ISTE13 Day 2

Today I had the biggest learning moment in a session by Texas librarian Carolyn Foote. Her school in the Austin area started a small iPad 1:1 program two years ago with 1:1 iPad implementation in 8-12 grade levels this past year. Their school board just voted to implement 1:1 iPads from K-12 in the near future.

Carolyn gave a list of great apps and discussed some big questions for implementation and how they solved some of these problems in her school. The most powerful thing for me in this session was the SAMR Model for Integration and the discussion of using technology to transform learning.

I work with districts who are buying iPads in different size roll outs. They come to me for app ideas. Many of them want apps that are blingy and fancy, but many of those apps would fall into the enhancement part of the integration model. I feel challenged now to guide my teachers to find ways to move their activities into the transformative area of the model. We have to look at technology as tools to change learning not just as substitutions for print options.

Plus, I got a free Microsoft Surface as part of the Microsoft in the Classroom Project. Score!!!