The Changing Face of IU Project
Websites
Take a
look at these Internet Learning Community Project websites!
Connecting Students to the World (CSW) uses
the Internet and the World Wide Web to further collaboration between
the university and K-12 educators. CSW recently unveiled a revamped
suite of K-12 pages and resources nested within the Institute
for International Studies globetrotter
web portal. When you visit the IIS site today, you will notice
a prominent link to "K-12 Outreach." The impetus for
the change came from the CSW teacher cohort, many of whom observed
that it was sometimes difficult to find teacher and student resources
and materials.
In fact, the redesign at the CSW site
was guided by conversations with teachers over many months--as
they used the site and learned how best to adapt resources and
interactive technologies to their classroom needs. Harry Kreisler,
Executive Director of IIS, and Nanou Matteson, Program Coordinator,
recalled numerous dialogues with teachers that took place only
after good collaborative relationships had been established. Teachers
used and became familiar with CSW materials (and new technology
tools) before they offered the contributions CSW needed to reorganize
and improve the site for teachers. Kreisler and Matteson recalled
that many times conversations about "what we don't know"
were the key to making changes that ended up being beneficial.
Over several months, teachers and students were also observed
in the classrooms of CSW participant schools at Skyline High in
Oakland, and Washington, Lowell, and Ida B. Wells High Schools
in San Francisco.
In addition to the new link to K-12 resources
on the IIS homepage, the redesigned Connecting Students to the
World site now features an introductory
page that's the jumping off point to:
-
Teacher resources--which
contains research galleries, themes, curriculum standards, and
interviews
-
Examples of how teachers
have used CSW materials in their classrooms
- An online guide to learning how to conduct
better interviews
CSW continues to develop and expand their
available resources, and welcomes suggestions from teachers and
learners of all ages. Please contact them if you would like to comment
on the CSW site!
The goal of Project FIRST is to increase
the literacy development and proficiency of Oakland elementary school
students through a model program that integrates inquiry-based science
curricula, Internet technology and a mentored learning environment.
Their newly designed website presents a vibrant new look for their
signature "Eye On the Sky" lessons and interactive science
activities for beginning readers and learners. Numerous lesson plans
and resources are now found at the link to "Our Star the Sun,"
and "Changing Weather" provides the framework and online
materials for creating a weather diary. There are also highlighted
"featured activities" and a gallery of "student work"--all
presented in a new, visually engaging presentation for young students.
Finally, we would like to acknowledge more
new material at the CityBugs
site--the February 2001 recipient of a San Francisco Exploratorium
"10 Cool Sites" award. There are new features on their
Events, Articles and Awards page, as well as useful materials and
resources at the Student Corner and Teacher Corner links. The Teacher
Corner in particular features Middle and High school lesson plans
and lesson ideas, a rich array of links to resources, and a prominent
link to Oakland Unified School District and National Science Content
Standards.
Check out all these sites for new developments
and continuing updates!
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You'll find these
additional stories--and more--featured on the IU
News page:
- NEW Digital Learning Materials
Index
- IU Staff present to Library Roundtable
- Links to summer 2001 professional development opportunities
- Read
all the IU News ...
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June 5, 2001 . . . The
days are long and, this week, fog-free. The campus is quiet
and empty. But IU work has not come to a halt. This issue introduces
a new link on the IU main page--the IU Digital
Learning Materials Index. Click on the button above this
column, or read about the DLM Index in the June
IU News. As in past years, for many IU Projects, summer
is a season of Teacher Professional Development Workshops and
Seminars. Our June issue points to announcements about workshops
slated for this summer. We will update our the listings as we
hear about additional opportunities--so check back. In the mean
time, enjoy summer! The IU News will publish on the first Tuesday
each month throughout summer--with highlights events other News.
Please continue to send along your story suggestions, recommendations,
and any other comments. Thanks!
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