If there is one thing that could be said of what I do professionally it might be that I do get around to many education conferences. This past month I attended two International conferences ISTE14, BLC14 and one Indiana regional conference, the Greater Clark County Schools Conference in Indiana. All of these conferences were outstanding in their offerings to educators. I usually comment on the structure and quality of the conferences, but today I think I need to address the educators who attend these conferences based on some recent observations. What set me to thinking about this post were two separate comments from very different educators.
A short time after attending ISTE14, I flew to Boston for Alan Novmber’s BLC14 conference. It was there that I saw a keynote by Michael Fullan, a Canadian education researcher and former Dean of the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. From that speech my main take-away was that in education today Pedagogy is the foundation and technology is the accelerator. For me that was a statement that was clear, concise, and right on the money.
After a one-day layover at my home, I was off to the GCCC14. It was the 2nd annual conference created and directed by Brett Clark of the Greater Clark County Schools. I landed in Louisville Kentucky, which is just over the river from my Indiana destination. A GCC educator, JT who was transporting me to my hotel, picked me up. I met JT when he performed the same task last year. He is quite an affable fellow and easy to talk with. On our ride we talked about this year’s conference compared to the last. JT shared a conversation he had with a colleague about the conference. His friend asked if JT was going to be at the “day-long computer training”. Obviously, some Indiana educators did not view the Michael Fullan keynote on livestream. Unfortunately, it is an attitude or a mindset that is shared by more educators than just those in Indiana. Many conferences are viewed as computer training and not education methodology or pedagogy.
It is the way of learning that should be the focus of education conferences and the goal for the attendees. The technology should always be secondary. We should first explore the place collaboration has in learning before we talk about the tools we need to collaborate. We should explore the need and benefits of communication and understand where and how it benefits students in their everyday lives before we explore the modern tools that enable and enhance communication. We need to understand the differences and the effects between lecture, direct instruction and authentic learning before commit to developing a year’s curriculum. Understanding the need for formative assessment is essential to determining what tools we will use to assess formatively, as well as what adjustments we need to make when we get that information. Let us get a full understanding of summative assessment to determine whether to use tools for testing, or tools for digital portfolio assessments.
Conferences should be more about the learning first and then balanced out with the tools to make it all happen efficiently and effectively. These conferences are not about computer training, but about learning and education.
As Chris Lehmann said at the GCCC14 conference, we don’t teach math, English, or social studies, we teach kids. Conferences should not be viewed as computer training, but rather teacher training. They teach teachers the ways of education and all of the necessary, modern tools to enhance authentic learning to attain the teachers’ intended goals. Connecting with the educators from each conference is an additional way of continuing the education discussion beyond the conference. It helps create collegial sources to be called upon at anytime for clarification, validation, new ideas, sources, or just to say hello. It makes no sense whatsoever to meet great people with great ideas at a conference and never to connect with them again.
Educators should come to conferences eager to learn about their evolving profession. It is not a stagnant profession. There are constant changes and developments that happen at a pace never before experienced in education. We need these conferences to offer a balance of pedagogy, methodology and tools for educators to learn, understand, develop, and evolve. We also need educators to connect in order to live the change and not just experience it at an annual conference. If we are to better educate our kids, we need to better educate their educators.
So glad you have the opportunity to synthesize and share so many experiences, Tom. I appreciate your share and view points
I love the quote Chris Lehmann! I’d add that educators cannot teach unless the kids are seeking to learn; and even then, we educators need to make sure they are more facilitating learning than teaching!!! That is so critical since lifelong learning is NOT an option; in many ( most?) ways, “learning how to learn effectively” is an educator’s most critical task!!!
As an emeritus faculty member that’s older than dirt, I unfortunately don’t get to conferences very often; if I did, frankly I’d concentrate on edcamps I think…
[…] After a one-day layover at my home, I was off to the GCCC14. It was the 2nd annual conference created and directed by Brett Clark of the Greater Clark County Schools. I landed in Louisville Kentucky, which is just over the river from my Indiana destination. A GCC educator, JT who was transporting me to my hotel, picked me up. I met JT when he performed the same task last year. He is quite an affable fellow and easy to talk with. On our ride we talked about this year’s conference compared to the last. JT shared a conversation he had with a colleague about the conference. His friend asked if JT was going to be at the “day-long computer Read the full article […]
It has been my observation that due to not being “connected”, many of my fellow teachers do not realize the wealth of knowledge on learning and education. They quickly dismiss twitter as not something which will assist them in their growth. Many have not realized that it isn’t enough anymore to rely on traditional methods to obtain professional development. And, to be quite honest, I’ve sat through many which do not address my needs as an educator. I can’t believe that they don’t have the same feelings. Being connected has changed that for me, but I know that I need to be a leader to help my colleagues to do the same.
[…] If there is one thing that could be said of what I do professionally it might be that I do get around to many education conferences. This past month I attended two International conferences ISTE14, BLC14 and one Indiana regional conference, the Greater Clark County Schools Conference in Indiana. All of these conferences were outstanding in their offerings to educators. I usually comment on the structure and quality of the conferences, but today I think I need to address the educators who attend these conferences based on some recent observations. What set me to thinking about this post were two separate comments from very different educators…Read More…. […]
[…] If there is one thing that could be said of what I do professionally it might be that I do get around to many education conferences. […]
[…] If there is one thing that could be said of what I do professionally it might be that I do get around to many education conferences. […]
Tom –
This is the very reason I have been trying to get you to come to integratED Portland for years.
The foundation was laid long ago in Portland for this very type of educator/administrator event. The fact is we are not an expo so we don’t get the attention.
If what you say in this post is really what you are looking for “pedagogy 1st, technology as the accelerator” then come join us. Hand picked facilitators, active learning with educators that are passionate about teaching and learning so their students can receive a relevant educational experience for their time.
Darren Hudgins
events.oetc.org
Thank you for the entry. You have a very sober, insightful blog. Concerning my own professional life as a high school teacher, I am more afraid of the developments in education than excited about them. When I go to conferences, I see so many promising things, but then I return back to the very undesired reality of my school (and I know other teachers in NJ who say the same). I wish the general public would go to these conferences and get a little more interested/invested in education.