My head is spinning. My first 36 hours at the ISTE 2011 conference have left me intellectually exhausted. And my feet hurt. I need to tell you that the Philadelphia Convention Center is BIG. Really. So what have I learned that I can share with you? Well, let’s frame it in this context: What are my “takeaways” after one full day at the largest educational technology conference in the world? Here’s a random and partial list:
1) The conference keynote speaker was Dr. John Medina, author of the New York Times Bestseller, Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School. Dr. Medina, a molecular biologist at the University of Washington School of Medicine revealed that every person’s brain responds to the environment in its own unpredictable and unique fashion. If there is one generalization that can be made about the human brain, it’s that "it is designed to solve problems related to survival in unstable meteorological settings while in constant motion". According to Dr. Medina, the best way to learn is in a setting that is characterized by “aerobic exercise punctuated by islands of learning”. In other words, the classrooms in which we place our children, and the offices in which we find ourselves are incompatible with our biology. The implications are that when it comes to learning, there is no one-size-fits all. Brain research is the proof text.
2) Learning is quickly leaving the realm of the traditional classroom, and is entering an augmented, virtual reality. Mobile technology, such as QR codes, smart phones, and iPads, will soon be mainstream tools in the classroom. We’re talking within a matter of a few years, according to the Horizon Report: 2011 edition, an authoritative annual publication focusing on the future of education.
3) On another note, it seems that Google is striving to become the proprietor of all human knowledge. I couldn’t believe how many applications can be found with the name Google associated with it: Plan your next vacation with Google City Tours; explore the human body with Google Body; investigate the science behind a bottle stopper at Google Patents; read the front page of your favorite magazine or news paper at Google Fast Flip.
I could go on. I won’t because there is so much more. I think the main thing I’ve taken away so far is that many of the assumptions that we have held about the nature of knowledge, learning and teaching are being revisited and rendered, in some cases, irrelevant. It’s almost like we need to start over and rebuild what we think we know when it comes to teaching our kids. Knowledge no longer resides only in books or in the minds of great teachers. We can find it anywhere, and anytime we want.
What is great is that when it comes to the future of Jewish education, I’m going to be an optimist. There are many Jewish educators here. Some are associated with Dayschools, others with what’s called part-time or complimentary Jewish education: congregational schools, after-school programs and informal education. We are all here to learn, with our general and secular education colleagues, how to build a better future for all of our students. It is an exciting time. There is hope for a Jewish future.
Oh, and there is one more thing I’ve taken away. Hand luggage isn’t always hand luggage. Don’t plan on a quick getaway from the airport by meticulously packing all of your belongings in a small carry-on. The flights attendants may decide that there is no room for your small bag. Then Murphy’s Law will come into play: Your hand luggage will be the last piece to arrive.
Maybe some things will never change.
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