eSN TechWatch: Social Networking's Impact -- July 14, 2008
Researchers say they''ve discovered educational benefits of social-networking web sites such as MySpace and Facebook. At the same time, these sites are threatening some tried-and-true traditions of campus life.

"I didn’t get to thank you directly for allowing me to participate in the Cadre meeting last week. As I said to the whole group, it was a wonderful and invigorating experience. You clearly are a master of effective professional development structures and strategies, seeing the focus on NETS was gratifying to my ISTE eyes, and the people you’ve assembled are a wonderful group of professionals. I enjoyed participating and seeing some of the talent in Oregon." ~Leslie Conery, ISTE Deputy CEO

"You are doing a great job and I think Oregon is on the right track. We have so many smart and creative people here we need to tap into their knowledge as much as possible." ~Skip Offenhauser, Instructional Technologies Coordinator, Redmond School District

By Flynn Espe
The East Oregonian

During a Friday assembly, Sunridge Middle School teacher Heidi Paullus was surprised with a giant check in the amount of $7,560 - representing a technology grant from Qwest Communications.

With the grant money, the entire sixth-grade class will be able to use portable global positioning units for a mapping project of the Buck Creek cabins area in the Umatilla National Forest.

"They'll be using the GPS to mark trails and to basically map the area," Paullus said, adding students also will use digital cameras to document the plant life of the area.

Paullus is one of five Oregon teachers and the only teacher in Eastern Oregon to win the grant, according to Qwest representative Bob Gravely.

"We were looking for teachers who were presenting an idea to use the technology in an innovative way, to help kids learn," Gravely said, who has been busy surprising teachers with the good news. "It's more fun this way."

Principal Jon Peterson playfully taunted the students before explaining the reason for the assembly.

"I had no idea what the assembly was about," Paullus said. "I thought the kids were in trouble for something."

This is Paullus's first year teaching for the Pendleton School District. She previously taught in Hermiston where she said she similarly tried to use technology in teaching.

Details of the project have yet to be worked out, but students will be prepped on the equipment before their trip to the Umatilla National Forest site.