Here are my TOP 5 take-away's from ISTE. I hope you can learn from them as well.
1. It's NOT about the technology.
I know, I know. What's a "techie teacher" thinking when she says that it ISN'T about the very thing she blogs about? What every presenter, tweeter, keynote speaker reverberated was that it's about using technology as the fuel to EMPOWER students to CREATE, EXPLORE, ASK, PLAY, and ultimately curate their OWN LEARNING. I was completely inspired by the stories told through two amazing individuals who have allowed life to take them to new and exciting places....simply by being bold enough to ask, "Why not?" Check out George Curous and Kevin Carroll. These men epitomize everything that we as educators should stand for.
"Those who initiate change will have a better opportunity to manage the change that is inevitable. "
-William Pollard
My new class motto inspired by my learning at ISTE.
Learning should ALWAYS be an action verb!
2. Project Based Learning is worth it.
Though I've dabbled in the PBL world, I leave ISTE with the resolve to implement this brand of learning into my classroom as often as possible. It's model encourages the critical thinking skills necessary for students to open their minds to new ideas, innovative solutions, and the world beyond their classroom doors.
"If anyone’s thinking we can’t do real things with kids, I’m telling you you’re wrong."
-Rich Lehrer, Brookwood School, MA
Here are a few resources I gleaned from a couple of sessions:
- ScoodleJam- $2.99 app that will aid in student creation throughout the PBL process. Limitless possibilities
- https://tuvalabs.com Data Literacy Skill development - curates data sets. Web site includes an “ASK” button and you can ask for data that you need for a project.
- http://www.planet.com Tiny satellites in space that allow your students to zoom in on the Earth. Created by NASA astronauts!
- http://www.chronozoom.com Historical timeline that shows you what was happening around the world at the time you are studying.
3. My colleagues are pretty awesome.
I guess I expected to go to ISTE and be blown away with the innovation occurring around the nation. Don't get me wrong because there are some amazing, incredible educators who presented at ISTE. I just propose that I happen to work with a district full of highly motivated, forward thinkers who could easily showcase their talents at this level. Walking away with a sense of validation is always a good thing in my book!
I also happened to learn a great deal about my colleagues while at ISTE, and I feel encouraged and refreshed in part because of them. I had a particularly challenging year, and this was just what I needed to renew my faith that there is purpose in this profession. It's good to be reminded that it's AWESOME to have passion for what we get to do every day!
To inspire meaningful change, you must make a connection to the heart before you can make a connection to the mind.
4. The world is clamoring to be a part of this tech revolution.
The EXPO hall was ENORMOUS. I'm not quite sure that one word can sum it up adequately. It's obvious that some of the world's largest companies have caught wind of this great movement in education. Here's the take away...we have no excuses. If we can imagine it, someone can provide us the support to do it. It was a powerful example to me of the influence we have in industry. Awesome.
5. Twitter is a formidable ally.
If you are an educator and aren't tapping into what Twitter has to offer, you are truly missing out. Throughout the conference, #ISTE2014 remained at the top of the trending list as well as the somewhat humorous #notatISTE2014 hashtag. Educators have literally taken over Twitter!
Here are some things that have happened to me in the last week ALONE because of Twitter:
- Met some of my favorite tweeters and bloggers in person (Matt Miller, John Spencer, Matt Gomez, George Curous).
- Met some amazing folks from my home state via the INeLearn hashtag while at the conference, and enjoyed a special meet-up just for us! How cool is that?!?
- Connected with educators from around the country and set up Skype events for our students.
- Shared and received valuable knowledge from sessions and keynotes. Even if you weren't at ISTE, you could catch much of what was happening via the #ISTE2014 hashtag.
If you have been afraid to test the water of Twitter, check out this BRAND-NEW app, TweechMe! It is basically a step-by-step guide to Twitter. Dip your toes in, and I bet it won't be long before you drive in headfirst!
Final Thoughts on ISTE 2014
My brain feels full, my heart is happy, and my resolve has been reenergized. ISTE 2014 reiterated the same thinking over and over...
that it's absolutely not about the technology, a device, or program. It's about having a mindset that we have a job to do empowering kids to think and learn in the ways that will serve them best in their future endeavors. We absolutely cannot allow negativity to become a toxin in our lives to the point where we become jaded to our mission in life...the mission to love kids so fully that we are willing to do whatever it takes to not just engage them, but to empower them.
-Tiffany
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