I was recently asked to write a follow up blog post on my experience at ISTE13 highlighting the most compelling ideas that I took away from my time in San Antonio. By far, the ideas that have impacted me the most are the role of Design Thinking and Gaming in Educational Technology. These two themes were certainly supported through the keynote speakers, Steven B. Johnson and Jane McGonigal, who spoke passionately about their respective topics. Their passion clearly inspired me as I wasn't back for more than 2 weeks that I've already implemented many ideas based on what they Begdiscussed!
In the weeks since the conference we've:
- Sponsored a Kickstarter project on 3D printing to support our fledgling Design Thinking curriculum
- Began our first Innovation and Design Thinking Unit with our 9th grade students by exploring where Good Ideas Come From by Steven B. Johnson
- Held our first Imagine It! Post It challenge to kick off our innovation unit
- Purchased an educational mod for Minecraft to explore the use of gaming in educational technology
Each of the links or pieces of information above were shared with me while I was at the conference through keynotes, workshops, and one on one meetings with other attendees. While these are only small actions, they are huge leaps forward in getting the vision of Design Thinking and Gaming in Educational Technology noticed in my school and in our area. With so many valuable ideas at my fingertips during the conference, it was hard to decide which ones to share and implement first!
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