NCAECT 2008
We’ve just returned from the 2008 NCAETC conference, my 4th in four years. Like each of its predecessors, this conference “brought it all home” by supplying plenty of thought provoking questions, sharing best practices, and encouraging attendees to network with each other and with great thinkers from around the globe.
The top of my head is about to blow off! 
Here’s a link to the conference wiki. Presenters continue to add their handouts and presentations, so I encourage you to scroll through the concurrent sessions and look for links. Additionally, I encourage you to visit and revisit the Ustreams from this year’s conference. Continue reading for a few conference highlights!
Keynote Schooling for the 21st Century:Unleashing Student Passion
Sheryl Nussbaum Beach
This session was the first f2f experience I’ve ever had with Susan Nussbaum Beach. Since I’ve followed her tweets for quite some time I had high hopes for this keynote. I wasn’t disappointed. Her presentation offered a nice balance of concrete factual data and thought provoking suggestions. She skillfully pointed out that we are the last generation to have the luxury of deciding whether or not to use technology. Today’s learners don’t have that option. If we are to teach our students to survive in their future, we have to find a way to bring creativity to the forefront of learning. Content is no longer king and as teachers we need to become a learning ecology and move from segmented learning to life-based learning. I found myself both agreeing with Sheryl and trying to wrap my head around the “how-to’s” of her suggestions. One of the reasons I attend this conference is that there is always someone there who challenges me to grow as an educator. This year, it was Sheryl Nussbaum Beach. And while I don’t yet have a plan for how I can implement some of her suggestions, the idea has been firmly planted.
Video Games as Learning Engines
David Warlick
Mmmmm…brain candy! Dare I admit that this is the second time I’ve sat through this session ? In 2007, I sat through each of David’s sessions and by the time we got around to this one, my brain was saturated. When I saw it offered again this year, I felt compelled to sit in again and check my comprehension. He pointed to those who have researched this topic, specifically Glenn Wiebe of ESSDACK and demo’d SCRATCH, a program by MIT that allows kids to do some basic programming - much like the LOGO of days gone by.
David reinforced the notion that today’s learners expect to create, not absorb information. This is their learning landscape and as educators, we need to find a way to connect with this if we are truly going to prepare them for their world. He offered the notion that we don’t necessarily need to game in our classrooms (PHEW! not ready for that!) but we needed to relate content to the gaming that kids do. His suggestions of bringing kids into Second Life to create content that they were currently studying is something I can connect with and implement. Well, if we can ever get SL unblocked in my district.
David has an office in SL and all of his presentations are contained in the file cabinets - available to visitors,too. I visited while he was showing us SCRATCH and grabbed the notes from this session.
OK - my blogging hour is up and I need to get back to my first life. Today is dedicated to everything that needs to get finished before heading out to my next great adventure and there’s quite a list. I’ve got more to post from the conference,though, and hope to add more this evening.
