Learning by Making and Doing

MLTI Student Conference

The MLTI Student Conference Committee is still in need of a few more proposals for the 14th Annual MLTI Student Conference, to be held on Thursday May 25, 2017 at UMaine.

This year’s emphasis is on music and sound, allowing the MLTI Student Conference to continue its focus on “Learning by Making and Doing.”

Attending participants will learn how they can use their MLTI devices to create in ways that make learning happen — and tell the stories of their accomplishments. With music and sound as a focus (focus, not a limit!), the MLTI Student Conference planning team would like to consider workshops around music, spoken word recording, coding, video production, art, writing and publishing your collection of short stories, or one of any other endless possibilities!

The MLTI Student Conference supports all MLTI Devices regardless of platform (HP or Apple). Each platform provides for a variety of environments that can be used for making and doing.

You can learn more about the Conference on our website at http://maine.gov/doe/mlti/student/studentconference/index.html

Submit a proposal online at http://maine.gov/doe/mlti/student/studentconference/proposals/index.html

For simplicity and management, sessions may be designed for just one or two of the MLTI platforms, but “platform agnostic” sessions are encouraged.

We are looking for both adult presenters as well as student/teacher team presentations!

Spread the word – if you know of someone doing fantastic work involving technology with making, doing, or storytelling please encourage them to submit a proposal!

If you have any questions please contact Juanita at juanita.dickson@maine.gov.

ESSA

Opportunity to provide feedback

During the next few days you have the opportunity to provide feedback on Maine’s Every Student Succeeds Act Consolidated Plan that the Maine Department of Education has submitted to the US Department of Education. The deadline for public comment is March 30, your feedback should be submitted to ESSA.DOE@maine.gov.

You may be wondering why this is different than No Child Left Behind (NCLB), the legislation that ESSA is replacing. ESSA requires that states choose at least one measure of school quality or success besides math and English Language proficiency, graduation rates, and English language learning.  Measures or indicators of school quality are extremely important as they are the basis for school accountability systems, which drive district priorities around funding, program choices and course offerings.

If you’d like more information on the topic and/or to learn what other state proposals are including on the arts, read THIS ARTICLE from Education Week written by Jackie Zubrzycki on March 7 called States Introduce New Measure of Accountability: Arts Education. Additional information on ESSA is at the federal site https://www.ed.gov/essa.

Educators, parents, students, teaching artists, arts organizations, and members of the community who believe in arts education are welcome to provide feedback. Public comment is welcome by all. This is an opportunity for you to provide your opinion. The deadline for submitting feedback is Thursday, March 30 to ESSA.DOE@maine.gov.