T+L conference features sessions on budgets and how to make STEM a priority in your district
By Naomi Dillon
Fall '09 -- The 2009 T+L Conference is shaping up to be the most informative and innovative collection of education technology products, trendsetters, and ideas in its more than 20 years of operation. Hosted in Denver from Oct. 28 to 30, the three-day symposium features activities, presentations, and learning opportunities designed to help district leaders take their schools, staff, and students to the next level.
In response to the pressures of the recession and global competitiveness on public schools, this year’s conference sessions provide practical advice and examples on critical issues like how to get through tough economic times and making science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) subjects a priority in your district.
T+L’s keynote speakers also speak to the breadth and urgency of challenges facing educators in today’s high-speed, high-stakes world. On opening day, Frans Johansson, an entrepreneur and author of The Medici Effect, an Amazon Editor’s Choice Top 10 Business Book of the Year, will present his argument that innovation occurs when the paths of people, sometimes from disparate backgrounds, converge and they collaborate.
As if to corroborate the power of convergence, the next day’s general session features a panel of education and business leaders who will discuss and offer insight on how to drive education innovation and use technology toward that end. Finally, veteran high school teacher Marco Antonio Torres will wrap up the conference by showing how he has used multimedia tools to inspire and engage his students.
And speaking of students, what good would a conference centered on technology and learning in schools be if it didn’t showcase what’s happening in today’s cutting-edge classrooms? Participants will have an opportunity to become a student in a model 21st century classroom, one that embraces the integration of technology and teaching.
In addition, site visits to local schools like the Denver School of Science and Technology, an open enrollment public school with one of the best STEM programs in the country, are scheduled. Participants must make reservations, as space is limited.
Star students will be spotlighted in another new feature this year. The Junior Engineering Technical Society, a nonprofit group that promotes engineering and technology as exciting careers for the next generation, is bringing their annual student competition to T+L.
“It’s an engineering challenge where students develop assistive devices for people with disabilities, allowing them to be able to do their job,” explains Ann Flynn, NSBA’s director of education technology and manager of the T+L conference.
For instance, one student invented a gadget that enabled a wheelchair-bound individual to reach items on an upper shelf. Flynn says the national competition challenges high school students to be creative and perhaps inspire them to explore a career in STEM fields.
Finally, NSBA and T+L will continue to influence education innovation by naming this year’s “20 to Watch.” These educators are chosen for their outstanding leadership in helping to shape the role technology plays in enhancing student learning, transforming operations, and engaging communities.
If you would like to nominate an educator for the “20 to Watch” award, go to www.nsba. org/tl/20/ for an application.
Reproduced with permission from School Board News. Copyright © 2009, National School Boards Association. Opinions expressed in this newspaper do not necessarily reflect positions of NSBA. This article may be printed out and photocopied for individual or educational use, provided this copyright notice appears on each copy. This article may not be otherwise transmitted or reproduced in print or electronic form without the consent of the Publisher. For more information, call (703) 838-6789.