Elizabeth

__**Sunday**__

Topic: Brain Rules for Education Resource: Book is called Brain Rules**
 * Opening Keynote: Dr. John Medina, @babybrainrules

Following simple brain rules can lead to learning. Every brain is wired differently, and therefore learns differently. The highways and main roads of our brain are nearly identical. It's the blvds and alleyways where we differ, and that is where the learning occurs. Book is also called Brain Rules.

__**Monday**__

Presenter: Eric Marcos (Middle School Teacher) and Andrea Matic (7th Grader)**
 * Session: Empowering Students Through Screencasting

Screen casting is recording voice over the written screen. Hear collaborative process while students talk it out as they work out a problem. Great chance for peer to peer help. Was hoping to find valuable tools for math, as I often hear from our math teachers that a lot of the tools presented don't work well for their curriculum. Also great chance to model thinking to see that kids actually understand something. They must be proficient in order to talk out a problem, and if they are not you will have a record where the gaps in their understanding are. Software options - Camtasia studio, screener. Jing is free iPad App. Kids can share their lesson screencasts online. Sites like mathtrain.com. From the 7th grade student presenter "when I do a screen cast about something I really understand it makes me feel really confident inmate and I feel like i'm helping other students get it too. When I try one for something i'm not as good at, it makes me better because I have to talk through it and my teacher can help me figure out exactly which part I don't understand."

**Session: Technology Makes Art Easy for Every Teacher in Every Classroom Presenter: Mark Gura (Touro College**)

Disappointing session, did not provide many examples that appeared creative or meaningful, even though the big takeaway from the presenter was that every classroom can incorporate art, and ideally it should: Take out talent and focus on creativity and meaning. Focused on art using Microsoft Word and Paint. While he justified choosing these because they are readily available, I feel there are tons a free online tools that probably provided many more opportunities! Presenter advocated for tech based art because it takes pressure off kids who don't feel they are artistic and much more cost effective Gave an overview of the drawing toolbar in word and using paint features. nothing new, nothing impressive. Disappointing...I was hoping to find creative ways to achieve art integration.

Presenter: Lee Crockett, @leecrockett**
 * Session: Collaborative Fluency (But he focused on creativity!)

We are focused on short term goals such as passing the test, but feel we are focusing on the long term. Must refocus ourselves in order to look at the long term...what needs to change, what needs to stay,go,etc. Bertelsmann Study: PBL group and lecture group scored equally, but PBL group remembers. Lecture group sees info as itemized and segmented. PBL can use that knowledge. Necessary for our kids: Problem solving, Creativity, Think analytically, Collaborate, Communicate, Ethics, action and accountability. We think we're doing this but we're not! Interest must precede learning. Relevance is key. Without it learning will not happen. Period. Relevance+ creating+ real world = 21st century learning 21st learning is about their learning not our teaching. The fluencies remain when the content fades. Fluencies is the level of proficiency, at an unconscience level, rather than a skill. Future jobs will be given to the creative class. Those that don't require creativity will be outsourced. 5 E's for creativity Establish Envision Engineer Execute Examine

Presenter: Sarah Beeghly (7th Grader at St. Patrick School) Resource: [|www.civilwarsallie.com]**
 * Session: Creating An Educational 'Follow Me' Project

My chosen session was full so I jumped into this one. It turned out fantastically, however, because this happened to be an entirely student led presentation on a concept she developed that incorporated several tools and elements of 21st century fluency. Follow Me Project: Group of stuffed animals that share their adventures with web 2.0 tools. Different characters have themes. Some of theirs were an animal who wanted to see civil war sites, a character who wanted to practice good citizenship, one who wanted to practice random acts of kindness, etc. Send them around to other schools and then use tools and technology to communicate and share their adventures. Blogs, journals, wikis or stories. Video conference wherever the animals are. Glogster to compile pictures. Build website. Personal flickr account. Google maps to track the trips. Podcasts given by the characters. Interdisciplinary with art, tech, math for cost or time.

__**Tuesday**__

Session: Mindsets for the 21st Century: Unleashing Leadership Potential in Students**
 * Keynote: Dr. Stephen Covey (Inspirational Author) and Muriel Summers (Principal of a top performing elementary school)

Dr. Covey's keynote very much echoed his book //7 Habits of Highly Effective People// Some Highlights: Spoke to being proactive and not letting excuses in the way of being successful. Sometimes I feel we let excuses reign (Money, Tests, Time, Etc). Leadership is Communicating people's worth and potential so clearly that people can recognize it in themselves. Spoke so much to the care that needs to be a part of a successful organization. Don't let the sideshows and bureaucracies of your life get in the way of your dreams. Reducing a child to a test score is the worst form of identity theft we can commit in our schools. Highlight was hearing from two exceptional fifth grade students speak to how Dr. Covey's leadership practices have changed their lives. From the kids: Responsibility is doing the right thing even when no one is watching.

Presenter: Adam Bellows, @adambellows (ISTE Outstanding Young Educator)** []
 * Session: The Tech Commandments: 10 Ways to Revitalize Education with Technology
 * Resources: Twitter #techcommand, Backchannel [|Todaysmeet.com/techcommandments], Handout **

Commandments Go mobile - don't trap tech in a room Ongoing and quality education and training of technology. Don't rely on the one hour tech fairy training circus. I'm using tech....come see! OMG. A poor way to approach the use of tech. It must be seamless! Kids have constant access either way....why filter? Ugh, notes lost. Check today's meet and techcommand!

Presenter: Alan November, @globalearner (November Learning)**
 * Session: Empathy: The 21st Century Skill

Literal explanation versus empathy: The 2nd one used symbols....the first used only people. It's the dynamic nature of the content that makes or breaks the use of the tool. You know something but you don't always know when to use it. When we train teachers on how to use tools, we rarely get to the part where we talk about how to assess. Root zone database for looking up countries in order to get perspectives from the countries we are studying. Teach our students the way to see  what they're studying from the perspective of those involved using tech - site search, global real connections. Great for Trisha's world cultures class when looking for perspectives! Globally competent students understand global empathy across curriculums. Every class should be a global communication center. Use hashtags on a certain topic to see what people are saying from that area.

Presenter: Gary Stager, @garystager (Constructive Columnist) Resources: []**
 * Session: The Best Educational Ideas in the World: High-Tech Learning Adventures

We as educators do a bad job of articulating why tech matters. It is! Best is potential for kids to do things that were once in impossible. Young people have an incredible capacity for intensity and passion The years they spend with us are when they become artists, scientists, musicians, etc..........or not. Connection to those you learn from is key. Micro comps for thirty years! Info access is a tiny fraction of the Ed process. Why dont't we trust kids to imagine on tech the same way we trust them to imagine elsewhere? That was me. Fab and fab labs Neil gerschenfeld do it yourself manufacturing .....making things is a powerful learning experience. Making things is better than being passive. Making good things is better. Requires time. Computing versus info access defines learning. Reggio Emilia process assume competence. Tools and materials are introduced. Authentic problems come from the child. Support the hundred languages of students with a hundred labs in the classroom PBL when you ask a kid they give A pc answer. Give a challenge and force them to figure it out. Elements of effective process .....must check out on the website!!! One to one means personal computing means ownership.

__**Wednesday**__

Presenters: Michael Golden and Philip Bell Resources: [|www.educurious.org]**
 * Session: Expert-Supported, Project Based Learning

Compelling, relevant and preparatory. Focus on drop out classes. English, algebra and biology. Basedon core five principals of bill and Melinda gates foundation: Mastery, feedback, lens of subject domains, multiple environments, multimedia. Supplement with experts, social media. Many marginalized youth have little access to experts. Assessments that engage - metacognitive self assess, analysis of student engagement. Education network ....exposure to the careers and professionals. Allows experts access to challenging students in their PBL. Need to know basis....each unit structure as why need to know. Make DIY courses....'reading and writing in the digi age' Engagement dynamics research 'I had fun working....' Participate? Expert network will be open to all as it developed more fully, or students can participate with outside classrooms. Should not be cost prohibitive. Take away would be the expert network.

Presenter: Renee Hobbs, @reneehobbs (Temple University)**
 * Session: Copyright Clarity: Using Copyrighted Materials for Digital Learning

I did not attend this session, but really wanted to, so I asked my PLN to keep me posted. They provided the following links: [] [] []

Presenter: Will Richardson, @willrich45 and Rob Mancabelli, @robmancabelli (Ed Bloggers and Speakers) Resources: Twitter #yeahbut, Backchannel[|Todaysmeet.com/wriste11a], Handout []**
 * Session: The “Yeah, Buts”: Answering the Top 10 Arguments against Change

Barriers: See presentation above. Books switch. Change or die. Change or die percentage is ten percent. Approach was based on being rational. Successful change also requires an emotional response. Need both. First engage ppl in a convo about change. Let ppl explain feelings about why they wont change and set long and short term goals. Provide support for anticipated roadblocks ..... Seventy two percent change. Change highlights fear, embarrassment, overwhelm, etc. Go tto presentation for responses. Emotional responses.....always help to draw on kids and learning...

Presenter: Suzie Boss (Edutopia) Resources: Handout []**
 * Session: Ripped from the Headlines: Real Events Yield Relevant Projects

Wrote ISTE book on PBL. Headline project worthy -- Driving question...messy....no right answer, Some connection to student life, Ongoing issue or consequences....not immediately resolved, meaningful learning. Check out edutopia. Connect and give ppl the opportunity to tell their story.....not from the newspaper. Don't be an ambulance chaser.....be selective. http://bit.ly/jPiZa3 Comic PBL. Student voice and choice...immersion... PBL framework...bring in experts, connect with another school. Quakestories.wikispaces.com current PBL example. The learning network... New York times. Newseum and newspaperman and newsmap....all perfect for highlighting news in other countries.

Session: Change Now: The Urgency of School Reform**
 * Closing Keynote: Chris Lehmann, @Chrislehmann (Principal of the Science and Leadership Academy)
 * Resources**: [|Video of Keynote]

Opening of spoken word by students highlights their understanding of our educational crisis. Dom't talk at them, but with them. We develop their head, heart and hands - allows them to develop their voice. Great Ed lie - "You will need this some day." If not using tools to create, collaborate and network, all you've done is create the next great flashcard. Thoughtful, Kind, passionate, and wise....this is how we want our kids to grow up. Nothing should make a teacher happier than when his student's knowledge and wisdom eclipses his own. Help kids do what matters....not for the future, but for now. Most kids think that school is something being done TO them.