ePals Conference 2008

ePals Conference 2009: July 28 in Boston!

Rita Oates — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 21:35:04 GMT

Here's your chance to meet power users of ePals and learn how to become a power user too! Our second ePals conference will be Tuesday, July 28, at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel. Registration will open in October 2008.

Do you have an idea that you would like to share? A story you would like to tell? Or is there someone you can recommend to present at this event? Please post here, or email to conference@epals.com so we can involve YOU in helping to plan a great day.

ePals users at NECC 2009 in Washington, DC

Rita Oates — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 20:19:39 GMT

30 years of Ed Tech:

NECC will be in Washington, DC on June 28-July 1, 2009.

http://center.uoregon.edu/ISTE/NECC2009/

Share your ePals experiences with other teachers who are interested in online collaborative learning, be part of a panel, volunteer to be an ePals ambassador in our booth, or meet other ePals users. Contact Rita Oates at roates@corp.epals.com.

Next Steps

epals blc08 — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 16:39:23 GMT

Kevin Honeycutt captures the thoughts of participants of the end at the conclusion. "At the conclusion of the first annual ePals conference, Tim DiScipio, Rita Oates and Kari Stubbs share some things they are pleased about as well as some future goals they are focused on."

Follow Kevin's Blog and see all his podcasts.

Dr. Howie DiBlasi: Building Learning Community Projects Presentation

Howie DiBlasi — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 21:39:09 GMT

Passion for student reading and so much more! - Nina Zolt Interview

epals blc08 — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:45:43 GMT

Kevin Honeycutt interviews Nina Zolt. "In this carpool with Nina Zolt , the Co-Founder and Chief Program Architect of ePals, Inc. we discuss the need for passion about books to engage learners. She is the Founder of in2books and shares an amazing passion for helping kids develop personal libraries. She discusses the value of building relationships around books. She also shares the possibilities of connecting kids to the larger world in authentic and meaningful ways. This woman is amazing!"

Follow Kevin's Blog and see all his podcasts.

Have a Suggestion for ePals?

epals blc08 — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 11:31:29 GMT

Tell Jim Davidson and the community development staff what you would like to see on our development roadmap. All suggestions are welcome!

Tim DiScipio Interview

epals blc08 — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 02:17:06 GMT

Kevin Honeycutt interviews ePals' co-founder Tim Discipio at the first ePals Conference. "In this carpool with ePals Co-founder Tim DiScipio we discuss the beginnings of ePals and the passion to connect learners and the motivations that occur as a result. Tim is brilliant and sees the future of digital education in a very compelling, positive way. He shares his views on the value of student to student connections and the need to have a way to exercise a more centralized solution to connectivity."

Follow Kevin's Blog and see all his podcasts.

Ed Fish Interviewed by Kevin Honeycutt

epals blc08 — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 02:11:31 GMT

Kevin Honeycutt interviews ePals' CEO Ed Fish at the first ePals Conference. "In this carpool, Ed Fish joins me to talk about the birth of the ePals Conference. He goes on to discuss the value of these connections between classroom around the world. He shares the philosophy behind the ePals mission and what he sees happening as a result. The discussion is about anytime, anywhere learning and sharing and the need for “Shining Light Examples” to inspire others to try new and exciting things in the the classroom. Ed makes me think hard about the need for us to focus on the entire continuum of resources so we can include learners everywhere. They are currently focused on partnering with educators to build a database of collaborative, engaging projects we can all share."

Follow Kevin's Blog and see all his podcasts.

Interview: Barnabas Sang and Dan Njiriri

epals blc08 — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 01:55:51 GMT

Kevin Honeycutt interviews Barnabas Sang and Dan Njiriri. "Barnabas Sang is the head of ICT in the Minister of Education in Kenya and he is studying carefully the possible tools that Kenya can invest in to best meet the needs of their kids. Barnabas and his colleagues are looking at technology in ways that some would not recognize as cutting edge but if you listen for any length of time, I believe you will agree that their circumstances have them looking at very new ways to connect classrooms. At the end he shares his vision of the future of Kenyan schools."

Follow Kevin's Blog and see all his podcasts.

The Power of Global Thinking - Adina Popa

epals blc08 — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 01:51:20 GMT

Kevin Honeycutt interviews Adina Popa. "In this carpools with Adina Popa, a technology resource teacher from Loudoun County Public Schools in Virginia, we discuss ways that teachers integrate ePals in classrooms and digital literacy as well as global understanding. We also discuss the intrinsic motivation that comes along for the ride when we allow them to connect. She brings great enthusiasm to the idea of empowering kids with global connections."

Follow Kevin's Blog and see all his podcasts.

Why Use Technology?

epals blc08 — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 01:46:04 GMT

Kevin Honeycutt poses the question. "In this carpool I talk with Ian O’Byrne and Greg McVerry from the New Literacies Research Lab from the University of Connecticut, as well as Dr. Kari Stubbs from ePals. We talk about online reading means compared to offline reading and the affect we can have on learners’ motivation and engagement. We discussed the impact of inquiry learning that students find motivating."

Follow Kevin's Blog and see all his podcasts.

Interview: Candace Pauchnick

epals blc08 — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:31:14 GMT

Kevin Honeycutt interviews Candace Pauchnick.

"Candace is passionate about connecting to other instructors and letting her kids connect to other learners through ePals. Through her collaboration with other instructors around the world, she has grown and changed as an educator. Candace gives so much credit to others but she truly embodies the spirit of the explorer educator. Candace uses these connections to help kids see a larger world view and to forge relationships with students from around the globe. I think Candace is one of those teachers that focuses on the heart, both her own and that of her students."

Watch video here:

Follow Kevin's Blog and see all his podcasts.

Interview: Barbara Feaster

epals blc08 — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:26:32 GMT

Kevin Honeycutt interviews Barabara Feaster. Barbara Feaster, who is the Director of Instructional Technology for North Brooklyn N.Y. Barbara shares her reasons for attending conferences and staying current as a leader in Tech Ed. iLearn represents a range of professional development services that her teachers can take advantage of. She has a large pallet to paint on with technology in education and she will be implementing an Online Learning grant in the coming year. She looks forward to working with the core curriculum team in New York City. Barbara welcome collaboration from all over the world.

Watch the video here:

See all of Driving Questions podcasts.

Conference Podcasts

epals blc08 — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 23:56:39 GMT

You can view interviews direct from the conference thanks to Kevin Honeycutt's podcast.

ePals Co-Founder, Nina Zolt, on Passion for Student Reading and so much more!

CEO of ePals, Ed Fish, on 24/7 Authentic Global Learning

Tim DiScipio, Co-Founder of ePals, on The Tip of the Iceberg of Cultural Collaboration

The popcorn experience of international collaboration with Candace Pauchnick

Interview with Barnabas Sang and Dan Njiriri on Leading Kenya towards shared learning experiences

Integrating education technologies with Barbara Feaster

The Power of Global Thinking with Adina Popa

Why Use Technology?

Next steps for ePals

Applications and Challenges of Educational Technology in Kenyan Schools

epals blc08 — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 13:26:52 GMT

Dan Njiriri will discuss the implementation of educational technology in Kenyan schools, cross-cultural communication and dealing with e-waste. He will also highlight the Kenya Rural Schools Computer Project, including a primary school case study on using ePals to connect with foreign classrooms. He is joined by Jack Crowell, Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science at Delta College in Michigan, who will be highlighting his work as Director of the Kenya Rural School Computer and Book Program. In the past 15 years the Program has provided nearly 6,000 computers and thousands of books to more than 500 schools throughout Kenya.

Dan Njiriri, Kenya ICT Trust Fund

Professor Jack Crowell, Professor of Mathematics, Delta College, Michigan

Bio: Dan Njiriri

epals blc08 — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 17:45:11 GMT

Dan Njiriri holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and certifications in various management courses and technical training in computer science. He has been involved in promoting ICT Education in Africa and challenging projects in community development for micro-enterprise promotions, co-ordination and administration as well as setting of public Information Databanks for Micro-enterprises in Kenya for more than 15 years.

He is currently the Chief Executive Officer to the Tracom Group of Colleges, Country Director to the Kenya Rural Schools Computer and Book Project, Chairman of the Network of Computer Initiatives in Education, Member of the NEPAD E-Schools National/Implementation Team (NIT), and a member to the Executive Committee of the Kenya ICT Trust Fund.

Contact Info:

Dan Njiriri
Kenya ICT Trust Fund

Browse all content tagged Dan Njiriri

Global Collaboration & Learning: The View from Africa

epals blc08 — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 17:42:38 GMT

Barnabas Sang is the Head of ICT in the Ministry of Education for Kenya. He is also the adviser to the Permanent Secretary on ICT and serves on the National Implementation Team (NIT) on computerization of schools in Kenya. Mr. Sang will discuss the use of school technology in Kenya. Along with Mark Matunga, Microsoft Academic Program Manager for East Africa, the presenters will describe the changing role of educational technology in Africa and the importance of classroom collaboration around the world.

Barnabas Sang, Head of IT, Ministry of Education, Kenya

Technology Update & Open ePals

Jim Davidson — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 16:19:23 GMT

Update on planned technology improvements for Open ePals

Part 2: Applications and Challenges of Educational Technology in Kenyan Schools part 2 of 2

admin — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 16:19:00 GMT

Applications and Challenges of Educational Technology in Kenyan Schools

Note: This is Part 2 of 2

Part 1 is here

Bio: Dan Njiriri

Part 1: Applications and Challenges of Educational Technology in Kenyan Schools

admin — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 16:15:41 GMT

Applications and Challenges of Educational Technology in Kenyan Schools

NOTE: Part 1 of 2

Part 2 is here

Bio: Dan Njiriri