District Administration - November/December 2010 - (Page 58)

DistrictAdministration 100 PRODUCTS TOP PIXIE Tech4Learning, Pricing varies Pixie is a multimedia software program for K5 students, who can use painting, text, clip art, voice recording and standards-based curriculum activities to create online digital storybooks, audio or video podcasts, and Flash animations in a variety of content areas. Students can print or share their creations online, graphic organizer templates enable the tools to be used across the curriculum, and all content can be viewed in Spanish. www.tech4learning.com/pixie 2 0 1 0 “Because of the array of tools in Pixie, it has replaced two programs used in our computer labs, making it easier to work with our tightened budget.” Fred Koch, K4 technology coach in the Lake Forest (Ill.) School District 67. TT-02RX ELMO USA, $ 845 alone, $1,640 or $1,740 in a Doc-Tor bundle ELMO’s TT-02RX includes several features of higher-end models but at an entry-level price. A Sony 1.39-megapixel camera captures video at 30 frames per second and offers image capture at a choice of resolutions: XGA, SXGA or WXGA. The control arm can be rotated to place the camera on the eyepiece of a microscope, and a remote control is included. ELMO also now offers this model as part of its new Doc-Tor (short for “document camera and projector”) value package, bundled with either the company’s new CRP-22 or CRP-26 projectors. www.elmousa.com WEEKLY READER CONNECT Weekly Reader Contact Weekly Reader for pricing The new Web-based Weekly Reader Connect combines the cross-curricular, timely nonﬁction content matched to K6 reading levels found in the print magazine with video clips, audio, slide shows, textto-speech read-aloud content, pop-up dictionaries and more. www.wrconnect.com “Weekly Reader provides economical yet informative and entertaining reading to my district’s English language learners.” Lynne Ewing, ESOL program director in the Queen Anne’s County (Md.) Public Schools. ACUITY CTB/McGraw-Hill, Starts at $9.50 per student Acuity is an online assessment designed to help teachers gauge student performance and deliver targeted classroom instruction. In addition to diagnostic and predictive assessments with immediate scoring and reporting, the program provides additional instructional resources such as extra practice and homework. www.ctb.com MIMIOTEACH Dymo Mimio ITT, $799 Dymo Mimio ITT (formerly mimio) has updated and improved upon its successful Interactive Xi interactive whiteboard system with the new MimioTeach, a product that adds interactive capabilities to an existing wall or whiteboard. MimioTeach mounts to a board magnetically, connects to a PC wirelessly using a USB hub, and uses a wireless rechargeable stylus pen for operation. Setup is further streamlined with a quick automatic calibration feature included in the MimioStudio user software. www.mimio.dymo.com “Our teachers are constantly using data from the Acuity assessment to make important instructional decisions.” Mike Kimbrel, director of research, evaluation and assessment in the Park Hill (Mo.) School District. 58 November/December 2010 District Administration http://www.tech4learning.com/pixie http://www.wrconnect.com http://www.elmousa.com http://www.ctb.com http://www.ctb.com http://www.mimio.dymo.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of District Administration - November/December 2010

District Administration - November/December 2010
Contents
From the Editor
News Update
Administrator Profile
District Profile
Black Children Still Left Behind
ARRA Funds Empower Schools to Power Down
A Call for Technology Leadership
Readers Pick Top 100 Products of the Year
Going Mobile
Superintendent’s Insights
Supervisor’s Opinion
Professional Opinion
Student Counsel

District Administration - November/December 2010