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Superintendent Cox Launches GaDOE iTunes University Site
4/30/10 State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox unveiled
today the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) iTunes
University site. At an event at Rutland High School in Bibb
County, Superintendent Cox demonstrated how this free technology
will allow teachers, students and parents to download many
different resources directly onto an iPod or other portable
device.
“In these tough budget times, we can all use more help and more
resources, especially when those resources are free,” said
Superintendent Cox. “The GaDOE continues to seek out innovative
and cost-effective ways to help make teachers’ jobs easier, and
iTunes University is one more tool to do that.”
The GaDOE recognizes how important it is to use technology to
enhance education. The iTunes University site creates a base of
digital educational content where users can easily download and
access audio and video content for use in the classroom, at home
or while driving to work. Visitors to the site can find content
on everything from mathematics instruction to parent involvement
videos.
“This is an innovative and interactive way for students to
learn,” said Tony Jones, Bibb County’s Teacher of the Year. “It
will allow students the luxury to learn at their own pace using
technology that most students are familiar with already.”
Jones was also a recipient of a GaDOE Advanced Placement (AP)
Handheld Technology grant. In November, 56 high schools in 46
school systems received AP Handheld grants. These grants provide
teachers the resources to purchase any handheld device, which
allows students to access educational material developed by the
teachers, including instructional podcasts, activities, and
assessments. These resources may also be made available on the
GaDOE iTunes University site for other teachers across the state
to use in their classrooms.
The iTunes University site is the latest teacher technology tool
offered by the GaDOE. In September 2009, Superintendent Cox
launched two online teacher tools, PBS TeacherLine and Verizon
Thinkfinity. PBS TeacherLine offers low-cost, high-quality
professional development classes to teachers so they can build
content knowledge and earn the Professional Learning Units
needed to maintain their certification. The Verizon Thinkfinity
tool provides more than 55,000 lesson plans, activities and
other resources for classroom teachers.
Student Contest
The GaDOE iTunes University site is one that students will be
able to use to take digital content with them, but also give
them an avenue to demonstrate their own creativity.
Superintendent Cox announced a student contest today that will
encourage students to develop short movies that can be uploaded
to the iTunes University site. There will be three category
themes:
1. Elementary School:
Theme – “Reading For Me!”
2. Middle School: Theme
– “Monumental Math Moments!”
“Today’s students have grown up surrounded by technology,”
said Superintendent Cox. “It is my hope that this contest will
spark their creativity and demonstrate how they can integrate
technology into the classroom and share with other students.”
Winners of the contest will be featured on the GaDOE iTunes
University site.
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