Educators from around the world gathered at the ISTELive 2023 Conference in Philadelphia to explore the latest advancements in educational technology and to connect with their peers. In this post, we will explore what to do after the conference, provide some helpful advice, and highlight the upcoming Connect virtual conference designed to build on what you learned at ISTE and kick off the school year with innovative tools and practices.
Start With Just One Idea From ISTE
Many people leave conferences inspired and energized, but they can also be overwhelmed! With several action-packed days of learning, sharing and networking, it’s tough to know where to begin after the conference. You must consider your unique professional context, the needs of your students and staff, and your comfort level with technology. Ask yourself the following questions to narrow down where to start:
What are your educational goals and priorities?
Find out which areas of your curriculum or teaching practice could benefit from technology integration. Consider ideas that enhance student learning outcomes and align with your instructional goals.
Can I simplify this idea?
Just like you do with curriculum and lesson planning, break down complex ideas from ISTE into manageable steps or adapt them to your student’s current skill level if they seem too advanced. To ensure that students can grasp and participate in the activities, simplify the concept while preserving its essence.
What are your student’s needs and interests?
Consider the demographics of your students, their learning styles, and their interests. Choose ideas that resonate with them and will motivate them. Student buy-in is crucial for successful implementation.
Can my students do this on their own?
Look for ideas that promote student agency, allowing them to take ownership of their learning. Think of strategies to encourage collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking. These approaches help students become active participants and contributors to the learning process.
Who can I ask for help?
If you’re unsure of what to do, don’t hesitate to ask fellow educators, technology experts, or online communities for advice. Seesaw offers active communities where educators are willing to share ideas and provide feedback. Join one of Seesaw’s professional learning communities to gain valuable insights, new resources, and practical tips for successful classroom activities.
Kickstart Your Year with Seesaw Upgrades
This year at ISTE, we announced exciting new improvements to Seesaw, making teaching more efficient and effective.
Formative Assessment
Our new formative assessment capabilities combine the time savings of auto-grading with the power of multimodal tools to gain deeper insights into student learning to provide targeted support and guide instruction.
Formative assessments help teachers quickly gauge student understanding by adding auto-graded multiple choice, true/false, poll, and drag & drop questions to any Seesaw assignment. Live student response data enables responsive instruction & differentiation. Time is of the essence in any classroom, so teachers can use the “Find Questions Tool” that automatically generates editable formative assessment questions. Students can continue to use all of Seesaw’s creative multimodal tools alongside formative assessment questions to explain their thinking.
Content Playlists
Playlists save teachers time and support differentiation, allowing teachers to assign instructional sequences that reinforce learning across multiple activities. Teachers can assign multiple activities to their class at once, a lesson from the Seesaw Library, or collections of lessons in the “My Library” tab.
New Lessons
Seesaw is expanding its library to offer over 500 NEW high-quality lessons, including 200+ for grades 3-6, to reinforce essential skills. The library now contains thousands of ready-to-teach, standards-aligned lessons as a part of your Seesaw subscription.
Through our platform, educators are able to save time, simplify differentiation, and foster student engagement. As more updates and refinements are underway for educators around the world, we remain dedicated to offering ongoing support and resources to help teachers maximize the potential of the Seesaw platform.
Join Us at Connect this August
Looking for another opportunity to sync with other educators, learn best practices, and get energized for the upcoming school year? Look no further than Connect, Seesaw’s annual FREE virtual conference taking place this August 8-9. On-demand sessions will be available from August 10 until September 30, 2023.
You’ll hear from inspiring keynote speakers who share their knowledge and expertise and motivate teachers to start their year right. In addition to the keynote sessions, there will be 20 sessions covering a wide range of topics, including classroom management strategies, innovative approaches to technology integration, and bringing lessons to life with engaging online and offline activities.
Educators will have the opportunity to join engaging panels to discuss current trends and challenges in education. These panels offer an excellent opportunity to learn from experienced educators and gain new perspectives. Don’t miss the Ignite Talks that will provide you with practical ideas you can implement immediately in your classroom.
Connect isn’t just about learning; it’s also about networking and connecting with fellow educators. You’ll have ample opportunities to connect, exchange ideas, and build lasting professional relationships throughout the event. To enhance your classroom resources, there will be fun games and giveaways, including over $6,000 in door prizes.
Connect is an event you shouldn’t miss out on, as it will provide you with the tools and inspiration you need to succeed this school year. Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to connect with fellow educators and learn from some of the best in the field. It’s free, it’s online, and it’s happening in August.
