Immersion in Technology

I am not a native speaker; I do not have a smart phone or personal iPad.  I have entered a world where I barely even know the basics of the language. A few new words fumble from my lips: iPad and app. I learned these words on Thursday when Vicki handed me the bold red iPad that I am borrowing to use at ISTE. Of course learned makes it sound like there is some kind of mastery that I've made just by being handed the device, wide-eyed with confusion would be more honest. I am here at ISTE 2013--attempting to use new tools (the iPad and Surface) and understand the meaning of various technology words. I am mostly listening, observing. So far Evernote and Penultimate seem like they hold promise. I wonder how these become tools that let me interact with students as they plan and prioritize. 

I'm glad that ISTE started off my summer. I got to spend time and get to know some great colleagues, the time on the expo floor was quite valuable ($$$), heard about various web resources and apps: TeachersFirst, Sophia, ShowMe and MarkUp and downloaded my first apps ever.

Barton said...
One thing I learned from Philly in 2011 was "don't get overwhelmed". So I've tried to find one or two things from each session or meeting that I can take away and actually do. First moodle session: inserting pix and videos in course design. Smartboard: using different colors with the same pen (wow). Google: editing spreadsheets. Noodle tools : shortening bib citations. Visits to PBS (accessing old hist videos)', textbook publishers (print editions on the way out). The other thing I learned: the person next to you can answer a lot of dumb questions from me, too! More to learn tomorrow.

June 24, 2013 at 8:59 PM

SAAS has landed!

We boarded the yellow school bus at 11:00 and headed for the airport Friday morning - a bit tired (school just ended and thoughts of PBL topics were adrift in our minds) and eager to find the sunshine of San Antonio!

12 hours later --- touch down: San Antonio!  We survived the hour plus security lines at SeaTac, had a leisurely lunch and boarded the plane to Phoenix --- short stop over ---- on to San Antonio! A few turbulents buffeted our small jet and that hour and 45 minutes really did seem like 3 hours!  Taxi to hotel, check in, drop of bags and a midnight dinner at Mi Terra http://www.mitierracafe.com/  at Market Square (another flash back to our first San Antonio ISTE)

Up and registered....some planning and off to HackEd  http://www.isteunplugged.com/ and assorted workshops! Watch for the blogs and tweets of our new attendees - who are on the search for freebies and trinkets!