Ballroom A

Steve Dembo

Virtual Unreality: The Truth Behind the Hype

AR, VR and QR are the hottest #EduBuzzWords right now, but is there any substance behind the pixels? We’ll separate the sizzle from the steak and talk about meaningful ways VR is impacting education. We'll evaluate the claims being made by education VR companies, explore how the technologies are being used in classrooms today, and break down the latest hardware and software available to teachers and students.

10:45 a.m. (Room 16)

Shaelynn Farnsworth

Meeting the Needs of All Learners with Immersive Reader and OER Curricula

Description: OER curricula available in OneNote helps educators meet the needs of all learners. Educators will be amazed by the capabilities of Immersive Reader and it's ease of operability. Text to speech, translation in over 70 languages, built in picture dictionary and much more promote inclusive classrooms and differentiation.

11:15 a.m. (Room 16)

David Stoloff

Teaching Peace Using Educational Technologies: Is the Answer Blowing on the Web?

Levels: All Levels

Suggested for: Classroom Teachers, School Librarians/ Media Specialists, Administrators, Technology Coordinators, Higher Education, community members

How might educational technologies be used to increase world understanding and reduce community tensions? We will explore the uses of simulations to practice conflict resolution, linking students to national and international classrooms, participating in a global conference, and supplementing web-accessible resources to widen perspectives. We will overview cooperative games that promote peace, the role of information technologies in community engagement, and how one might join global communities to support student learning in diverse subjects.

Apps to Preload: None

Room 21

Janet Lawler

K-2 Library Programs Supporting Literacy that Feature Fiction and NF Picture Books

Janet Lawler will read her latest picture book, WINTER CATS (Albert Whitman, 2019), and use it as a jumping off point to discuss ways picture books can support and reinforce key Reading and Language Arts CCSS standards and subject strands across the curriculum.

Amid all the fun of a feline winter carnival, WINTER CATS encourages tolerance of those who seem different.

Room 22

Jason Edwards

Bringing Fear to Life: Grappling with Thorny Issues in a Non-Threatening, Non-Preachy Manner

Award-winning author/'’edutainer'’ Jason Edwards, an educator with over 30 years of experience developing innovative ways to entertain, instruct, and inspire children, will review and discuss one of the latest trends in educational enrichment: the Escape Room Experience! His presentation will review how these programs are bringing adventure and enthusiasm back to the library, and discuss how to harness the power of this innovative activity to engage, empower, and educate children. Participants will learn the benefits of creating escape rooms, and review strategies and tools for producing them. Exemplifying this educational adventure is Jason’s HISTORY MYSTERY Library Adventure. Ideas about how to integrate activities like this into your curriculum and collaborate with other staff members will also be addressed.

Room 23

Author Illustrator Panel

Lee Harper, Jenna Grodzicki, Sandra Horning,

Jake Burt, Leslie Connor, Ismee Williams

Room 24

Sara Levine

Enjoying Science with Children

A hands-on, participatory reading of Bone by Bone: Comparing Animal Skeletons

Room 11

Connecting Through Competition

Chrisie Parker, Christina O'Neill, Stephanie Robinson, Kristyn Mastropietro

Levels: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Suggested for: Classroom Teachers, School Librarians/ Media Specialists, Administrators

Join us to get ideas on how to successfully run your very own school and/or district wide Book Bowl using award nominated titles. Start small in the classroom or go big and compete district wide or beyond. Our Book Bowl experience started with a single school and has grown into a annual district event that is loved by teachers administrators parent and students. From question curation to creating google forms to generating leveled rounds of questions, participants will observe how we facilitate these events from start to finish. Come see what it is all about - tips, tricks and prize ideas!

Apps to Preload: None

Room 17 [Play Area #1]

Understanding Fortnite: Digital Citizenship in a Virtual World

Andrew Cochran

Levels: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, Post -Secondary, Adult

Suggested for: Classroom Teachers, Administrators, Higher Education

Fortnite has taken over the free time of K-12 students. This phenomenon provides an engaging context that students deeply care about in which to discuss ways to positively contribute to and responsibly participate in the digital world (ISTE Standard 3). Fortnite also provides an almost unprecedented learning environment where true novices and experts are able to learn together. A demo and talk aloud about digital citizenship and collaboration will be presented.

Apps to Preload: None

Room 17 [Play Area #2]

CANCELLED

Let's Get Cracking

Diane Walsh

Levels: 11, 12, Post -Secondary

Suggested for: Classroom Teachers, Technology Teachers, Higher Education

Learn how to integrate engineering into a Pre-Calculus Functions Unit. Students analyze force-displacement and stress-strain relationships of candy, foam, and chicken bones, culminating in a soccer shin guard Maker Challenge. See an Arduino-controlled, stepper-motor-driven load cell, microscopic camera, and ImageJ software in action.

Apps to Preload: None

Room 17 [Play Area #3]

Artificial Intelligence Connections and Solutions for the Classroom

Maria Lizano-DiMare & Antoinette Bruciati

Levels: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, Post -Secondary, Adult

Suggested for: Classroom Teachers, School Librarians/ Media Specialists, Technology Teachers, Administrators, Technology Coordinators, Higher Education

Artificial intelligence (AI) can help people perform tasks such as speech or facial recognition. How can AI ideas support teaching and learning? This presentation will establish connections between AI ideas and curriculum content. Discover AI curriculum activities to foster student engagement and learning. An array of technology tools will be recommended for supporting AI skills and machine learning–based teacher assistant tools. AI worksheets and resources for classroom projects will be provided.

Apps to Preload: none

[Play Area #4]

Partner with your Public Library!

Katie Tietjen

Levels: K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Suggested for: School Librarians/ Media Specialists, Administrators

Collaborations between school and public libraries are worthwhile and rewarding. Learn how school library media specialists in two Connecticut districts (RSD 13 and East Hampton) partner with their local public libraries to enhance services, coordinate resources, and-- most importantly-- get kids reading! We’ll share specific ideas, strategies, and programs.

Apps to Preload: None

Room 17 (Play Area # 5)

EverFi

Dan Weidmann

Room 17 (Play Area #6)

CASL Award Winner - Beth Pronovost

21st Century Presentations of 20th Century Musicians

11:15 a.m.

Gary Rubin and Mark Schwartz, Texthelp

Writing Assessment Made Easy

Room 12

Let's Blend, Using Blended Learning Tools & Methods

Cheryl Panzo & Nicole Truhart

Levels: Pre-K, K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

Suggested for: Classroom Teachers, School Librarians/ Media Specialists

Transform your graphic organizers and encourage your students to become knowledge constructors and creative communicators using blended learning tools and methods We will show you how the integration of these tools meet daily objectives, adhere to ISTE standards and personalize the learning experience in a blended environment. Participants will be inspired to create digital artifacts in a hands-on experience, using interactive open-ended tech tools such as Seesaw, Adobe Spark, and Comic Book Maker.

Apps to Preload: Seesaw, Padlet, Adobe Spark, Shadow Puppet, Pic Collage, Popplet, Princess Fairy Tale Maker, Superhero Comic Book Maker, Epic, Doodle

Room 13

What Works in Education:

How to Create a Podcast Series that Highlights the Great Teaching Happening in Your School

Colin Neenan & Tamara Weinberg

Levels: All Levels

Suggested for: School Librarians/ Media Specialists, Technology Teachers, Administrators

Have you ever wanted to shine on a light on the great things happening in your school? What Works in Education invites you to observe and audio record lessons and conduct interviews with teachers and students in order to create 2-4 minute podcasts about what makes these lessons work. Learn (and practice) interview techniques, podcasting tips and how to develop a podcast series that will build connections among teachers and bridges with the community.

Apps to Preload: none

Room 14

Building Peer-to-Peer Bridges using Google Drawings as a Foundation

Tim Cayer & Shannon McNeice

Levels: All Levels

Suggested for: Classroom Teachers, School Librarians/ Media Specialists, Technology Teachers

Participants will create materials that can be used and shared immediately with any audience. Materials created can be easily updated to include the latest digital tools and research resources. Most importantly, the creations will address the differentiation needs of all learners and workshop participants will have FUN and be CREATIVE!

Apps to Preload: Loom --Chrome Extension

[Most will use GSuite for Education accounts.]

Room 15

AI in K12: What Educators Need to Know

Rachel Smith

Levels: All Levels

Suggested for: Classroom Teachers, School Librarians/ Media Specialists, Technology Teachers, Technology Coordinators, Higher Education

Let's talk about Artificial Intelligence. It's already permeated the lives of our students-- from Alexa to chatbots, Netflix to Spotify, and even AI-based tutoring. In this panel discussion, we'll examine Artificial Intelligence in K-12 education, and explore our role as educators in preparing students for not only the future, but the right now.

Apps to Preload: None

Room 25

Why Esports in our High Schools? Engaged Learning with the 4Cs

Clint Kennedy

Levels: 9, 10, 11, 12, Post -Secondary, Adult

Suggested for: Administrators, Technology Coordinators, Higher Education

This interactive session will engage participants to help answer the question “Why esports in our high schools?” More specifically the session will detail the ability for students to construct skills, knowledge, and habits of mind in the regards to the “4 Cs” (critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity) through participation in high school esports - team-based video game competitions.

Apps to Preload: None

Room 26

Avoid Roadblocks By Building More On-Ramps: Forging Connections Throughout Your School Community

Janice Pellegrino

Levels: 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Suggested for: Classroom Teachers, School Librarians/ Media Specialists, Technology Teachers, Administrators, Technology Coordinators

Share exciting collaborations happening now between library media specialists and their school counselors, ELL instructors, SPED teachers, psychologists, subject area teachers, administrators, and parent groups. What successful things have you done that you’d love to share? What collaborations do you struggle with? Which innovative ideas would you like to try? Bring your questions and your best ideas. We’ll build a PLN on the spot and walk away with loads of ideas and connections.

Apps to Preload: None

Room 27

MakerEd and Libraries: Tightening Today's Skills Gap

Irina Tuule

Levels: All Levels

Suggested for: School Librarians/ Media Specialists

Librarians rely on MakerEd tech to bridge the gap between the higher-order, advanced thinking required in the current economy and modern educational budget cuts. By introducing MakerEd tools, librarians have become frontiers of innovation. How can they tie maker learning to today's most important standards and push it into mainstream instruction? We’ll discuss successes and issues we've seen firsthand from supporting librarians in their effort to inspire and foster ingenuity in students and teachers.

Apps to Preload: None

Pre-Function Area [Table #1]

Surviving ISTE Certification

Diane Faiella

Levels: All Levels

Suggested for: This session would be open to any participant as the certification process is open to all.

ISTE certification offer the opportunity for deep professional reflection and improvement of practice. It might seems like an overwhelming process, but I am here to say that you can do it!

Participants will come away with a good idea of what to expect and some encouragement to give it a try. There will also be some work samples to give attendees some idea of expectations.

Apps to Preload: none

Pre-Function Area [Table #2]

Digital Writing Projects for LA, History and STEAM – Integrating the New Literacy

Brett Pierce

Levels: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, Adult

Suggested for: Classroom Teachers, School Librarians/ Media Specialists, Technology Teachers, Administrators, Technology Coordinators

Digital Writing, inside of an educational context, is the collaborative process of creating narratives that use imagery, text, sound and music around core curricula. This hands-on session focuses on providing 1) practical guidance for educators to lead Digital Writing Projects (you don’t need to understand digital production!); and 2) a new understanding of the educational value of students collaborating to develop, create and produce video and audio narratives around core curricular content.

Apps to Preload: None

Traditional Session: 1:15 p.m. in Room 12

Pre-Function Area [Table #3]

Tech Coordinator? Expertise™ the Game... and the Assessment

Michael Young

Levels: All Levels

Suggested for: Classroom Teachers, School Librarians/ Media Specialists, Technology Coordinators

What to play a game? Playful learning can be a valid assessment of 21s century digital collaboration skills. Expertise™ is a game designed to test your ISTE tech coaching skills by balancing the needs of students and administrators, while wisely integrating pedagogy, technology, and contemporary learning theory. Come play with us and see how collaborative games can test your abilities to help teachers leverage the power of technology toward achieving the CCSS.

Apps to Preload: none

Playground Session: 9:15 a.m. at Table #1 in Room 17

Pre-Function Area [Table 4]

CANCELLED

Story Preservation Learning Labs

Mary Kuechenmeister