Edutopia Webinar Series: Exclusive Members-Only Benefit

Host: Grace Rubenstein, senior producer, Edutopia

Presenter: Kathleen Petersen, director of Title I programming for Utah's Washington County School District and former principal of the district's Santa Clara Elementary School, in Santa Clara, Utah

To expand on our coverage of the federal stimulus package for education, we drew on the grant-writing experience of school administrator Kathleen Petersen, also a member of The George Lucas Educational Foundation's National Advisory Council. She demystified the process of researching, designing, writing, and implementing grants. Learn more at the webinar's resource page.

June 4, 2009: "Engaging the Digital Generation: Insights from Kids, Teachers, and Parents"

Host: Amy Erin Borovoy, coordinating producer, Edutopia video

Presenters: Teacher Vicki Davis, who also blogs at the Cool Cat Teacher Blog, and researcher Nichole Pinkard

Today's students use digital media in ways hardly imaginable just a few years ago, revolutionizing how kids create, collaborate, and teach one another. Join us for a stimulating discussion with innovative educators, parents, and students from the Digital Generation Project as they share practical tools and strategies for engaging the digital learner. Learn more at the webinar's resource page.

• April 9, 2009: "How the Brain Learns Best: Strategies to Make Learning Stick"
• Host: Grace Rubenstein, senior producer, Edutopia
• Presenter: Judy Willis, middle school teacher and neurologist and authority on learning-centered brain research and classroom strategies derived from this research
• Neuroscience is a complex field that educators don't often turn to for inspiration, but knowing a few basic concepts can help you plan teaching strategies that will prompt your students to be more receptive to learning. Find out how introducing a few simple techniques to your craft -- and increasing some of those you may already employ -- can encourage productive learning and actually change brain chemistry, increasing children's ability to learn (and retain) new skills and information. Read more at the discussion page for that webinar.

• February 12, 2009: "A New Day for Learning: How to Cultivate Full-Time Learners"
• Host: Milton Chen, executive director, The George Lucas Educational Foundation
• Presenters: Hillary Salmons, executive director, Providence After School Alliance (PASA), and Karen Dvornich, continuing education coordinator, NatureMapping
• Discussion and exploration of A New Day for Learning, which showcases model programs that engage students in the array of learning opportunities inside, and outside of, the classroom. You'll walk away from the webinar with lesson plans, best practices, and tips you can implement in your school, your school district, or your community. Read more at the discussion page for that webinar.

• November 6, 2008: "Small World: How to Bring Your Students into the Global Classroom"
• Host: Grace Rubenstein, senior producer, Edutopia
• Presenter: Blogger and author Will Richardson, a member of Edutopia's National Advisory Council
• Unlike books, radio, and other media, the Internet is a two-way communication tool. Online, everyday people are able to shape and contribute to the collective experience -- it empowers you and your students to become information producers, rather than mere consumers. We know that the Web is changing politics, business, and the media, but what does that mean for teachers and schools? That's what we'll be talking about during the webinar.