KS Ed Tech Conference 2012

When the KS Ed Tech Conference was offered again this year, I was looking forward to participate.  In prep for the conference, I downloaded the mobile Event Board App to select my sessions.  The oli and hula opening by our KS Middle school hālau  was beautiful,which was followed by two full days of keynote and sessions.  Overall, I enjoyed my experience.  It was nice having the opportunity to reconnect with others, network with new individuals and get inspired by what others are doing.  Here are selected highlighted sessions that I attended.  For additional conference conversations, tap into the Twitter hashtag #ksedtech.

1.  Learning in a Networked World - Will Richardson
   • Introduced to a new back channel tool, http://todaysmeet.com/ksbe.  I tried creating a back channel immediately afterwards and it was very easy. :)
   • "How does giving multiple choice tests prepare students for a world with multiple networks?"
   • "How you teach and run classrooms with scarce content (before technology) is very different from classrooms with an abundance of content (now)?"
   • "What is our (educators) value in a world of abundance?" - Knewton (personalized learning system), Motuto (onine tutor), Slader (answers to math & science problems), FoldIt (solving puzzles for science)
   •  Seymore Sarason - "Productive learning is the learning process which engenders and reinforces wanting to learn more."
   • "If we don't find ways to measure what we value, we will value what we measure" - Do we assess creativity, social learning, etc.?
   • "Learning is personal (not personalized)" - personalized is something we do to kids and personal is something kids choose.
2. Mobile Devices and Digital Content: The Impact on Learning and Student Achievement - Dan McCormack
• Hands-on showcase of various apps for educational use...
• Cell and Cell Structure (science interactive app focused on cells), Brain Pro (learn about the brain), Tree Hut (loved this one...word pronounciation, ability to record, paint, etc.), Motion Math (learning fractions through movement of the iPad), Flow Math, Nine Gaps (learning the multiplication table)
• There are so many unlimited possibilities with the variety of apps that are available now for downloading.  
• I downloaded the Tree Hut app and had my 3-year old test it out.  She enjoyed it and was engaged for 15-20 minutes.
3. The End of Wonder in the Age of Whatever - Dr. Michael Wesch
• "Who are we?  What are we going to do?  Are we going to make it?"
• "How can we inspire our students to be in a state of wonder?  From knowledgeable to wonder."
• "If you leave burning questions with your students (spark passion), it will propel them where they want to go."
• "We live in the world of the vicious cycle of the age of whatever.  This is what we make of it."
• A Vision of Students Today - YouTube video,  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGCJ46vyR9o
• "Embrace vulnerability and allow students to fail."
• How can we create space where students can embrace vulnerability to wonder learn?
4. The 21st Century Learning Environment: A Case Study - Douglas Kiang
• Course based on challenge-based learning,  https://www.challengebasedlearning.org/ with flipped model, lecture podcast, 1:1 iPads for a programming class that had students custom creating an app.  
• He was ok with not being the expert in the course, truly shifting from teacher-centered learning to student-centered learning.  I wonder how many teachers would be comfortable with this type of learning.
• "What would your course look like if it were a start up?" - would we educate differently?
• Photo Booth app used to capture reflection points of where students were stuck...30 seconds.   

For this conference, I also co-presented with Nick for our presentation titled "Driving Online Learning from Concept to Process."  Our presentation didn't have too many attendees (12-15), but was attended by those interested in online learning and was well received.  Nick and I were approached by two Punahou teachers following our presentation for engaged conversations related to our presentation topic.  For our presentation, technology-wise, we decided to explore the new software, Articulate Storyline, which added to our prep time, but was a worthwhile experience providing me with the opportunity to play with new technologies.

So how will I apply what I learned to my work? I definetly had lots of ideas floating in my head throughout the conference.  I thoroughly enjoyed Michale Wesh's keynote and hope to be able to apply his concept of creating environments in blended and online learning that will encourage students to "wonder" while providing opportunities for them to embrace vulnerability and be able to fail to learn and succeed.  Easier said than done. ;)  Many of my colleagues were in attendance at the conference and our lunch discussions were enriched with ideas that would impact our online programs as well as projects I'm currently involved with (Tri-Campus blended and online learning).  I plan to continually champion transformation of education for 21st century learning with the many ideas that were shared at this conference.