ISTE 2016 — Engaging Educators Through Educating
It’s hard to believe that another year has passed, another school year over, and another ISTE conference is now behind us. The culminating event for connected educators excited with the world of educational technology and best teaching practices of infusing technology into the classroom is over. What we are left with are sore feet from standing and walking all day, and our minds full of exciting ideas that we can’t wait to start implementing for the upcoming school year. Now that many educators have returned to their homes for a well-deserved Summer break, it is a great time to reflect what we have seen, experienced, and learned at one of the largest educational technology conferences in the world.
Poster Sessions
One of the best ways to learn at ISTE is by attending the poster sessions. During these themed times, you can interact with students and teachers sharing projects, lesson ideas. Many people often forget about the poster sessions, because they are often removed from the rest of the conference space, but ISTE did a nice job this year keeping them in a high traffic area.
A highlight poster session was one on Dash and Dot, where Nancy Penchev and her student Pola showed what they have done with the adorable robotic duo. Pola, a passionate student who is excited about implementing robotics into her school, started a robotics club before school where her friends could join. She was excited to learn about the new clubs that Wonder Workshop is helping start for schools because it will provide Pola and many other teachers the opportunity for great free activities and resources to help the clubs strive.
Tony Vincent kept educators #NotAtIISTE2016 by Periscoping the poster sessions with guest co-hosts. I had the opportunity to take part in the coding, maker-space, and STEM Periscope with Tony.
Playgrounds
Walking down the main corridor of ISTE, attendees were presented with tables and screens, and excited educators and exhibitors set up and ready for play. In the playground, you had an opportunity to connect with people passionate about play, and provide hands-on experiences with their products or apps. The opportunity for 1:1 time with knowledgeable educators made this a must-see at ISTE 2016.
The Exhibit Hall
What can one say about one of the largest exhibit hall setups in ed-tech? It is extremely loud, exciting, and overwhelming to say the least. Every company you can imagine, from large to small is represented at this massive conference, and is a great way to learn about up and coming products, as well as visit and say hello to some of your favorites. Wonder Workshop’s booth was booming from the second the showroom floor opened. Members from the team had the amazing opportunity to say hello to some of our biggest fans, and learn about how they are implementing Dash and Dot into their schools. The passion behind the team, to share their knowledge of not only Dash and Dot, but also the importance of computer science in general, was a reason educators came to say hi and stayed for the conversation.
After Parties
ISTE’s day doesn’t just end after the showroom floor closes for the night. Many educators are well-connected and support many different companies and love to continue the conversation. Many companies sponsor events in the evening to allow time for educators to come together, decompress after a long day, and network with fellow educators who have a similar passion in their products.
Wonder Workshop’s party was one of the largest attended parties at ISTE 2016. With a beautiful venue, the Blake Street Vault, just minutes from the conference center, the happy hour was definitely put together with the attendees best interest in mind. Starting at 5:30, which was shortly after the showroom floor closed, attendees were able to make their way to the event to pop in, say hello, have some food and drinks, and listen to an amazing lineup of lightning talks. These 5 minute talks ranged from discussing the importance of professional development within schools, to maker-space culture, to failing forward. The lineup of rockstar speakers was what excited many of the attendees, because it was an opportunity to connect with people they follow on social media, in person.
Overall ISTE 2016 was a huge success. The location was perfect, the educators were passionate about learning, and the conversation has continued to flow on social media as if the event hasn’t ended. Time to start preparing for ISTE 2017, in San Antonio!
