Cruising Raleigh

The Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau welcomes NCTIES back to Downtown Raleigh! To help you find local attractions and restaurants, learn about local tours and how to ride the new R Line, or just to get answers to your questions, please stop by our welcome booth set up in the lower lobby of the Raleigh Convention Center. We’ll be right across from the entrance to the NCTIES exhibit hall, or stop by our visitor center in the connector space between the Marriott and the convention center. And you can always learn more at visit http://www.visitraleigh.com/visitors/

Did you pick up your complimentary Greater Raleigh SMART card yet? If not, be sure to do so before you go to dinner! The card is provided complimentary by Zspotlight.com and visitRaleigh.com. When you use it, you'll save money at area restaurants and attractions. To preview the many businesses that accept our card, see http://www.zspotlight.com/raleigh-restaurants.asp

What’s new since NCTIES was here last year? Have you tried Zpizza on City Plaza located street level in the Bank of America Building – we think you’ll like this pizza made from all organic and gluten free ingredients. Good and good for you! http://stores.zpizza.com/raleigh-downtown/

Would you like another restaurant idea? Buku is just a few blocks away at the corner of Wilmington and Davie Streets. Featuring street foods from around the world, it’s a great spot for trying something different for lunch, dinner or late night snacks. We loved the Plantain Crusted Chilean Sea Bass! http://bukuraleigh.com/buku/

Interested in live music later on Thursday night? Consider “Enter the Live Haggis” at The Pour House off Moore Square http://www.the-pour-house.com/ , check out the Lounge at 42nd Street Oyster Bar http://www.42ndstoysterbar.com/Live_Music.html or live jazz at The Mint http://www.themintrestaurant.com/events.html . For a complete look at Raleigh nightlife see http://www.visitraleigh.com/visitors/things_to_do/nightlife/

If you can grab some time before heading home, check out the newly updated IMAX Theatre at Marbles Kids Museum. The new IMAX is even better than before. Now playing: Hubble 3D, Ultimate Wave 3D and I Am Number Four. For more information about show times see: http://www.imaxraleigh.org/showtimes/ While you’re there, check out Marbles – expanding the imaginations of children by providing great adventures through play. See http://www.marbleskidsmuseum.org/aboutus

NCTIES may end Friday afternoon, but why not get in a little “R and R” before you head home? Stay around for First Friday, a great way to enjoy art, dinner, and a wide range of cultural activities http://www.godowntownraleigh.com/firstfriday/index.htm

And finally, who says you can’t shop in Downtown Raleigh? For shopping adventures we have a great variety of galleries, unique gift stores and interesting consignments. To plan your downtown shopping see: http://www.godowntownraleigh.com/at-ease/shopping

NCTIES 2011 Sets Sail

Greetings!

Our ship embarks today!!!! It's exciting and new, come aboard, we're expecting you. All 1400+ passengers and nearly 300 Deck Hands!!!

On-site registration is still available for $160.00.

Check out the "Sessions at a Glance" just published today.

Conference Wiki: Take a minute to look at the conference Wiki and check out the sessions. http://2011nctiesconf.pbworks.com/w/page/35373268/FrontPage

Parking and Internet

Marriott Parking: Please allow yourself plenty of time. With complimentary valet parking (one space per room) at the Marriott, there may be a backlog of cars to be parked if everyone shows up at once. And, anyone using valet parking would need to bring in any luggage to be stored by the hotel until check-in later in the day.

Sheraton Parking: Please enter the parking deck on Gale Street.

Sheraton and Marriott Internet: Both hotels offer Internet included in your rate. Ask the front desk if you have questions.

Thursday check in: If you are driving in Thursday morning, see advice above. Given the high occupancy rate at the hotels, early check-in or late check out will not be available.

Friday check out: While our conference does not conclude until 2:30 or so on Friday, please remember that hotel check out time is noon. The Sheraton, Marriott and Clarion (overflow) have all graciously agreed to work with guests to store guest luggage after check out.

Cruise Raleigh: While you're in Raleigh, don't forget to take advantage of the free, user-friendly R Line bus to visit the area restaurants and nightspots. For more info: http://www.ncties.org/conference/raleigh/index.html

Don't hesitate to contact us for more information at ncties@gmail.com

We are happy to help!

Sonya Terry

Cruise Director, Conference Chair and Vice President

NCTIES

Good Ideas or Why You Should Be Excited About NCTIES 2011

Those of you who follow me on Twitter know I have recently and frequently quoted social science author Steven Johnson. It’s no secret I’ve been reading his latest book, Where Good Ideas Come From; The Natural History of Innovation. As I read through Johnson’s book I’ve been intrigued in his attempt to identify the circumstances and physical environments that foster great ideas. After all, I am in education where we ALWAYS look for better ideas, better methods, better ways to engage – good ideas.As I read and found a phrase or section that particularly struck me, I “tweeted” it out of force of habit because I found value in the anecdotes and research. I thought others would too.We work in cultures of PLCs (professional learning communities) and attend LTMs (learning team meetings), often by district and administrative requirement, and get evaluated by a walk through the classroom. The question then becomes what we do with that kind of professional culture. How do we mold it? What do we contribute?Do we dread the scheduled merger; simply go out of requirement, or do we do create something constructive that helps us achieve better ideas to teach students not just to prepare for a test, but for life.As somebody who attends six or more LTMs a week I read Johnson’s book wanting to learn how to foster an environment that truly leads to innovation and celebrates and values the vast talents of my colleagues.I looked back over my archived tweets inspired by Johnson’s book, and it became crystal clear why I am excited about the NCTIES 2011 conference, and why you should be too. Here are a few of the most profound things I found in Johnson’s book and how they explain my excitement, which I hope becomes contagious.Johnson explores seven patterns to innovations and I won’t go into them, but the first he entitled “The Adjacent Possible.” When dedicated professionals come together and share it creates the adjacent possible because we all come with different perspectives, different strengths, and being willing to share that opens doors to new ideas. I tweeted:"It’s not so much a question of thinking outside the box as it is thinking through multiple boxes."NCTIES offers those who choose to take a hard look at what others are doing and have genuine discussions to get the most out of the experience the conference offers. This also struck me while thinking about environments that encourage innovation and good ideas. While they become commingled (which is a good according to the book) as we go from session to session they do provide opportunity to connect to new ideas later (something Johnson calls the “slow hunch”)."It's not that the network itself is smart; it's that the individuals get smarter because they are connected to the network"These are words by which I live. If I really think anything I’ve been able to accomplish has been because of the people with whom I have chosen to share, network, and collaborate. Without my network of friends and colleagues I dare say I would have accomplished close to nothing. I owe many thanks to many people, some I have met personally, and others only through my personal learning network.“The most creative individuals had broad social networks that extended outside their organization and included people from diverse fields of expertise.” And"Encouragement does not necessarily lead to creativity. Collisions do - collisions that happen when different fields of expertise converge in shared intellectual space."I encourage NCTIES to continue to strive not only to bring in technology educators and keynote speakers from our own profession, but also from other vocations so we get a clear view of what we need to do, where we need to go, and what we need to do to be innovative educators. Without those opportunities we cannot create the collisions in that shared intellectual space.The final tidbit that Johnson left me was:"Being right keeps you in place. Being wrong forces you to explore."We talk a lot about giving students opportunities to fail, learn from failure, and that school should be the “safe” place for them to experience failure. We must offer ourselves those same opportunities. If being right keeps us in place and being wrong forces us to explore, then we should continue to explore. What better place to explore than at the NCTIES annual conference?All of what the NCTIES conference offers gives every open mind a chance to think through multiple boxes, connect to a broad and diverse network of individuals and have those productive “collisions” in an intellectual space. Johnson says are all components of an environment that fosters innovation and “good” ideas.The litmus test will be whether we leave the NCTIES conference energized (as I always do) and take that back to our schools, our LTMs (required or not) a genuine encouragement to our colleagues to share ideas, play to their strengths, and attempt to create an environment of innovation. I strive for that daily. See you in Raleigh!
Sam Walker is the Technology Facilitator at Kimmel Farm Elementary School in Winston-Salem, NC and the 2010 NCTIES Instructional Technology Educator of the Year. - Photo provided by Cayusa via flicker and a creative commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic license.

Free Webinars for NCSIGS Members

NCTIES will be offering free webinars beginning in January to members of the NCSIGS. Do you have a suggestion for workshops you would like to participate in? If so, please add your thoughts to the discussion happening on http://ncsigs.ning.com

Thank you!
Marlo Gaddis
NCSIGS Administrator
NCTIES

Conference Update November 12th

NCTIES is turning 40 and we are so happy and pleased to announce the NCTIES Conference 2011, Honoring Our Past, Charting Our Future, March 2-4, 2011 in the Raleigh Convention Center.  We have many new and exciting things to share this year and cannot wait to see you there!

The Call for Presentations is open and accepting applications until November 30, 2010.  Get yours in today!

http://center.uoregon.edu/conferences/NCTIES/2011/call_to_present.php

Registration is open - get in early and save money!

http://www.ncties.org/conference/registration/index.html

Super Early $100 NOW -  December 19, 2010

Early $120 December 20 - January 7, 2011

Regular $140 January 8 - February 15, 2011 

On Site: $160 after February 15, 2011

Our Keynote is Rushton Hurley, a true technology leader.

http://www.ncties.org/conference/speakers/index.html

For complete information about the conference, including registration and call to present information visit the website.

http://www.ncties.org/conference/

Feel free to contact us with any questions regarding the upcoming conference!

ncties@gmail.com

Sonya Terry, 2010 Conference Chair and Vice President, NCTIES

Barbara Moose, President, NCTIES

Registration Update

We have just about finalized the pre- conference schedule. Once we have done so, the registration link will be available. Don't worry, we will adjust the Super Early and Early registration dates.

Conference Update

All Aboard NCTIES Members,

We are so happy and pleased to announce the NCTIES Conference, Charting Our Future; Honoring Our Past, March 2-4, 2011 in the Raleigh Convention Center. We will be celebrating our 40th Anniversary!



Our keynote speaker this year is Rushton Hurley. He has been a Japanese language teacher, principal of an online high school, a teacher trainer, an educational technology researcher, and a school reform consultant who has worked and studied on three continents. He was one of the inaugural cohort of Google Certified Teachers and is now director of an educational nonprofit called Next Vista for Learning, which he hopes may someday save the world from ignorance.

Graduating from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, Rushton majored in history with a minor in religion. His two master's degrees are in Education and East Asian Studies from Stanford University, where his research included using speech recognition technology with beginning students of Japanese in computer-based role-playing scenarios for developing language skills. In the late 1990's his work with teenagers at a high school in San José led him to begin using internet and video technologies to make learning more active, helping him reach students who had struggled under more traditional approaches.

Rushton trains teachers at schools, workshops, and conferences around the United States, including in 2010-2011 keynote spots at Fall CUE in California, TETN in Tennessee, METC in Missouri, ICE in Illinois, and MACUL in Michigan. He was also a featured speaker at ISTE in Denver in June, 2010. His fun and thoughtful talks center on the connection between engaging learning and useful, affordable technology, as well as professional perspectives of teachers. In addition to his regular work, he devotes time to the community as a Rotarian and in international exchange efforts. In early 2005, he was awarded the Baha'i Unity of Humanity Award in San Antonio, Texas, for his work developing online and international programs for at-risk students. He also juggles, though he has never received an award for it.

Rushton is joined this year by a distinguished group of presenters: Leslie Fisher, Kathy Schrock, Kevin Honeycutt, Tammy Worcester, David Warlick, Patrick Crispen, Lucas Gillespie, Steven Anderson, Aaron Slutsky, Bobby Hobgood and Melissa Thibault

For information about call to present, visit our website at http://center.uoregon.edu/conferences/NCTIES/2011/call_to_present.php

Our registration and pre-conference information will be posted shortly and we will send you an e-mail as soon as we have it ready


Registration Costs
Super Early $100 (Oct. 1 - Nov. 19)
Early $120 (Nov. 20 - Jan. 7)
Regular $140 ( Jan. 8 - Feb. 14)
Onsite: $160 (after Feb 14th)

Feel free to contact us with any questions regarding our upcoming conference! All aboard! We’re expecting you!

Sonya Terry
2011 Conference Chair and Vice President, NCTIES
Sonya.terry@ncties.org

Barbara Moose
President, NCTIES
Barbara.moose@ncties.org
ncties@gmail.com