Instructional Media & Technology Team (IMTT)

February 2, 2012

Wisconsin Digital Learning Plan Released on Digital Learning Day

Digital Learning Day featured a statewide webcast with opening remarks by State Superintendent Tony Evers and presentations by students and teachers from eight school disticts around the state. One hundred eighty-six schools around the state also registered as doing events in their schools that day. Dr. Evers ended the day with a digital town hall meeting.

A highlight of the day was the release of the Wisconsin Digtial Learning Plan by the State Superintendent's Digital Learning Advisory Council. The plan is a blueprint for implementing digital learning in Wisconsin and can be found at: tinyurl.com/widigitallearningplan.

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December 29, 2011

More on Digital Learning Day, February 1, 2012

Wednesday, February 1, 2012, has been proclaimed Digital Learning Day in Wisconsin by State Superintendent Tony Evers.

As part of a national celebration, the Wisconsin education community will highlight and explore digital learning practices that can improve students' education and save money for schools.

Get involve in promoting digital learning by participating in one of the activities at: https://sites.google.com/a/dpi.wi.gov/wisconsin-digital-learning-day/home or http://dpi.wi.gov/imt/dlday.html.

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December 14, 2011

Digital Learning Day, February 1, 2012

State Superintendent Tony Evers has announced that Wisconsin will participate in the Digital Learning Day event being sponsored by the Alliance for Excellent Education (http://www.digitallearningday.org). This creates the perfect opportunity to officially roll out the statewide digital learning strategic plan being drafted by the Digital Learning Advisory Council ( https://sites.google.com/site/widigitallearning) on that date.

To make this a successful effort we are interested in having the assistance of persons passionate about this topic. This may be you or any of your colleagues, students, parents, or members of the community.

Examples of ways that you might help are:

1. Organize a local “Digital Learning Day” Event in your school or district culminating on February 1st highlighting examples of how students and teachers are using digital tools
2. Help in creating a “Toolkit for Schools and Districts” to organize their own Digital Learning Days mentioned above; a national toolkit can be found at http://www.digitallearningday.org/toolkits/district-administrators/ and we can “Wisconsinize.”
3. Help in organizing a Statewide Twitter Town Hall on February 1 that would feature State Superintendent Tony Evers
4. Help with developing and contributing to a Wisconsin Digital Learning Day Blog leading up to to February 1
5. Organizing and participating in a social media strategy including Tweeting and Facebook posting about the Wisconsin Digital Learning Day
6. Help with publicity, outreach and media planning
7. Other ideas?

If you would like to work to promote the - even in some small way - please let us know by contacting Assistant State Superintendent Kurt Kiefer (kurt.kiefer@dpi.wi.gov).

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December 7, 2011

Wisconsin PK-12 school may use Google SketchUp 8 Pro at no cost

Google SketchUp, is a 3D modeling software application that is used extensively by schools worldwide. Although there is a free version of SketchUp, there is also a Pro version which is typically a product schools pay for. DPI has entered into new SketchUp Pro Statewide K-12 Licensing Grant and SketchUp Pro 8 is now being offered to all K-12 schools in Wisconsin at no cost for the next 3 years. Now extended from 2013 until 7-31-2015!

If you are interested in getting the free license, have the person who manages software licenses in your school or district contact Steve Sanders (stephen.sanders@dpi.wi.gov) to be added to a Google Site with information on how to sign up.

SketchUp Pro is used in many subject areas, from math, and science, to computer technology and English, to pre-architecture and engineering classes. Elementary, middle, and high schools all use it to various extents. It's also used widely in conjunction with Google Earth where anyone can model a building, upload it to the Google 3D Warehouse, and geo-locate it in Google Earth,. Ask any 7th grader if they have heard of SketchUp and chances are they will give you details about how awesome it is. Shining examples of student work can be found here and here. Please view this short K-12 Case Study Video to see what’s possible.

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For questions about this information, contact Stephen N. Sanders (608) 266-3856

Last updated on 2/7/2012 8:36:48 PM