Regardless of whether learners use Microsoft PowerPoint or Google Presentations, it's time to re-imagine our student assignments and assessments. Content copied from Wikipedia, meaningless lists of bullet points, and low-level thinking are just a few of the problems that poison presentations. Identifying a meaningful mission, infusing engaging examples, and offering opportunities to extend the experience through technology-rich resources are critical to presentation pizzazz. If you're looking for ways to rethink your teaching materials or revamp student assignments, this session is for you.
Are personally owned devices - laptops, netbooks, smartphones and tablets - distracting your students? Or are you using them to motivate and engage? Learn some simple rules that help you make the most of these devices that are increasingly common in the classroom.
There are so many new technology gadgets, apps, and websites, that it is nearly impossible to keep up. In this fast-paced session, Tammy will share her favorite newly-discovered tips, tricks, and tools for teachers and students.
Karen Cator serves as the Director of the Office of Educational Technology at the U.S. Department of Education (U.S. DOE), implementing and overseeing the integration of technology in public education. She has devoted her career to creating the best possible learning environments for this generation of students. Prior to joining the department, Cator directed Apple's leadership and advocacy efforts in education. In this role, she focused on the intersection of education policy and research, emerging technologies, and the reality faced by teachers, students and administrators.
This is a special Concurrent Session Presentation by our Keynote Speaker.
In this session, you’ll discover some fantastic (and free!) web resources that can enhance your teaching and engage your young learners. These tools can aid in classroom management, whole-group instruction, and small-group interactive activities. Even if you don’t have an interactive whiteboard, you’ll find that these tools can transform your classroom!
Discover how teachers and students can benefit by moving to the cloud - when staff and student applications become hosted. The session discusses the implication of hosted computer applications and resources on school budgets, staffing and new possibilities.
Beyond Web 2.0, gadgets, and widgets lies the simple connection among content, context, computing, and learning. This session explores way to connect the new National Educational Technology Plan for transforming American education with practical classroom activities that promote student achievement and a passion for learning.
Hall Davidson is a nationally known educator, teacher, author, lecturer and staff development leader. He began his education career in 1971 teaching middle and high school English, mathematics, Spanish, and bilingual mathematics. Hall was a faculty member at two colleges, teaching technology for teacher credential candidates. He ventured away from the classroom to teach math on an Emmy-winning television program in Los Angeles. During his career at KOCE-TV, a PBS station in Orange County, CA, he produced television series on education, technology and parenting. Hall is a co-founder of Kitzu.org, a resource of free online kits to encourage project-based learning with media.
iPads are transforming classrooms! In this session, Tammy will demonstrate her favorite apps and will provide strategies for using the iPad as a teaching and learning tool. Whether you have one iPad or a classroom set, this session is for you!
You won’t believe all the cool things you can do with Google Forms and spreadsheets: shared lesson plans, online voting, quiz competitions, electronic self-checking tests, data gathering, and more! In this fun and interactive session, Tammy will demonstrate her favorite features from start to finish.
How can technology provide the transparency that allows parents, students and teachers to partner? This session will highlight the purposes parent e-mail lists, describe online grade books, give tips for helping reluctant teachers begin to create class pages, and suggest strategies for getting all teachers in a building or district on board.
21st century learners need communication skills that transcend writing essays and technical skills that go beyond setting up margins for printing. Students must write using a variety of technology tools from iPads apps to multimedia generators and write cooperatively and collaboratively. Transform writing assignments while addressing standards across the curriculum.
How do we define, encourage, use, and assess creativity in our IL/IT lessons and projects? Should the question be "if" a student is creative or "how" a student is creative. And what can we do to be more creative as teachers and librarians?
There are so many new technology gadgets, apps, and websites, that it is nearly impossible to keep up. In this fast-paced session, Tammy will share her favorite newly-discovered tips, tricks, and tools for teachers and students.
Google offers a variety of applications that allow students to create, collaborate, and share. In this session, you’ll see some clever activities for students - ideas that are not only quick and easy, but also require creativity and higher-level thinking. Activities will be demonstrated from start to finish, using Google’s free suite of Web 2.0 tools.
They are becoming like a modern tricorders, those fabulous Star Trek instruments. Mobile phones, iPads, and tablets can take basic microscope pictures, or with mobile chromakey (green screen) unveil the origins of materials or relevant formulas. They have the ability to share learning both in the classroom and beyond in the extended online anywhere/anytime universe. In this session, learn interactive projects and assessments that expand student knowledge with apps, QR codes, media sites, and more. Learn how free resources, media libraries, and the web can work mobile. iPad and mobiles will be used but applies to other platforms.
Toto, we’re not in Kansas anymore… the line between fiction and nonfiction is blurring and the definition of a book has changed. The knowledge, skills, attitudes, and dispositions needed to succeed as a reader and a learner are evolving. Spend an hour in this transmedia universe.
Should you friend your students on your Facebook page? Will keeping a blog cost you your job? What expectations should you have of your students who discuss issues on your class Ning? Learn some practical guidelines for using both social and educational networking tools that will both improve your teaching and prevent possible problems with your administration.
Diane Ravitch is a Research Professor of Education at New York University, a historian of education and a non-resident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C. She holds a doctorate in history of education from Columbia University and many honorary degrees.
Today’s reality is that readers and information seekers are having increasingly less need to visit a physical library to meet their basic information needs. Digital information sources, readily accessed from classroom, home or mobile computing devices, are the choice of many learners and teachers. The “Net Generation” student increasingly prefers the visual and the virtual rather than the printed text. Why, many educators are asking, does a school need a physical library when seemingly all resources can be obtained using an inexpensive netbook and a wireless network connection? How can these large physical spaces in our schools be re-purposed for greater educational impact?
Gone are the days when students complete a paper worksheet and then turn it in in the wire box on the teachers desk. In today’s world, students are creating digital projects using a variety of tools on computers and mobile devices. In this session, Tammy will demonstrate her favorite apps and tools for students, and then will share a simple solution that will allow the teacher to collect and organize the students' creations.
Discover practical ways educators can build technology-rich, fluid environments for learning using existing online content, resources, and tools. Create compelling, cohesive and convincing experiences that motivate students and address key subject area standards and 21st century skills. By matching realistic content and meaningful contexts with multi-platform communication, teachers can use technology to transform classroom assignments and assessments. Explore tons of examples you can use in your classroom today!
Jack Berckemeyer is a nationally recognized presenter, author and humorist and is currently the Director of Professional Development for Incentive Publications. He began his career as a middle school teacher in Denver, Colorado. After two years of teaching he was named outstanding educator at his school, and shortly thereafter he was identified as one of the outstanding educators in his district. In 2003, he received the Outstanding Alumni Award from the Falcon School District.
Michelle Shearer began her notable career in education fourteen years ago in Maryland. From 1997-2002, she taught all levels of chemistry and started the Advanced Placement Chemistry and American Sign Language programs at Urbana High School in Frederick, Maryland. From there Michelle took her talents, knowledge and enthusiasm to the Maryland School for the Deaf teaching chemistry and mathematics from 2002-2006. Since her return to Urbana High School in 2006, enrollment in AP chemistry has increased eight-fold. She leads a high energy classroom environment in which students of all abilities and needs can succeed in learning advanced science and mathematics.
Learn to differentiate with technology-enhanced graphic tools and resources. Build authentic learning environments through object- and place-based inquiries. Illuminate projects and nurture digital citizens.
This is a special concurrent session presented by our Keynote Speaker.
Have you thought about implementing digital portfolios, but weren't sure what tools and procedures to use? In this session, you'll discover how a couple of simple "tricks" can turn a Google Blog into the perfect interface for a digital portfolio.
DUE TO A SCHEDULING CONFLICT THIS SESSION IS CANCELLED!
First we trained the students; then we trained the staff. Finally we are looking for ways to improve the technology skills of principals, superintendents, and directors. This presentation outlines a set of technology rubrics that can be used in developing a professional development plan for school leaders and suggests ways media and technology specialists can assist in the completion of this plan. No more pointy-haired bosses!
