meaningful manner. I was introduced to a wealth of information, free software, lesson plans, and other tools that helped me breathe life into my 20+-year curriculum. One huge advantage of the way MERIT is structured is that it keeps teachers engaged throughout the school year with follow-up sessions; another advantage is being able to work with and learn from teachers located at other school sites.” Dolly Sandoval, Los Gatos High School

“I cannot begin to count how many professional development sessions I have been to where I walked out at the end of the day thinking, ‘Well, that was a waste of my time.’ MERIT has been the exact opposite. Every single day of the summer institute left me with countless new ideas and by the end of the two weeks, I was energized and so excited to get back to my classroom to start implementing new strategies. The follow-up sessions have been great opportunities to refresh my enthusiasm, connect with colleagues, and learn even more new things. I have heard from so many students (and parents) that this technology we are using in my classroom ‘makes sense.’ Thank you for believing in teachers and for giving us the time, space and resources to become better. My students thank you, too!” Megan Ellis, Jordan Middle School

“This opportunity came at a perfect time when I transitioned from teacher to administrator. As an assistant principal, I often feel pulled in many different directions. Staying connected to the amazing things we were learning and what others were trying allowed me to focus on what matters most in my job—encouraging strong teaching and learning practices. I will continue to prioritize technology and great teaching practices as I move forward, so thank you for making a huge impact on my profession during this critical transition in my life.” Amanda Boyce, Sedgwick Elementary School

ShiftED Innovative Educator Competition finalists, from left, Jennifer Hogan, Gregg Witkin, Gail Desler and Natalie Bernasconi.

Eleven teachers presented their projects at a poster session at the KCI, where they were judged by a panel of five, three of whom represented Silicon Valley at last year’s U.S. Forum. Seventy educators
attended to view the projects, and Milton Chen, author of Education Nation: Six Leading Edges of Innovation in Our Schools, gave the keynote address. All attendees were also invited to participate
in hands-on training of the latest Web 2.0 Microsoft educational tools provided by Microsoft staff.

The Innovative Educator Competition winners are:

• Jennifer Hogan, Transitioning Still Images to Moving Pictures/Creating Movies with Meaning;
• Gail Desler & Natalie Bernasconi, Digital ID: Citizenship in the 21st Century; and
• Gregg Witkin, Finding Your Voice.

Please join us in wishing them luck at the U.S. Forum in July. Winners of the U.S. Forum advance to the Partners in Learning Global Forum, which will take place in Athens, Greece, in November.

Lisa Highfill

Lisa Highfill, a fifth-grade teacher at Fairlands Elementary in Pleasanton, participated in MERIT in 2010, and her progress over the last two years is noteworthy. While Lisa was already attempting to integrate technology into her classroom, she felt limited in her skills. However, even in her first year after MERIT, she says her classroom was revitalized after being introduced to Google Tools and other Web 2.0 tools. “The first year, I added so many exciting activities and learned ways to share them with a greater audience. I found kids wanting to do more without being asked. My teaching transformed to include more collaboration, which enhanced the critical thinking project I was implementing.” Even now, these students are still coming back, sharing new projects they are creating, and they are entering media festivals.

Two years later, the transformation continues. Lisa participated in the 2011 Google Teacher Academy and was an inaugural member of the YouTube Teacher Academy, where she was named a YouTube Star Teacher. She won the California Media Festival Award (California State Parks category) and was runner-up for the Rambus/KCI Innovation Award for her class project that focused on Pigeon Point. She was also chosen to present at MacWorld 2012 on her class’s work in iPhoneography and tweeting. She continues to broaden her impact by presenting at other conferences as well. The KCI is proud to have her as a member of the 2012 MERIT instructional team.

While Lisa has expanded her skills, the real test is how the classroom is changed and how the students react. “They spend most of their free time plugged in, yet I wanted to show them that technology can involve learning that is exciting,” she said. “I have seen an increased confidence and a new voice for each of them as they express themselves through their creativity. They are starting to become innovators, problem solvers, and thinkers with big ideas for their future.”