2024VSTE Annual Conference

Are you ready to transform your classroom into a vibrant hub of language and engagement? Join us for an invigorating session inspired by ?The 7 Steps to Building a Language-Rich Interactive Classroom? by Bill Perryman and John Seidlitz. In this dynamic workshop, we?ll dive into practical strategies, fueled by technology, that empower students to express themselves confidently. Using strategies like total response signals and structured reading and writing activities, you?ll be ready to spark creativity, amplify voices, and build a language-rich environment that resonates with every student.

Join us for an immersive professional learning session focused on Virginia's Digital Learning Integration (DLI) standards. This session empowers participants to choose specific content strands to explore in-depth with a focus on the K-2 and 3-5 performance indicators. Participants will learn what each content strand entails, how performance indicators continue to build in terms of skills progression across grade bands, and which tools are most effective for supporting these standards. Whether you're a novice or an experienced educator, this session will provide valuable insights and practical strategies for integrating digital learning standards in your classroom.

Join me for this sun-sational session as we ride the wave of app smashing. We'll unleash the power of AI to turn classrooms into ampitheaters and lessons into brain-boosting adventures! Get ready to create lessons as engaging as Hanging Ten ! Tools used: Magic School AI, Suno AI, Brisk AI, and Quizizz AI.

Looking for fresh ways to enhance learning, inspire creativity and expression, and connect content with students in authentic, accessible ways? Or perhaps you are a Librarian looking for ways to promote Storytelling and literacy or to connect and collaborate with teachers? In this session, you will how it is possible to use Book Creator to promote and enhance learning, as well as improve digital literacy, in any content area.; Looking for fresh ways to enhance learning, inspire creativity and expression, and connect content with students in authentic, accessible ways? Or perhaps you are a Librarian looking for ways to promote Storytelling and literacy or to connect and collaborate with teachers? In this session, you will how it is possible to use Book Creator to promote and enhance learning, as well as improve digital literacy, in any content area.

Join us for a session to explore practical strategies for seamlessly integrating space-related content into your current CTE courses. You'll gain valuable insights through specific examples of engaging lesson plans and hands-on activities that will empower you to connect CTE with the ever-evolving realm of space exploration and development. By incorporating space-related projects and discussions into your curriculum, you can ignite a passion for aerospace, engineering, and technology careers.

Technology is a great way to bridge the gap for students who need accessibility options. This session will help us identify visible and non-visible disabilities and ways to address them in programs we use every day to teach our students.

Discover digital tools and activities to enhance instruction of science topics for understanding people?s relationship to the natural environment. Engage and collaborate with fellow participants using digital game boards, group simulations, virtual graphing, and problem-solving challenges, all related to the SOLs.

In this session, attendees will be introduced to AIM-VA a nonprofit organization funded by the Virginia Department of Education that provides alternative text formats to eligible Virginia K-12 students who have an Individualized Education Program (IEP) and a documented Print Disability. Participants will learn about the eligibility criteria for AIM-VA, the process of requesting materials, and the range of formats available, including digital text, audio, and braille. Through interactive discussions, attendees will explore best practices for integrating AIM-VA into their teaching practices. Practical tips will be shared on how to select appropriate materials and leverage technology to enhance accessibility.

In the sea of education, standardization often acts as both a guide and a roadblock. How can educational leaders become lighthouses, guiding their teams to innovative shores without losing sight of necessary standards? Being an innovative (lighthouse) leader involves adopting a mindset and practices that encourage creativity, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

In this session, we will delve into developing our "guiding light" as innovative leaders, focusing on skills that embody courage, authenticity, and awareness. We will navigate through eight mastery pathways to enhance our innovative leadership style: coaching, personal story, purpose, interpersonal relationships, change management, resilience, and self-awareness. By the end of this session, participants will embark on their journey to becoming guiding lights in their educational environments, equipped with a clear understanding of their innovative leadership identity and practical strategies for ongoing growth and development.

Are you feeling bogged down in all the information you want to give teachers so they can set sail? Explore different ways to approach professional development and sneak in opportunities when they least expect it.

Conference Session Description: "From Grass to Gas: Understanding and Mitigating Agricultural Impact on the Chesapeake Bay Watershed" Join us for an engaging and insightful session at our technology conference where we explore the 'Grass to Gas' initiative and its profound relevance to our students' lives. This session will delve into the current farming practices and their impact on nitrogen levels in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, emphasizing that regardless of whether we are in an inland, landlocked county in Virginia or a coastal county, we all share a responsibility in addressing environmental concerns. Key Discussion Points: Agricultural Technology: Learn about the latest advancements in agricultural technology that are helping to monitor and reduce nitrogen runoff, including precision farming tools, sustainable practices, and innovative solutions. Environmental Impact: Understand the direct and indirect effects of nitrogen pollution on the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, and how local farming practices contribute to this issue. Data Analysis: Discover how data analysis is being used to track nitrogen levels and assess the effectiveness of different mitigation strategies. Project-Based Learning (PBL): Explore practical PBL projects designed for the classroom that engage students in real-world problem-solving related to environmental science and agricultural technology. These projects will help students develop critical thinking skills and a deeper understanding of their role in environmental stewardship. By the end of this session, educators will be equipped with the knowledge and resources to integrate these important topics into their curriculum, fostering a generation of environmentally conscious students who are ready to contribute to sustainable solutions. Whether you're teaching in a rural or coastal setting, this session will provide valuable insights and actionable strategies to make a positive impact on our environment.

Google's Looker Studio is a data visualization tool that can be used to build dynamic data dashboards for a variety of purposes. In this session you will learn how to build a dashboard from scratch and leave with resources to apply it to a variety of contexts. The possibilities are endless!