Got a Great Tech Idea? Ignite It at ISTE 2013

The folks at ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education) are looking for thirty dynamic speakers to spark creativity in an Ignite session. Those selected will have five minutes to show twenty slides which tell about a great ed tech idea, an exciting new tool, or a personal story about getting students involved in learning.  If you are heading to San Antonio for ISTE, why not submit an Ignite idea? The deadline is May 1.

How Does 5683 Sound to Your Students?

Scholar scribe, Matt Kaplan, writes about animals, insects, and technology. The opening keynote speaker at FETC on January 29, 2012, Kaplan says, “predictive texting alters our perception of numbers.” As we text, our brain acquires information, and the more we text, the more links grow in our brains.  When “dialing a number, we may not be aware that the number triggers our mind to the letters as well. That’s why there are feel good numbers that we can dial up on our cell phones.” When we dial 5683, we may not be aware that this spells “LOVE”, but it makes us feel good. 

Kaplan says that companies use this subtle form of advertising when their telephone number spells the company name or a positive adjective that those calling will relate to the number.  In a German study, when volunteers dialed two numbers, one which spelled something positive and one, something negative, participants said they liked the “positive” one better, even though they didn’t know why. This happened only when they “dialed” the numbers, not when they simply read the numbers.  As we move more and more into tech use in our schools, we should be aware, according to Lawrence Shapiro, University of Wisconsin, that “technology influences psychology.”

Librarians: Speak at Internet@Schools

Library and media specialists are invited to apply to speak at Internet@Schools, Computers in Libraries 2013, April 8-9, at the Hilton in Washington, D.C. The two-day conference will cover information about tools, trends, and practical topics. If you are interested in sharing your ideas with other library and media specialists, please submit your proposal by October 12, 2012.

FETC Virtual Conference

The Florida Educational Technology Conference & Expo has always been known as one of the best in the nation. Maybe, you’ve not been able to travel to Florida to attend one, but you can take part in the 2012 Virtual Conference on Thursday, October 18^th from home or school. Cheryl Lemke, well known for her work in promoting effective uses of technologies in schools, will give the keynote address. There will be an opportunity to attend interactive sessions with leaders in ed tech. At the Conference, you’ll find a virtual networking lounge where you can connect with other educators and educational leaders. There’s a virtual exhibit hall at the conference complete with product and service demonstrations.  You’ll also get free content downloads and presentations to take with you.  Registration is complimentary, but you must RSVP.

Google Education on Air

Educator on Air is a free online edtech conference hosted by Google. Scheduled for May 2, 2012, it will include 46 “Hangouts” featuring professional development. The conference begins at 9:00 a.m. PT, 11 a.m. CT, and noon ET.  Sessions will be streamed live on Google+, which you download free. You can go to the website, decide what you want to learn, and sign up for your sessions. Find out, for example, about Chromebooks for Education, Harnessing the Web, Communicating, Connecting, Sharing, Google Apps, Instructional and Assessment Tools, and Hot Topics in Education.