#beyondlaptops Conference TakeAways

I was fortunate to be able to attend the #beyondlaptop conference at Yokohoma International School in Yokohoma Japan on April 19-20. Here are some of my takeaways, thoughts and learnings.

• I liked the format of the conference. The activities were organized to provide thinking and sharing and led to some great conversations. I believe  this format could be modified to do within our school. There, the conversations could lead to action.
• Making a collaborative video. Archives the event with everyones contribution. Would make those who participate feel that their thoughts matter. Easy to do during an event, if you have someone to man the camera (maybe students?)
• It was great to have students involved in our conversations and they were such great kids - I felt like I knew them....
• Adaptive learning software - I was impressed at what I saw and would like to be able to see this in action. Listening to this made me think about SRA math I did back in 6th grade - which I don't feel positive about. I know there was a lot of apprehension in the group but I think that this could be a way to supplement a curriculum or to let students who this fits to do on their own ( move them to a greater goal) I don't think the thought is to replace the teacher but could free up the teacher to be able to work on creating great projects and developing relationships with students. Not spend so much time on assessment of the lower level skills and more on the higher order thinking skills. If you want project based learning we all need some knowledge to be successful in the project. Why couldn't students get this knowledge from adaptive type software. I would like to know how much students retain from doing this. It seems to be more rote memory and no application. Not much different from what is happening now. Not transformational. 
• Collaboration presentation of lessons learned - Reassuring to hear transformative things from school who have had a programs in place for more than 5 years. 
• Student involvement in our discussions was essential. I so wish students had more of a voice in our school - be their own advocates for learning. I know it is easier to just do what we say and not think but that is because we fill there time with very structured learning.
• Speaking of schedules - this is what I think #beyondlaptops is all about. I believe we need to fit learning into the schedule and not schedule the learning.
• This conference left me anxious to get started and to start changing things at my school.
• What is next???