The Learners Edge team is back from the International Society of Technology in Education (ISTE) conference in The Big Easy with so many great insights to share! The annual gathering of tech-minded educators and companies offering tech-related products was inspirational and action-packed! Take a glimpse into our ISTE adventures by checking out our Instagram highlights. 

Below we have curated some of our favorite takeaways from this annual technology conference. Explore to find some new tools and innovative ideas to help you amp up your technology integration next school year!

Practice!

One of my favorite moments at ISTE was learning about Google’s new AI-enabled Practice Sets. This super slick feature allows teachers to create short formative or summative assessments and assign them in Google Classroom. Students complete the questions using hints and support resources provided by Google’s artificial intelligence technology. The most exciting feature of this tool is the analytics. Teachers can view individual student scores and whole class trends to help guide their next instructional steps. Learn more about who can access Practice Sets and watch the embedded video walkthrough below:

Create!

One of the overarching themes that I observed while attending sessions, viewing project posters and playing in the hands-on playgrounds was creativity! Digital tools are the perfect vehicle for incorporating more creativity, getting students to design ways to demonstrate new learning. Below are some new and exciting tools available for students to show their creative expression:

• Brush Ninja: A free, online hand-drawn animation tool great for beginners that allows for simple digital animation on any computer.
• Piskel: Also a free, online animation tool that allows for simple digital animation with an old-school, 8-bit aesthetic.
• Adobe Creative Cloud Express: Create and edit images, graphics, video, or webpages with this free digital tool. Students can add copyright-free images and music as well as narration. It works on any computer, pairs with Google Classroom, and can be saved to the cloud. 
• Green Screen by Do Ink (for iPads) and Chromavid (for Apple and Android): Both apps are budget- and user-friendly, allowing students to record and edit video. These immersive green screen experiences are great for connecting any content area with essential digital skills for the future.
  

Virtual Field Trips 2.0

Go beyond the static, video-based virtual field trip and add some live interactivity! There are many great resources and organizations you can partner with to connect your classroom with subject matter experts around the globe. Whether you explore a national park, examine real museum artifacts, or interact with a well known author, these live events can broaden your learners’ horizons and enrich your curriculum with just a few clicks. Visit the sites below to find an event that meets your needs:

Personalized PD

Get a sneak peek at our ISTE poster session, Choose Your Own EdTech Adventure! We shared a unique approach to PD that enables educators to select a digital tool they’ve always wanted to try or learn more about. Our newest course 5301: Choose Your Own EdTech Adventure, combines gamification, choice and fun, all while learning to master a new tool, and level up your tech integration. Bonus: You can earn graduate credit at the same time! Whether you’ve been inspired by the edtech from ISTE or have a tool you’ve always wanted to try, our course provides the perfect opportunity to get started on your journey to better tech integration.

Featured Course:

Choose Your Own EdTech Adventure

Course 5301 | 3-Credits | Gr. K-8