A very unique, Ontario founded learning opportunity is available for those coming to the Bring IT, Together conference in Niagara Falls.
You have to experience it at least once to understand just what’s happening. It’s not quite workshop – for that, there’s a beginning, a middle, and an end. It’s not quite unconference because there is a formal structure to it. It sure isn’t “sit ‘n git”.
It’s the best model of the learner in charge of the learning that I can imagine at present. Imagine a room with centres managed by people very comfortable with a particular piece of technology or pedagogy and you just walk over and plop yourself down. You’ll be asked “What do you want to learn today?” That starts the process, the conversations, and the learning.
The model is the brain child of Brenda Sherry and Peter Skillen. They’ve taken Minds on Media to places all over the province and have become a fixture at the annual conference for Ontario computer using educators. I’ve had the honour of championing a station on a couple of occasions and was a pedagogista at another. The model respects your prior learning and supports any additional learning that you may need to fill in the cracks or to extend your understandings.
A couple of years ago, I had the chance to interview Brenda and Peter about Minds on Media. You can read that interview here.
No two Minds on Media sessions are the same. Brenda and Peter gauge the burning issues in education and fill the needs with Ontario classroom folks who share their experience and expertise. They’re also ready to extend their own understanding by participants asking the tough questions!
This year, at the Bring IT, Together Conference, you have the opportunity to learn along with…
| Student Learning with 3D Printers | Heather Durnin |
| Playing with Programming: Coding for Younger Students | Peter McAsh |
| Frames5: How can you use it across the curriculum? | Karen Kelly-Miller |
| Get Filming with your phone, iPad or Camera! | Jose Martinez |
| 3-D Printing | Heidi Siwak |
| Make Your Old Stuff Work! | David Scott |
| Turtle Art | Artemis Papert and Brian Silverman |
| 105theHive.org – K12 Student Internet Radio | Andy Forgrave and Kim Gill |
| Tinkering and Making | Cathy Beach |
| Minecraft in the Classroom | Jen Apgar |
| Getting Googly (Using Google Apps for Education Effectively) | Marcia Piquette |
| Working with Microsoft Office 365 | Kate Taylor |
| Game-based Learning | Adele Stanford and Derek Walker |
Select this session for your Wednesday, bring your own equipment, and get ready for an absolutely full day of hands-on learning.
doug --- off the record 