MaineLearns | Electrical and Computer Engineering Department | Conference Registration

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 Last Update May 30, 2007

 The Maine Learning Technology Initiative and The Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at UMaine
Present the Fourth Annual
MLTI Student Tech Team Conference
'07 Focus: M-STEM (Maine Learners, Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Mathematics)
Friday June 1, 2007

Engaging University of Maine Faculty and Students, MLTI Students, and MLTI Educators in a Partnership for Learning

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

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Session Descriptions and Times


Registration: 8:15 AM - 9:00 AM in DP Corbett Atrium
Welcome:     9:00 AM - 9:20 AM in Hauck Auditorium
Workshop Session times: See at right 
Lunch: See at right
Closing and Door Prizes: 2:10 PM - 2:40 PM in DP Corbett 100
 Block 1: 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
Block 2: 10:40 AM - 11:40 AM
Lunch: 11:45 AM - 12:50 PM
Block 3: 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM


Here is the list of confirmed sessions and locations.  Download the most current PDF copy of the schedule and room assignments by clicking here. 

NOTE: This schedule is valid as of posting, but be aware that locations, times, and actual session descriptions may change at the conference... Participants will receive a final schedule on June 1 in Orono.
  • 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: D.P. Corbett 100 Block 2: D.P. Corbett 100 Block 3: D.P. Corbett 100

  • Rhythm, Rhyme and Rap (Alan Kaschub - USM School of Music) Learn to use Garageband and Finale Notepad together to compose, notate and record your own rap composition.  This interdisciplinary activity will get you thinking about words, rhythm, recording techniques and will change the way you listen to rap music. Block 1: Shibles Hall 311 Block 2: Shibles Hall 311 Block 3: Shibles Hall 311  

  • From creating your own computer game to doing your geometry homework - learn how to use  MicroWorlds! (Gail Garthwait - The College of Education & Human Development at UMaine) When it comes to technology, it is always  the folks who are programming that run the show...  This session is all about making you more powerful!  Learning MicroWorlds EX lets you create your own avatars and script your own "programs."  Students and teachers alike will benifit from learning just how much they can do when they start to see technology, "from the other side." Block 1: Jenness Hall 104 Block 2: Jenness Hall 104

  • Getting Jiggy with Gimp (Eric Chamberlin - Boothbay Regional High School) Manipulating and editing pictures has never been easier or more fun than with GIMP, a free resource similar to the ever powerful Photoshop, and part of the MLTI image.  Want to make a two headed monster, learn how to make someone disappear from a picture or turn a picture into a cartoon? Come to this fast past class to find out how. Block 2: Shibles Hall 201 Block 3: Shibles Hall 201

  • Little House on the Computer (Bruce Gamage and Students - Rockland Middle School) Participants will learn the basics of Sketch-Up, a simple yet powerful 3D drawing program, to create a model of a familiar object, their house. Students will be given a few pointers to get started and will then be set free to explore on their own. Bring some pictures of your house for some added fun! Block 1: Jenness Hall 116 Block 3: D.P. Corbett 107
  • Where in the Google Earth Am I? (Bruce Gamage and Students - Rockland Middle School) Participants will learn how to customize their Google Earth with 3D models they create or find. Students will begin my placing the house that they created. Their imagination is all that is needed after that. Block 2: Jenness Hall 116

  • GarageBand is Easier Than You Think: An overview of making your own music with Apple's GarageBand (David McKee - Apple) 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 with 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! Block 1: Barrows Hall 165 Block 2: Barrows Hall 165 Block 3: Barrows Hall 165  

  • Everything iPod! (Tara Maker & Dan DelVecchio - Apple) Come experience how the iPod is more than just a music player. Apple will feature many cool iPod accessories including the Nike Running Kit, Belkin Recording Device, Video Goggles and more. Apple will also walk through how easy it is to create a podcast using GarageBand. We hope you will join us for a fun and exciting session. Block 1: Shibles Hall 202 Block 2: Shibles Hall 202 Block 3: D.P. Corbett 117

  • Creating Simulations is Easy and Fun! (Ed Latham - MLTI/eMINTS Region 1a Trainer Mentor) In a very short time you will be creating simulations in 2-D and in 3-D with StarLogo TNG, a program created and updated by the MIT Education staff. Programming is as simple as picking color coded instructions and clicking them together. Free software will be provided to participannts. Students are invited to learn the basics during any of the three sessions. For those students that would like to develop more skills, extension activities will be offered in the second and third sessions while new students are going over the basics. Block 1: Barrows Hall 123 Block 2: Barrows Hall 123 Block 3: Barrows Hall 123  

  • NoteShare - Way Beyond The Basics (Douglas Snow - Apple & Jim Moulton - MLTI) OK... you're using NoteShare in your school, but are you really using it in all the ways possible???  We doubt it... Come to this session and learn at least a dozen amazing things NoteShare can do that you will be able to show your teachers and classmates. Block 1: D.P. Corbett 105 Block 2: D.P. Corbett 105 Block 3: D.P. Corbett 105

  • "Simon Says Do This..."AppleScript and Automator on iBooks (Title & Description TBA) (Eric Williams - Apple) OK, iTeams...  Here we go... Get ready to geek out and learn about what can be done when you know how to "really" tell a Mac what you want it to do! Block 1: Shibles Hall 316 Block 2: Shibles Hall 316 Block 3: Shibles Hall 316

  • Under the Hood of Google - Beyond Simple Search (Quili Wang - Graduate Studens in The College of Education & Human Development at UMaine) Sure - everyone uses Google, but do you really know how to make it "sing?" The Internet has an enormous quantity of information. The two questions that face any information seekers are (1). How can I find what I want? (2). How can I know that what I find is good? The session will help you learn some Internet search tips, strategies, and about evaluating Internet research sources.You'll be amazed at how your searching can be improved! Block 3: Shibles Hall 202 

  • Using iLife to Share Your Life (Rob Munzing & Gardiner Area High School Students) Students at Gardiner Area High School use iLife to create Autobiographies to share with their classmates and their families. Students integrate digital video, pictures, old vhs tapes, and interview family and friends to create a story that is uniquely theirs. Come learn how you can do this too! Block 1: Neville Hall 208 Block 2: Neville Hall 208 Block 3: Neville Hall 208  

  • Oh My Goodness! I Blew up the Screen! (Bruce Segee - Super Computing, Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at UMaine) This session will explore high resolution visualization using tiled displays.  Students will generate large images (the current idea is fractals, but may be something else) based on inquiry-based exploration.  Students will work in teams to not only create the images, but also to view them.  Each student's laptop will be used to display a piece of the overall image, allowing both a larger display and higher resolution than could be attained with a single laptop. Block 1: Barrows Hall 133 Block 2: Barrows Hall 133 Block 3: Barrows Hall 133  
  • What colors do plants, flowers and trees see? (Jeff Beaudry - University of Southern Maine and Digital Earth Watch, with Rita Freuder, UNH; Polly Wilson, Deering High School) Come in and try on the Purple Filter goggles used by foresters, infrared goggles, and use color filters to look at the health of plants, flowers and trees.  Use color analysis software, available for FREE to figure out more about how color tells us about the health of plants.  See our web site (mvh.sr.unh.edu) Block 1: Jenness Hall 102
  • Zoom!  Picture from Those Big Digital Cameras in the Sky (Jeff Beaudry - University of Southern Maine and Digital Earth Watch, with Rita Freuder, UNH; Polly Wilson, Deering High School) Come learn about big, digital cameras in the sky, satellites, and the pictures they take.  Learn how to get satellite images (FREE) of any place in the continental USA and the image analysis software (FREE) from our web site (mvh.sr.unh.edu). Block 2: Jenness Hall 102  
  • Can you beat your computer at our color mixing game? (Jeff Beaudry - University of Southern Maine and Digital Earth Watch, with Rita Freuder, UNH; Polly Wilson, Deering High School) With our color mixing software (FREE) you can learn how to mix red, green and blue, and a few other colors.  Play a partner or play the computer.  By the way, do you know the difference between mixing  paint color and mixing light color?  The computer does.  See our web site (mvh.sr.unh.edu) Block 3: Jenness Hall 102
  • GarageBand for the Absolute Beginner (Michael Cushman - MVYDC) OK, you really, really want to learn to use GarageBand, but you want to go slowly, and get some personal attention...  Here is the session for you.  The size of the group will be limited! Come get started, and learn that, "Yes, you can!" Block 1: Shibles Hall 201 
  • Learning from Games - (Session 1: Sim Cit(ies); Session 2: Civilization and Friends; Session 3: Strategizing in Real Time) (Ruben R. Puentedura, Ph.D. - Hippasus.com) It would be wonderful to create educational games from scratch whenever needed; unfortunately, this is usually not possible. Fortunately, many off-the-shelf commercial games can be used for learning purposes - in many cases, with better results than traditional educational games. We will "pop the hood" on some popular games in three consecutive (although independent) sessions, figure out what makes them tick, and what we can - and cannot - learn from them. Block 1: D.P. Corbett 113 Block 2: D.P. Corbett 113 Block 3: D.P. Corbett 113
  • Student Tech Team 101: Why, What, Who, and How? (John Jaques & Students - Great Salt Bay School) Not just for grownups! Here is the session you need in order to start, or be a part of your schools Student Tech Team.  You'll hear about the reasons for establishing one from the student and adult perspectives, as well as learn, "How to get started." Plenty of time for questions, too!  Block 3: Shibles Hall 320  
  • What's Your Impression? (Argy Nestor, Visual and Performing Arts Specialist, Maine Department of Education and Carol Waldron, Technology Teacher/Coordinator for Hope and Appleton Schools) Participants will use drawing tablets to make a painting using the Paint component of Appleworks on an iBook. Basic techniques and a unit studying Impressionist painters will be shared.  You can return to your school and teach teachers and students how to be a successful iBook painter! Block 1: Shibles Hall 320 Block 2: Shibles Hall 320  
  • OSX Trouble Shooting Tips and Tricks (Crystal Priest - MSAD #4) 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.  In this session you'll be working with one of the best in the field, so bring your questions and plan on learning some great trouble shooting tips and tricks!  You will be empowered... Block 1: Jenness Hall 106 Block 2: Jenness Hall 106
  • As If You Were There.. (Steve Vose - MLTI Project Manager) Join hobbyist mountaineer and MLTI project manager Steve Vose on an  adventure through some of the highest peaks in the Americas culminating with his 2006 trip through the Andes and to the top of   22,841 foot Mt. Aconcagua!  Students will learn to use the advanced features and functions of "Google Earth" and various other web resources to follow along and research the presented topics, as well as getting a chance to see trip photos and a selection of gear used on the expedition! Block 3: Jenness Hall 100
  • Digital Games in 2007: Do You Have What it Takes to Be a "Player?" (Ben Sawyer - The Digital Mill) In this session you will learn all about what it takes to be a game developer and how you can make and modify games today right on your laptops.  Besides getting an inside look at modern day game  development you will be shown how to start building games on your laptops and how to integrate that into what you learn in school.   Come ready to soak up lots of information and bring proof back to your school that making games is one of the best and most educational things you can do today. Block 1: D.P. Corbett 115 Block 2: D.P. Corbett 115 Block 3: D.P. Corbett 115 
  • Algebra - Learning by Playing! (Steven Hoy - TabulaDigita) Participants will learn about DimensionM, an immersive math world and also have a chance to compete in algebra-based multi-player games.  The prize: one student will bring back a one-year site license of DimensionM for their school and the opportunity to make their school eligible for inclusion in the 2008 National Multi-player Educational Game (MEG) tournament. (To prepare for the Tabula Digita session, head to www.dimensionm.com and on the right side, click on "Games," and select "Evolver Multi-Player." Then click on "Meltdown," and select the "Demo Download.") Block 1: Neville Hall 101 Block 2: Neville Hall 101 Block 3:  Neville Hall 101
  • Animation Celebration (Matt LeClair - MattLeclair.org) 2006 marked the 100th anniversary of animation, and to continue the celebration, 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. (NOTE: Participants will have more fun if they bring their own digital camera...) Block 1: Jenness Hall 108 Block 2: Jenness Hall 108
  • Comic Life - Learning with a POW! and a BLAM! (Matt LeClair - MattLeclair.org) 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 that can show what you know! Don't worry, you probably won't even notice the writing and communication skills you're developing while creating a comic. Block 3: Jenness Hall 108

Download the most current PDF copy of the schedule and room assignments by clicking here.  This schedule is valid as of posting, but be aware that locations and actual sessions may change at the conference...