Distance Learning
Distance learning is interactive videoconferences for students and staff. Student videoconferences include dual credit high school courses, high school courses in high need such as foreign languages and enrichment activities such as virtual field trips and project-based collaboration between classes. Staff videoconferences include professional development and graduate degree programs in principalship.
Credit Courses
Contact: Diane Wilcox, diane.wilcox@region10.org or call 972 348-1514
District Guidelines
Network Policy requires that if districts decide to share courses between and/or among each other a written agreement must be developed. The agreement will detail the shared services and include but not limited to: holiday/professional development days when classes will be cancelled, delivery options when holidays/professional development day conflicts occur, grading procedures, transfer of funds (if any), textbook issues, reproduction costs, postage costs, and courier service procedures.
- All districts, other than the Host site, are responsible for designating an individual to be designated as site manager. (Host sites have already accomplished this with a signed agreement) Site managers will receive training regarding their roles and responsibilities. At a minimum, the Site Manager must be available to open room, turn on the system, verify equipment operation and be in close proximity should assistance be required.
- Local school districts are to ensure that all instructors have completed a professional development program on teaching by videoconference prior to the start of classes.
Graduate Programs
College and University Guidelines
- All faculties should participate in videoconference training prior to delivering instruction on the system.
- Course syllabi should be furnished to the local school districts at least six weeks prior to registration.
- Each college/university should furnish a single point of contact with admission requirements and registration procedures at least one semester in advance of scheduling.
- Colleges/universities should provide a list of courses to be taught twelve weeks prior to the start of the next semester.
- Colleges/universities will see that the delivery of courses complies with Coordinating Board requirements.
- College/university faculty will follow established EdNet10 procedures for the transfer of materials to the school districts. Any emergency reproduction of handouts will be charged to the university at the rate established by the school district.
- The calendar used for the delivery of courses will be agreed upon by university/college and participating district in conjunction with the EdNet10 Videoconference Network Scheduler.
- Any adjustments to the calendar or to scheduled class dates will be reported to the local districts and the single point of contact at the college/university as soon as possible.
- If students are receiving dual credit for the delivery of a course(s) by the college/university, a numerical grade report will be furnished to the high school principal at three-week intervals. A numerical grade must be furnished to the school upon completion of the course
Virtual Field Trips
Virtual Field Trips are videoconferences that motivate students to become active learners, score higher on writing assignments, use more figurative language, apply more varied and creative approaches to problem solving, and engage in classroom discussions. Virtual Field Trip opportunities are provided by Texas Connects, Connect2Texas and CILC. Most are for students but some videoconferences offered are professional development for school district staff.
Education Service Centers offer videoconference opportunities throughout the year for students of all grade levels. Most of these are free and available via TETN, the Texas Education Telecommunications Network. All twenty Education Service Centers are members of TETN and provide connectivity across the state for videoconferencing between and among school districts.
Connect2Texas promotes programs offered by institutions in the State of Texas. It is also intended to be used by schools and other entities to register for programs from these providers. Most videoconferences are fee based and occasionally are offered free.
CILC, Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration provides a list of collaboration opportunities for your students each week and their website allows you to search for collaborative projects. The links for these are below.
FREE Virtual Field Trips
FREE Virtual Field Trips
None currently availble
Remember you must register with Vickie Sullivan so your videoconference site connection can be scheduled.
Email: vickie.sullivan@region10.org; Telephone: 972.348.1164
FREE Professional Development
None currently availble
Fee-based Virtual Field Trips - Currently Available:
Connect2Texas promotes programs offered by interactive videoconferencing providers in the State of Texas. It is also intended to be used by schools and other entities to register for programs from one of our providers. Please let us know if we can help "steer" you in the right direction! For information go to Connect2Texas.
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CILC - Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration
CLIC lists over over 185 content providers offering over 1,000 programs for enrichment of lessons. Just click the link above to see what is available for students in all grade levels.
Remember you must register with Vickie Sullivan so your videoconference site connection can be scheduled. Email: vickie.sullivan@region10.org; Telephone: 972.348.1164
Collaborative Projects - Currently Available:
Check the Resource Share website to find a Region 10 classroom to share costs on a virtual field trip, or post an idea for a collaborative classroom project, or offer a credit course through teacher sharing.
Resource Sharing via Videoconferencing
Classroom Colaborations - Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration
CLIC may have as many as 100 collaboration projects listed. Just click the link above to see what is available for students in kindergarten through the twelfth grade, some of which are listed below.
Science Ship-A-Chip
I'm a science teacher in Florida and do a Ship-A-Chip project with my 5th graders in April/May. It is an engineering design project where students get one potato chip and design a box in which they can ship the chip through the mail without breaking. I work ...
Status: Seeking Partners
Audience: Education: Grade(s): 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
World Religions
My 9th grade classes are looking for experts from the main world religions to tell more about their religion and to field student questions.
Status: Seeking Partners
Audience: Education: Grade(s): 9
Seeking partners - VC in English and other languages
Hello. Our school is an elementary school located in Lafayette, Louisiana, and is named the World Languages Academy. We are looking for partners to interact through VC in English (regular classes preK-5), Spanish (immersion preK-5), French (immersion K-2) and ...
Status: Seeking Partners
Audience: Education: Pre-K Students, Kindergarten, Grade(s): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Spanish class video conferences
I have 6 Spanish classes: 2 8th grade intro. classes, 2 11th grade spanish 1 and 2 12th grade spanish classes. I would like to collaborate with another Spanish class or class in a Spanish speaking country. Please email me at wreynolds@randolph.k12.al.us if inte...
Status: Seeking Partners
Audience: Education: Grade(s): 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Pen Pals for Low Performing High School Students
I teach the Basic English class at my high school and would love these special needs students to be able to communicate with students from other schools. Most of the students have minor learning disabilities and read and write at a junior high level.
Status: Seeking Partners
Audience: Education: Grade(s): 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, K-12 Educator
Pen Pals/Video Pals
I am looking for several first grade classrooms who would want to be video pals and pen pals throughout this school year. Our school is in Virginia. I have several first grade teachers who are looking for another classroom to collaborate with. We would love ...
Status: Seeking Partners
Audience: Education: Grade(s): 1, K-12 Educator
Kindergarten Pals
I am looking for another kindergarten class to collaborate with. We would send letters (whole group, 1 big letter signed by all with the possibility of class books made by the kids, etc) through the mail. However, I would also like to use our tandberg to vid...
Status: Seeking Partners
Audience: Education: Kindergarten
Spanish Class Collaboration
Seeking Middle School Spanish exchange to practice Spanish. We would be interested in conversing and competing for fun and review. Using the Expréstate series would help but not necessary. We are open to ideas!
Status: Seeking Partners
Audience: Education: Grade(s): 6, 7, 8, 9
Health Career Exploration
H.S. class that meets from 8-9 MST is interested in connecting with another class to discuss topics in Health Career Exploration.
Status: Seeking Partners
Audience: Education: Grade(s): 10, 11, 12
Sports Medicine
H.S. class that meets from 11-12 MST seeking class to interact with on various sports medicine topics. To include demonstrations of sports injury prevention and taping, nutrition, anatomy and physiology, etc.
Status: Seeking Partners
Audience: Education: Grade(s): 11, 12
video/Pen pals
I am looking for a school partner for 1-6 grades. I am a library media specialist and want to try to include as many students in this project as possible. Our school is in Kentucky and I am looking for a school from a different state. Would also be willing t...
Status: Seeking Partners
Audience: Education: Grade(s): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Shakespeare Macbeth or Twelfth Night
I have a British Literature class that will be reading either of these two plays and would love if they could correspond with another class. My students would be willing to share personal dramatizations of scenes, acts, or the whole play. Penpal letters to the...
Status: Seeking Partners
Audience: Education: Grade(s): 10, 11, 12, K-12 Educator
French teacher in Green Bay, Wisconsin
Looking for French speaking students who need to practice their English OR for a high school French class (14-18 years old) to adopt and who is interested in an exchange with an American high school class
Status: Seeking Partners
Audience: Education: Grade(s): 9, 10, 11, 12
Hawaii are you there?
I'm a elementary art teacher looking to have my fourth graders connect with students on the Hawaiian islands to discuss their culture,and/or traditions. My students create their own Symmetrical Tiki Masks for this project.
Status: Seeking Partners
Audience: Education: Grade(s): 3, 4, 5
Polacco Partners
My third grade class would team up with another third grade class. Both classes will read a Patricia Polacco book. Then each class will generate discussion questions, and create a response project for the other class to complete. The discussion will take pl...
Status: Seeking Partners
Audience: Education: Grade(s): 3
Remember you must register with Vickie Sullivan so your videoconference site connection can be scheduled. Email: vickie.sullivan@region10.org; Telephone: 972.348.1164
Virtual Field Trip and Videoconference listserv
Join the Virtual Field Trip and Videoconference listserv to learn about free events and share information about virtual field trips and videoconference collaboration opportunities with other members. Recommendations, invitations to participate, and instructional strategies from subscribers may be posted on the Virtual Field trip listserv. Subscribers are expected to:
- write messages thoughtfully and professionally,
- sign all postings with name and email address,
- address the topic intended for discussion on the listserv,
- abide by copyright and confidentiality requirements, and
- not use this list to consummate commercial transactions.
Contact: Bob Barnes, 972 348-1610, bob.barnes@region10.org
How to Plan a Virtual Field Trip
- Review the content providers offering and see how each aligns with the TEKS objectives and enriches the lesson being taught
- Teach a preparatory lesson before the virtual field trip
- State a measurable objective for a culminating activity
- Consider pairs or groups of students working on their own
- Extend the experience to word processing, desk top publishing, or multimedia presentations
- Teach at least one lesson after the trip with a culminating activity
- Follow through on a plan of assessment for completed student work