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Ginger is a national consultant & keynote speaker with ESSDACK, a non-profit education service center based in Hutchinson, Kansas. Her high-energy keynotes inspire educators to think differently about kids and learning. Her workshops help all levels of educators figure out the tough daily work of Project/Problem Based Learning, building staff & student resilience, makerspaces in school, technology integration, and working with gifted & high-ability learners. She’s deeply passionate about helping educators rethink and re-vision what teaching and learning can be in today’s (and tomorrow’s) world.
Patti Duncan is an educator, scientist, technology integration specialist, and professional development trainer who joined the Discovery Education family in 2008. After working for 10 years as a food chemist, Patti made the switch to education. She taught middle school and high school science for twelve years, most recently for the Wallenpaupack Area School District in Hawley PA. During that time, keeping her classroom innovative, engaging and student centered was her focus. Patti has over 20 years experience presenting workshops and institutes on the local, state, and national level at conferences such as New Jersey Science Teachers Association, New Jersey Teachers Association, National Science Teachers Association, Chem-Ed, BCCE, PETE &C, TCEA, ASCD and ISTE. In her role at Discovery Education, Patti has spearheaded many educational, science, NGSS and STEM initiatives including STEM Institutes, STEM-tastic Saturday, Connect the Dots, STEM Summer Camp Curriculum and STEM Professional Development. She also possesses a Master’s Degree in STEM Instruction and Curriculum Design.
Twitter: @yoyosciteach
Google site: https://sites.google.com/site/duncanpatti/home
from her website
Becky Keene’s current role is Director of Content and Professional Learning for insight2execution, a Microsoft Global Training Partner and vendor based in Redmond, Washington. She works as a project manager for content development for worldwide edtech companies as well manages i2e’s professional learning specialists, training engagements, and implementation planning for systemic change with major school systems around the United States.
She focuses her own professional growth on learning new things and expanding her practices by holding a position as Director of Amazing Things with a games-based learning startup, Phygital Labs, and by actively engaging with the educator community for tools she loves, as a Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert, Minecraft Global Mentor, Flipgrid Student Voice Global Ambassador, and champion for OneNote, Wakelet, Peardeck, Genially, Buncee, ScreenBeam, and Novel Effect.
Michele Eaton is the Director of Virtual and Blended Learning for the M.S.D. of Wayne Township in Indianapolis, Indiana and author of the book The Perfect Blend. She focuses on staff and course development for Achieve Virtual Education Academy and provides leadership for the district's online and blended initiatives and programs. Michele is a 2020 ISTE Making IT Happen Award Winner, CoSN CETL and 2016 Next Generation Leader, 2018 EdWeek Leader to Learn From, President of the ISTE Online and Blended Learning Network, Conference Chair for the Indiana Connected Educators organization (an ISTE affiliate), and moderator for the #INeLearn chat. You can follow her on Twitter at @micheeaton and at her website www.perfectblendbook.com.
Guest Speaker Misbah Gedal
Misbah is Head of Partnerships at Wakelet. He's super passionate about tech, curation and education, and loves spending time with the educator community!
misbah@wakelet.com
Guest Speaker Brooke Yoder
Brooke is a Customer Success Manager at Pear Deck, and a former 7th grade literacy teacher. She’s based in Washington, DC, and works from home - but was born and raised in Iowa - near Iowa City! She likes listening to podcasts, reading a good book, finishing the crossword, and is passionate about equity in education.
Jason Latimer is the greatest magician in the world.
He is also a scientist and the creator behind Impossible Science, an academic brand that unites science and magic to inspire wonder in education.
Before the current lockdown, Jason was fully booked by science centers across America where thousands of curious kids were ready to watch in as he used illusions, tricks and inventions to breakdown scientific principles and inspire us all to open our minds to more.
Now with schools closed worldwide, Jason wants to reach those kids, and anyone being home-schooled, through a series of fun-filled experiments, exploring the science in our own homes and using magic to inspire learning.
Jason will perform magic tricks that investigate the how, what and why. These videos will be made available via social media, making learning accessible for everyone.
See some now on YouTube.
"Everything you don’t understand is magic"
Dr. Robert Dillon is an author, speaker, educator, and lifelong learner. His twenty plus years in education has seen him serve kids and families as a teacher, principal, technology director, and innovation leader. His primary focus is working to bring synergy to instructional design, technology infusion, and learning space design. He believes that in this synergy is the educational gold that students need to be successful citizens in a modern world. He works through an equity lens and looks to bring excellence to every classroom. For this work, he has been honored by Common Sense Media, The Center for Green Schools, the dSchool at Stanford University, the Buck Institute for Education, and Future Ready Schools. Dr. Dillon has had the opportunity to work with teachers and leaders throughout the country, and he continues to speak at local, regional, and national conferences. Dr. Dillon is the co-founder of ConnectED Learning, a Saint Louis non-profit dedicated to affordable, quality professional learning for teachers. He is the author of five books. He is supported in his work by his wife and two amazing daughters.
Explore his website
Jeff began his career in the Elementary Classroom in Washington State. In 2001, he was the recipient of a Bill and Melinda Gates Grant, the Technology Leadership Program. This started his journey into the world of connecting students and using the world as his curriculum.
From 2002 – 2012 Jeff taught at International Schools moving from a classroom teacher into technology roles and administrative positions.
He have authored books, worked as a consultant for technology startups, and continues to speak at schools and educational events around the globe. He was invited by the Prince of Bahrain to participate in conversations to reimagine teaching and learning in that country. In 2018, he was invited to the Global Knowledge Summit in Dubai to be part of global conversations about the future of education in the Knowledge Economy.
Today, Jeff makes his home in Seattle, WA having worked with and supported over 20 1:1 deployments both within the US and Internationally. As you can tell, Jeff bring a very global perspective to his trainings and conversations. His passion is working long-term with schools and districts in changing the teaching and learning culture to help prepare students for their future not our past.
To learn more about Jeff Utecht, visit his website.
Guest Speaker: Christine Umayam
Guest Speaker: a teacher from South Africa, Kerry-Ann Van der Merwe
My name is Kerry-Ann van der Merwe and I am a 32 year old Natural Science (Fifth Grade) and Technology (Grades 000 to 7) Teacher. I live and work at a Microsoft Showcase School in Johannesburg, South Africa. I am a self-taught Techie and enjoy exploring different ways to enhance my pedagogical approaches within the classroom. I love the saying "No Man Left Behind" and this is especially true in my classroom. I am always up for a brainstorming session with teachers, or collaborative lessons between my classroom and those "across the pond" or "across the corridor or road".
You can follow my Teaching Adventures with Tech via the following means:
- Instragram: techie_teacher_za
- Twitter: Mrs_K_vdM
An Associate Professor of Educational Leadership at the University of Colorado Denver, Scott McLeod, J.D., Ph.D., is widely recognized as one of the nation’s leading experts on P-12 school technology leadership issues. He is the Founding Director of the UCEA Center for the Advanced Study of Technology Leadership in Education (CASTLE), the only university center in the U.S. dedicated to the technology needs of school administrators, and is the co-creator of the wildly popular video series, Did You Know? (Shift Happens). He also is the co-creator of the 4 Shifts Protocol for lesson/unit redesign and the founder of both the annual Iowa 1:1 Institute and EdCampIowa, one of the largest EdCamp events in the United States. Dr. McLeod has worked with hundreds of schools, districts, universities, and other organizations and has received numerous awards for his technology leadership work, including the 2016 Award for Outstanding Leadership from the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). In 2015 he was one of three finalists to be the next Director of the Iowa Department of Education. In 2011 he was a Visiting Faculty Fellow at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. Dr. McLeod was one of the pivotal figures in Iowa’s grass roots 1:1 computing movement, which has resulted in over 220 school districts providing their students with powerful learning devices. Dr. McLeod blogs regularly about technology leadership issues at Dangerously Irrelevant and is a frequent keynote speaker and workshop facilitator at regional, state, national, and international conferences. He has written or edited 3 books and 170 articles and other publications, and is one of the most visible education professors in the United States.
From his website
Doug Bergman currently works for Udacity.
Doug Bergman is the former Head of Computer Science at Porter-Gaud independent school in Charleston, SC. He has been the head of the CS department for 17+ years and been in CS education for 23+ years. For several years, he worked in industry as a programmer as well as in I.T. While attending and teaching school in the US, Japan, and France, he has traveled extensively across the globe. He is a product of public education K-16 and holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems from Clemson University, M.A. in Education Administration from University of South Carolina, and is completing his Online Masters in Computer Science at Georgia Tech. He has taught in public schools, private schools, and professional schools and has worked with students from ages five to ninety-nine. His largest class was 300 students (I found out it was three hundred, not thirty, in the hallway on the way to class. That was fun.) He has experience developing his own curriculum as well as using existing curriculum developed by others. In addition to being honored with regional, state, national and international recognitions, he has presented at conferences worldwide. He has been an active member of the Microsoft Innovative Expert Educator program since 2011. In 2017, he was selected as a finalist for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. Currently, he serves on of the board of CSTA.
A colleague once said my classes were "structured chaos with a side order of energy." I consider that a compliment
Kristin is an educator, technology integration coach, athletic trainer, wife, and mother living in Williamsburg, VA. In her current role as Coordinator of Instructional Technology and Personalized Learning for Williamsburg-James City County Schools, she is the administrator of their Virtual Learning Program and the Canvas Learning Management System. She also works with the division‘s 1:1 device program and professional learning. Kristin has been recognized as a Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert, a Discovery Education STAR educator, and a Flipgrid Student Voice Ambassador. Follow her on Twitter at @kbarr_edtech.
Mark Sparvell is an award winner educator with over 25 years experience leading improvement for schools, systems, higher-ed and professional associations.
In his current role he partners directly with researchers, education leaders and organizations globally to identify innovative leading and teaching practice, building community and capacity by leveraging digital solutions.
As Associate Director, Professional Learning with Principals Australia Institute, Mark designed and delivered professional learning for education systems across Australia and Asia Pacific. Mark has taught both pre-service and post-graduate studies.
As Education Leader with Microsoft, Mark led the Global Leader audience strategy and developed the global Showcase School program.
In his current role Mark has championed the Thought-Leadership strategy for Education Marketing and led the publication of research into the Class of 2030 , Emotion and Cognition in the Age of AI and the latest, Staff of 2030 and Future ready Teaching.
Mark is the host of the monthly What’s New in Edu Youtube channel, the Teaching Happiness web-series ,regular presenter at Executive Briefings, conferences and international keynotes.
Mark is an expert on the role of technology and social and emotional intelligence in education contexts and leads a lively FB group focused on Social and Emotional Learning http://bit.ly/SELinEdu and is an advisor to MINDUP
Mark is a Salzburg Global Seminar Fellow, a member of the BETT Global Education Council, Steering Committee member for KARANGA (Global Alliance for Social and Emotional Skills and writes for Forbes on their Communication Council.
Jacqueline Russell is the Program Manager for Microsoft MakeCode. Jacqueline has worked at Microsoft since 2005 in various groups focused on technology in education. She is passionate about using technology to enable innovative learning experiences and bring increased creativity to teaching and learning.