CILC eNote - September 2008

Tips for Site Coordinators
September 2008

FEATURING

Laurie Ouderkirk
Oswego County BOCES
Mexico, New York

Best Experience
One of the most rewarding experiences that I've had as a site coordinator was to enable two students to complete their 11th grade Regents classes from home. The students, both cancer patients, had equipment installed in their homes which enabled them to interact with their teachers and peers on a daily basis. Both passed 11th grade and are able to attend school for this, their senior year!

A Lesson Learned
A lesson that I've learned is to always have a backup plan. If I'm going to use a portable unit for a videoconference, I always do a test connection ahead of time with the remote site from the room where the videoconference will take place. In addition, I bring a spare unit with me in case I need to swap it out!

Lingering Questions
When asked if she had questions she'd like to ask all of you, Laurie sent a number of them!

• What funding sources are available to aid districts to purchase videoconferencing programs for their students?
• What do you do to encourage teachers to do the pre-conference activities with their students so they are prepared for the videoconference?
• What conferences have you attended that you find to be the most beneficial in supporting interactive videoconferencing and videoconferencing collaborations?
• What collaborations have you been involved in that have been the most beneficial for teachers and students?

Do you have answers, suggestions for Laurie? She has posted her questions in a NING community: Videoconferencing Site Coordinator's Community. The link below will take you where you can post responses back to Laurie that can be seen by all.

Videoconferencing Site Coordinator's Community
It's open and free for anyone to join.
If this site is blocked at your school, be sure to try from home.

About Laurie
Laurie began her career as an elementary teacher. She then become a technology integration specialist and supported videoconferencing in a district that was new to the technology. Several years later, she was asked to coordinate the distance learning program in Oswego County, her current position. In addition to coordinating high school and college courses that run across the network, she schedules and facilitates all the videoconferencing for her region.

Laurie is the Distance Learning Coordinator for Oswego County BOCES (Board of Cooperative Educational Services) and serves the following school districts: Altmar-Parish-Williamstown, Central Square, Hannibal, Onondaga Community College, Phoenix Central Schools, and Sandy Creek Central Schools.

Oswego County is located on the southeastern shore of Lake Ontario and is noted for its great fishing! http://visitoswegocounty.com/

Final Comments: A Tip from Laurie
"I would recommend that other coordinators take the opportunity to seek out other Distance Learning/Site Coordinators through local, regional and state meetings, conferences, and through internet resources as much as possible. When I connect and collaborate with others in similar positions, I always grow professionally and my energy is renewed to continue making connections for our students."

Thank you
CILC thanks Laurie for sharing with all us and wishes her the best as she continues to help teachers help students learn through videoconferencing.

louderkirk@oswegoboces.org
315-963-4298

Do you have a Best Experience, a Lesson Learned, and a Lingering Question?

Contact
Dawn Colavita
866-474-5226