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Assessment of and with Technology

Hot Potatoes http://web.uvic.ca/hrd/halfbaked The University of Victoria Language Centre developed this innovative, free testing software. Download the software to develop on-line tests in six question formats: multiple choice, short answer, jumbled sentence, crossword, matching/ordering, and fill-in-the-blank. Tutorials are available to get you started. An Educator's Guide to Evaluating the Use of Technology in Schools and Classrooms http://www.ed.gov/pubs/EdTechGuide/ This U.S. Department of Education handbook the is geared towards educators with little or no research experience who are charged with evaluating the impact of instructional technology on a school or district level. This type of assessment is usually required when schools or districts obtain funding through grants. Promising Practices in Assessment Database (PPAD) http://assessment.WestEd.org/PPAD/ This database, hosted by WestEd, contains a variety of assessment-related materials developed by the 10 regional educational laboratories. It is fully searchable and includes materials relating to software, assessment instruments, activities for standards development, how-to guidebooks, and much more.

Funding

BellSouth edu.pwr3 http://www.bellsouth.com/education/ This two-year program will distribute $10 million in grants to help school leaders, teachers, and students make the best use of instructional technologies. eSchool News Technology Funding Center http://www.eschoolnews.org/funding/ This on-line component of eSchool News is updated regularly with new funding opportunities. It is free to all school technology professionals. The Foundation Center http://foundationcenter.org/ The Foundation Center fosters public understanding of foundations, in general, by collecting, organizing, analyzing, and disseminating information on foundations, corporate giving, and related subjects. This extensive Web site supports the Foundation Center libraries with tips, answers to frequently asked questions, and a wealth of resources for novice or expert grant seekers. U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology Educational Technology Grant Programs http://www.ed.gov/Technology/TOCedgrant.html This site includes links to the many funding opportunities offered by the Office of Educational Technology.

Technology Integration

Designing Your School Web Site http://www.ael.org/rtec/webdesigns.pdf Lori Tate of AEL developed this PowerPoint presentation for her popular workshops on Web site design and basic HTML. This presentation can be viewed on any standard Web browser. America Links Up http://www.americalinksup.org/ America Links Up seeks to ensure that every child has a safe, educational, and rewarding experience on-line. Its broad-based coalition includes nonprofit organizations, education groups, and corporations; its activities are geared to kids, parents, and educators. Virginia Educational Technology Alliance (VETA) http://www.veta.org VETA is a collaborative of Virginia's teacher education institutions. It coordinates work of these institutions with practicing educators throughout the state.

Professional Development

Electronic Portfolio-Based Instructional Technology Master's Degree Program http://psyche.ed.vt.edu/itweb/ This award-winning on-line program for professional educators was developed by the College of Human Resources and Education at Virginia Tech. The success of the program has created demand for additional instructional components throughout the state. National Awards Program for Model Professional Development http://www.ed.gov/offices/OERI/ORAD/profdev.html This site features abstracts and contact information of previous winners as well as application information for this national program.

Teaching Resources

Congresslink http://www.congresslink.org Congresslink provides a wealth of resources for teachers, including reference materials to create lesson plans as well as complete lesson plans and student activities. Educational Software Cooperative (ESC) http://www.edu-soft.org/index.shtml ESC offers links to educational freeware and shareware. Its members include teachers, software developers, publishers, parents, and students. AskERIC http://ericir.syr.edu/ The Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) offers one of the most extensive catalogs of references for students and educators. AskERIC is a simple on-line interface for searching for references compiled by the 16 clearinghouses and associated clearinghouses. Federal Resources for Educational Excellence (FREE) http://www.ed.gov/free/ FREE is a compilation of educational resources from more than 30 federal agencies, compiled in response to President Clinton's request to "enrich the Internet as a tool for teaching and learning." The Gateway to Educational Materials http://www.thegateway.org/ The Department of Education maintains one of the largest lesson plan banks on the Web, and the searchable provides an easy-to-use interface. The Institute for Connecting Science Research to the Classroom (ICSRC) http://www.icsrc.org/ This institute collaborates with practicing researchers and professors from institutions of higher education to serve public schools. Developed at Virginia Tech, ICSRC is currently replicating its award-winning practices and programs on a national scale.