I admit that I was more than a little skeptical at the outset. It seemed to me that Apple expected an awful lot in a short amount of time. The jury is still out concerning the amount of material that actually gets produced between now and our final deadline of September 30, but the groups have developed great topics and have already provided some five-star assets.
I listened to five minute presentations for three hours. Our group on Assessment was second to last which allowed me to look for themes which emerged from the work of the 180 ADEs assembled at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Here are the ones that hit my radar:
*Student centered media helps students find their voices.
*Access to technology empower students.
*Student-centered technology promotes engagement.
*Technology facilitates collaboration, a value that is being promoted at every level and in most disciplines.
*Smart phone cameras and epub allow for new, incredible forms of creative expression.
*Technologies like the iPad are changing the instructional experience of students K-20 of all abilities. The effects are especially profound in special ed.
*Anytime/anywhere learning as a model is showing up in more and more places-- even in terms of administrators offering real time feedback to the teachers they observe.
*Fundamental change is happening whether folks want it to or not. The naysayers can no more stop this change than stop the wind from gusting.
As with each Institute I have attended, I left feeling pumped up and determined to bring this spirit back to my school.
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