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My eCoach Offers FREE Accounts to Growing Professional Learning Community Portland, OR - February 8, 2006 - My eCoach (www.my-ecoach.com), the coaching and mentoring experts and leader of professional learning communities (PLCs), today announced the offering of free accounts with partial access to its flagship product, My eCoach Online, a web-based system that enables users to create and participate in customized online communities designed to support and facilitate coaching and mentoring programs. The free accounts are available for individuals
interested in being part of the larger My eCoach PLC. Free account
users called Undrafted Players, using the My eCoach Online
sports theme, have access to the following features:
Barbara Bray, president and founder of My eCoach, said, "We are excited that our vision of a safe online environment where everyone can have resources from anywhere and anyone at anytime is now available to a wider user base. With the addition of Undrafted Players, our community will expand its reach to a global audience and connect people with similar interests. This means more collaboration, more learning - what a PLC is supposed to be about." To sign up as an Undrafted Player, go to www.my-ecoach.com and click Sign Up for a free account. Our subscribing members and clients continue to have full access to a variety of custom builders, communication and collaboration tools, thousands of proprietary resources not available to the public, and coaching tools as part of a coaching and mentoring account. My eCoach offers customized accounts for our subscribing clients to cater to their professional learning needs by offering consulting, coaching, and customized support on-site and virtually. Our program was based on sound pedagogy and research from a dedicated team of teachers, technology experts, curriculum specialists, and professional developers. ### My eCoach Announces Upgrade of My eCoach Online Portland, OR - February 8, 2006 - My eCoach (www.my-ecoach.com), the coaching and mentoring experts and leader of professional learning communities, today announced that the company has launched new features and enhancements to its flagship product My eCoach Online. My eCoach Online is a web-based system that enables users to create and participate in customized online learning communities that support and facilitate coaching and mentoring programs, professional development, university courses, and more. The core of the My eCoach Online system is its unique supportive environment. Members are placed on teams (custom learning communities) as players or eCoaches (mentors, curriculum leaders, university faculty) and collaborate with each other via blogs, discussion boards, chat, internal mail program, and file sharing. Members are also able to create individual learning plans that track professional growth, design curriculum units and lesson plans aligned to standards, and access a growing community-driven eLibrary of copyright-friendly resources and projects. New features launched today include: My Calendar - an online shared calendar allowing users to input multiple event types.
Game Plan (Beta Testing) - a collaborative planning
tool using a wiki format that allows users to create documents and
publish on the web.
Enhancements to existing features include: Improved Individual Learning Plan (ILP)
Message Center
Blog
Team Discussion Board
"We make it a priority to provide our customers
with features that make their job easier. The addition of My Calendar
and the Game Plan lets our members collaborate and share seamlessly
whether they are working at the same school site or interacting
across the ocean," said Barbara Bray, president and founder
of My eCoach. ### 02/01/06 Sara Armstrong, Ph.D., Joins My eCoach as Content Editor
"Sara's expertise and deep understanding of educational issues will be a tremendous asset to our team," said Barbara Bray, president and founder of My eCoach. "We are fortunate to have someone like Sara to help us in continuing our commitment to bring high-quality, resources to educators and their students." Sara brings over 30 years of experience in education as a teacher, professional developer, and leader in technology integration in education. She worked as the Director of Content at The George Lucas Educational Foundation and is currently engaged in a variety of projects involving professional development, curriculum design, information literacy, storytelling and technology. She is the author and co-author of several books including "A Pocket Tour of Kid stuff on the Internet" and "Net Savvy: Information Literacy in the Communications Age." She contributed to "Future Courses: A Compendium of Thought about Education, Technology, and the Future," (Technos Press, Jason Ohler, ed., 2001), and is the editor of "Snapshots! Educational Insights from the Thornburg Center" (Starsong, 2003), "Edutopia: Success Stories for Learning in the Digital Age" (Jossey-Bass and The George Lucas Educational Foundation, 2002), and the Computer Using Educator's (CUE) OnCUE Journal. Sara offered, "It's so important for educators to be able to collaborate and share resources. My eCoach offers this opportunity, plus so much more. I'm thrilled to be a part of the My eCoach team to expand resources that support teaching and learning and to compile case studies demonstrating best practices." Sara received an M.A. in Education and a Ph.D. in
the Philosophy of Education from the University of California, Berkeley,
in 1981 and 1991 respectively. She holds a California teaching credential.
###
Oakland, CA December 16, 2005 - My eCoach (www.my-ecoach.com), the coaching and mentoring experts and leader of professional learning communities, announced a new pilot coaching program at John Gray High School of the Cayman Islands through its Technology Integration Project; a one-year pilot to assess the most effective way to encourage staff to develop technology-rich lesson plans. John Shillito, Data and Communications Coordinator of John Gray High School said, "All schools in the Cayman Islands have seen a major investment in technology over the last 3 years through the ITALIC (Improving Teaching and Learning in Cayman) program. The Technology Integration Project pilot extends ITALIC by focusing on staff professional development." To carry out the goals of the Technology Integration Project, John Gray High School will use My eCoach Online as the primary communication and collaboration environment for the teachers at John Gray High School. John Shillito will lead the project and act as the on-site Head eCoach to support 6 eCoaches (lead teachers) representing all departments in the high school. The eCoaches will develop at least 10 technology-rich lesson plans between January and June 2006 that will be used as models for other teachers to use. "We chose My eCoach because it appears to be a comprehensive and flexible tool to get us where we want to be. The ability to collaborate in My eCoach Online while developing lesson plans is exactly what we were looking for. My eCoach also has a very personal touch - their Head eCoaching staff's enthusiasm will, I'm sure, rub off on our teachers!" offered Shillito. Shillito is working with his eCoaches and the My eCoach staff to input Cayman Islands standards, develop a skills profile for the eCoaches, and create an evaluation criteria that will measure the efficacy of the program as a pilot for all of the teachers in the school and possibly for other coaching programs in the Cayman Islands. Barbara Bray, Founder and CEO of My eCoach said, "We are excited about expanding our reach to the Cayman Islands. As part of our larger Professional Learning Community in My eCoach Online, teachers from this region will be able to collaborate with other teachers in the United States and abroad. The Cayman Islands will add another level of connecting, sharing, and learning beyond borders."
Oakland, CA - December 5, 2005 - My eCoach (www.my-ecoach.com), the coaching and mentoring experts and leader of professional learning communities, announced that the East Bay Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment (BTSA) Consortium has chosen Alameda Unified School District to pilot the My eCoach Program for the 2005-06 school year. Ten support providers will use My eCoach's flagship product, My eCoach Online, to build a customized online professional learning community to support new teachers in the BTSA program. Diana Kenney, BTSA Elementary Site Coordinator in Alameda is the designated lead eCoach having completed My eCoach's Coaching and Mentoring Program for teacher educators last year. Kenney said,"My eCoach is the perfect fit for our BTSA program. Our BTSA consortium requires our teachers to attend one monthly after-school seminar. Using the features and resources provided in My eCoach Online will encourage teachers to discuss important issues using the discussion board, complete their CFASST [California Formative Assessment and Support System for Teachers] and induction activities all within the My eCoach environment. I am excited that my district is first of the consortium to pioneer this new way of supporting our teachers using an online professional learning community." My eCoach provides a multilevel support approach for its customers in a unique and inviting online environment. As the lead eCoach, Kenney will be assigned as Head eCoach from the My eCoach staff who provides resources and ongoing coaching to ensure that Kenney and her team of support providers implement a successful program. Barbara Bray, Founder and CEO of My eCoach said,
"Our focus on improving teaching practice fits well with the
BTSA program goals in supporting new teachers. We are confident
that the combination of BTSA's face-to-face mentoring strategies
and online coaching using My eCoach Online will benefit the teachers
providing them with a professional learning community with tools
and resources that beginning teachers need." ###
Oakland, CA - October 19, 2005 - My eCoach (www.my-ecoach.com),
the coaching and mentoring experts, today announced Julie Abbott
as Vice President of Business Development. Abbott will oversee and
lead My eCoach’s business development and sales team by setting
strategic direction for building revenue and increasing awareness
of My eCoach’s professional development services and products.
Abbott will be based in Kansas City, Missouri and report to Founder
and CEO, Barbara Bray.
Philadelphia, PA - June 27, 2005 - My eCoach, the
coaching and mentoring experts, announced today that its web-based
product My eCoach Online will be the primary online telecommunication
resource between students and teachers in the implementation of
an International Society for Technology in Education Affiliate classroom
environmental project with Queensland, Australia’s Aboriginal
students, New Zealand Maori students, and Northwest Washington State
American Indian students from the Lummi Nation. ### 6/27/05
Philadelphia, PA - June 27, 2005 - My eCoach, the
coaching and mentoring experts, introduced today at the National
Educational Computing Conference (Booth #73) a powerful new standards
system to its innovative suite of communication, collaboration,
coaching, and curriculum tools for teachers and mentors. Key features
that improve the existing standards system include easier user-interface
and better navigation for alignment to lessons, resources and projects.
The system also includes a new standards viewer that allows users
to review standards before they develop a project and to find projects
and resources aligned to a specific standard. ### 6/20/05
Oakland, CA - June 20, 2005 - My eCoach, the coaching
and mentoring experts, is pleased to announce a new collaboration
with the Washington State Title II Part D, NCLB/EETT (Enhancing
Education Through Technology) project, “NO LIMIT!” (New
Outcomes: Learning in Mathematics Integrating Technology). My eCoach’s
web-based coaching and mentoring environment, My eCoach Online,
will be used by the Math Integration Specialists who function as
Coach-Mentors to over 250 NO LIMIT Math classrooms, operating from
nine statewide Educational Service Districts, the Network Learning
Community Satellite in Bellingham, WA and the Learning Disabled
Program of EETT operated from the Central Washington State University
in Ellensburg, WA. ###
Oakland, CA - June 10, 2005 - My eCoach (www.my-ecoach.com),
the coaching and mentoring experts, is working in collaboration
with Generation YES (www.genyes.com) to develop a comprehensive
new technology integration professional development model for three
math-related EETT programs in Washington state. This new model will
combine My eCoach’s online collaborative support for teachers
through it’s web-based coaching and mentoring environment,
My eCoach Online, with the exemplary Generation YES model of students
providing technology integration support.
Seattle, WA-March 16, 2005—Together with the
Wesleyan Academy and Moravian School in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands
and Evergreen Elementary in Fort Lewis, Washington, My eCoach (www.my-ecoach.com),
the coaching and mentoring experts, announced a collaborative research
project using My eCoach Online as the primary medium for students
in both locations to share information, post ideas and findings,
and develop inquiry projects on ten topics about water. Each team from the Virgin Islands and another in Washington will collaborate to create an inquiry project using My eCoach Online’s curriculum builders. Examples of some of the topics they chose as projects include: natural disasters and the affects on water; animals in our watershed; how our bodies of water are different; season and the affect on water; pollution and the affects on sea life. ###
Palm Springs, CA- March 10, 2005- My eCoach, the
coaching and mentoring experts, announced its new Home Field design
for My eCoach Online, an online learning community that supports
coaching and mentoring programs. The new design offers better navigation
for members to communicate and collaborate within the system. The new design of My eCoach Online’s Home Field includes:
"We responded to our members’ input on streamlining the Home Field and usability of our online learning community. The improvements help make coaching and mentoring for our members more efficient and easier to use. Our clients are our best advocates and advisers, so we thank them for helping us become an even better resource,"commented Barbara Bray, President and CEO of My eCoach. ###
Oakland, CA- February 1, 2005- My eCoach, the coaching
and mentoring experts, has added Team Up!, a new
teacher collaboration tool in My eCoach Online, the company’s
web-based coaching program. This new feature is a welcome addition
to My eCoach Online’s suite of communication and collaboration
tools for teachers and mentors. ###
Oakland, CA- December 14, 2004- My eCoach, the coaching
and mentoring experts, has added new and updated features and products
to its current line of offerings and services: Message Center, Instant
Messaging, New State and National Standards, Third-Party Software,
My eCoach Technology Tutorials, and My eCoach Gear.
Members can add these standard sets to their My
eCoach Online profile. In doing so, any projects and lesson plans
that members create can be aligned to the appropriate standard from
the selected standard set.
New Products in the My eCoach® Store
###
eMINTS Partners with My eCoach® in Developing Pilot Coaching Program Oakland, CA- October 18, 2004 –In partnering
with My eCoach, the eMINTS (Enhancing Missouri’s Instructional
Networked Teaching Strategies) National Center, a collaborative
education program sponsored by the Missouri Department of Elementary
and Secondary Education and the University of Missouri System Office
of Academic Affairs, will build a program that sustains the current
eMINTS 2-year professional development program so that eMINTS teachers
will have opportunities to participate in a full ongoing support
system. ### My eCoach Online Expands its Reach to New teacher Programs, Math Projects, and Regional Professional Development Programs New Orleans, LA- June 18, 2004 –Since its
launch in 2003, My eCoach Online has been integrated into coaching
and mentoring programs all over the United States including: Louisiana,
California, Washington, Texas, Florida, Wisconsin, New Jersey, Massachusetts,
and Michigan. ### My eCoach eLibrary of Free Resources for Teachers and Students Receives Hundreds of Contributions from MovieWorks, FableVision, Crick Software, and School Technology Resources Spokane, WA- April 14, 2004 – The My eCoach
eLibrary is a searchable database of original artwork, photos, educational
handouts and templates, literature activities, video clips, sound
bytes, standards aligned units and lesson plans, and websites submitted
by artists, photographers, teachers, and members of the My eCoach
Online community. To add more quality resources to the My eCoach
eLibrary collection, My eCoach has formed partnerships with several
educational companies including MovieWorks, FableVision, Crick Software
and School Technology Resources. ### My eCoach Launches eLibrary of Copyright-friendly Resources for EducationalCommunity at FETC 2004 Orlando, FL- January 22, 2004 - My eCoach, division of Computer Strategies, LLC, is pleased to announce the My eCoach® Online eLibrary of free educational resources and projects for teachers and students of all ages. The eLibrary houses original artwork, photos, handouts and templates, literature activities, video, inquiry-based projects, thematic units, lesson plans, and websites submitted by artists, photographers, teachers, and members of the My eCoach Online community. “We developed our eLibrary so that teachers and students can access and use quality resources without worrying about copyright infringement. We are delighted that teachers and students can use these resources for classroom use such as multimedia projects and websites,” said Barbara Bray, President and CEO of My eCoach and Computer Strategies, LLC. Rosalie Ritz, a former courtroom artist who has covered famous trials from 1968 through 1994 including the trials of Patty Hearst, O.J. Simpson, and Black Panthers, has generously donated several original sketches of historical figures such as drawings of Harriet Tubman, Sacagawea, Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, and Robert E. Lee to the My eCoach Online eLibrary collection. “As an artist of 80 years old who loves drawing, I feel that My eCoach has provided me with a new purpose for my art. I am learning history all over again and creating images that I hope teachers and students will be able to use as they learn history and current events,” said Rosalie Ritz about her contributions to the eLibrary. Resources can be easily searched by grade level, curriculum area, resource type, or keyword. My eCoach has established relationships with business partners and university programs to contribute more resources to the eLibrary. Soon, visitors will be able to visit the eLibrary and submit resources to the eLibrary collection by following a formal review process to ensure quality control. My eCoach will be exhibiting in Booth #1111. If you would like to schedule a meeting with Barbara Bray, President of My eCoach, please contact Leilani Carbonell Pedroni at leilani@my-ecoach.com or at 1-800-633-2248. ### My eCoach Moves to New Office Oakland, CA-December 29, 2004-My eCoach moved to a larger office space in the Edgewater Park Plaza in Oakland, CA. The Edgewater Park Plaza is located one mile from Oakland International Airport and a 25-minute drive from San Francisco. Our new address is: Phone (800-633-2248) and Fax (510-562-4570) numbers remain the same. ### My eCoach Partners with California State University, Hayward Education Technology Program Oakland, CA-December 19, 2003-My eCoach is pleased
to announce a formal internship program partnership with the Educational
Technology Graduate Program at California State University, Hayward
(CSU-Hayward). The My eCoach University Internship Program’s
mission is to provide professional experience for graduate students
in the field of Education, Educational Technology, Instructional
Technology, and Graphic Design. ### Educational Service Center Region XV in Texas uses My eCoach Online with Mentors from Thirty-One School Districts Oakland, CA-November 10, 2003-Under the Technology
Applications Readiness Grant for Empowering Texas (TARGET2 Grant),
a No Child Left Behind funded program, Region XV in Texas will begin
using My eCoach Online today to support their mentoring program.
The TARGET2 program includes sixty-two participants from thirty-one
districts in Texas. “The My eCoach Online system allows for a platform for necessary follow-up support in order to maintain and “stretch” the campus cadre in the development of teacher lessons and student products that focus on higher order thinking skills, analysis, synthesis, and evaluative conclusions as prescribed by state academic standards,” said Donna Pohl, Coordinator of Technology for Region XV. “The TARGET2 program goals align perfectly with what we intended My eCoach Online to be used for,” said Barbara Bray, CEO and President of My eCoach and Computer Strategies, LLC. “Research indicates that coaching and mentoring programs designed like TARGET2 will result in high returns. We are excited to work with Texas teachers in helping them achieve their objectives.” ### 10/23/03 My eCoach Announces New Coaching and Mentoring Features Oakland, CA-October 23, 2003-My eCoach introduces new and updated collaboration tools and features for teachers and mentors in My eCoach Online, the company’s innovative system that supports schools, districts, and university coaching and mentoring programs. Schools, districts, and university programs use My eCoach® Online to support their coaching and mentoring programs and courses for in-service and pre-service teachers. Existing features include:
Ask Head eCoach-mentors can now ask for support
to their assigned Head eCoaches. Teachers use the Ask eCoach feature
to communicate with their mentor, while mentors use Ask Head eCoach
for support and best practices in working with their mentees. Meet the Author-projects that teachers create link
to the Meet the Author page that displays teaching information entered
in their profile and can be viewed by anyone. ### My eCoach Launches My eCoach Online for
Teachers at NECC
Schools and university programs can use My eCoach
Online to support their professional development program and courses
for in-service and pre-service teachers to collaborate, access,
create, and publish inquiry-based projects, lessons, and resources. ### |
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Oakland,
CA February 1, 2006 - My eCoach (www.my-ecoach.com), the coaching
and mentoring experts and leader of professional learning communities,
today announced the addition of Sara Armstrong, Ph.D., to the My
eCoach team as Content Editor. Sara, published author and well-respected
educational pioneer, will work on researching and developing educational
and professional content such as best practices, case studies, research
articles, podcasts and other resources for My eCoach's professional
learning community.