Wesley Fryer
Wesley Fryer is a digital learning consultant, author, digital storyteller, educator and change agent. With respect to school change, he describes himself as a "catalyst for creative engagement and collaborative learning." Wesley serves as a co-convener for the annual K-12 Online Conference and is the co-director of the statewide Celebrate Oklahoma Voices digital storytelling project. His blog, "Moving at the Speed of Creativity" was selected as the 2006 "Best Learning Theory Blog" by eSchoolnews and Discovery Education. He was named an Apple Distinguished Educator in 2005. He was an elementary classroom teacher for six years in Texas public schools before serving as a college director of distance learning for five years. Wesley is completing his doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction at Texas Tech University, studying the impact of podcasting and coursecasting on student learning in higher education.Wesley will conduct a preconference workshop, "Powerful Ingredients for Blended Learning", on Monday, February 8. On Tuesday, February 9, he is keynote speaker and presents two additional breakout sessions.
Deneen Frazier-Bowen
For more than a decade, Deneen Frazier Bowen has been applying her acting, teaching and technology experience to help teachers and schools expand students’ learning opportunities through harnessing new technologies. She has traveled the country consulting with and speaking to schools, school districts, foundations and organizations.
Deneen spent several years working first as an elementary and then as a high school academic technology coordinator. In 2000, she designed and directed the Catalyst Communities program to explore how online communities can strengthen local schools. In 2001, she moved to Austin where she directed the online learning community for Teachscape, a developer of online professional development courseware for teachers. Since 1992, Deneen’s consulting business has provided technology-based professional development consulting services to educators nationwide. She holds a bachelor’s in communication from the University of California-San Diego and master’s in secondary education from George Mason University.
In her ‘spare’ time, Deneen is an accomplished and versatile actress who loves to bring life to the characters she portrays. With ActWith, Deneen masterfully weaves together her insights as an educator, talent for engaging audiences and technology expertise.
Deneen keynotes on Wednesday, February 10 and will hold a Q&A session on her research. Deneen is presenting at METC thanks in part to a donation to METC by IDSoutions.
Ian Jukes
Ian Jukes has been a teacher, an administrator, writer, consultant, university instructor and keynote speaker. But Ian is an educator first and foremost. His focus has consistently been on the compelling need to restructure our educational institutions so that they become relevant to the current and future needs of children. His rambunctious, irreverent and highly charged presentations and articles emphasize many of the practical issues related to ensuring that change is meaningful. As a registered educational evangelist, his self-avowed mission in life is to ensure that children are properly prepared for the future rather than society's past. As a result, his material tends to focus on many of the pragmatic issues that provide the essential context for educational restructuring.
Ian is the keynote speaker for the Leadership Breakfast for Administrators and Board Members on Tuesday, February 9. His topic is Our Children Are Not the Students Our Schools Were Designed For: Understanding Digital Kids. (Special registration required for the breakfast.) Ian also presents two more breakout sessions on Tuesday.
Featured Speakers
Frank W. Baker 
Frank W. Baker is a leading media literacy expert. He graduated from the University of Georgia (ABJ, Journalism), worked in television news from 1977 to 1986, and then he joined the Orange County (Orlando, FL) Public School System as an administrator in the areas of Instructional TV/Distance Education. While there, Frank collaborated with both Time Warner Cable and the Orlando Sentinel to bring media literacy education to the district’s teachers and students. Upon returning to South Carolina in 1997, he taught a college level media literacy course for educators and developed a nationally recognized media literacy resource website. His 1999 content analysis of all 50 state’s teaching standards revealed that almost all states standards include "elements of media literacy." In June 2007, Frank's work was recognized by the National PTA and the National Cable TV Assn. with the national "Leaders In Learning" award. His second book, "Political Campaigns & Political Advertising: A Media Literacy Guide" was published June 2009. Currently, Frank is an educational consultant and presents at schools and national conferences across the United States.
Frank presents a Media Literacy double session on Wednesday, February 10.
Howie DiBlasi
Dr. Howie DiBlasi was recognized as “Vocational Teacher of the Year” for the State of Arizona and nominated as a finalist in the “Top Secondary Leaders in America”. Howie’s programs are fun, educational, high energy and full of practical, take-home value. He is known as a highly energetic, compassionate and approachable speaker. As a trainer, he blends humor, applicable stories of best practice and high levels of audience involvement. He has presented programs, courses and presentations to thousands of administrators, teachers, technology specialists and professionals around the country. Howie is a recognized leader in digital technology, multi-media, interactive video conferencing and 21st century learning. He has extensive hands on experience in training administrators and educators using 21st Century technology and applications.
Join Howie for a preconference workshop, Digital Projects for Global 21st Century Classroom, on Monday, February 8 or attend one of his breakout sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday, February 9 &10.
Leslie Fisher
Leslie Fisher’s interest in technology began while studying music at the University of Southern California. She quickly realized the value of utilizing computers for music mixing and recording and eventually changed her major. After Leslie joined Apple Computer in 1992, she was assigned to study Internet growth and implementation. In 1997, Leslie founded Fisher Technologies Inc. (FTI) to help educators with their technology implementations and decisions through consulting, training and presentation services. To see what Leslie is currently doing visit lesliefisher.com.
Join Leslie for a preconference workshop, Add Yourself to the Web 2.0 World, on Monday, February 8 or attend one of her breakout sessions on Tuesday, February 9.
David Jakes
David Jakes has spent 25 years in education as a teacher, staff developer, and technology coordinator. From his first Macintosh Classic to his current netbook, he has witnessed firsthand the changes in education that educational technology has empowered. Jakes shares this knowledge as a frequent speaker at technology conferences across the United States, as well as in Canada, Europe, and most recently, China. His interests in educational technology include digital storytelling, the application of geography-based systems for learning, and developing online communities of learning through blogging, wiki and other connective technologies. He currently maintains a web site (Jakesonline.org) a blog (The Strength of Weak Ties), and a variety of other resources (jakes.editme.com) dedicated to improving the use of technology in the service of learning.
David presents breakout sessions both Tuesday and Wednesday, February 9 & 10.
Darren Kuropatwa
Darren Kuropatwa’s unique skill set — an in-depth knowledge of pedagogy, leading edge technology skills and boundless creativity — make him a strong change agent in 21st century education. His relaxed confident manner puts participants at ease as he leads them through relevant discussions of how the appropriate application of technology in the day-to-day classroom setting can enhance student learning. Attendees leave eager to apply these ideas in their own classrooms. His leadership and vision in the field of educational technology are known world-wide through his work as one of the founding conveners of the "K12 Online Conference" and his professional blog "A Difference".
Darren conducts a preconference workshop, Extreme (Web 2.0) Lesson Plan Makeover, on Monday, February 8 and breakout sessions on Wednesday, February 10.
Gail Lovely
Gail Lovely is an internationally known teacher. She believes that teaching is her calling and a deep part of who she is. Gail is a classroom teacher who has taught pre-school through university level students. An “early adopter” of technology in education, Gail earned her Master’s Degree in Educational Computing from Pepperdine University in the 1980’s. Gail is known for her practical approach to education, her appreciation and admiration for teaching and learning and her skill at making the complex understandable and the difficult manageable. Gail feels blessed to have been able to follow her calling in so many different ways. Gail’s website, www.GailLovely.com, is visited by thousands of educators from around the world each month because it provides practical support and resources for classroom teachers.
Gail conducts a preconference workshop, Make It and Take It, on Monday, February 8 and presents breakout sessions on Tuesday, February 9. Gail is presenting at METC thanks in part to a donation to METC by Academic SuperStore.
Angela Maiers
Angela Maiers is proud of her 20-year career in education, especially the years she spent as a classroom teacher. She spends her time teaching, researching, writing, speaking, and conducting seminars across the country in the areas of literacy, learning, and 21st century education. Her work is featured in the National Research Council Yearbook, multiple professional journals, and most recently in Urban Schools Most Promising Practices, published by the International Reading Association For the past six years, Angela has created, developed, and organized multiple literacy institutes reaching thousands of educators across the United States. These summer institutes provide an innovative and unique venue for educators, administrators, and curriculum developers. Every student reaches their highest literacy and learning potential when they are led by such knowledgeable and passionate leaders.
Angela presents breakout sessions on Tuesday, February 9.
Scott Meech
Scott Meech is starting his 15th year in education. He currently works at The Joseph Sears School in Kenilworth, Illinois as the district Technology Facilitator. While Scott began his teaching career in Social Studies, he quickly realized his greatest educational interest was in the transformative nature of technology. As an early adopter, he became the test pilot for any and all new tech initiatives. Scott's teaching quickly transformed from a traditional teacher-centered paradigm to a constructivist student-centered approach. He earned his Masters in Education in curriculum and technology in 2005.
While he has a myriad of interests, his favorite pastime besides spending time with his wife and three daughters is studying the impact technology is making and can make on education. He believes that education is on the brink of major change and that technology will finally fulfill its promise. Scott blogs at http://www.smeech.net and Tech & Learning Magazine. His repository of work is located at http://smeech-presos.wikispaces.com/.
Scott presents breakout sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday, February 9 & 10.
Lance Rougeux
Lance Rougeux started his career as a teacher at Julia de Burgos Bilingual Middle School in the School District of Philadelphia. Lance was recently highlighted in The Emergency Teacher, a book about urban teaching, which termed Lance "the best teacher in Philadelphia." As Executive Policy Specialist at the Pennsylvania Department of Education's (PDE) Bureau of Educational Technology, he spearheaded many statewide initiatives including Keystones, a program recognized as a success story in the U.S. Department of Education's National Education Technology Plan, and eSPARC, a research endeavor called the "gold" standard of scientifically based research by eSchool News.
Currently, Lance serves as Director of the Discovery Educator Network.
