Webinars on the Way - sign up for more free PD

Webinars really can provide us with great professional development for free and without leaving the comfort of our homes and/or desks.  Often they take on a very informal atmosphere because they are done via a social forum like Google Hangouts.  When we participate in them live, we can contribute to the conversation via chat, video conferencing, etc., depending on the format and venue.  

As a follow-up to my last post listing archived and on-demand webinars to explore, I thought I'd link you to some upcoming webinars that might be of interest. All of these are free, but do require registration.

EdWeb.net is a "professional social and learning network" for educators and is free for anyone to join.  Within the network, there are over 1,000 "communities", or groups, to join as global PLCs. Something to consider joining for professional development and networking.  Or if you don't want to register for yet another group, you can follow the network on Twitter @edwebnet.

The group provides a calendar of upcoming webinars here, sometimes providing multiple a day.  I specifically thought these might be interesting...

Get your students involved with this session!

WHAT: Interview with a Hero: Lessons of Personal Bravery and Self-Sacrifice

WHEN:  Wednesday, March 26, 2014 - 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM (Eastern Time)

ABOUT: 

Hosted by Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation

In this special webinar presented by the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation, teachers are invited to bring their students and colleagues to hear the personal story of the Medal of Honor Recipient, Harold “Hal” A. Fritz, who received his Medal for his actions near Quan Loi, South Vietnam in 1969, during the Vietnam War.  Hal Fritz is currently the President of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, which is comprised solely of the 75 living Medal of Honor Recipients.

During this webinar, Hal Fritz will discuss what the Medal of Honor means to him and how it has affected his life.  He will take questions about his experiences and will share his thoughts on character, commitment, and bravery.  The program will be moderated by Noel Wall, Director of Education at the Medal of Honor Foundation.

This webinar is part of a series of webinars on the free Character Development Program, based on the Medal of Honor Recipients' stories, which includes 50+ lesson plans and 100 video vignettes on aspects of courage, integrity, sacrifice, commitment, citizenship, and patriotism.

Webinar attendees will receive details on how to access the full free Character Development Program, available online and on DVD.

Not flipping? Have your students create the videos!

WHAT: Video Creations as Demonstrations of Learning

WHEN: Wednesday, March 26, 2014 - 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM (Eastern Time) 

ABOUT: Presented by Richard Byrne, Digital Learning Consultant - Free Technology for Teachers

Between cell phones and tablets, it seems that nearly every student has access to a video camera today. In our community’s next webinar, Digital Learning Consultant Richard Byrne will share some of the ways that your students can demonstrate knowledge of content and process - through the use of free video creation apps and web tools. From short, one-take video reports to longer documentary videos to bringing creative writing to life, there is something here that all teachers can put to use in their classrooms. Here are some of the topics Richard will explore during this session:

• Flipping the flipped classroom by having students create short video lessons for each other
• How to video blog with YouTube and Blogger and why you might want your students to blog this way
• Adding videos to augmented reality experiences
• Creating animated videos to bring students' writing to life
• Sharing students’ video projects while being mindful of privacy concerns

Join us on March 26 to learn ways to use video creations as demonstrations of learning with your students.

 EdTechTeacher.org is a professional development group with a goal of helping "teachers and schools leverage technology to create student-centered, inquiry-based learning environments". You can sign up for a monthly newsletter from the group, or visit the Tools for Teachers page to get resources. The group seems to specialize in webinars, some of which I linked in my previous post.  

Here are two upcoming webinars that sound relevant to CJ teachers.  The links provided take you to the list of webinars and registration is available on that page...

Get collaborating and using the cloud...

WHAT: All Things Google!

WHEN: Tuesday, April 8, 2014 - 7:00pm EST

ABOUT: 

Google Apps, Chrome, and Drive - use one of these Google tools, or all of them, and endless possibilities open up for creation, communication, and collaboration. In just one hour, we'll give you a speed tour through "all things Google" to give you some ideas for how you can bring these tools into your classroom.

Gaming in education - it's a thing.

WHAT: Games Are Good for You! What Games Teach Us About STEM & Learning

WHEN: Tuesday, April 29, 2014 - 7:00pm EST

ABOUT: 

What can we learn from games? Come explore the many ways that you can use game dynamics and gamification to increase learning and boost engagement in your STEM classroom. Discover how popular games such as Minecraft and SimCity provide playgrounds for creativity and robust opportunities for collaboration and critical thinking in the classroom. Finally, learn about the many opportunities for coding and computer science that are embedded in the process of having kids designing and programming games as a demonstration of their learning.

Sign up for one of these webinars? Get something good from it? Comment below to let us know!