News from TechTerra
June 2017
TECHTERRA LEADS MEGASHARE AT ISTE 2017
By: Susan Wells, Founder
At the end of this month, 16,000 attendees are expected in San Antonio at the ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education) conference. ISTE is one of the world’s biggest edtech events and one of the biggest edtech events for TechTerra Education too. As president of the ISTE Mobile Learning Network it is very exciting for me and the TechTerra team to be a part of this conference.
We have many events planned for hands-on exploring and play at our booth on the exhibition floor, and in our Playgrounds, using some of our favorite STEM and Maker tools. Some of the exceptional products we’ll have for attendees to try out are: Zu3D’s stop motion animation software; Makers Empire’s 3D printing learning program; PETS’ intuitive, physical experience-based programming learning kit; Springbay Studio’s iBiome Ocean and iBiome Wetlands educational game-based apps; Snapbench’s immersive VR experience which allows children to paint, build, and create tangible models and structures; Bluebee Pals’s Bluetooth-enabled interactive plush companions that can sing, read and even answer phone calls; Marbotic’s interactive wooden numbers and letters with apps inspired by the Montessori teaching method; and Primo Toys’ Cubetto Robot that can teach kids the basics of computer programming.
On Saturday, June 24, from 2:00 to 6:00pm CDT (Central Daylight Time) our TechTerra team will be conducting and participating in MegaShare, a pre-conference and social event. Registration for MegaShare is available onsite as well as through the Eventbrite link below.
Use the Megashare link, below, to find out all the details for Saturday's schedule. Use the Megashare button, below, to register through Eventbrite.
The ISTE Expo is open to all attendees on Monday, June 26, 2017, at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio. In addition to hosting our booth, TechTerra Education Expo Booth #564, we are participating in several exciting events.
Attendees will be able to play our Raffle Giveaway when they visit our booth and will be eligible for our raffle prizes throughout the conference. Print the card below and bring it with you to the conference to play.
TechTerra ISTE 2017 events:
Mobile Learning Network Mobile MegaShare Pre-Conference Saturday, June 24, 2:00–6:00 pm CDT (Central Daylight Time) Location: Stars Ballroom 4
Maker Playground Sunday, June 25, 12:30-4:00 pm CDT (Central Daylight Time) Location: Hemisfair Ballroom Foyer
Full STEAM Ahead: Play, Learn, Inspire - Playground Monday, June 26, 8:00–11:30 am CDT (Central Daylight Time) Location: Park View Lobby
Mobile Learning Network Playground: Explore Digital Learning Tools Monday, June 26, 12:30–4:00 pm CDT (Central Daylight Time) Location: Hemisfair Ballroom Foyer
A Makerspace Toolbox: Getting Started with Inquiry-Based STEM Labs - Poster Wednesday, June 28, 8:00–10:00 am CDT (Central Daylight Time) Location: Tower View Lobby, Table 24
Exhibition Hall - TechTerra Education Monday-Wednesday Location: Expo Booth # 564
We hope attendees plan to spend plenty of time at TechTerra’s booth, take advantage of TechTerra’s presentations, and enjoy every moment of ISTE 2017!
ISTE Standards: Global standards for today
ISTE Standards are recognized across the world as the technology standards for students in the 21st century. These standards are designed to prepare students and their teachers for the digital age we live in now and for what we may expect to encounter in the future. Over the past two decades, technology in the classroom has been transforming how students and teachers work with the devices available to them.
In the early days of computer education, students and teachers developed rudimentary skills to incorporate new technologies but barely took the opportunity to understand what was happening behind the scenes. Direct student interaction rarely occurred with coding, e.g., the commands that drive the actions of the devices. There continued to be a lack of understanding regarding what could and should be expected of students even when devices became portable and mobile. ISTE set early standards in the late 1990s, updated those standards in 2007, and with changes in 2016 and 2017, raised the bar for students and teachers across the globe to move from following and reacting, to changing technology, and to taking charge of technology.
A key component of the ISTE Standards is the focus on how students learn. Teachers who are familiar with how the brain takes in, retains, and uses input, have an advantage in helping their students communicate, collaborate, innovate, design, and create – all critical components needed for students to thrive as learners. ISTE Standards are not test based, but are adaptable and learning based, and help educators prepare students not only for what is, but for what may and will be in the future.
References see: http://maculcommunity.org/iste-standards-students-groundwork-whats-possible-learning/; https://www.iste.org/explore/articleDetail?aricleid=751; https://www.iste.org/explore/articleDetail?aricleid=685; and https://www.tieonline.com/article/2035/large-numbers-of-international-schools-utilizing-iste-standards
TechTerra Education recommends Cubetto by Primo Toys
For those in our community with young children in their lives, and an interest in their education, we have something we think you’ll like. Our good friends at Primo Toys have created a new coding toy for children ages 3 to 6 that introduces programming away from screens or literacy. Think Montessori meets coding! We work with Primo Toys and we love Cubetto. This week they’re launching a new version of their classic wooden robot, with awesome discounts, and we encourage you to check it out!
Summer Camps at Camp TechTerra are underway and kids are enjoying every minute of their action-packed time
Our Summer Camp sessions, available in the Triangle and Triad areas near Raleigh-Durham, are underway. Excited kids and talented teachers and staff have already completed week one of summer camp. So far they’ve coded robots, engineered unique items in maker stations, sent robots (drones) to the “moon” and used technology to create creepy bots.
Camps are still available. You can choose a camp and register today. Go to our link at: Camp TechTerra Summer Camp. To register online, click on the Eventbrite link on our webpage. Our TechTerra Store should be open soon allowing you to pay tuition for camp directly through our webpage. You can also use our online Registration Form and mail your tuition check to:
TechTerra Education
104R Highway 64 Bypass, #351
Carrboro, NC 27510
Please make your check payable to: TechTerra Education
Still Need a Summer Camp Near You?
If you are a parent, a member of a PTA, a teacher, or an administrator, and you want to know how to add a camp near you, please contact us. Fill out our short interest form online or call our office in Durham and ask for our programs director, Janey Hachmeister, at (919) 519-9097. We look forward to hearing from you!
And Remember - Camp TechTerra After-School and Summer Camps are coming to new places for Fall 2017 and Summer 2018!
Camp TechTerra is adding camps in Virginia, South Carolina, and Georgia this fall. If you would like to know how to get Camp TechTerra After-School 2017 and Summer Camp 2018 to your location, please fill out our short interest form online or call our office in Durham and ask for our programs director, Janey Hachmeister, at (919) 519-9097. We want to hear from you!
IN THE NEWS
➢ Math:Science:Technology Competition by Siemens Foundation - High School Student Research Competition is open for registration
➢ New Flexible 3D Printing – Promising new 3d technique
➢ A Robot Composes Music – An advance in artificial intelligence
About TechTerra Education
The TechTerra Education curriculum, inspired and informed by Maker Education and Project Based Learning, was developed by Susan Wells, a national leader in mobile-integrated education and public school educator.
In addition to offering professional development training, school solutions, and tool solutions, TechTerra Education's Camp TechTerra, held during fall, spring, and summer sessions, offers programs for students ages 5 to 14 that bring together the elements of technology and nature to help young people better understand the natural world through coding, storytelling, and digital devices.
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