The 2019 Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC) will take place in Orlando, Florida, from January 27-30. In this Presenter Q&A Roundtable, a number of conference presenters share their perspectives on some of the compelling education questions of today. Read below to see what they shared, and to find out what sessions each will present at FETC.
What is one interesting use for edtech that many educators may not have yet tried, but should?
From my view as an educator and as a parent, I see a majority of my colleagues still using edtech primarily for skill and drill and parent communication. However, I do not see as many adopting a makerspace mentality. There are numerous ways edtech can be integrated with STEAM in order to meet cross-curricular objectives, including social-emotional learning, ELA, and Social Studies. When we empower students to create with digital tools, we give them a voice. Read more.
Featured FETC Speakers:
Tamara Fyke
Profile
Tamara Fyke is an educator and creative entrepreneur with a passion for kids, families, and urban communities. She is the creator, author, and brand manager for Love In A Big World, which equips K-8 educators with a social-emotional learning (SEL) curriculum that is both research-based and practical, and also provides the supporting resources necessary to empower students to be socially competent, emotionally healthy problem-solvers who discover and maintain a sense of purpose and make a positive difference in the world. Tamara is editor of Building People: Social & Emotional Learning for Kids, Schools & Communities, a book that brings 12 wide-ranging perspectives on SEL to educators, parents, and leaders.
Sessions
- C115 | Insights for Supporting SEL With EdTech
Lori Jackson
Profile
Lori Jackson is an educational psychologist who has been working with students and their families for more than 15 years. She is co-founder of The Connections Model, an SEL and education technology company whose KidConnect app helps students develop emotional regulation, the necessary foundation for all learning. Lori believes that all children have the capacity to succeed in school and the right to a quality education. She has seen the transformation that is possible when students and educators are given the right tools to overcome their social emotional disabilities and she is passionate about helping more educators experience these breakthroughs. Lori holds a B.S. in International Business, Marketing and Finance, an M.S. in Applied Education
Sessions
- C115 | Insights for Supporting SEL With EdTech
Monica Burns
Profile
Dr. Monica Burns is a curriculum and educational technology consultant, Apple Distinguished Educator and founder of ClassTechTips.com. As a classroom teacher, Monica used one-to-one technology to create engaging, standards-based lessons for students. Monica has presented to teachers, administrators and tech enthusiasts at numerous national and international conferences including SXSWedu, ISTE, and EduTECH. She is a webinar host for SimpleK12 and a regular contributor to Edutopia. Monica is the author of Tasks Before Apps: Designing Rigorous Learning in a Tech-Rich Classroom (ASCD), #FormativeTech: Meaningful, Sustainable, and Scannable Formative Assessment with Technology (Corwin), Deeper Learning with QR Codes and Augmented Reality (Corwin), and co-author of Taming the Wild Text (Shell).
Sessions
- TOEDU | Future of Ed Tech Educator Track Orientation
- $W293 | School Branding and Storytelling With Adobe Spark for Education
- C032 | 22 Strategies for Taming the Wild Text for Digital Readers
- C102 | A Flash of Inspiration for Sparking Creativity in the Classroom
- C172 | Using Critical Inquiry, Dialogue, & Collaborative Technologies to Examine Empathy
- C222 | Ready-for-Tomorrow Tips to Place Tasks Before Apps
- C248 | Make It Count! 15 Formative Assessment Favorites for K-12 Classrooms
- C337 | Appropriate Limits on EdTech: Drawing Boundaries in a 1:1 World
- Meet the Author
Christopher Bugaj
Profile
Christopher R. Bugaj is a founding member the Assistive Technology Team for Loudoun County Public Schools. Chris is the co-author of The Practical (and Fun) Guide to Assistive Technology in Public Schools published by the International Society on Technology in Education. Chris hosts The A.T.TIPSCAST (http://attipscast.com); a multi-award winning podcast featuring strategies to design educational experiences. Chris is the author of ATEval2Go (http://bit.ly/ateval2go), an app for iPad that helps professionals perform technology assessments. Chris has presented over 250 sessions at local, regional, state, national and international events, including TEDx, each listed at http://bit.ly/bugajpresentations. His latest book The New Assistive Tech: Making Learning Awesome For All (http://bit.ly/thenewat4all), also published by ISTE, is available for order now!
Sessions
- C127 | Escape the Room With Inclusive Strategies
- $W132 | 25 Ways to Improve Your Inclusive Practices
- Meet the Author
Mia Laudato
Profile
Mia Laudato received her MSEd in Exceptional Student Education specializing in Learning Disabilities and Emotional Behavioral Disorders from the University of Miami. She continued her learning at the University of Central Florida and the University of Florida receiving an Autism Endorsement and Pre-K ESE certificate. She has taught students from Pre-K through college in inclusive and separate classroom settings. Her love of teaching students with ASD and passion for using assistive technologies to create successful learners, contributed to her being recognized by Orange County as a district top five finalist for Teacher of the Year 2016. At FLDRS Action she provides professional development on instructional and assistive technology for teachers in 5 Florida Districts.
Sessions
- $W269 | Got Behavior? Got Grades? Got Data? Get Forms!
Sonny Magana
Profile
Dr. Sonny Magana is an award-winning educator, best-selling author, and pioneering educational technology researcher. Sonny is a highly sought-after leadership consultant and instructional coach with more than thirty years’ experience helping educational systems around the world realize the power of transcendent learning. The author of numerous research studies and articles, Sonny’s newest book, “Disruptive Classroom Technologies: A Framework for Innovation in Education,” was published to international acclaim. Sonny founded and served as Principal of Washington State’s first CyberSchool in 1996, a groundbreaking blended learning program that continues to meet the needs of at-risk students in Washington. He is a recipient of the prestigious Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award and the Governor’s Commendation for Education.
Sessions
- C254 | Disrupting Low-Impact Technology Use With the T3 Framework for Innovation
- C004 | Using EdTech to Support Innovation: Unleashing Students’ Entrepreneurial Mindsets
- C152 | Delivering PD That Supports Effective Tech Use and Instruction
- BTES5 | What Does Tech-Savvy Educational Leadership Look Like?
- BTES4 | Making the Right Decisions Around Data System and Technology Tools
- Meet the Author
Robin Williams
Profile
Robin currently works as a Professional Developer with FDLRS and has developed a variety of trainings focused on Applied Behavior Analysis for teachers, parents and staff who support children with disabilities. Robin earned her B.S. in Psychology at UCF and her M.S. in Exceptional Education at FSU. She began her career as a Mental Health Specialist for Leon County Public Schools, where she provided technical assistance and coaching to all preschool educators. Robin taught with Orange County Public Schools as a Pre-K Varying Exceptionalities teacher and continued to work as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). She has 18+ years of experience working with children and adults with severe developmental disabilities.
Sessions
- $W269 | Got Behavior? Got Grades? Got Data? Get Forms!
Nancy Conrad
Profile
Nancy Conrad created the Conrad Foundation in 2008 to energize and engage students in science and technology through unique entrepreneurial opportunities. The organization’s flagship program, the Conrad Spirit of Innovation Challenge, is a global competition challenging students to combine education, innovation and entrepreneurship to create products that address real-world challenges and global sustainability. By enabling young minds to connect education, innovation and entrepreneurship, the Foundation helps provide a bold platform for enriching the innovative workforce of the future. As a leader in transformative education, she has testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space and Technology detailing how the Conrad Foundation exemplifies the use of partnership and mentorship to improve STEM education.
Sessions
- C004 | Using EdTech to Support Innovation: Unleashing Students’ Entrepreneurial Mindsets
- C078 | Supporting and Evaluating Skill Development in the Digital World
Evin Schwartz
Profile
Evin is a startup exec with 10+ years experience overseeing business development, marketing and operations with marketplace focused companies. He has extensive experience working with the Gen-Y and Gen-Z demographic, and has looked to connect these audiences with business strategies focused on social impact. He believes a simple connection can make a tremendous difference in understanding and accepting other cultures around the world.
Sessions
- C041 | Realizing Technology’s Promise to Enhance Global Engagement and Equitable Access
