If you’re teaching in public schools currently, and you’re not hip to new technologies (or recently “old” technologies) available to educators, you may have missed your calling. In Greenville, SC, the Technology department of Greenville County Schools hosts the annual “Upstate Technology Conference,” marketed to educators and school administrators. This year, the conference was held at the newly constructed J.L. Mann High School just south of I-85 in Greenville. Educators and Administrators from as far away as Charleston, SC attended the event to brush up on tech-related educational approaches to teaching.
Keynote speakers Ewan McIntosh and David Jakes drew in the big crowds as they spoke on the new emerging technologies and the “Global one-room school house”, but participants also explored a variety of additional sessions. Personally, I thouroughly enjoyed Kevin Merritt’s preconference session on Geocaching. I know, geocaching has been around for a few years, but have you ever actually participated in a geocache hunt? I’m telling you this straight up….students are going to LOVE geocaching. And, it is SO simple for teachers to incorporate into lesson plans.
Other sessions such as School News programs, blogging / vlogging, various levels of shooting and editing video, photostory, digital storytelling, Promethean Board, iPods / MP3 players, and technologies for students with disabilities were offered.
My thoughts on the UTC…well, you should have been there if you weren’t. I believe that more teachers, especially here in the upstate, should be cutting-edge when it comes to technology as a tool in the classroom. Don’t get me wrong…we have some talented and hard-working teachers who go above and beyond when it comes to integrating the use of technology as instructional tools in their classrooms. But we need MORE teachers who are willing to venture into this highly-motivational new age of instruction and learning.
I also presented, and was glad to do so. I was pleasantly surprised to find that some former colleages of mine showed up and were willing to expand their techno-comfort zones. My BASIC video sessions weren’t filled to capacity, but I was so excited to see folks with ZERO knowledge of video editing / video photography getting the basics, and eager to do so. Yippee. Again, if you missed it, you should have been there. You’ll get a chance next year. Until then…try something new. Try something fun. Try something techy!
Posted by rodstorm007 