One way I have broadened my professional development and expanded my personal learning network throughout this course is going to the Berwyn iEngage Conference. It was absolutely incredible and I am so happy I went. Technology is continuously growing and Berwyn is an example of a school that is taking technology and running with it. They have the Google Classroom, App Smashing, QR codes, WebQuests, projects to a next level and shared it with the world. There many things I've learned from going, but a few I will share.
Not all teachers are open to technology and it's OK. If some teachers do not want anything to do with the way the world is heading and the future of education down the technology path, it's ok. They are going to miss out, but you can't force them. Basically, you have to do what you got to do. The world is going to change and they are just going to have to stay where they are. You can't change the way they think. End of story.
The programs they had were incredible. They used so many in their classrooms and only showed a hand full. They showed me that it's okay to try all of the programs you possibly can even though you'll never get to them. There is no such thing as too many programs. How will you know you don't like one if you don't try it?
The Swivl is the coolest thing I have ever seen. It's a robot that you put an iPad in and wear an identifier and it locates you throughout your classroom. It follows you! You can record your lesson and show your students, keep it for your archive, or use it in small groups. I'm getting a demo in a week.
The students were all engaged. (I understood why they called it iEngage, I was like a kid in a candy store) I couldn't believe how the students that were walking around were so excited about their school. I asked a few what they thought of all of the programs and the softwares they used and they couldn't stop talking about it. They enjoy learning. Isn't that the ultimate goal? For students to like learning? To make learning enjoyable and lifelong? We are losing sight if we are doing what we USED to do. That isn't keeping the students interest and it isn't keeping the students in mind. It's thinking of ourselves. We don't want to do the extra time and be paperless because its too much work, but we want the kids to be excited to learn out of old textbooks and paper? What's wrong with that picture?
Technology is a beautiful thing that isn't used to it's full potential. Berwyn was a motivator. I'm motivated. I'm changing the way I teach for the better day-by-day with my technology.
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ReplyDeleteWow, I teach high school in Berwyn, and would have loved to have gone to this. I had no idea that our feeder schools were up to so much! I'm really glad to have read your posting to get a more full picture of the technology experiences our students have already had prior to they coming to Morton West High School. Though our school is building toward 1:1, I know that I have operated under an assumption that the students lack tech experience. I'm thinking it's time to revise that!
ReplyDeleteWow, I teach high school in Berwyn, and would have loved to have gone to this. I had no idea that our feeder schools were up to so much! I'm really glad to have read your posting to get a more full picture of the technology experiences our students have already had prior to they coming to Morton West High School. Though our school is building toward 1:1, I know that I have operated under an assumption that the students lack tech experience. I'm thinking it's time to revise that!
ReplyDeleteI think Swivel sounds so cool! It sounds like it would be great for kids who are absent for extended periods of time as a way to keep them up to date. You're lucky to get to try it out. It is so great the district is implementing all these ideas- I wish our district would step it up a bit. We just found out they are investing a lot of money in technology next year, but it's for things like routers and new teacher computers :/ The director already said he has no plans to go 1:1 any time soon but that it's up to each building to find money for devices. I know whenever I am able to use technology, it's always more engaging for the students.
ReplyDeleteJessica,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing what you learned from this amazing professional development opportunity! It certainly must have been inspiring and invigorating to see how excited the students were to learn in this type of environment. As I learn more about how technology, I am astounded by how many ways it can be used in the classroom to enhance and extend student learning. You're right--you'll always have dissenters who refuse to embrace technology and continue to do things the 'old way'. Change is difficult; yet to progress, we must. I'm excited to be a teacher in these times and look forward to implementing more technology in the classroom.