My first experience at the conference was an in-depth session on web 2.0 tools and educational support internet sites. Marcia Torgrude did an outstanding job of introducing tools that can be implemented in the classroom immediately.
One such tool introduced was Glogster, which allows students to develop interactive “posters” to share. These “posters” can include graphics, text, video, and links to internet sites. Using Glogster, students could create an interactive report on a theme, historic event, or scientific process. Using a tool like this requires more than just responding to questions and parroting back answers. It requires the student(s) to synthesize and create to show understanding of a subject.
Another resource shown and practiced was Prezi, which was quite unique in it’s approach. In some ways, I found it similar in theme to Glogster, in that you have one “page” to interact with. On that one page, you identify elements essential to your theme, then organize a presentation by creating a “path” from one element to the next. By arranging the elements, the relative sizes of each, and the order of the path, students must demonstrate a depth of understanding of subjects being studied. She concluded with recommendations for other sites to explore on our own.
Following the in-depth session was the first Keynote speech. Leslie Fisher, a self-professed gadgeter, gave an excellent walk through the world of current technology. Although her presentation was based on “things,” there was an underlying theme of how technology is changing in all areas of society, including the world of education. What I took from that presentation was the changing role of the educator in dealing with a generation of students exposed to technology before they are exposed to education. Gadgets and technology surround each one of us everyday. Students encounter technology before they see us each day. How can we expect them to “shut off” everything and then suddenly learn in an environment that doesn’t fit their way of thinking? That certainly gives one a “wake up” moment to think about; how should each of us respond to this challenge? How do we change ourselves to adapt to this new way of thinking rather than try to force them to change and risk jeopardizing the natural curiosity and ability these students possess?
Monday began with Dr. Jack Bacon taking the conferees on a trip through history and current happenings of the international space station (ISS.) Even though he’s a man of numerous degrees and languages, and could have easily buried everyone in details, he instead wove an amazing story from the very genesis of the ISS to the current day. Embedded throughout the presentation was this one theme; the only way something as massive and complex as the ISS could be created and sustained is through cooperation. He kept returning to the almost two dozen countries and dozen languages of the people who created, assembled, and are currently supporting the ISS, and how it would not be what it is today without that effort. I took from that presentation the need to infuse more group projects into the classroom – not just once in awhile to make it look good, but regularly enough to make it part of the everyday routine. That means I have to change the way I approach “teaching” the students. That’s a real challenge for me.
From there, I attended a series of breakout sessions on various subjects, each very instructive and time well spent. Three of the sessions were based on Apple, Inc. products in one for or another. Two of these, presented by Apple employees, extolled the virtues of the family of Apple products and their role in the education environment. They showed how the products from Apple easily support learning in the classroom.
Another session, about using the iPod in the K-12 classroom, was equally instructive on using technology tools to support curriculum. Presenters showed specifically applications they use for Advanced Placement students in a high school, but also extended that with ideas for other curricular areas and levels. I got a lot out of that session for consideration, including one program for assistive speech for individuals with difficulty or inability to speak. That program has already been recommended to our staff for consideration for one of our students.
The final breakout for Monday was on the importance of social networking in general, and Twitter in particular, and how it can help each of us become better educators. Leslie Fisher gave some history of the Twitter sensation, how it is a natural fit into the education world, and how some of the available add-on’s can help make it better and more usable for us – changing our routine to save time rather than add new demands on our day.
Angela Maiers kicked off the Tuesday session with an outstanding keynote on how to develop technical fluency, and how that makes us better for ourselves and for our students. Of particular importance is our need to filter what we get, then be able to routinely model for our students how to continually unlearn and relearn. She almost seamlessly followed that with a breakout session on building our Professional Learning Network (PLN.) Each of us owes it to our students to keep current, and the best way to do that is to use the smartest people you can find, and learn what they know. Great presentations.
The final breakout session I attended was Marcia Torgrude speaking on Thinkfinity. I haven’t done much with this site since its Marco Polo days. I was impressed with the changes and the community nature that it’s growing into with the new site. That’s something definitely worth following, exploring, and contributing to.
Capping the conference was Dr. Julie Mathieson with a great session on taking what we have gotten during the conference and using that to make an impact on our students. That was a fitting end to the three days.
It was a great conference, and time well spent. There is certainly enough to keep me thinking until TIE 2011.
Alan Buhler
