ISTE 2015 Takeaways

1. Relationships are MORE important now and 50 years from now.  Students can get content ANYWHERE!

Regardless of the tidal wave of technology that is now present in the classroom, we must do what we as teachers know is important in order to reach our students: get to know them, earn their trust, and form a nurturing relationship that will motivate them to succeed.  

It is also important to recognize that the smartest person in the room is the room.  Teachers are not the end all be all of knowledge.  We must incorporate the talents, skills, and knowledge of all participants in the room.  If we don’t, we are limiting our students.  Don’t be afraid to give the students power.   Often times, they will come up with far more engaging, creative, and challenging questions.  But do they know how to question?  We MUST teach our students HOW to question.   Questioning Toolkit.

2. To transform our teaching, we must transform our classrooms.

vs.

The factory model of education is no longer viable.  If we want to be student-centered, the teacher cannot be the focus of the classroom.  Classrooms environments need to be as flexible and fluid as the demands of the student-centered curriculum and the strategies that nurture critical thinking skills and collaboration.

3. Technology doesn’t make a difference if we do not change the work that students do.

A worksheet is still a worksheet if it is simply loaded online and done digitally.  Teachers must be trained not only on the various forms of ed tech tools, but also what to do with the mountains of data that can be gleaned so quickly from these tools.  To personalize learning, we MUST use data and plan/personalize accordingly.