9:30am-9:55am STEM Made Simple® Districts throughout New Jersey have invested in Makerspaces and/or STEM programs without a clear alignment to curriculum. In addition, many companies have published catalogs with a myriad of products under a “STEM” category without proven track records of success. In this session, learn about STEM Made Simple®, a practical approach to STEM education and planning that is designed to align with curriculum and support student-centered, problem solving activities. Presented by an educator with nearly 15 years of science and STEM teaching experience.
10:05am-10:30am A District’s Guide to Digital Citizenship
Districts nationwide list Digital Citizenship as one of their top three areas of concern to safeguard students. Media literacy, cyberbullying, safeguarding digital footprints and online privacy are just some of the critical elements school communities must address to raise good digital citizens. During this presentation, participants will learn how to begin building and cultivating a culture of Digital Citizenship through a whole community-based approach. 25 minutes
10:40am-11:05am ISTE Certified Educator Program
STE, the International Society for Technology in Education, based in the U.S., is the most highly regarded educational technology organization in the world. ISTE inspires educators worldwide to use technology to innovate teaching and learning, accelerate good practice and solve tough problems in education by providing community, knowledge and the ISTE Standards, a framework for rethinking education and empowering learners. This past May, ISTE announced its Certification for Educators; a new competency-based, vendor- and device-neutral teacher certification based on the ISTE Standards for Educators. This digital credential recognizes educators who understand how to use edtech for learning in meaningful and transformative ways. In this session, learn about the certification program and its benefit for your district’s educators.
11:15am-11:35am Why Teach ALL Kids to Code?
Coding has been called the “language of innovation” and suggested as being more important than learning a second language for students. At the same time, the benefits of computational thinking beginning as early as PreK has been proven to help promote critical thinking and problem solving. States, such as Rhode Island have made Computer Science Standards part of every district. How though do we make coding a practical part of the curriculum for the everyday teacher? Where do Coding and STEM intersect and support learning across core subject areas? In this session, join an experienced educator who combined integrated Coding and STEM into her classroom for 10+ years.
11:45pm-12:10pm Leading Digital Transformation
Future Ready? ISTE Certified? SAMR? TPACK? Roadmap21.org? COSN Matrix? These are just some of the guidelines and standards mentioned daily to support digital transformation, which used to be called “technology planning.” Where do we start? How do we build sustainable goals? These are the overriding questions that will begin to be answered in this engaging, informative and interactive presentation. Join an expert who has worked with several districts across the country (and now China) on how to develop a practical plan for digital transformation.
1:10pm – 1:35pm Minecraft for Education
Minecraft is much more than a game; Minecraft: Education Edition offers special features for educators such as easy tutorials, classroom management tools, secure sign-in, classroom collaboration and tons of sample lessons, plus a global network of mentors and tech support. Minecraft tools can now be integrated into STEM programs, across the curriculum and into Chemistry classes. Learn about the valuable classroom integration ideas from an experienced educator.
1:45pm – 2:10pm ISTE Certified Educator Program
ISTE, the International Society for Technology in Education, based in the U.S., is the most highly regarded educational technology organization in the world. ISTE inspires educators worldwide to use technology to innovate teaching and learning, accelerate good practice and solve tough problems in education by providing community, knowledge and the ISTE Standards, a framework for rethinking education and empowering learners. This past May, ISTE announced its Certification for Educators; a new competency-based, vendor- and device-neutral teacher certification based on the ISTE Standards for Educators. This digital credential recognizes educators who understand how to use edtech for learning in meaningful and transformative ways. In this session, learn about the certification program and its benefit for your district’s educators.
2:20pm – 2:45pm Affordable and Practical STEM Solutions with micro:bit
The Micro:bit Educational Foundation is a non-profit organization whose vision is to inspire every child to create their best digital future. micro:bit is a tiny programmable computer, designed to make learning and teaching easy and fun! Over 1 million micro:bits have been distributed to students in England, which has accelerated their ability to integrate coding into everyday subject areas. In the U.S., hundreds of districts have started to invest in making micro:bit a central part of their STEM programs. In this session, learn why micro:bit should be an integral part of your district’s STEM program and Makerspaces.
3:00pm – 3:25pm Accessibility with Microsoft Learn about the accessibility tools and features built into Windows 10 and Office 365, as well as different types of assistive technology products designed for individuals with disabilities and/or with social emotional learning challenges. Microsoft accessibility tools are native to Windows 10 and Office 365, therefore included in current licensing fees.
