2017 Award Winners

Elementary - Lillie B. Hayes School - East Lyme - Kara Arnold, Anglea Wheeler, Christopher Walkner and Julie Kuja

Technology takes third graders on a trip around the world! An exploration of the seven continents

kicked off the geography jam. Students were introduced to Google Earth and used print and web

materials to research important features of each continent. Groups shared research through

presentations which were filmed using ipads. Student-created posters, along with QR codes that

linked to the filmed continent presentations, were displayed around the school. Zooming into the

continent of North America, students worked together using PeppleGo, other various websites and

print material to create state Wixie projects. Students used laptops and included text boxes, picture

inserts, slide transitions, audio recordings and sounds. In addition, classes participated in Mystery

Skype sessions using Skype to connect with other classrooms around the country. Students asked

questions and used geography skills to try to determine where in the USA the other class was.

Geography has moved into the 21st century!

Middle School - Fair Haven School - New Haven - David Weinreb

As a teacher of 6th grade Spanish-speaking newcomers in New Haven, I sought to discover: How do

emerging bilingual students benefit from technology-based learning, such as computer science (CS)?

From an introduction at Yale’s SOM Education Leadership Conference in 2016, I co-created a

partnership with CS undergraduates (CodeHavenYale.com) to bring coding to my classroom. My

students work alongside Yale mentors on a weekly basis to explore the world of computer

programming, and I’ve studied their growth as programmers, their perceptions of college and CS,

and their developing language literacies. With many compounding factors, my students’ have

experienced meaningful growth in these competencies and skills, and showcase a strong case for the

integration of STEM education as a means to empower English Language Learners.

High School - Journalism and Media Academy - Hartford - Tiffany Blanchette

The Empathy Project uses technology to help build students' sense of empathy for others by bringing

first person experiences into the classroom. Often times students learn about global events without

truly comprehending the deep impacts these proceedings have upon those directly involved. In order

to personalize world events students in this project are gaining empathy for the people behind the

news via on line simulation games, creating digital stories to humanize key experiences and

conducting Skype interviews with relevant groups.