This term, I am a supervisor in the MITTEN Project for the first time.  I am observing five student teachers in four different schools around the Detroit metropolitan area.  I am also supervising two student teachers at other schools who are not involved in the project.  Throughout the semester, I have been looking for ways to improve communication amongst the group using technology.  Simultaneously, I also want to enhance my supervision of students with technology. 

     This semester, the student teachers and I regularly use e-mail as a way to stay in contact.  Because all of us are in classrooms with children, we've found this form of communication to be more convenient than the telephone.  E-mail does not disrupt lessons, and you can respond when you have time.  E-mail is also utilized for correspondence with colleagues and professional organizations.  In addition, the Internet has been helpful with finding the schools I'm traveling to.  Yahoo's Driving Directions have proven invaluable in getting me from one location to the other.

     Over the course of the term, I've noticed the majority of our e-mails have to do with scheduling and confirming observations.  As a result, I would like to set up an interactive calendar for the next semester so the student teachers can sign up for their own observation dates based on my availability.

     Furthermore, whole group communication is challenging because of our varied locations.  Collaborative discussions are limited primarily to the bi-monthly seminars.  Even then, our time together seems short with all of the topics that need to be discussed.  Subsequently, I would like to utilize a message board next semester (through VLT) to promote better whole group conversations.