Over two packed full days I attended ‘ClassTECH Conference’ at Australian Technology Park, Sydney, which was a practical conference designed for educators who want to integrate technology into their classrooms or in my case into my library programs. Schools are adapting and using huge amounts of technology…..with more everyday on its way. Including coding, robotics, 3D printing, augmented reality, gaming and wearable technologies.
Sue Waters (TheEdublogger.com) introduced Richard Byrne, author and creator of Free Technology for Teachers, who spoke about leading our students in a hyperconnected world and how to lead them to become conscientious consumers and producers of information.
Freetech4teachers – Richard Byrne
In our library we have many board games and online games so it was exciting to hear Michael Beilharz talk about how games enhance creativity, innovation and engagement with the curriculum. He spoke enthusiastically how he used Minecraft within his school, Knox Grammar School.
Simon Crook(Founder of CrookED Science and former Senior eLearning Adviser, Catholic Education Office Sydney) examined the many ways mobile devices and apps can be used in the classroom to benefit teaching and learning.
One of the highlights was meeting and listening to Matt Richards from St. Columba Anglican School Port Macquarie talk about his ‘Makerspace’.
Two sessions which I thoroughly enjoyed were both speakers from America, the first was Ian Jukes who was so passionate about how today’s youth process information and communicate in fundamentally different ways than any other generation.
Understanding Digital Children
http://www.apbspeakers.com/speaker/ian-jukes
The other was Gary Stager, author of ‘Invent to Learn’. Gary spoke convincingly about how constructionism and the maker revolution should be integrated into a learning environment to make each school day the best seven hours of a kid’s life!
A collage of some of the wonderful moments ……
