Design+Committee+Updates


 * Design Team Update**s

//November//

 * The RITES portal was integrated with Sakai.
 * The Design Team spent much of the end of October and early part of November planning the November 14th Face-to-face meeting with teachers as part of the 4th short course.
 * Teachers attended a day-long meeting on Nov 14.
 * Teachers were introduced to RITES-TLC Investigation Portal
 * Teachers were able to choose to attend 2 of four morning sessions: Introduction to Sakai, Using Probes and Models with RITES Investigations, Interpreting NECAP data, and District Collaboration Time.
 * The Keynote speaker was Dr. Steven Clemens from Brown University. His presentation was titled “Global Warming and the Global Carbon Cycle”. His presentation is posted on the RITES-TLC site.
 * A Powerpoint template for the Teacher Artifact was created and posted on the RITES-TLC site. The teacher artifact will focus on the implementation and assessment results of an activity or activities in a RITES Investigation. The artifact will be presented at the April meeting, and it will be posted on the RITES-TLC site.
 * The teachers were questioned about communication issues, and the Design Team is working to help address issues regarding teacher communication.
 * The Teacher Resource Team Job Description and Application was edited for the 2010 Resource Teams.

//December//

 * Job descriptions were developed for Higher Education members of the Content (Life Science, Physical Science, and Earth and Space Sciences) and Inquiry Resource Teams.
 * Visits were made to Cohort 1 schools to observe and assist with technological issues.
 * The policy for teachers who co-facilitate a Short Course in 2010 was created, which was based upon the policy used in 2009.
 * //Cohort 1//: Teachers involved in a RT will take one course in addition to the course they co-facilitate.
 * //Cohort 2//: Teachers involved in a RT will take two courses in addition to the course they co-facilitate. If the teacher co-facilitates the Introductory course, he/she should take two content courses. If the teacher co-facilitates a content course, he/she should take the Introductory course and one content course.