MOUSE Squad Wire

Dec 11: NXT Robotics Workshop for NYC MOUSE Squad Coordinators

admin — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 22:49:55 +0000

MOUSE and Vision Education are partnering to offer NYC MOUSE Squad Coordinators an after-school professional development workshop on Robotics. This is for educators only (sorry students! we have other events just for you coming soon!) This beginner’s workshop will provide an introduction to the LEGO® Mindstorms® NXT Kit and programming environment. Participants will work in groups to build a vehicle robot and program basic challenges incorporating motors, sensors, and sound. Participants will see sample student projects and get and overview of what is needed to start an in-school or after-school robotics program.

When: December 11th, 4PM-6PM
Where: TBA (in Manhattan)

Register Now: We have 20 spaces available for MOUSE Squad Coordinators only on a first-come/first-serve basis. Click here for the registration form.

Who is Vision Education & Media?

Vision Education & Media has been helping schools and community-based organizations integrate emerging technologies creatively and effectively for over 10 years. We write dynamic multi-disciplinary curricula, provide professional development to teachers and school administrators, and offer in-school and after-school programming to youth. Over the past decade we have partnered with national and international clients such as the MIT Media Lab, LEGO® Education, and the YWCA. Our workshops focus on creative project development in technologies such as robotics, animation and game design, web design and development, digital video, and digital audio. Vision programs are designed to engage students in all stages of the design process and encourage the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

If you would like to submit a WIRE post to announce upcoming trainings for Coordinators in your MOUSE Squad region, please email us: help@mousesquad.org.

Speak Up 2008 now open through December 19th, 2008!

JB — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 17:11:13 +0000

Speak Up 2008 now open through December 19th, 2008!

We are pleased to announce that Speak Up 2008 is now open! In just one week over 10,000 students, parents and educators have shared their views through Speak Up 2008. This year's topics include:

How are students, teachers and administrators using technology in schools?
What are the characteristics of the 21st century classroom?
What are the emerging technology trends to watch?
How do we improve student achievement in science?
How do we foster media and information literacy skills?

Why participate in Speak Up 2008?

Since fall 2003, the annual Speak Up project has collected and reported on the views of over 1.2 million K-12 students, teachers, administrators and parents representing over 14,000 schools in all 50 states. The Speak Up data represents the largest collection of authentic, unfiltered stakeholder input on education, technology, 21st century skills, schools of the future and science instruction. Education, business and policy leaders report using the data regularly to inform federal, state and local education programs.

By encouraging your stakeholders to participate in Speak Up you can:

Ensure that their voices are included in the dialogue about K-12 science, technology and math education.
Gather information from your students, teachers, school leaders and parents about key educational topics, including: educational technology, 21st century skills, science and schools of the future.
Send a strong signal that you value your stakeholders’ opinions.
Engage your stakeholders in decisions about the programs, services or legislation that will affect them.
Encourage them to incorporate student voice into their local decision making processes.

Click here to view the current Speak Up 2008 surveys.

Special thanks to our 2008 sponsors and partners
Speak Up would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors and outreach assistance from our nonprofit partners. Many thanks to our Speak Up 2008 sponsors: CDW-G, SMART Technologies, PASCO scientific, Blackboard, Inc., William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, 1105 Media-Education Group and Wimba.

Also, we extend a special thanks to our National Outreach Partners – SETDA, CoSN and NSBA for their wonderful support.
Learn more about our Speak Up Partners

Squad SpotLight: Thomas Edison

zongjuan — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 19:48:40 +0000

Number of Years Running: 6 Years
Squad Coordinator: Mr.Bell
Latest Accomplishment: 50+ Tickets before November
What’s Next: Moving to CaseTracker for online ticket / case management

The MOUSE Squad at Thomas Edison High School has been running for 6 years and has won the MOUSE Squad of the Year award twice. I recently had the opportunity to meet with the squad as they were getting started for the year. In a couple of short weeks they had recruited 13 all new students who meet up every school day and usually work during lunch, after school and whenever they have a free period.

Mr.Bell is a serious and efficient MOUSE Squad Coordinator whose goal is to have his squad win MOUSE Squad of the Year. He is already planning 2 events where his squad will be providing the tech support. To him MOUSE Squad is a job and demands professionalism from both his students and the faculty at the school.

The students in the past have worked on a number of projects throughout the school such as installing SMART Boards and projectors in many classrooms as well as doing extensive work repairing broken down computers through reimaging, defragmenting hard drives, removing viruses and generally solving software-related issues they might have. The squad has already resolved a stack of more than 50 service calls before November. They are continuing regularly scheduled maintenance and upgrades to their network by replacing old Ethernet cables with new ones they’ve made themselves, and by setting up the wireless access on school laptops, and installing network printers.

Currently, the squad keeps track of all of their work with a paper ticket system, but has recently started transitioning their case tracking system to the MOUSESquad.org CaseTracker. After graduating from Thomas Edison High School many MOUSE Squad students get jobs or study in the tech field. One Thomas Edison alumni volunteered to work with us at the MOUSE Squad Summer Academy and is an Agent with the Geek Squad.

Thomas Edison High School is a long time partner with MOUSE and one of the many success stories from the field this year. If you have great things happening in your squad and want to share please e-mail our Field Support Representative at juan@mouse.org and make an appointment for MOUSE to visit YOU. If your squad is in another state, contact your region coordinator to have a “Spotlight” submitted from your site.