Country Guides to Culture, Etiquette, Customs & more! Why Should I Attend An EdTech Conference? In May, Connect 2014 will be happening.
Many countries have one– a huge edtech conference, that is. Connect is Canada’s version of this event. It is a two-day shebang that connects teachers (and administrators, librarians, etc) with the latest and greatest technology resources that support 21st century teaching and learning. You can attend professional development sessions delivered by innovative educators from across Canada and test out the latest technology resources from the world’s leading technology companies and promising start-ups. The handy infographic below takes a look at 5 things to expect from a great edtech conference.
Great Speakers Sure, you could watch YouTube videos or TED talks, but seeing an inspiring, well known speaker in person can’t be beat. Connect With Your Peers Sometimes it is easy to forget that your peers consist of a much larger group of people than just the folks you see in school every day. Stay Ahead Of The (Tech) Curve Professional Development Ahoy! Tips For Connecting With Your Students. A teacher’s day can be crazy.
We’re helping kids, answering questions, trying not to lose all twenty-three, no, twenty-four of students, dealing with crisis, and make sure learning is taking place simultaneously. Sometimes, in the whirlwind of the day, I don’t do everything I’m supposed to do on cue. Teaching can often be triage, three or more things in front of me at any given time, and I have to choose what to do first.
I’ve forgotten to take the attendance because I was helping a student with her paper. Luckily, I can enter it later, because I’m in the habit of connecting with each student who enters my room, so I can remember our morning greeting, a bit of conversation, and “How was your weekend?” Connecting is important. It’s all about connections. I remember the conversations I’ve had with students. Remembering the details about the students is key.
Create relationships first. How information and communications technology (ICT) can connect children from around the world. How can ICT help children learn about people from other cultures?
Teacher Wilma Gordon has this week won an eTwinning European prize for an online school project which joined together primary school pupils from around Europe. Here, she explains the benefits of using ICT in the classroom and tells us about some useful tools. What role did ICT play in the success of the project? The schools involved used a variety of ICT tools. eTwinning provides an easily accessible platform for sharing materials and ideas. We also used Dropbox when files were too heavy to email. Creative Connections - Creative Connections. The Global Lesson Exchange. Connecting Classrooms with Skype. Skype classroom I recently blogged from the 2011 US Innovative Education Forum (IEF) sponsored by Microsoft Partners in Learning.
Here's a guest post from, Betsy Weigle, one of the IEF finalists I met at the competition. For more on the competition and other guest posts click the IEF tag. ~ Peter Betsy Weigle, Adams Elementary School (Spokane, WA) Project: Connecting Classrooms with Skype and PowerPoint The objective of this project was to open the classroom to the world by bringing children from Washington state and North Carolina together virtually to share insights on Native American cultures.
Students used presentation and interactive conferencing technology, which allowed in-depth, real-time interaction on shared content. Betsy writes: Nearly every fourth grader in the country studies state history. Find a Partner Although you can Skype with your teaching partner across the hall, the greatest effect comes from out-of-state partners. Narrow the Subject "State history" is far too broad.
Help us connect all US schools with the world by 2016. PikiFriends. Globalcollaborations - home. CLASSROOM CONNECTING. Activity – Online Project For? School & Classroom Program. Classroomwithoutwalls / Schools around the world. Sign In – PROJECT PEACE – PROJECT PEACE. Global SchoolNet: Home. ePals. Activity – The Global Education Conference Network. TakingITGlobal - Inspire. Inform. Involve. Learning with the world, not just about it ...