Career Exploration the


Distance Learning Way!


For the second year in a row, several schools who participate in the School to Career COSER took advantage of the ‘Career Conversations’ with Vanderbilt University, this past fall. The Distance Learning program al- lows students to virtually meet with professionals in the work force and gain information vital to making informed career- related decisions. Presenters discuss career opportunities, the requirements for the job, the daily routine of the job, and ca- reer progression within the in- dustry. The program was well received and students learned about careers in Meteorology, Information Technology, Gen- eral Contractor and Construction Management, Physician Assis- tant, Television News Journal- ism, and Careers in Visual Arts.


Vanderbilt University allows up to seven schools to tap into each session and provides curriculum materials for each event. Schools from all over the United States participated without hav- ing to leave their campus. Stu- dents from each location asked questions during the 45 minutes ‘live’ sessions. During the spring semester, there will be addi- tional opportunities to partici- pate in additional ‘Career Con- versations’ with Vanderbilt Uni- versity, and local career discus- sions will also take place in the Distance Learning format.


Create, Communicate, Collaborate in a Virtual Classroom


“Ah-deen, Dvah, Tree…”


Suzana Baker, of Ellicottville Central School, teaches Eng- lish, Public Speaking, and even Russian! Born in Mace- donia, when Suzana asked her district for the opportu- nity to teach Russian, the administration was in full support of it! Not having enough interested students in Ellicottville was not a problem because Hinsdale Central School had four stu- dents that were eager to participate.


Suzana has been “teaching out” via a Distance Learning Polycom for two years, fulfill- ing a last minute need for a Public Speaking class by one of our districts. She was teaching Public Speaking already and students from another district joined her through a camera and IP address from their Polycom.


The Hinsdale students needed the course to gradu- ate and thanks to Suzana, her principals, and her superin- tendent, those students were able to join the Ellicottville students and have success. This approach to teaching really fills a need for students in our rural districts. When credit is needed or desired electives are requested with- out enough local participa- tion, why not combine stu- dents with one teacher at the other end of the camera?


When the Cattaraugus Alle- gany BOCES region was asked to present its Distance Learn- ing model to the New York State School Boards Associa- tion on October 22nd, Suz- ana’s classroom came to mind immediately as the pos- sible connection from the New York City annual confer- ence location. Suzana agreed and both classrooms full of students – Hinsdale and Elli- cottville – showed up on the screen in New York. The au- dience there participated as well and everyone learned to


count in Russian…ah-deen, dvah, tree (one, two, three).


The conference attendees (mostly school board mem- bers from across the state) asked a multitude of ques- tions and were engaged throughout the presentation. Their questions encompassed everything from professional development and resources to costs and student benefits. Distance Learning is a big part of the future of education and many of our rural districts have taken advantage of the “connectedness” that we are fortunate to have in our re- gion. Over the past two years, those connections have quad- rupled, within the region, throughout the state and around the globe. Adaptable technology, leader advocacy, professional development and the smart use of resources have been key to the success of distance learning opportu- nities. The DL experiences that our local students have had within the school day are rich and diverse, allowing them opportunities to com- municate and collaborate in the way they will be expected to in the 21st Century work- place.


By Laurie MacVittie and Maggie Jenson


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