The Coalition of Lighthouse Schools

Global learning is critical for today’s students. Educators must leverage technology and online resources to provide structured experiences to deepen students’ understanding of the world as they explore environments outside the classroom. Collaborative project ideas, tips and tricks for global education, relevant Web 2.0 technologies, resources for locating partners for projects, and information on the NAIS Global Initiative’s “Challenge 20/20″ will be explored as we discuss ways to educate our students to become responsible and active global citizens.

Julene Reed is the Director of Academic Technology at St. George’s Independent School in Collierville, TN.

Julene is an Apple Distinguished Educator, she works with Dr. Jane Goodall as a member of the Council for Dr. Goodall’s Roots & Shoots program, and she is the Director of Tennis for Special Olympics in Memphis. Julene has traveled and worked internationally and has been actively involved in the creation of global educational content for the Apple Learning Interchange. She has worked in Tanzania with schools at the base of Mount Kilimanjaro and also collaborated on projects with organizations in Nepal and Uganda. Julene has presented at local, regional, and national conferences for several years, and she regularly conducts training workshops for teachers and administrators nationally.

Julene holds a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Memphis and a B.S. in Elementary Education from the University of Kansas. Julene was the president of the Memphis Association of Independent Schools–Technology Educational Consortium (MAIS-TEC) for two years, she was the president of the West Tennessee Educational Technology Association (WTETA) for one year, she served on the Tennessee Education Technology Association (TETA) board for three years, she has organized and led both state and national technology conferences, and she has been a spotlight and keynote speaker at several regional and national conferences. Julene has taught for eighteen years in all levels of K-12 schools, both in the classroom, as a science coordinator, and as a technology coordinator prior to becoming the Director of Academic Technology at St. George’s Independent School where she has worked the past eight years. Prior to St. George’s, Julene worked for ten years at St. Mary’s Episcopal School in Memphis.

Student communication has changed through the years, and the tools and methods that they employ can have an important impact in the classroom. This three–part keynote includes a reflection on the past and the present as well as a look at the student communication tools we may see in the future. It is those tools that will enable students to successfully connect and collaborate globally both in school and in the workplace.

MARK S. BENNO, PH.D. is an Education Development Executive for Apple Computer in Florida. In this role he helps people to envision and develop effective technology integration programs. He likes to challenge people to exceed their dreams; professional development is his passion. Most of his work over the past fourteen years has been in faculty development (for educators of students in preschool - graduate school). Among other places, he has worked at Nolan Middle School in Killeen ISD in Texas, Hillcrest PDS, a professional development school for Baylor University in Waco, Texas, and Tech4Learning in San Diego.

As a speaker, Mark addresses educators nationwide on the future of technology and education and how students today impact our educational systems. He also leads workshops that explore curriculum integration, technology planning, film production in the classroom, digital photography, clay animation, and video conferencing applications for grades K - 12. He has delivered keynotes in 35 states, Australia and New Zealand.

Mark completed his Ph.D. in technology and teacher education, with a minor in curriculum and instruction, at Mississippi State University in 2000. He is an Apple Distinguished Educator from the class of ’99 and is writing his third book. Mark is also past president of the Texas Association for Educational Technology (TAET).

Dr. Tim Tyson, principal at Mabry Middle School in Cobb County, Georgia, has been referred to by the School Library Journal as the “Pied Piper of Educational Technology.”

Dr. Tyson’s innovative use of technology to maximize student achievement has been featured in a variety of national education magazines and has earned Mabry Middle School the prestigious School of Distinction Award for Technology Innovation from Intel Corporation and Scholastic. The school’s annual student-led digital film festival has received attention from the Lucas Foundation, Georgia Public Broadcasting, and internationally renowned education reformers.

The school’s website, Mabryonline.org, features student digital work (including movies, video and audio podcasts), blogs from every teacher on the staff, and now offers the Global Learning Collaborative, an interactive project collaborative for educators, practitioners, and students all over the world. Teachers and administrators around the United States visit Mabry to see what is possible today using the digital tools of tomorrow.