In today's busy world, most educators find their responsibilities increasing and their planning time shrinking. Staff development—one of the best ways to ensure success in the classroom—is often the first thing to go when both time and budget dollars are at a premium. For over two decades, the Center for Occupational Research and Development (CORD) has been leading change in education for work and preparing teachers to connect academic concepts with real-life experiences in the classroom. To accomplish this mission, staff development has been a primary focus for CORD. To serve teachers on a broader scale, CORD is now using the tools of technology—namely videoconferencing—to expand its staff development offerings. This technology offers a cost-effective solution to all educators, while delivering customized, quality programming in a manner that is convenient for busy teachers and administrators.

CORD's Virtual Staff Development Workshops Let You:

• Select or create your workshop topic
• Select a date and time convenient for your staff
• Learn from expert presenters
• Minimize time away from the office or classroom
• Eliminate travel costs
• Receive quality programs at a reasonable cost
• Take advantage of cutting-edge technology

Each of the staff development workshops found in this catalog are delivered by master teacher trainers and/or one of CORD's nationally recognized project staff in the areas of Tech Prep/School-to-Work, curriculum, learning strategies, instructional technology, contextual academics, and assessment. Practitioners in the field, including principals, administrators, faculty, and Tech Prep coordinators, will also present workshops on their particular areas of expertise.

Videoconferencing Teaching—An Educator's Guide
This guide is an introduction to the technology of videoconferencing and its uses in education. It addresses the components required for videoconferencing—not only the videoconferencing equipment and networking technology but the international standards that enable them all to work together. Videoconferencing Technology also looks at example scenarios and explains how videoconferencing could be applied in various settings. The guide is useful for any educator developing a technology plan because it incorporates the many opportunities afforded by this rapidly changing technology within the educational community.

Virtual Teaching—An Educator's Guide
In recent years, thousands of educational institutions have purchased videoconferencing systems to increase the opportunities available to their students and faculty. This practical, reader-friendly guide is an introduction to virtual teaching for busy educators. It addresses commonly asked questions related to developing, planning, and delivering effective instruction virtually. Topics include: practical applications of virtual teaching, how to modify traditional lessons for virtual instruction, how to plan for virtual instruction, and how to present over videoconferencing technology.

To request your copy, please send your name and address
via FAX at 254-772-5517 or E-mail award@cord.org

Every attempt will be made to schedule your staff development workshop for the date you request. Please contact CORD at least three weeks prior to your desired workshop date. All workshops will be scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis. Please be prepared to schedule an alternative date in the event the presenter is not available or the workshop calendar is full for that particular date.

The staff of the VTC will assist you in accessing the videoconferencing equipment you need for training at a location near you. The VTC has T-1 access to a local private hub with bridging and switching capabilities on an ISDN Primary Rate Interface as well as its own ISDN Basic Rate Interface. The VTC uses several different brands of videoconferencing equipment to enable it to connect in proprietary mode if available. The VTC places calls for workshops in 384k and 336k bandwidth with 30fps, to provide the necessary level of quality, minimize costs, and allow adequate access to other educational networks around the United States.

1. Call the VTC's Staff Development Coordinator at 800-231-3015.
   
2. If you know of or have access to videoconferencing equipment in your school, organization, or area, please provide the name of a contact person at that site. If you do not have access, CORD can help you locate a videoconferencing site.
   

Two-hour sessions:*
$500 if CORD incurs the telecommunication line charge.
$350 if school incurs the telecommunication line charge.

Four-hour sessions:
$750 if CORD incurs the telecommunication line charge.
$500 if school incurs the telecommunication line charge.

Six-hour sessions:
$1000 if CORD incurs the telecommunication line charge.
$750 if CORD incurs the telecommunication line charge.

All workshops are designed for 10 participants.

*Limited Time Offer!
All two-hour sessions are 1/2 priced through December 1, 1997.

Workshop prices include

• Facilitator guidelines
• Handouts and workshop materials
• Preworkshop test connection to videoconferencing site

The CORD staff is administering projects as a part of federal and statewide School-to-Work initiatives to implement technology in the delivery of professional development. If your school or district is interested in collaborating on technology implementation or related professional development projects, please contact the VTC staff to discuss potential partnership opportunities.

Possible funding sources for professional development workshops described in this catalog include Tech Prep, Title I, School-to-Work, and the Eisenhower Professional Development Program. Additional funding specifically earmarked for technology training may be available for courses on technology topics. Check with your district office and your local Tech Prep/School-to-Work coordinator.

In 1994, CORD built the Maurice W. Roney Teaching Center in Waco, Texas, to provide professional development activities in a central location at which educators could learn together. Thousands of teachers from across the globe have taken advantage of the center, but limited travel budgets prevent many educators from leaving their home states for professional development. In 1996, CORD recognized that the tools of technology—namely videoconferencing—offer limitless applications for professional development, for work-based learning experiences, and for the integration of technology into the classroom. As a testament to this realization, CORD established the Virtual Teaching Center (VTC), a 6,000-square-foot facility that contains five videoconferencing rooms designed for the delivery of a variety of workshops requiring unique environments. The workshops offered through the VTC provide excellent pretraining preparation and follow-up technical assistance for educators attending professional development workshops at the Roney Teaching Center.

© 1997 CORD
vtcinfo@cord.org

Center for Occupational Research and Development:
P.O. Box 21689 Waco, Texas 76702-1689
601 Lake Air Drive Waco, Texas 76710-5841
Phone: 800-231-3015 Fax: 817-776-3906

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