ISTE, PLN's and How to Continue the Conversation

I just returned from the ISTE conference last night and wanted to sit down and reflect on the experience while it is still fresh in my mind...

I made the trip to Atlanta with 30+ other educators from across D214, and while there were some frustrations (long lines, closed out sessions and weather-related flight delays) there were some very powerful takeaways from the experience.  Many of the sessions reaffirmed that great things are already happening across D214!  It was great to expand upon my knowledge of topics such as the SAMR model (presented by Dr. Puenteduera) and Flipped Learning (Presented by Aaron Sams and Jon Bergman)  To learn about these ed tech topics from their originators was both unique and engaging!

I was able to stretch my thinking about race, class and gender during a session about breaking down the barriers to college and careers, although the session didn't stay as focused as I would have liked, my Twitter exchange with one of the panelists (@chrislehmann) was engaging.

But the best part of the trip was the conversations with new colleagues from across the district.  These gatherings, both formal and informal allowed us to process new learning, discuss ideas, share philosophies and plan for the future.  We covered everything from Twitter 101, to effective ed tech integration strategies, to instructional coaching, to leadership, to standards based grading and learning to planning effective professional development.  Finally, we built the connections and relationships as a team to continue the conversations once the school year begins!  This, I think, will be the key - how do we maintain the momentum for what we started over the summer?  How do we communicate and engage colleagues who were not at ISTE? What structures can we put into place to share information, best practices and successes across buildings?  Often, we used the #D214PLN hashtag to track our learning.  Check it out!

I was very glad to be a part of the D214 team that went to ISTE this year and look forward to continuing the conversation over the summer and throughout the school year!

ISTE, Innovative Learning and Being Self-Directed

This post is going to try to capture some of the enthusiasm that I have for innovative learning.  Yesterday, I had the pleasure of meeting with the D214 ITF's and API's to discuss innovation and our upcoming trip to the ISTE conference.  ISTE is the International Society for Technology in Education.  Their standards for Students, Teachers and Administrators have all been a guiding force in my career over the last five years in my role as Director for Innovative Learning at DPS109.  How can we, as educators, both teach and model these standards to improve learning?  How can we more effectively integrate technology into instruction so that students can be both engaged and self directed?  These essential "21st century skills," those of creativity, communication, collaboration, media literacy and self directed learning need to be evident in today's instruction.  I am looking forward to attending the sessions at ISTE2014 and then bringing the conversation back to D214 and BGHS.

Yesterday, one of my sons researched a new computer program, read the reviews online, downloaded it, tried to use it, realized he needed to know more before he could really use it, so he found several tutorial videos on You Tube, watched them and then returned to the program to keep working.  He's 10 years old and in 4th grade.  I was so proud of his self-assessment, perseverance and determination to acquire the skills he needed to complete the task that he wanted to accomplish with this new program. More importantly, he experienced success at a challenging task that was both innovative and engaging.  I would love to see more of these types of learning opportunities available in school for them.  Whether it is during a 20% Time/ Genius Hour segment or during regular instruction, we need to encourage innovative learning opportunities for students and teachers.  As lead learners in our classrooms and schools, we can own our own learning, create professional learning networks to support continuous growth and work to engage students creativity and innovation.