ISTE 2011 Conference: The World’s Premier Ed Tech Event

Join your colleagues at the world’s premier ed tech event—ISTE 2011 in Philadelphia, June 26-29! Experience hands-on the way technology and the latest digital innovations are transforming learning and teaching, and meet face to face with educators worldwide who share your passion! ISTE’s annual conference and exposition, formerly the National Educational Computing Conference (NECC), is hosted by the International Society for Technology in Education. www.isteconference.org www.iste.org

ISTE Music Video: Say Hey (I Love School)

A music video created for the ISTE 2011 conference in Philadelphia, PA, inspired by Michael Franti’s Say Hey (I Love You) song and featuring the talents of Temple University’s Broad Street Line and Alliance for Progress Charter School’s 4th Grade Class. Filmed on location in Philadelphia, PA. Credits Production: Director/Editor
: Jon Kaufman
 Producer/Concept: 
Jennifer Ragan-Fore Director of Photography: 
Aaron Sawyer
 Production Manager/Prop Master
: Heidi Ellis Lyrics: 
Aaron Ragan-Fore
 Arrangement
: Jeffrey Molush Recorded with Common Mode Studio Recording Engineer: Justin Chapman Inspired by 
I Love You (Say Hey) 
by Michael Franti & Spearhead (Please buy their song on iTunes!) Production Assistants: Teila Allmond Danielle Duncan Asil Lawrence Sherrieff McCrae Ricky Pham Cast: Broad Street Line Lead Vocals Matthew Frankel
 Dana McCloskey Ron Holgado Robert Joffred Jonathan Kriner Thomas McGovern Joshua McHugh Jeffrey Molush Thomas Patterson Joel Shapiro Cameron Snyder-Mitchell Max Torrente David Williamson Additional vocals by: Aaron Castro Adam Brokos Stuart Grady 
Denzell Ivery Kevin Longwill Alliance for Progress Charter School 
4th Grade Class 
Emani Bell Kierra Best Simeon Beyah Jahleel Brisbon Tahmir Brown Nasya Corbitt Jada Davis Jamira Fitchett Trinity Fredericks Shannon Govan Amani Gray Zakkarah Jackson Joshua Johnson Maniyah Jordan Ashley Marriott Emanuel Miller Dajuan Murphy Khary Parker Lanaiya Ray Sydnei Scipio Kisheionna Smith Elijah Spence Noah Spence Aliyah Thompson Special Thanks: Mary Beth Hertz and Joanna Bermudez, 
Alliance for Progress Charter School The Village of Arts and Humanities Science Leadership Academy

Computational thinking: A digital age skill for everyone

In a rapidly changing world, today’s students will need a whole new set of skills to solve tomorrow’s problems. Computational thinking gives them the ability to recognize when and how technology can boost their own critical-thinking, creative and problem-solving skills in order to find innovative solutions to real-world problems. ISTE, CSTA and NSF collaborated on this video, which is part of a suite of free CT resources you can find at http://www.iste.org/computational-thi…. Watch more education-related videos on ISTE’s EdTekHub, http://www.iste.org/video

ISTE Expanding Video

An inspirational video about using technology to expand learning and teaching. Thank you to all the students who helped with the video: Gabrielle Lewis Samantha Day Logan Smith Ali Fanning Chris Plummer McKenzie Telfer Nathan Thiesfeld Delanie Sommers Hanna Mathews Michael Reed Brooke Hogan Mollyann Reynolds Shelby Hoiland Baylee Kuschel Kolby Moore Tessa Needham Brendan Fingal Janie Fingal Thank you to all the staff and faculty who helped with the video: Matt Ciaffoni Tom Edmundson Wendy Osburn-Rothenberger Josh Stauber Carlita Stutzman Shannon Urhansen Ray White Douglas Ellis Big thank you to the entire staff and faculty of Harrisburg High School for allowing us to shoot this video on their campus.

ISTE 2012 Wednesday Keynote: Dr. Willie Smits with Christopher Gauthier (Full-Length)

In 2010 a group of students and teachers from around the world began a collaborative project to combat one of the most urgent man-made global problems on the planet. Leveraging the power of social networking, collaborative online tools, and new pedagogies, the collaboration was chartered with proving a model by which young people could demonstrate powerful 21st century skills by taking meaningful, powerful action. Now with hundreds of thousands of students across the planet, this project is changing lives and defining what learning could be. In this session, world famous conservationist Dr. Willie Smits, and dynamic teacher Christopher Gauthier, share a truly inspiring, emotional and important story about human achievement colliding with real-world project-based learning in a time when young people have true voice in the future of the planet they will inherit. Also including remarks by ISTE Deputy CEO and Conference Chair Leslie S. Conery.

ISTE 2012 Sunday Keynote featuring Sir Ken Robinson

The ISTE 2012 Sunday Keynote featuring Sir Ken Robinson with Shawn Covell, Marc Prensky, and Mayim Bialik on the topic of “Redefining Horizons: Encouraging Students’ Passion to Achieve.” By having the courage to dig deep and expand horizons, educators can have a tremendous impact on the individual and collective learning experience of students. They can truly establish a culture and a climate that fosters a lifelong pursuit of new knowledge. Education thought leader Marc Prensky is the author of two works on digital natives and a new book about how “digital wisdom” is the next frontier in cognitive evolution. Shawn Covell is Qualcomm’s Vice President, Government Affairs and has been heavily influential in Qualcomm’s strategy for supporting 24/7 education through integrated mobile and handheld technologies. Actress Mayim Bialik is well known for her movie and television roles, most recently appearing as a regular cast member of CBS’s Big Bang Theory. What many people don’t know is that she’s also a PhD in neuroscience, a physics and chemistry teacher, an author and passionate blogger on the topics of child development and parenting, a STEM advocate, and Texas Instruments spokesperson. World-renowned creativity and innovation expert Sir Ken Robinson provides context, perspective, and moderation for the evening’s panel. ISTE President Holly Jobe provides opening remarks, along with a brief video address by U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan.

ISTE 2012 Tuesday Keynote Featuring Yong Zhao

Dr. Yong Zhao addresses ISTE 2012 attendees on the topic of ” Global, Creative, and Entrepreneurial: Defining High-Quality Education.” How do you prepare students for their future when globalization and rapid technological changes make it almost impossible to predict what the future will be like? In this presentation, Dr. Yong Zhao shows how the current measures of education quality, such as the PISA and TIMSS, are misleading, and how the so-called high-performing education systems do not actually produce the kind of creative and entrepreneurial talents we need. He makes the case for a future-oriented education starting with each child instead of an authoritative prescription of knowledge and skills. He discusses the education necessary to prepare students to be globally competent and creative entrepreneurs. Also featuring remarks for ISTE CEO Don Knezek and a recognition of long-time ISTE staffer Anita McAnear, who retires at the end of July.

ISTE 2013 Closing Keynote, Adam Bellow: You’re Invited to Change the World

Author and educational technologist Adam Bellow delivers the closing keynote of ISTE 2013 with a high-energy presentation reveling in the joys of being a connected educator in these amazing times. Showcasing stories of inspiration from classrooms around the world and anecdotes from Bellow’s career, and highlight inspiration from classrooms around the world. Bellow invites you to challenge yourself to make a difference in your school with creativity and kindness.

Students do homework in class, lessons at night in flipped classroom

LONE TREE, Colo. — The flipped classroom is a whole different approach to learning that some argue can improve grades, and maybe even free up some extra time at home. The Flipped Learning Network estimates 3 percent of teachers now flip their class, and a recent survey by Sophia.org found 85 percent of teachers surveyed who flipped their class had seen improvements in grades.

ISTE Ignite – Allison Finn

Allison Finn of Global Nomads Group kicks off the first round of Ignite sessions at ISTE 2014 in Atlanta by exploring how global collaboration in the classroom teaches students to break down cultural barriers and navigate an increasingly global marketplace. ISTE Ignite sessions feature dynamic, rapid-fire presentations on thought-provoking topics from cutting-edge leaders in the field of education technology.

5-Minute Film School

Cinematic storytelling engages students’ hearts as well as their minds to create meaningful projects that will stay with them long after they’ve forgotten most of the facts they learned in school. Film and broadcast journalism teacher Michael Hernandez offers filmmaking tips to help students create video projects they’ll be proud to share with the world. Watch more education-related videos on ISTE’s EdTekHub, http://www.iste.org/video. Want more ideas for using technology to achieve deeper learning? Get more than 90 recorded sessions from ISTE 2014 on topics ranging from 1:1 to flipped learning: https://www.iste.org/resources/produc…

The why behind 3D printing

3D printing can be a powerful learning tool. It can give students hands-on access to primary source materials such as dinosaur bones, allow them to engineer solutions to real-life problems and empower them to help others in a tangible way. Author and maker education expert Sylvia Martinez explores what 3D printing offers for students and how it’s being harnessed in the classroom. Watch more education-related videos on ISTE’s EdTekHub, http://www.iste.org/video Want more ideas for using technology to achieve deeper learning? Get more than 90 recorded sessions from ISTE 2014 on topics ranging from 1:1 to flipped learning: https://www.iste.org/resources/produc…

8 essential elements of PBL

All too often, teachers load students up with information and then cap off the unit with a project. Project-based learning (PBL) turns that model on its head by allowing students to learn through hands-on work. Technology integration expert Michael Gorman outlines the eight essential elements of true PBL. Watch more education-related videos on ISTE’s EdTekHub, http://www.iste.org/video Want more ideas for using technology to achieve deeper learning? Get more than 90 recorded sessions from ISTE 2014 on topics ranging from 1:1 to flipped learning: https://www.iste.org/resources/produc…

What will you learn at ISTE 2015?

The ISTE Conference & Expo is more than just an education conference. It’s ed tech’s greatest meeting of the minds — the hub where thousands of educators from around globe gather to shape the future of education. It’s an interactive, hands-on lab where you can discover real-world solutions and experiment with the latest ed tech innovations. And this year, it’s in Philadelphia! Learn more at http://isteconference.org.

Top 3 challenges of teaching digital citizenship

In a world where technology changes faster than teachers can keep up, and students face different expectations for technology use at home than at school, many schools are struggling to develop a cohesive digital citizenship curriculum. Technology infusion and professional development coordinator LeeAnn Lindsey explains the three biggest challenges of teaching digital citizenship. Watch more education-related videos on ISTE’s EdTekHub, http://www.iste.org/videos, and learn more about our digital citizenship resources: http://www.iste.org/resources/product….

Overcoming the barriers to innovation

To successfully teach with technology, schools must cultivate the necessary conditions for innovation to thrive. District superintendent Pat Skorkowsky reveals how the fifth largest U.S. school district has used ISTE’s Essential Conditions for tech integration to spur rapid growth in student achievement. Watch more education-related videos on ISTE’s EdTekHub, http://www.iste.org/video Has your school or district developed the necessary conditions for technology integration? Evaluate your progress with the Lead & Transform diagnostic tool: http://www.iste.org/standards/lead-tr…

ISTE Standards: Preparing students for the digital age

The ISTE Standards serve as a beacon for students and educators as they navigate the digital universe. Teachers and leaders from around the globe share their insights into how the standards are helping them guide systemwide change, design instruction for the digital age and prepare students for an inconceivable future. Learn about the ISTE Standards at http://www.iste.org/standards. Watch more education-related videos on ISTE’s EdTekHub, http://www.iste.org/video.

Meet the Makers

Join a few of our ISTE 2015 Makerspace presenters for a 30 minute chat. Laura Briggs Technology Resource Teacher  Loudoun County Public Schools Sylvia Martinez Co-author of Invent To Learn: Making, Tinkering, and Engineering in the Classroom Vinnie Vrotny Director of  Technology Kinkaid School They will be taking your questions and are looking forward to “hanging out”.

Educators from around the world connect at ISTE 2015

“How often do 17,000 educators passionate about education technology get to come together from around the world to talk about what they love and learn from each other?” Answer: Once a year, at the ISTE Conference & Expo, where they finally get to meet their virtual colleagues face to face. See what else is happening at ISTE 2015 at iste.org/explore/conference-news.

ISTE Ignite talk: Jenn Scheffer

Jenn Scheffer, faculty facilitator of one of the first and most successful student-run genius bars in the country, describes some of the powerful ways that the Burlington High School Help Desk gives students real-world opportunities to build invaluable digital age skills in her ISTE Ignite talk at ISTE 2015 in Philadelphia. Find out more about the ISTE Conference & Expo at isteconference.org.

Let’s Get Social: The Educator’s Guide to Edmodo

Social networks are a growing part of our daily lives. But what people may not know is that these powerful and diverse online communities can also inform the way students learn, the way teachers teach and the way educators communicate and share ideas. Let’s Get Social is an instructional tool. In this book, educators can learn everything they need to know about integrating social learning at all grade levels using the popular educational social network, Edmodo. With valuable tips and resources for both new and experienced users, it provides immediately adaptable strategies for incorporating Edmodo’s suite of tools and apps in their classrooms. Learn how to leverage Edmodo for assessment, project-based learning, flipped classroom, gamification and more.

Amy O’Toole urges educators to inspire students with real science

At age 10, Amy O’Toole became one of the youngest people ever to publish a peer-reviewed science paper. Previously disinterested in science, O’Toole’s passion was ignited by an educator who empowered his students to conduct real scientific research. In her EdTedTalk at ISTE 2015, O’Toole invites educators to push boundaries and challenge the notion that children can’t do real science.

How to navigate the ISTE 2016 digital program

ISTE is more environmentally-friendly this year! To honor our commitment to sustainability, we will not offer a printed program this year. Instead, attendees will be able to access vital info and all of the fantastic sessions via the digital program on isteconference.org or within the ISTE 2016 mobile app. Here are some tips to familiarize yourself with the program and make the most of your conference experience.

Welcome to ISTE 2016! Take a Tour of the Convention Center

Planning your ISTE 2016 schedule? This tour of the Colorado Convention Center & ISTE 2016 is a great way to orient yourself before arriving on-site. From playground locations, lounges and places to relax and wayfinding information to ISTE Central where you can find resources & ISTE swag, this video has the basic info you’ll need to hit the ground running at ISTE 2016.

Where young educators learn, share and meet their eduheroes | Register now for ISTE 2018

“You feel very lonely or apprehensive when you think you’re the only one doing something. When you find your tribe at ISTE, everyone empowers each other,” says Ed Tech Coach Chris Aviles. As a young educator, it’s easy to get overwhelmed or feel isolated, especially in your first year of teaching. In this video, ISTE Conference & Expo attendees share their tips for young educators on how to stay connected, collaborate, innovate and transform learning. Learn more and register for the ISTE 2018 Conference & Expo at isteconference.org

ISTE 2016 Ignites | The culture and climate of an authentic STEM classroom

Ben Smith is a physics teacher and technology resource instructor at Red Lion Area Senior High School in Pennsylvania. He is also a doctoral student in instructional technology at Towson University, and is an ISTE Consultant and a PK-12 representative to the ISTE Board of Directors. With over a decade of professional development experience, Smith works through EdTEchinnovators to provide educators with resources to help them successfully infuse technology into their classrooms. As well as providing strategies and templates for teachers and students to facilitate the shift to the digital age classroom, he has created step-by-step tutorials on tool use, assisted educational organizations in planning technology purchases, and helped school districts and organizations develop a philosophy or vision for technology use. Along with Jared Mader, Smith serves as the Science Curriculum Specialists for Learning and Leading, ISTE’s flagship journal. Together, they recently worked with NASA to develop an iBook for teachers to complement the MMS Mission Launch student activities. Smith took time from his busy schedule to join ISTE for a 2016 Conference Ignite session—a rapid-fire event where multiple presenters get just five minutes and 20 slides each to inspire audience members. In his presentation, The Culture and Climate of an Authentic STEM Classroom, he speaks about how classroom climate and culture can lead students to the excitement of STEM projects, relying on each other and building a sense of themselves as learners. His classroom model is an inspiration for educators.

Educator insights: Computer Science Is More Than Just Coding

Collaboration, critical thinking, creativity and computational thinking are all major benefits of teaching kids computer science. It’s so much more than just coding. Dive into this critical topic in education with two educators who are passionate about CS in schools: Kimberly Lane and Steven Isaacs. You can also get inspiration and ideas for how you can join the conversation by following ISTE on Twitter: @isteconnects or subscribing to the ISTE Blog at iste.org/blog to get great content and resources like these delivered right to your inbox. Educators featured in this video: Steven Isaacs, Teacher, Video Game Design and Development, William Annin Middle School, Basking Ridge, NJ @mr_isaacs Kimberly Lane, Blended Learning Specialist, Lancaster ISD, Lancaster, Texas @askatechnogirl

Support the ISTE Cause and Lead the Change in Transforming Learning Around the World

Learning, exploring and creating are natural human instincts. We are wired to connect and share; it doesn’t matter where, only that we do. ISTE’s mission is to empower learners to flourish in a connected world by cultivating a passionate professional learning community, linking educators and partners, leveraging knowledge and expertise, advocating for strategic policies, and continually improving learning and teaching. Support ISTE and join us in transforming education worldwide.

ISTE 2016 Closing Keynote Highlights – Michelle Cordy

Closing the ISTE 2016 conference & expo in Denver, Colorado is 3rd grade teacher from London, Ontario, Michelle Cordy. Author of Hack the Classroom and a highly respected ISTE community member, Cordy is on a mission to ignite young minds through new ways of learning and teaching. In her closing keynote speech, she makes the point that structure matters in educational networks. What happens, she asks, when just a few teachers, instead of being only connected to the teacher on your left and the teacher on your right, make just a few more connections, and find people like themselves in that network? What if there are connected educators that reach out to people they don’t normally speak to, that introduce their friends to your friends? Amazing things can happen then, because when your friends are better connected, you are better connected, and in this network—what Cordy calls a “small world”—good ideas are passed around, people have access to the expertise of librarians, STEM educators, artists, and more. Connection and community can lead to empowerment. By changing how teachers are bonded together, you may find a new engagement that allows for devising solutions together. By bringing students into the process, we can together transform education for future students. This innovative teacher calls ISTE a “special small world where good ideas pass. In fact, ISTE is many small worlds because within this group… all of us are connected and we share ideas in this diamond network.” Being a connected educator is a powerful thing!

Interview with Nicholas Provenzano – Giving students the freedom to fail forward

Learn more about encouraging students to fail forward by visiting the ISTE Blog here: http://bit.ly/2aZXucA What does learning look like when students are given the freedom to fail? In this inaugural EdTekHub InnerView with Nicholas Provenzano, Brian Lewis explores this very question. Nicholas Provenzano, an English teacher and technology curriculum specialist at Grosse Pointe Public Schools in Michigan, is deeply familiar with failure in his own educational experience both as a young student and as an adult. It wasn’t until high school that he discovered that he is dyslexic and finally understood why math and reading were so challenging for him. But by this point, Provenzano was used to failure and learned that he had to be okay with it and learn from it. It is this attitude and a philosophy that failure can be an extremely useful educational tool that Provenzano strives to bring to his own students. Learn more about encouraging students to fail forward by visiting the EdTekHub here: http://bit.ly/2aZXucA

EdTekHub InnerView with LeVar Burton – Sparking a passion for reading in digital age learners

Reading empowers students to become lifelong learners and gives them a unique sort of freedom that only reading can. That’s why LeVar Burton, actor, director and co-founder of RRKidz, is passionate about providing resources that make literature relevant for young readers. Burton credits his passion for reading and his commitment to serving the greater good to his mother, Erma Gene Christian, who worked as an English teacher and social worker. Later, through his work on the Roots miniseries, he experienced how powerful and compelling storytelling in a popular medium could be when created with intention. It was then that Burton realized that kids could be inspired to love reading if the material were presented in a medium that they understand and care about. In the 1980’s that meant T.V., but today it means digital access, which is how RRKidz and its Reading Rainbow-style resources were born. With versions for both families and schools, RRKidz continues to provide resources and a digital library of books that spark a love of reading in early and emerging readers, just as Reading Rainbow did in its time. Another lesson that Burton has learned and shares in this video is to not wait to understand the end destination before taking the next step. “You don’t need to know the end of the story, when you’re in Chapter 3,” he says. “Take the step that’s right in front of you.” Read more and find more compelling stories like this one by visiting the ISTE EdTekHub: http://bit.ly/2bgLHXN

Share your spark for learning and teaching | Michelle Cordy interview

Teacher and self-titled Applied Researcher Michelle Cordy wants to spark a curiosity for the world among her students and her peers. Growing up, Cordy’s extra-curricular athletic activities made her a bit of an unconventional student. Many of her teachers met the challenge head on and found a way to provide Cordy with the learning opportunities she needed while creating space for her to pursue this other important aspect of her life. This flexibility and a curiosity for the world instilled in her by her parents, opened her mind to a wealth of possibility and opportunity. As she settled into her career as an educator, she continued to expand her way of thinking and challenge her perspective through a commitment to professional learning and building relationships within her professional learning community. She found a home among like-minded educators through her ISTE membership and connections made at the ISTE Annual Conference & Expo and strives to bring the passion for learning and sharing back to her local PLN each year. When asked about what lesson she would most like to share with her peers, Cordy responded that her advice would be to focus on building valuable professional relationships and the collective good work they are doing on a daily basis.

ISTE 2016 keynote speaker Ruha Benjamin | Incubate a Better World in the Minds & Hearts of Students

“Teachers, if actually unified and empowered, can change the direction of history,” says Ruha Benjamin in this powerful keynote address at the ISTE 2016 Conference & Expo. Benjamin, a Princeton professor in the department of African American studies, specializes in the interdisciplinary studies of science, medicine, race, ethnicity gender, biotechnology, health and biopolitics. She envisions an education system that acts as an incubator for social change, and poses the question, “How do we make our schools laboratories of democratic participation, rather than sites where inequality is reproduced, where not only is the potential of each individual child realized, but where we’re experimenting with technologies of love, of reciprocity and of justice.” She makes important points about adopting technology in the classroom. We must wrestle, she insists, with the parallel realities that today’s children face if technology is to become a tool to close the gap in educational opportunity and life outcomes. The goal is not to simply empower our student to succeed in the world of today, says Professor Benjamin, but to give them the tools and opportunities that will allow them to imagine and create alternatives to the current system and culture. Ruha Benjamin is an engaging and animated speaker who eloquently and successfully brings in examples as far reaching as Star Trek, nuclear testing in the Marshall Islands, code switching, Google searches, zero tolerance policies, and much more in order to build a momentum that will galvanize viewers. Watch the full keynote now and get inspired to transform society through the transformation of education. Want to get inspired and join a tribe of passionate, innovative educators like you? Don’t miss ISTE 2017. Sign up to receive email updates: http://bit.ly/2cEsT4T

ISTE 2016 EdTekTalks | Janice & Marley Dias on promoting diversity in media with #1000BlackGirlBooks

11-year-old Marley Dias has had enough of reading about white boys and their dogs. So she decided to launch a campaign to transform school reading lists and ensure that smart, adventurous and interesting girls like her could see themselves in the characters of the books they read. With the launch of her #1000BlackGirlBooks campaign, Marley started a movement that has so far achieved an impressive list of accomplishments. Watch Marley’s ISTE 2016 EdTekTalk with her mother Janice and read more about the campaign here:

ISTE 2016 Ignites | Personalize learning and empower students to change their stories

Is the ed tech you’re using a story changer or a story repeater? In this inspiring Ignite talk from ISTE 2016, Katharine Hale challenges you to take on what she calls “the single story problem” in schools. Traditionally, education has reinforced a single idea of want academic success looks like and, for kids who don’t fit the mold, their stories go like this: average student, special ed, behavior problem, etc. In this talk, Hale urges teachers to integrate tech thoughtfully and meaningfully to personalize learning and help students write their own stories.

ISTE 2016 EdTekTalks | Introducing a must-try global PBL opportunity for students

Caleb Harper, Director of the MIT Open Agriculture Initiative (OpenAg), joined us at the 2016 ISTE Conference & Expo EdTekTalks to share the powerful work he and his team of “farmers” are doing to produce Food Computers that promote an open-source ecosystem. These computers serve as tools for users to experiment, innovate, hack and grow. Every time users grow and harvest, they contribute to a library of climate recipes that can be borrowed and scaled so that users around the world can gain access to the best and freshest foods. By placing Food Computers into classrooms, K-12 students and educators become part of the worldwide community that is breaking down barriers of entry and developing open source hardware and software platforms for hydroponic and aeroponic agriculture systems. Students become part of the network of farmers, makers, scientists and others who are laying the groundwork for the future of food production. With useful visual aids to explain issues of food insecurity and distribution, Harper employs passion and humor to open up the world of the MIT Media Lab’s work in creating beneficial agricultural climates with a Food Computer, and explores the technology that makes it possible to code climate recipes, superior flavor and better nutrition. These collaborative tools and platforms make the science behind modern agriculture more accessible, and are opening doors for students to be an integral part of putting the power of food production back in the hands of the people who need it the most.

How to survive your first year of teaching | 5 tips from the ISTE Young Educator Network

Your first year of teaching can be exciting and rewarding, but it can also be overwhelming and confusing. Watch the video for five survival tips for new and first year teachers from the ISTE Young Educator Network. The ISTE Young Educator Network is a vibrant community of both new and veteran teachers under 35 who are passionate about transforming learning through the meaningful use of ed tech. They are innovative, generous and dedicated professionals who love to share resources, grow their PLNs and support one another. Learn more and try out some ISTE member resources at iste.org/YENresources

ISTE 2016 Ignites | The culture and climate of an authentic STEM classroom

Ben Smith is a physics teacher and technology resource instructor at Red Lion Area Senior High School in Pennsylvania. He is also a doctoral student in instructional technology at Towson University, and is an ISTE Consultant and a PK-12 representative to the ISTE Board of Directors. With over a decade of professional development experience, Smith works through EdTEchinnovators to provide educators with resources to help them successfully infuse technology into their classrooms. As well as providing strategies and templates for teachers and students to facilitate the shift to the digital age classroom, he has created step-by-step tutorials on tool use, assisted educational organizations in planning technology purchases, and helped school districts and organizations develop a philosophy or vision for technology use. Along with Jared Mader, Smith serves as the Science Curriculum Specialists for Learning and Leading, ISTE’s flagship journal. Together, they recently worked with NASA to develop an iBook for teachers to complement the MMS Mission Launch student activities. Smith took time from his busy schedule to join ISTE for a 2016 Conference Ignite session—a rapid-fire event where multiple presenters get just five minutes and 20 slides each to inspire audience members. In his presentation, The Culture and Climate of an Authentic STEM Classroom, he speaks about how classroom climate and culture can lead students to the excitement of STEM projects, relying on each other and building a sense of themselves as learners. His classroom model is an inspiration for educators.

Where education leaders find edtech strategies that work | Register now ISTE 2017

“The annual ISTE Conference is the perfect place to learn what’s cutting edge in terms of what’s available for our students,” says Assistant Superintendent Regina Rinaldi. “This is a perfect place from us to come and learn from each other, but also from experts in the field.” Education leaders — from superintendents to CTOs to board members, principals and more — are the drivers of transformation in learning and teaching. Watch the full video to see what leaders in education are saying about their ISTE Conference & Expo experience and how leaders can transform learning for students in their districts and schools. To learn more and register for ISTE 2017 in San Antonio visit http://conference.iste.org/2017/.

ISTE 2016 keynote speaker Michelle Cordy | Connect with your PLN to empower & engage students

Third grade teacher, Apple Distinguished Educator and Google Certified Innovator, Michelle Cordy, was the closing keynote speaker at ISTE 2016 conference & expo in Denver, Colorado. As a teacher in London, Ontario, Canada and author of Hack the Classroom, Cordy is a highly respected ISTE community member on a mission to ignite young minds through new ways of learning and teaching that incorporate ed tech, and which empower students in their own education. In her closing keynote speech, she looks at the importance of being a connected educator, of expanding the education network, of engaging and empowering students, and she brings new ideas to the conversation, including the importance of mindfulness and stewardship. What happens, she asks, when just a few teachers, instead of being only connected to the teacher on your left and the teacher on your right, make just a few more connections, and find people like themselves in that network? In this network—what Cordy calls a “small world”—good ideas are passed between participants, people have access to the expertise of librarians, STEM educators, artists, and more. Connection, community, mindfulness and stewardship can lead to engagement and empowerment, to new devising solutions and a rethinking of how we think about and arrange the educational tools we’re given. By bringing students into the process, we can together transform education for future students. This innovative teacher calls ISTE a “special small world where good ideas pass. In fact, ISTE is many small worlds because within this group… all of us are connected and we share ideas in this diamond network.” Being a connected educator who shows up to the place in education where you can make your greatest contribution, and refuses to leave is a powerful thing!

ISTE 2016 Ignites | How to become a badass teacher

Laura Thomas, MEd. has been an educator, school coach and staff developer for more than a decade. Previously a high school English, speech and theatre teacher, she is currently the Director of the Center for School Renewal at Antioch University New England and is a library media specialist at Harrisville Wells Memorial School. She is also a community facilitator for Edutopia, a comprehensive website and online community that increases knowledge, sharing and adoption of what works in K-12 education. Emphasizing core strategies, Edutopia provides educators with resources for project-based learning, comprehensive assessment, integrated studies, social and emotional learning, educational leadership and teacher development, and technology integration. Thomas is also affiliated with the Coalition of Essential Schools and the School Reform Initiative. She is the author of multiple articles as well as Facilitating Authentic Learning (Corwin, 2011) and you can find more of her work at The Critical Skills Classroom (http://antiochcriticalskills.wordpres…). Laura Thomas’ 2016 Ignite Session at the ISTE 2016 Conference, titled Becoming Badass, speaks to the strength of K-12 teachers, and the power of coming together as educators, of keeping an open mind, not passing judgement, always embracing curiosity and ongoing learning, doing what is right in spite of fear. She makes the point clearly that being a badass educator is teaching at its best. Take a moment to listen to Laura Thomas and be inspired.

ISTE 2016 EdTekTalks | Dr. Alex Thornton provides strategies for boosting digital health & wellness

Dr. Alex Thornton taught for seven years in Canada and Boston before shifting his focus to Educational Leadership. As Doctor of Education at RTSG Neuroscience, he brings his expertise in education and school program implementation to the consulting firm’s education related projects and studies. RTSG creates large scale interventions that use exercise to benefit groups of people. Dr. Thornton works in schools to maximize the benefits of physical education. His work has shown that, if done correctly, PE can improve academic performance in other subjects. He also collaborates closely with other educators, researchers and renowned thinkers to bring findings from sleep, nutrition, play, and Neuro/Biofeedback research to educational and organizational settings. His goal is to incorporate findings from neuropsychology into educational practice. Dr. Thornton joined us at the ISTE 2016 Conference EdTekTalks to share his findings on using exercise to change school cultures and optimize student learning. Using EEG and ERP data, he outlined in his talk the ways that exercise promotes attention and brain growth. Just a couple minutes of exercise can help students focus better and retain more information. The other side of the coin, however, is proper sleep. Memory is consolidated during sleep, and as students are getting less sleep than they did in the past—partly due to constant access to the Internet, online games, etc.—they are struggling harder to learn and retain information. Technology, says Thornton, interferes with both exercise and sleep, but also offers ideas and solutions to get more exercise and sleep. For educators and parents, finding the right balance is key to helping students do their best learning.

How a Proposal Becomes an ISTE Conference Session

Thousands of ISTE Conference session proposals are submitted each year, and after a rigorous review process by volunteer educators, about one-third make it to the final program. Assembling a conference program that features a range of content, is comprehensive and offers something for all attendees at all times would not be possible without the hundreds of educators that contribute to the peer-review process. This video illuminates the proposal selection process that involves several stages of peer review, months of work and hundreds of volunteer experts. Watch to learn more and visit isteconference.org to see the latest information on the program of the upcoming ISTE Conference & Expo.

What your PLN can do for you | Tips from the ISTE Young Educator Network

Teachers, tech integration specialists and edtech leaders share their reasons and advice for building a professional learning network. Their tips cover everything from getting inspiration for new strategies to try in the classroom to which digital spaces are the best for connecting with educators both locally and from around the globe. Special thanks to the ISTE Young Educator Network.

ISTE 2016 EdTekTalks | 4 tips for engaging kids in STEM with littleBits founder Ayah Bdeir

Today’s educators are preparing students for a future that has yet to be imagined. littleBits founder and CEO Ayah Bdeir shared the inspiration behind her company and her passion for empowering any child to become an innovator. There are 4 ways Ayah Bdeir’s company, littleBits, seeks to engage students more deeply in STEM education: 1. Making it fun 2. Going from STEM to STEAM 3. Help them make it theirs 4. Empowering educators Watch her EdTekTalk from ISTE 2016 and get inspired!

ISTE 2016 Ignites | Gamify and empower learning with a badging program

“Badges … are to grades and assessments like flipped was to teaching,” Brad Flickinger explains in this talk from the ISTE 2016 Ignite series. “They’re about skills. They’re not about knowledge.” Badging programs, both digital and analog, are not only a great way to engage and reward learners, they also motivate students by empowering them to take control of their own learning destinies. See how Brad Flickinger, an educator at the Metropolitan School of Panama, has engaged and empowered learners with a badging program. Subscribe to our channel for more great content!

Make your voice heard! Advocate for edtech policies and funding

April is ISTE Advocacy Month and Mila Thomas-Fuller, ISTE Board President, wants YOU to advocate for edtech policies and funding. Act now to make your voice heard and help us advocate for important edtech programs like ESSA, the E-Rate program and the Lifeline program. These programs are critical for connecting schools, closing the homework gap and investing in innovation. Learn more at iste.org/takeaction

Act now to protect edtech funding with these 3 tips | #Act4EdTech

Imagine a future where students lack the tools and skills they need to succeed in a digital world. It is possible, and we can’t let it happen. Here are three actions you can take right now to help protect edtech funding for our students: 1. Send a letter to congress. 2. Call your elected officials. 3. Speak out on social media with the hashtag #Act4EdTech. Learn more at iste.org/takeaction and share your story on social media with #Act4EdTech

ISTE 2016 Ignites | Make digital learning accessible for all students

In this 5-minute Ignite talk from ISTE 2016, Rhianon Gutierrez shares her passion for inclusive learning and her tips for how to make digital learning accessible for everyone. Born hard of hearing, Gutierrez doesn’t see her disability as a limitation, but rather as something that has led her to become an advocate for all different types of learning. With the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) at the forefront, Gutierrez shares her tips for how to make your content — both for students and for adults – accessible. To experience incredible learning opportunities like this, register for the ISTE Conference at conference.iste.org

7 Ways | The ISTE Standards for Students Music Video

Make learning with technology meaningful with the ISTE Standards for Students! Use this rap video produced by Flocabulary to get students engaged and show them what it means to be a digital age learner. Learn more about the ISTE Standards: www.iste.org/standards Learn more about Flocabulary: www.flocabulary.com The ISTE Standards for Students are a learner-driven process of exploration, creativity and discovery using technology for learning. Number one — I’m an Empowered Learner, I set goals and pursue ’em with fervor. My learning is up to me, it’s not passive, My brain learns best when I am digitally proactive, Number two — I’m a digital Citizen, I stay safe on all the sites I’m visiting. I use technology to make a difference With power comes responsibility, you getting it? I’m a Knowledge Constructor — number three, I carefully select and evaluate what I read. Curate media oh so brilliantly (And) I think critically about source validity. Four — I’m an Innovative Designer, That means I solve problems, major and minor. Start with empathy, ideate, then prototype, Test and iterate, that method is so nice, I’m a Computational Thinker — five, Improving any process I can find. Writing algorithms and testing in beta, Analyzing to find the trends in the data. I’m a Creative Communicator — (that’s) six, Like I put this in a rap song to make it stick. I could use different media or tools, Like infographics to make my point get through. Seven — I’m a Global Collaborator, I might connect with students way over the equator. Digital technology makes the dream come true, I had a virtual field trip with a kid in Peru. That’s seven ways that I can be A life-long learner in this 21st century. What kind of student do I want to be? It’s my path, that’s up to me!

1:1 Tips for Education Leaders

We wanted to know: what do school and district administrators and their staff technology teams need to know when implementing a 1:1 or BYOD program? So we asked the experts: educators who’ve been there. Check out these six tips from participants in and facilitators of the Verizon Mobile Learning Academy, a free, team-based professional learning program delivered by ISTE in partnership with The Verizon Foundation.

Educator Insights: How to Build a PLN and Become a Connected Educator

In this video, influential educators share their thoughts, tips, and insights on building a professional learning network to become a connected educator both online and in person. Get inspiration and ideas for how you can join the conversation! Follow ISTE on Twitter: @isteconnects or subscribe at iste.org/explore to get great content and resources like these delivered right to your inbox. Educators featured in this video: Jaime Donally, Edtech Presenter, White Oak, Texas @JaimeDonally Michael Hernandez, Teacher, Cinema and Journalism, Mira Costa High School, Manhattan Beach, California @cinehead Kimberly Lane, Blended Learning Specialist, Lancaster ISD, Lancaster, Texas @askatechnogirl Steven Isaacs, Teacher, Video Game Design and Development, William Annin Middle School, Basking Ridge, NJ @mr_isaacs Cathy Hunt, Visual Arts Educator, St. Hilda’s School, Southport, Australia @art_cathyhunt Sarah-Jane Thomas, Regional Technology Coordinator, Prince Georges County Public Schools, Prince Georges County, Maryland @sarahdateechur

Sarah Thomas on Being a Learner and Building a Personal Learning Family

Learning comes naturally to educators, but in today’s busy world, it can be hard to prioritize time for learning. In her Ignite talk at ISTE 2017, Sarah Thomas reminds educators of how empowering and important it is to engage in learning as educators, particularly when it comes to connecting and sharing with one another. She shares her thoughts and insights on building a Personal Learning Network (PLN), or what she refers to as her Personal Learning Family, and discusses how powerful educators are when they come together and support one another. And not only do educators benefit from engaging in professional learning, but their students benefit as well. Learner is one of the new ISTE Standards for Educators, and embodying the Learner is an important part of honing your educational practice and working toward a world where all learners thrive, achieve, and contribute. Visit iste.org/StandardsForEducators to learn more.

Clara Alaniz on Empowering and Celebrating Growth for All Learners

When educators who are empowered professionals collaborate with one another — and their students! — the results are incredible. In this talk at the ISTE 2017 Conference & Expo, Clara Alaniz shares her first-hand experience in working together with educators who advocate for and empower all of their students to grow and thrive. She compares educators to gardeners, who must plant and tend their gardens with intention, but must also celebrate growth when it crops up unexpectedly. Educators who embody the new ISTE Standards for Educators as empowered professionals and learning catalysts are in the best position to be able to advocate for and empower their students. The standards, Alaniz says, “are not things to do, they’re ways to be.” Watch her full talk to get inspired and learn more about the new Educator Standards at iste.org/StandardsForEducators.

Jennifer Parker on the Simple, Fun and Affordable Way to Shape Digital Age Learners

Instructional Technology Specialist and 21things4Students.net co-Founder Jennifer Parker wants to make digital age learning easy and accessible for all teachers and their students. That’s why she helped create the 21 Things Project. In this talk, Jennifer outlines some of the free tools for teachers, students and administrators, and shows how you can use these open source resources to develop students into thriving digital age learners. With the 21 Things Project, meeting and aligning learning with the ISTE Standards for Students is simple, fun and affordable. Watch to learn more and explore the standards at iste.org/standards

Students Discuss What’s Important in Education at ISTE 2017

Making education better starts with asking those who are most directly affected by it: students! We wanted to know what students really think about education — what works, what could be improved, which learning experiences are the most meaningful to them — so we invited four students from different schools across the U.S. to share their thoughts and insights on the ISTE 2017 keynote stage. Watch to learn more and get inspired by these remarkable student panelists. Visit isteconference.org to learn more about the event.

Educator Insights: Taking Digital Citizenship Beyond Monitoring to Mentoring

Hear from Michael Hernandez and mother and son digital citizenship duo Marialice Curran and Curran Dee on how digital citizenship is evolving. They share they’re observations, inspiration, and some ideas for how to build digital citizenship and media literacy skills by focusing on some of the “do’s” rather than the “don’t’s”. Get inspiration and ideas for how you can join the conversation! Follow ISTE on Twitter: @isteconnects or subscribe to the ISTE Blog at iste.org/blog to get great content and resources like these delivered right to your inbox. Educators featured in this video: Marialice B.F.X. Curran, Founder and CEO, Digital Citizenship Institute, Glastonbury, CT @mbfxc Curran Dee, Chief Kid Officer, DigCitKids, Glastonbury, CT @CurranCentral Michael Hernandez, Teacher, Cinema and Journalism, Mira Costa High School, Manhattan Beach, California @cinehead

Setting free the untold stories in education | Jennie Magiera, ISTE 2017 Keynote

Have you ever watched something that changed your life? Get ready for some intense inspiration with this uplifting, eye-opening keynote talk given by Jennie Magiera at ISTE 2017. In fifty minutes, Magiera dives into five single stories in education and the accompanying stories that are yet to be told. She tackles the stereotypes and simplistic narratives that we often apply to ourselves, our colleagues, our students, and our community and reveals the impact we can have when we unlock the untold stories and share them widely. She focuses on themes of compassion and empathy, failure, authenticity, and, most importantly, self-empowerment and the empowerment of others.

This is what it’s like to get inspired at the epicenter of edtech | ISTE Conference & Expo

Hear from educators from all over the world on what it’s like to learn at the epicenter of edtech. With hundreds of presenters and exhibitors, thousands of sessions and 16,000+ attendees, the professional learning and networking opportunities at the ISTE Conference & Expo are endless. Experience the annual event where educators become innovators and register now for ISTE 2018: isteconference.org

Everybody Wins When Everybody Codes | ISTE Conference full-length session

In this info-packed session from ISTE 2017, Jane Krauss and Sylvia Martinez cover everything from equity in computer science, how to get kids coding meaningfully, curating the best tools for CS success, how CS can be taught across the curriculum, what’s needed in education to bring computer science and computational thinking to every student, and much more. Want to be in the room where it happens next time? Registration for ISTE 2018 is open now. Visit isteconference.org to learn more.

Educator Insights: How Edtech Amplifies Learning and Breaks Down Barriers

When used meaningfully and equitably, technology can amplify learning and be the great equalizer in education. In this video, five educators share their thoughts on how technology is transforming learning for the better. Through digital learning, students can become global citizens, build skills in collaboration and creativity, prepare for the future, and much more. To learn more about what meaningful technology use in schools looks like, check out the ISTE Standards: iste.org/standards The ISTE Standards are the definitive education technology standards to transform learning and teaching. You can also get inspiration and ideas for how you can join the conversation by following ISTE on Twitter: @isteconnects or subscribing to the ISTE Blog at iste.org/blog to get great content and resources like these delivered right to your inbox. Educators featured in this video: Cathy Hunt, Visual Arts Educator, St. Hilda’s School, Southport, Australia @art_cathyhunt Jaime Donally, Edtech Presenter, White Oak, Texas @JaimeDonally Mason Mason, Education Technology Instructor, Dallas, Texas @EdTechMason Kimberly Lane, Blended Learning Specialist, Lancaster ISD, Lancaster, Texas @askatechnogirl Sarah-Jane Thomas, Regional Technology Coordinator, Prince Georges County Public Schools, Prince Georges County, Maryland @sarahdateechur Michael Hernandez, Teacher, Cinema and Journalism, Mira Costa High School, Manhattan Beach, California @cinehead

I Am Not a Failure! | Xavier Zeller, ISTE 2017 Student Ignite

In this 5-minute Ignite presentation, current student Xavier Zeller challenges traditional education models and shares his own experience of finding academic success through personalization and passion-based learning. He encourages educators to find ways to make learning fun and engaging for all kids and not write off those who learn differently and have different learning needs as failures.

We Can All Do Better | Jen Giffen, ISTE 2017 Ignite

In this powerful Ignite session, Jen Giffen shares the stories of two students who are among the third of students who don’t play the “game of school” well. These are students who might be considered challenging, or who would rather look lazy than stupid, and she urges educators to ask themselves: how can I do better? How can educators better support those students who don’t fit the traditional mold of “good” student? Want more inspiration like this? Register now for ISTE 2018 at isteconference.org

What is stopping you from reaching the moon? | Fanny Passeport, ISTE 2017 Ignite

Do you ever feel like you’re the only one in your school with wild and crazy ideas? You’re not alone! Fanny Passeport was once that teacher, but after she encountered moonshot thinking, she developed strategies for deepening, modeling and getting buy-in for an innovative, empowered mindset. In just five minutes, Passeport will leave you feeling inspired and motivated with her approach to moonshot thinking in education. Keep the learning and inspiration going at ISTE 2018! Register now at isteconference.org

Welcome, ISTE Members!

CEO Richard Culatta, of the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), welcomes ISTE members to the community! ISTE membership provides a platform for educators, leaders and experts to access curated tools, build skills, connect and create with peers, and to participate as volunteers and content creators. Easily access your member benefits in one place. Visit iste.org/ISTE-Central today!

Jennie Magiera is excited for #ISTE18 in Chicago!

ISTE 2017 keynote speaker and Chief Program Officer at EdTechTeam, Jennie Magiera, shares her excitement for the upcoming #ISTE18 conference in her hometown, Chicago, IL! The conference program has now been launched, and it includes more than 1,200 edtech experts, eager to share their wisdom with you! Educators, join us at the epicenter of edtech on June 24-27, 2018: Register now at isteconference.org! P.S. For Jennie’s own restaurant recommendations in Chi-town, check out bit.ly/jennielovesfood. We can’t wait to see you there!