Project VIEW Summer Training                   Training
Videoconferencing Integration

During the month of August teachers from schools throughout the Capital Region participated in a Project VIEW three-day videoconferencing training program.  The training was held at the Project VIEW Training Center, located at Woodlawn Elementary School.

The focus of the three-day training was to prepare teachers to integrate videoconferencing into their curriculum.   During the training, the participants became familiar with the software and hardware, viewed sample videoconferences and then made a number of connections to various museums, zoos, and cultural institutions throughout the United States.  Each participant will receive funding to assist with the development and integration of their videoconference program. 

Teachers from all grade levels and from forty-three different schools attended the training.  Project VIEW held eight two-day sessions, which consisted of approximately 24-28 teachers per session.  The first two days of the three-day training took place in the Project VIEW Lab. The third day of training will take place during the school year within each participant’s own school setting.  This gives teachers the opportunity to become comfortable using their own equipment.  Each teacher will also write their own integration plan and set a videoconference date with the content provider of their choice.

The summer training program covered an array of topics including facilitation strategies, available resources, and integration planning.  During the content provider demonstrations, teachers had an opportunity to interact with a number of museums and institutions including the Cincinnati Zoo, the Albany Institute of History and Art, Louisville Science Center, Albright- Knox Art Gallery, Cleveland Museum of Art and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. 

With the guidance and assistance of Diane Wilkinson, Joe Carmola and Fred Festine, each of the participants will develop and integrate an interactive program using the resources and expertise of a museum or cultural institution.  Some of the teachers have already set their sights on the Cincinnati Zoo, the Center for Puppetry Arts, The Ocean Institute and the Globe  Theatre.  Completed projects and resources will be posted to the Project VIEW Website.