METC 2010: Sessions

Tuesday, Feb. 10: 2:20 - 3:10 PM
Schools should focus on taking a proactive approach towards teaching "Internet Safety" so that we can change the focus away from "Stranger Danger" and "Online Predators" to the more common problems of what I describe as the student's "Permanent Record". We will discuss strategies and initiatives that will help a school district implement this positive change.

Tuesday, February 9: 1:00 - 1:50 PM
Schools need leadership from principals who focus on advancing student and staff learning. 21st Century educational leaders should exemplify how an individual uses digital tools and resources to become a skilled communicator, collaborator, and devoted lifelong learner. You'll learn how e-Read Ohio builds online professional development and have an opportunity to engage in a demonstration of e-Read Ohio's online modules.

Tuesday, February 9: 10:50 - 11:40 AM
The past few years have seen an explosion of disruptive technologies that challenge the way we think, the way we operate, the status quo of educational practice. Understandably, critical questions have emerged regarding the use of these technologies in education. Do they actually lead to new literacies or do they simply provide a new context for the development of skills educators have always valued? What impact are they really having on students and schools? How can organizations implement, evaluate and sustain these technologies in the service of learning? Join David Jakes as he challenges you to think deeply about the true impact of new technologies, and what they mean for your students, teachers and school community.

Tuesday, February 9: 1:00 - 1:50 PM
Looking for new ways to deliver high quality, professional development with limited time and a limited budget? Come discover how the Rockwood School District is creating original, high impact learning opportunities for its teachers which supplement traditional face-to-face professional development. Discover how live, interactive, webconferencing has helped Rockwood achieve this goal.

Tuesday, February 9: 1:00 – 1:50 PM
BREATHE... Build a Base for using the right tools Relationships and connections to improve our learning Extend your reach and communication with these tools and connections Always learning - keeping a learning mindset for new tools and how to use them Transparency in sharing knowledge Have a Plan - there must be a learning purpose to use these tools Embrace Change Learn which networks and practices will best serve to influence your learning and networking practice. BREATHE is an acronym for creating, sustaining, and growing your personal learning networks (PLN). More importantly, BREATHE reminds us that social media is about people not tools. People breathe. Tools don't!

Tuesday, February 9: 1:00 – 1:50 PM
Building and district administrators attend this session. See demonstrations of current online instructional resources and participate in a discussion surrounding successful technology integration. Leave with an understanding of what questions to ask when considering electronic instructional tools for the classroom. Learn what needs to be considered when determining if your school has the current ability to utilize different software and hardware. A discussion on preparing a school for successful implementations and ongoing technology use will be the focus. A checklist handout for selecting technologies for your school will be provided.

Tuesday, February 9: 8:00 - 10:15 AM
Today's world is not the world we grew up in and certainly not the world our children will live in. Our schools were not designed for today's students and our teachers were not trained to teach them due to the dramatic changes the world has undergone.

Ian Jukes will examine the effect digital bombardment from constant exposure to digital media has on digital kids in the new digital landscape and consider the profound implications this holds for the future of education. What does the latest neuro-scientific and psychological research tell us about the role of intense and frequent experiences on the brain, particularly the young and impressionable brain?

Based on research, what inferences can we make about kids' digital experiences and how these experiences are re-wiring and re-shaping their cognitive processes? More importantly, what are the implications for teaching, learning and assessment in the new digital landscape?

How can we reconcile these new developments with current instructional practices, particularly in a climate of standards and accountability driven by high stakes testing for all? What strategies can we use to appeal to the learning preferences and communication needs of digital learners while at the same time honoring our traditional assumptions and practices related to teaching, learning and assessment?

Prepare to have your assumptions about children and how they learn seriously challenged!

Tuesday, February 9: 3:25 - 4:15 PM LOCATION: ROOM
In a world where change is the constant, you can't trust your eyes, because what you see will be replaced tomorrow. By carefully examining the significance of several global exponential trends, this presentation will profoundly challenge your fundamental assumptions about the world we live in and the future that awaits us. Topics include: