As adept as I think I am, I find there is something new to learn each day! These tutorials are helpful to figure out just what limited knowledge I actually have! I’m also going to check out the “advanced” tutorials.
Reflections on ISTE14
The ISTE14 conference had so much to offer teachers, technology enthuiasts, technology specialists, administrators….pretty much everyone involved in education or technology!
Here are a few of the take-aways:
1. Technology in and of itself does NOT increase learning, motivation, and it doesn’t make a difference. For example, an app that is created to do all the work for someone does not increase that person’s learning or make him/her grow. Granted, the creator of the app did use skill.
2. Technology holds the potential to truly make a difference in people’s lives if activities/ tasks/ the technology tools are aligned properly. Taken together, the usefulness of technology as a learning tool is relative to its ability to engage the student creatively, into thinking deeper, or to add something him or herself.
There are a few of the amazing talents I am hoping to research further:
Alan November offers a very insightful perspective on this concept of leveraging technology to spark interest, inspire curiosity, and authenticate real world learning. http://novemberlearning.com/
Angela Maiers’ passion is to unleash the potential of each individual to make a difference in the world, become part of a community, enact social change, whatever you want to call it. I would say to unlock one’s God-given passion. She offers advice on how to do this with classrooms as young as elementary-school age! http://choose2matter.org/
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