CILC eNote - May/June 2009

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Tips for Site Coordinators
May/June 2009

FEATURING

Tommy Bearden

Distance Learning Consultant
Region 14 Education Service Center
Abeline, Texas

Best Experience
Tommy reflects on a video connection to Iraq between a family in West Central Texas and their son stationed in Iraq.  During the videoconference, the soldier's father came to the front of the video conferencing lab, and with a tear in his eye,  reached out and touched the monitor as if to reach out and touch his son.

A Lesson Learned
Tommy shares TWO great lessons!

• To get videoconferencing really going at a campus, all you have to do is get just one person at that campus interested in doing videoconferencing activities.
• Many beginning VC (videoconferencing) teachers are 'afraid' or 'hesitant' to utilize the technology, so be patient, available, and helpful as they develop their VC legs.

"Just like a small child, soon after teachers learn to walk with videoconferencing, they start running and getting into everything!"

Lingering Question
Here is a great thought question from Tommy:
Where will videoconferencing technology be ten (10) years from now in the year 2019?

Why not you share your thoughts in our NING Site Coordinator Community. It is open to all!

About Tommy
Tommy Bearden is the Distance Learning Consultant for Region 14 Education Service Center in Abilene, Texas. The Region 14 Distance Learning Department provides video conferencing services to forty-two (42) predominately rural districts in central west Texas.

Tommy has a Bachelor of Science in Education degree from Southwest Texas State University and a master of Education from Tarleton State University. He has taught social studies, been an assistant principal and principal at two high schools in Texas.

Final Comment
Tommy's passion for learning and videoconferencing shine in his final comment
"Schools should be looking at moving the utilization of videoconferencing from 'sag' (sit and get)to putting students in front of the camera delivering content.  If we are truly going to prepare our current students for the future world of videoconferencing, we need to turn them lose with the technology. Can you imagine putting a student in front of a computer and NOT letting them touch it? I cannot imagine putting students in front of videoconferencing technology and NOT letting them run it!

Contact information
Tommy Bearden
(325) 675-8668

Do you have a Best Experience, a Lesson Learned, and a Lingering Question?
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866-474-5226

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