NCTI was at NECC in force. We enjoyed attending the conference in our backyard in Washington, DC. Here are some of our highlights.You can find some photos of our experience at our Facebook page.

Staff began our NECC experience Saturday at the EduBlogger Con and Classroom 2.0 Meetup, participating in exciting informal discussions about the future of social media in teaching and learning. Interesting conversations included the link between social media and social change, and the role of new media in the UDL classroom.

In Social Media and Social Change in Education, facilitated by blogger Mark Wagner, we looked at how social media tools can help students become socially active and engaged both locally and globally through the use of service learning projects, e-pen pals, collaboration and virtual partnerships. Participants were particularly excited about the use of social networking tools (especially Twitter and Facebook) to cover protests in Iran and discussing the implications of the Flat Classroom Project.

A small, but lively and engaging discussion facilitated by blogger and Ed Tech Consultant Karen Janowski focusing on new media and UDL brought together a classroom teacher and a school librarian interested in bringing new media to their students. Topics included UDL basics, and the role of technology in changing what students must learn. If students use technology tools in the classroom (calculators, online dictionaries, online reference tools), do they lose the ability to perform the underlying skill (calculations, finding information arranged alphabetically)? In a digital age, are those underlying skills still important? One teacher also noted that often when he hears differentiated instruction in his school, it means differentiated assessment, leading to an in-depth discussion of how we can use technology tools to design a lesson that is accessible for all students as well as providing assessments that meet the diverse needs of learners.

Karen ended the session by demonstrating a new app for the iPhone and iPod touch, Proloquo 2 Go, which turns your phone or iPod into a portable Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) device for people with speech disabilities. Very cool!

Trends and Futures in Accessible Media was a three hour workshop on Sunday, hosted jointly by NCTI and WGBH’s National Center on Accessible Media (NCAM).
See the slides from the presentation on our slideshare channel
Watch for an interactive, online experience with this material coming soon.

At the Technology Coordinators’ special interest group (SIGTC), we heard how tech coordinators in districts across the country are moving forward with technology implementation despite budget cuts and increasing time demands. Common solutions shared included:
utilization of open source and free tools over subscription and licensed software, virtualization of servers to invest in bandwidth rather than servers, working online learning and Web 2.0 tools into mandated emergency preparedness plans, and allowing students to use their own equipment in school.
See other resources for tech coordinators at www.CITEd.org. <

Malcom Gladwell, author of best selling Outliers: The Story of Success, gave the opening keynote Sunday night following an electrifying opening by the…well, the Electric Company crew. Gladwell’s message for educators: meaningful learning environments are those that recognize and foster the value of effort, challenge and experimentation.

Rock Our World! Carol Anne McGuire presented a powerful and inspirational view of video conferencing and global education projects.

Games and simulations in education was a major topic. Chris Dede, Professor at Harvard Graduate School of Education, a speaker at the NCTI conference in 2008, spoke about games and simulations in education, in particular River City and Eco-MUVE. The Software and Information Industry Association presented Best Practices for Using Games and Simulations in the Classroom: Guidelines for K-12 Educators.

Doing More with Less was a terrific interactive session where Kevin Bushweller, editor of Digital Directions (and a speaker at the 2008 NCTI Conference) moderated a panel that discussed practical tactics to saving money and tightening the technology budget in schools and districts. Some suggestions that were made include:

• Using open source and green technology solutions
• Provide on-line staff development opportunities
• Create paperless offices and on-line forms
• Provide remote access technical assistance
• Utilize students as tech support

Panelists included Janet Herdman, the executive director of the North Kansas City Schools in Missouri; Elizabeth Hoover, the director of technology services for the Alexandria Public Schools in Virginia; Tommy Whitten, the district technology coordinator for the Madison County Schools in Alabama; Steve Moskowitz, the director of information systems and instruction technology for the Brewster Central School District in New York; and Ann Flynn, the director of education technology for the National School Boards Association

ATSTAR: Online Tools for Successful Assistive Technology Implementation was an interactive instructional session presented by Sharron Rush of Knowability, Inc. and Jan McSorely. ATSTAR (Assistive Technology (AT): Strategies, Tools, Accommodations, and Resources) is a web resource which helps teachers learn about effective use of assistive technology in the classroom as it encourages a student-centered approach to making AT decisions. The NECC session demonstrated how ATSTAR’s online teacher training module – a series of instructional tutorials and quizzes – can be used to bring AT expertise to every school district. ATSTAR also provides basic information and resources about implementing AT.

How Do You Plug This In? Considerations on Moodle Enhancements, presented by Jeffery Woodbury of ISTE, emphasized the need to explore the features of various Plugins that can be used to improve Moodle. With careful evaluation of Plugins, Moodle can be tailored to meet the specific needs of every classroom. Use the Moodle Tracker to follow modules in development and evaluate the benefits and risks of adding new features.