NEW RESOURCE FOR EDUCATORS - EDUCATORS' KNOWLEDGE CENTER

One of the missions of TRECC Education Group is to encourage the use of technologies in schools for teachers and administrators. Focusing on our mission, this summer TRECC will be releasing the web-based Educators' Knowledge Center. We have been working with the U of I's Knowledge and Learning Systems Group for nearly a year on this system. Knowledge Centers (KCs) are built around specific domains of knowledge, in this case "education".

This KC is specifically designed for educators as a resource to share information and communicate with their peers. This is a FREE, user-friendly resource containing tools such as live video-conferencing, text chat, document repository, peer Q & A, and an e-learning system for districts' professional development. Collectively these tools form an integrated environment targeted at solving barriers to district operations. Some of a district's greatest challenges are:

1. Sharing information & knowledge .creating, storing, and sharing information
2. Managing a geographically dispersed staff
3. Conducting outreach efforts to faculty and staff

Knowledge Centers are designed to benefit schools at multiple levels. At the administrative level, a Knowledge Center facilitates information management by automatically archiving all communications and interactions within the KC so they can be accessed and shared for future activities. It also promotes communication and logistical coordination among geographically distributed staff members through the use of the collaboration tools. In doing so, it saves time, money, and resources. A Knowledge Center can also be used by organizations to maintain regular contact with employees, thereby providing a means to conduct outreach activities and constantly provide individuals with critical knowledge about the district's operations and upcoming activities.

Here is a sampling of what teachers and administrators can do with the TRECC Educators' Knowledge Center.

• Share or obtain high-quality classroom materials such as: teacher developed lesson plans, interactive activities, textbook reviews, etc.
• Chat with other teachers or administrators via private Text Chat rooms
• Have a live Video Conference with colleagues
• Publish documents, articles, and materials for presentation to other educators
• Collaborate on funding proposals via Text Chat or Video Conference
• Deliver professional development materials for staff in your school or district on-line
• Find links to other quality educational resources
• Post upcoming educational events on the Community Calendar
• Learn anytime from anywhere using the online learning system.

For more information on the Educators' Knowledge Center and how it can be useful for your school(s), contact Nancy Komlanc, Director of Education and Training for TRECC.

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