MaineLearns | School of Applied Science, Engineering, and Technology | Conference Registration

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The Maine Learning Technology Initiative and the University of Southern Maine's
School of Applied Science, Engineering, and Technology
Present the Third Annual
MLTI Student Tech Team Conference
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Engaging Students and Educators in a Partnership for Learning

Updated: May 22, 2006

Session Descriptions and Schedule
NOTE: SPECIFIC SLOTS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE!

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Session Descriptions and Times


Registration: Brooks Dining Center from 8 to 9 a.m.  
Welcome:     Brooks Dining Center from 9-9:20 a.m.
Workshop Sessions: John Mitchell Center
Lunch: Brooks Dining Center 11:20 a.m. -12:20 p.m. (Lunch is provided!)
Closing and Door Prizes: Brooks Dining Center from 2:30-3:00 p.m.
Block 1: 9:30 a.m. to 10:20 a.m.
Block 2: 10:30 a.m. to 11:20 a.m.
(Lunch 11:20-12:20)
Block 3: 12:30 p.m. to 1:20 p.m.
Block 4: 1:30 p.m. to 2:20 p.m.
(Door Prizes, etc. 2:30 – 3:00)

Here is the list of sessions.  Look below the descriptions for listings of which offerings will be available during specific blocks, or click on a Block in the table above.
  • Making Music on Your Mac. (Alan Kaschub, Instructor of Music, School of Music - University of Southern Maine) This session will show students how they can use their laptops to create truly original music.  Students who don't read a note of music can still use various tools to create music that they can incorporate into iMovie projects, presentations, and even listen to on their CD player.  You'll even get to see how well your music fits as a score for a Harry Potter scene in this hands-on, ears on, minds-on session.
  • SmartBoard Magic (Jim Burke - eMINTS Region 4) A SmartBoard?  What can be done with this thing? Drop into this session and then prepare to interact while investigating math and science concepts using applets, flash, and SmartBoard Tools.   Participate in the grand group animation extravaganza!   Share your Smart Notebook work and  challenge other participants with your discoveries.
  • Digital Portfolios, Guiding Principles (John Robbins, Technology Teacher, Wiscasset High School) Learn how you can create a digital portfolio that best reflects your achievement of the Guiding Principles.  Using Notetaker or any HTML program, learn how to organize a variety of "exhibits" from your academic work, employment or community involvement that demonstrate: Communication, Problem Solving, Quality Work, Citizenship, Informed Thinking, & Life-Long Learning.  We have been developing this cumulative assessment tool during computer classes at Wiscasset High School.  To view sample exhibits, please visit us here.
  • WHAT’S YOUR IMPRESSION? (Argy Nestor, Carol Waldron & Students from A.D. Gray Middle School in Waldoboro) Seventh grade students, along with their art teacher, will demonstrate their use of Appleworks Paint to create an Impressionist painting.  The overall unit includes research of Impressionist artists, re-creation of a selected masterwork in Appleworks Paint and in tempera paint. Students compare the masterwork, their technology painting and their tempera painting.  Participants will have the chance to use their laptops to create an Impressionist painting.
  • Your Life, My Life, iLife! and iWork!  (Douglas Snow and Bob Trikakis from Apple Computer Inc.) Join  this session to discover how the iLife suite of tools developed by Apple can take your ideas from start to finish, local to global, paper to podcast. In this session you will discover some of the latest features of the uniquely integrated set of tools known as iLife, including iMovie, iPhoto, GarageBand, and iWeb as well as tools from the iWork suite.
  • Podcasting - The WHY and the HOW! (Bob Sprankle, Cheryl Oakes & Students from Wells Elementary School) The Room 208 Scholars from Wells Elementary School in Wells, Maine  want to teach you to podcast! Come join us to learn the fundamentals  of how we put our show together, why we do it, and how it has opened   up our classroom to a global community. Become a part of one of our   podcasts as we interview you about the effects of the MLTI 1-to-1 Laptop initiative on learning and teaching.
  • Squeak into Virtual Learning (Ed Latham - eMINTS Region 1 North & Anne Ireland - eMINTS Region 1 South) Way back before personal computers were available, Xerox created a GUI interface driven by a 3-button mouse and a powerful object oriented programming language. That language and interface has grown and thrived all these years to produce many incarnations. "Squeak" is multimedia flavor of that language that allows anyone to create objects and "program" the objects to interact with whatever environment you set it in. You can share your objects with everyone in the world as well. Come learn how easy this free program is to use and explore what worlds you can create.
  • Explore the Portland Museum of Art on the Web! (Stacy Rodenberger, Coordinator of School Programs, Portland Museum of Art) This session will introduce you AccessOnline, the Museum’s new interactive Web site for students. The five Interactivities featured on AccessOnline will guide you through exciting ways to examine paintings, sculpture, and architecture at the Museum. Play a variety of games and even create your own work of art as you discover how art and technology intersect. Students will enjoy exploring the site while teachers will get great tips for incorporating the Museum and its collections into their classrooms.
  • Comic Life - Teaching with a POW! and a BLAM! (Matt LeClair - Instructor in the Art and New Media Departments at the University of Maine, Orono) Comic books have long been a marginalized  and undervalued art form. More recently, however, more and more educators are realizing that comics can be a valuable tool for reaching a wide variety of learners. Educational value aside, comics are an absolute blast to create! In this session we will be exploring the fun & intuitive application Comic Life, using it to create a comic book page. Don't worry, you probably won't even notice the writing and communication skills you're developing while creating a comic.
  • Animation Celebration (Matt LeClair - Instructor in the Art and New Media Departments at the University of Maine, Orono) 2006 marks the 100th anniversary of animation. To celebrate, this session explores creating animation. A digital still camera and a stock MLTI laptop are all you need to create animations. Paper, clay, a whiteboard or chalkboard, toys, or really any movable object can be used to tell a story. While the tools are simple and the techniques are straightforward, these are actually the same methods used in movies like The Corpse Bride or Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Were Rabbit. Animation is a cooperative learning activity can be incorporated into a wide range of lessons, from Art to English to History.
  • Beginning Web Design with HTML and CSS  (Margaretha Haughwout, artist, freelance designer & recent graduate of UMaine's New Media Program) In this workshop students will have the opportunity to learn how to "hand code" their web page free of software such as Dreamweaver. Students will be introduced to "raw" html and css and will be able, after the first workshop, to make a basic web page with an image. Also after this initial workshop, students  will be given the basic tips, tricks and resources needed to teach themselves how to broaden their skill set beyond the classroom. Find out how the power of coding your website can give you more control and agility over your self-expression! (NOTE: Students will be using the editing software Taco (http://www.tacosw.com/TacoHTMLEdit.dmg) and should have it downloaded and installed prior to the start of the workshop.  The application should be placed in the student's "MyApps" folder.  While CDs with the software will be available in the session room, having the software in place before the session begins will be of benefit to all! Please come prepared to get to work.)
  • GarageBand is Easier Than You Think: An overview of making your own music with Apple's GarageBand (David McKee - Apple Computer) In this music-filled session, we'll learn how to use GarageBand to create music completely from scratch. We'll use GarageBand's thousands of built-in sounds and loops  -  and augment them other instruments such as a guitar or MIDI keyboard. Whether you are a musician or someone who can barely tune a radio, you'll discover how easy (and fun) it is to make professional sounding songs, music soundtracks (think movies, podcasts, etc!) and even your very own CDs. Making music has never been more simple!
  • Colonial Cobblestones: Using Technology to Show Our Learning (Kelly Fitz-Randolph and students from King Middle School) Students from King Middle School in Portland share a learning expedition on the colonial era and how technology was used as a tool to pull together their experience. This "tech team" organized 60+ webpages, sound files, and images in a great product that can be seen by all.
  • MARVEL! Maine’s Virtual Library (Pam Goucher, Librarian, Freeport Middle School) What’s worth $500,000 but available online FREE to all Maine residents with Internet access?  MARVEL – Maine’s searchable collection of magazines, newspapers, journals, dictionaries, encyclopedias, images and more.   This session will be an introduction to MARVEL! followed by a self-guided, scavenger hunt-type exploration this incredible collection of electronic resources for both students and teachers.
  • MLTI 2.0 - A Technical Roadmap For the Future (Jeff Mao,  Coordinator of Educational Technology, Maine Department of Education) This session will provide attendees with a glimpse of the technologies and software that will be available to students and teachers on the new MLTI devices. Attendees will gain advance knowledge of the planned roadmap for how MLTI devices will be configured, supported, and maintained. The next deployment is scheduled for launch in the Fall of 2006.
  • Using MLTI and the Maine Memory Network to Bring Local History to Life (Laura Richter, Technology Integration Specialist at Skowhegan Area Middle School, Steve Bromage, Director of Education at the Maine Historical Society, and SAMS students) During this hands-on session the presenters will share local history projects that Skowhegan students are working on with their community.  The project is helping students learn about local, state, and national history, develop technology skills, share their work online, and partner with adults in the community.  Maine Historical Society staff are supporting similar projects in towns around the state.   The session will include a demonstration of the Maine Memory Network and a discussion of partnership opportunities in your community.
  • The Original Student iTeam (Gary Lanoie, Cape Elizabeth School District) The first student iTeam in Maine was established at Cape Elizabeth Middle School back in 2002.  This team of students was the reason that the MLTI program at our school got off to a good start and continues to be successful to this day.  Come to hear about our organization, activities and experiences over the past few years. Two of our original student iTeam members (now 10th graders) will be joining the presentation.
  • Trouble Shooting Tips and Tricks (Gary Lanoie, Cape Elizabeth School District) Can’t connect to the Internet!  Can’t print that document!  Laptop won’t charge!  Knowing the basics will help any iTeam member solve a number of simple problems that teachers and students come across daily.  Learn some great trouble shooting tips and tricks in this workshop.  This session will finish with a Jeopardy Game review of what was covered in the workshop.
  • iMovie - Beyond the Basics (Eric Chamberlin, Boothbay Region High School) Apple lovers everywhere have been amking iMovies for almost 6 years.  Some people are ready to move on, others just need some tips on ways to enhance their iMovie skills to create powerful, exciting movies. Come to this session to see some tips and tricks to make iMovie pop and make you look like a masterful director.
  • Explore MicroWorlds (Crystal Priest, MSAD #4)  Do you want to create your own animations?  Learn a bit about programming
    using Logo?  Explore geometric designs? Learn how to drive a turtle around the screen?  Check out Microworlds.  This is a hands on session in which you will learn a bit about programming using Logo and create your first animations. We will be using the Microworlds software package.  Demo copies will be available for you to use on your computer.
  • Musique Lab (Alex Gross, New Media Department at the University of Maine, Orono) Musique Lab is a collection of interactive programs developed in Max/MSP by IRRCAM of France.  Musique Lab allows those new to electronic music to begin to explore the world of MIDI, which is one of the most popular electronic music formats.  The workshop will consist of a tour of each of the five MIDI exploration tools.  Through the workshop students will begin to understand some of the basic concepts in MIDI, including Pitch, Velocity, Duration, Timbre, and Looping.  After the students have been introduced to the software and the concepts behind it, they will be encouraged to play with and explore the software themselves.  These music tools, though relatively simple, provide for a wide range of experimentation, and learning, opportunities.  They will certainly help anyone who spends even a little time with them, to begin to understand the world of digital music.
  • Essential iMovie Basics (Sheridan Kelley, New Media Department at the University of Maine, Orono) iMovie has the capacity for professional editing through a very simple interface, making it an ideal tool for putting together video material in a very fast and painless manner.  This introductory class will provide the foundation for more advanced applications in digital video.  During the course of this workshop we will focus on the essential basics of working with video.  Students will learn how to edit the footage for content, add titles, add & manipulate audio, and export their composition as a quicktime movie.
  • Maine Students Educate Their Communities About the Threat of Aquatic Invasive Plants (Mary Ann McGarry, Maine Lakes Conservancy Institute) MLCI partner schools promote stewardship of their local lakes. Using a discovery-oriented approach, the students explore the threat of aquatic invasive species in their lakes and provide important information via a coded map to let others become aware of the potential impact.  These relevant, authentic projects, spark a sense of interest and wonder in even the non science types. Students meet a host of educational standards; build ownership, commitment, and pride in their work; and lead with the technology in populating the MLCI students portal.  Your school can become an MLCI partner, apply on line at www.mlci.org.
  • PASCO's Data Collection Probeware & DataStudio (Dave Small, PASCO) So what in the world is this DataStudio software on the MLTI image all about? And what are these rumors about a GIS software app being included on the next MLTI image, too??? Throughout the MLTI program DataStudio has been installed on the state’s MLTI image. DataStudio is used to collect, display, and analyze data from a variety of sources such as probeware as well as manually entered data. There’s also a visually powerful graphing calculator included with DataStudio, too. So the first part of this workshop will focus on what DataStudio can do, how to install updates, and how to troubleshoot it in an image type of environment. The second half of this workshop will introduce you to a new app, MyWorld GIS. Geographic Information Systems are incredibly powerful tools that will teach you to think spatially. So what in the world does “spatial” mean? Well, let’s just say it’s a great way to get you thinking beyond paper, pencils, books, and even beyond your flat computer screen. A GIS application merges data from multiple sources into a massive database and then displays it through a mapping interface. You can overlay and merge satellite imagery, topo maps, your own digital photos, GPS position data, and much more.  MyWorld GIS was developed at the School of Education and Social Policy at Northwestern University and it’s the only GIS app that was designed exclusively for education. MyWorld is a fully featured GIS and since it’s designed for classroom use you’ll find that it’s robust, fast, and very easy to use. Since this is a brief workshop we’ll only have a chance to introduce some of MyWorld’s capabilities so for more information refer to: http://www.pasco.com/myworld/home.html
  • Laptop GIS: Geography Meets the Computer!  (Lydia Leimbach, Halldale High School) Learn to use free GIS software and a variety of data sources to answer important questions... like where you can get the best cell phone coverage, what towns have DSL, and just what the state knows about where you live. See how to use this vast data resource to solve problems facing communities like yours.
  • Flash Blast!  (Maxwell Langdon, MBA, New Media, Computer Science.  ASAP Media Services) An introduction to Macromedia Flash application through the creation of a mini-game.  Students will receive a 30 day trial version of Flash and an unfinished game file.  After a short overview, students will create the final piece to the game and
    learn how to customize the visuals to make the game their own.
  • Searching the Web - It Is Far From Trivial! (Barbara Greenstone - MLTI) In an ongoing  game of "Not so trivial pursuit," participants will be competing for prizes for themselves, and for their school!  Dust off those Boolean Logic skills, and come ready to search!


Block 1    9:30 am to 10:20 am
  1. Musique Lab (Alex Gross)
  2. Colonial Cobblestones: Using Technology to Show Our Learning (Kelly Fitz-Randolph)
  3. WHAT’S YOUR IMPRESSION? (Argy Nestor)
  4. Making Web Pages with iPhoto  (Melanie Chasse)
  5. Squeak into Virtual Learning (Ed Latham)
  6. Essential iMovie Basics (Sheridan Kelley)
  7. Comic Life - Teaching with a POW! and a BLAM! (Matt LeClair)
  8. SmartBoard Magic (Jim Burke)
  9. The Original Student iTeam (Gary Lanoie)
  10. Digital Portfolios, Guiding Principles (John Robbins)
  11. Beginning Web Design with HTML and CSS  (Margaretha Haughwout)
  12. Flash - An Introduction (Maxwell Langdon)
  13. Searching the Web - It Is Far From Trivial! (Barbara Greenstone)
  14. Your Life, My Life, iLife! and iWork!  (Douglas Snow & Bob Trikakis)

                                                                                                                          Block 1 |  Block 2 |  Block 3 |  Block 4  |  Top
Block 2    10:30 am to 11:20 am
  1. Musique Lab (Alex Gross)
  2. Colonial Cobblestones: Using Technology to Show Our Learning (Kelly Fitz-Randolph)
  3. WHAT’S YOUR IMPRESSION? (Argy Nestor)
  4. Podcasting - The WHY and the HOW! (Bob Sprankle)
  5. Squeak into Virtual Learning (Ed Latham)
  6. Essential iMovie Basics (Sheridan Kelley)
  7. Animation Celebration (Matt LeClair)
  8. SmartBoard Magic (Jim Burke)
  9. Trouble Shooting Tips and Tricks (Gary Lanoie)
  10. Digital Portfolios, Guiding Principles (John Robbins)
  11. Beginning Web Design with HTML and CSS  (Margaretha Haughwout)
  12. Flash - An Introduction (Maxwell Langdon)
  13. Searching the Web - It Is Far From Trivial! (Barbara Greenstone)
  14. Your Life, My Life, iLife! and iWork!  (Douglas Snow & Bob Trikakis)

Block 1 |  Block 2 |  Block 3 |  Block 4  |  Top
                                                                                                               
Block 3    12:30 pm to 1:20 pm
  1. Making Music on Your Mac. (Alan Kaschub)
  2. Using MLTI and the Maine Memory Network to Bring Local History to Life (Laura Richter)
  3. Explore the Portland Museum of Art on the Web! (Stacy Rodenberger)
  4. Making Web Pages with iPhoto  (Melanie Chasse)
  5. GarageBand is Easier Than You Think (David McKee)
  6. iMovie - Beyond the Basics (Eric Chamberlin)
  7. Animation Celebration (Matt LeClair)
  8. PASCO's Data Collection Probeware & DataStudio (Dave Small)
  9. Explore MicroWorlds (Crystal Priest)
  10. MARVEL! Maine’s Virtual Library (Pam Goucher)
  11. MLTI 2.0 - A Technical Roadmap For the Future (Jeff Mao)
  12. GIS - Maps and Data and Tools, Oh My! (Lydia Leimbach)
  13. Searching the Web - It Is Far From Trivial! (Barbara Greenstone)
  14. Maine Students Educate Their Communities About the Threat of Aquatic Invasive Plants (Mary Ann McGarry)


                                                                                                                          Block 1 |  Block 2 |  Block 3 |  Block 4  |  Top
Block 4    1:30 pm to 2:20 pm
  1. Making Music on Your Mac. (Alan Kaschub)
  2. Using MLTI and the Maine Memory Network to Bring Local History to Life (Laura Richter)
  3. Explore the Portland Museum of Art on the Web! (Stacy Rodenberger)
  4. Making Web Pages with iPhoto  (Melanie Chasse)
  5. GarageBand is Easier Than You Think (David McKee)
  6. iMovie - Beyond the Basics (Eric Chamberlin)
  7. Comic Life - Teaching with a POW! and a BLAM! (Matt LeClair)
  8. PASCO's Data Collection Probeware & DataStudio (Dave Small)
  9. Explore MicroWorlds (Crystal Priest)
  10. MARVEL! Maine’s Virtual Library (Pam Goucher)
  11. MLTI 2.0 - A Technical Roadmap For the Future (Jeff Mao)
  12. GIS - Maps and Data and Tools, Oh My! (Lydia Leimbach)
  13. Searching the Web - It Is Far From Trivial! (Barbara Greenstone)
  14. Maine Students Educate Their Communities About the Threat of Aquatic Invasive Plants (Mary Ann McGarry)
Block 1 |  Block 2 |  Block 3 |  Block 4  |  Top