Attending the iPad Summit at the American Embassy School in Delhi was an amazing experience. Here are my top take-always from the conference:
Blogging – One of the things I’ve noticed at the conference is how much student blogging is going on at other international schools. The best schools and the schools that are really technologically advanced are having students blog and publish to the world. That is definitely an area that we are behind in!
An example of a class blog that students contribute to: http://jgjohns.esblogs.aes.ac.in
An example of a student’s blog: http://blogs.saschina.org/chelsea01px2020/
Digital Portfolios – In grade 4 we are embarking on digital portfolios this year and we haven’t yet identified exactly how we are going to put these together. I saw and heard of some good examples of digital portfolios using both blogs and Evernote, so we have some big decisions to make here.
Design thinking – There was a focus on design thinking in some of the sessions and it is impossible to ignore the benefits of activities that are rich in design thinking in engaging students in thoughtful, engaging work. The thing I struggle with is where this fits in as a classroom teacher. Making a stop-motion video, doing programming, or designing and building your own stylus are activities which can help teach students how to be independent, inquisitive learners. The trouble is, these things aren’t reading or writing or math or social studies, so I struggle with making it a part of my curriculum if the school as a whole has not identified design thinking as a focus.
Technology Integration – The model of teaching technology skills is changing. Computer labs and computer teachers are disappearing. Integration specialists are in. We are in the middle of transitioning to this model, but I don’t think we have all the pieces in place. Our instructional model ais not yet in the place we need it to be in order to meet the needs of our students. Time will take care of a lot of this, but there is a shift in philosophy and some planning and re-structuring that needs to happen. Also, a good tech integration program relies on a strong, shared curriculum, and sometimes our independence as classroom teachers makes it harder for technology specialists to integrate into our program.
The Apps, the apps, the apps – I found too many of the presentations to be too app-centric. The presenters were running through lists of apps rather than centering their presentations on pedagogy, big ideas, or teaching strategies. This was a lost opportunity I think.
What are the bottom lines – Schools really vary in terms of what they require teachers to do and where they give them choice when using technology. I think as a school we still need to clarify what our bottom lines, our non-negotiable, are in technology.
Overall, an amazing experience. Thank you AES!