FETC is the biggest tech conference in Florida. Be sure to click on the gallery tab:
http://fetc.org/index.html
This link shows the presentations from 2016. Note that each session has a pdf or power point from the session:
If you are so lucky, (and I have never been so lucky), you could go to the ISTE national conference. I hear its amazing. Check it out.
https://conference.iste.org/2016/
Palm Beach County, my home, is a big county. We are lucky enough to have a great district-wide technology conference that is surprisingly sophisticated. It is usually held on a teacher work day so many teachers opt to stay on campus. If your county hosts a technology conference, I urge you to go! You will learn so many practical tips. And again... its fun! I started presenting at my local tech conference my 2nd or 3rd year in the classroom. This is a great way to formalize your thoughts, to refine your speaking and Power Point skills, and to build your resume.
So what makes DigiTech different? Instead of sessions and vendors, the hall is all students who are displaying (excitedly) their inventions and innovations. For example, one pair of students made an app to be launched Jan 2017 which I anxiously await. It's sort of like Uber but for tourism. If you have traveled much, you know that knowing a local makes the experience so much better, steering you away from the tourist traps and leading you to the best restaurants, events, stores, and "fun stuff." With this app, you are matched with locals who will show you around, for a very low price. Cool, huh?!?!
Here are some pictures from DigiTech
Remote-control plane that takes off vertically and the flies like a typical plane.
Combining Occulus Rift with Leap technology, you use the controller to move your character around through the scene (an Asian village), and can see your hands in front of you, with which you can touch, move, and pick up things in your environment.
I don't know the name of this tech, (its a demo, not a student project). The swiveling base allows the ipad to capture high quality audio and video as you move around the room. Think: videoing your lessons as you talk to various students. COE uses this during teacher training so maybe you will get to check it out.
Maybe called a lightscribe? Pen that records audio and any writing on the special paper into a collapsed video file so that you can hear group discussions AS the students are brainstorming on the paper.
I am very interested in the Lightscribe pen. I have problems writing down everything the teacher says, as well as side notes I want to add. With this it would be easier to both!
ReplyDeleteI went to Digitech as well! I didn't see the last technology you have a pic of, and I'm disappointed because that one sounds really amazing! I LOVED the Commu app! I cant wait for that one to come out either. Did you see the art student who had the amazing laser cut wood art? The pieces were breathtaking and I love to see the new ways people combine art and technology. Also, did you happen to stop by the table with the team who developed the Dreamcatcher app? It was such a cool concept, and I found out that they actually designed that at a 16hr (I believe) "Hackathon" at UCF. I found that so impressive!
ReplyDeleteThe "lightscribe" sounds super interesting! I would love to try that out one day. I think it would really help students who cant remember what their professor just said in a large lecture hall. What was the most interesting part of DigiTech?
ReplyDeleteAll of these electronics seem very interesting! I would really like to learn more about all of these how they work in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteI did not realize that Digitech was all students! How do you get to "show" your technology? Is it a lengthy application process? Or can anyone enter? I think this is extremely cool. I would love to have the lightscribe because I have trouble keeping up with instruction.
ReplyDeleteThe plane may not have too much educational value, but it is pretty cool. The lightscribe is something I could see being applied to students with disabilities.
ReplyDeleteI wish I had time to go to Digitech, but alas it did not fit into my schedule. I really like the "Light Scribe Pen". I think that would be a great tool in the classroom. Did you have a favorite tool? I didn't realize it was going to be run by all students. That is very impressive.
ReplyDelete