November Learning: Expanding the Boundaries of Learning

Lisa Thumann

About Lisa Thumann
Senior Specialist in Technology Education CMSCE, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ

Formerly a K-6 technology teacher, Lisa Thumann has been with the Center for Mathematics, Science and Computer Education at Rutgers University since 2002. As the Center’s Senior Specialist in Educational Technology, Lisa facilitates professional development sessions on campus as well as travels throughout New Jersey going into districts helping teachers integrate technology into their classrooms. Her focus the last couple of years has been her 21st Century Learning Initiative and helping teachers to develop and participate in their personal learning networks. This is Lisa’s third summer presenting at BLC. She also happily presents at several Google Teacher Academies, Educon, NJAET, NJECC and has been the Keynote speaker for NJETI and NJEA. You can read more about Lisa on her blog at http://ThumannResources.com.

Main Session Workshops

Twitter – Establishing your Personal Learning Network (presenting with Liz Davis)

Have you heard of Twitter? Are you wondering what all the fuss is about? Have you tried it and still do not get it? In this session we will focus on the ways Twitter can be harnessed to build a rich and powerful learning community. We will discuss tips and tricks to leverage the potential of this network. Resources will be provided to help attendees set up their own networks during and/or after the session. Finally, we will capitalize on the face-to-face connections within the workshop to further enrich our online learning communities.

Twenty-Five Ed Tech Leaders to Follow

Whether your PLN is overflowing or just starting to grow, this workshop will help you to refine your network to best suit your learning needs. I will lead you to interesting people who advocate for the effective use of technology to improve teaching and learning. These leaders will challenge your assumptions, answer your questions and make you think. If you are not sure where to look for the right people, or you just want to learn about some fresh voices, you will leave this session with inspiring additions to your personal learning network. These ed-tech leaders write blogs, maintain wikis, UStream their keynotes and publish their podcasts. You can find them all over the cloud. Join us for a tour of the top 25. (P.S. This list will not include any of the presenters at BLC as you can meet them face-to-face.)

Stretching Your Technology Dollar: Did You Say That Was Free?

Come explore some solutions for creative and collaborative tools to use with your students. There is no need for purchase order numbers with these tools. We will look at content area, integrated, classroom uses for Glogster, comic strip generators, Wordle and more. Take a tour of these three, easy-to-use, free educational tools and the resources provided, and be ready to integrate them in your lessons come Fall 2010.