Tag Archives: TIES Conference

Conference, Guest Blogger, Services

TIES 2018 Conference: Ryan Hiltner

This is a guest post written by Ryan Hiltner, Instructional Technology Specialist and Apple Teacher at Sartell High School. Do you need a scholarship to attend a conference?  Apply today! 

This year I attended the TIES conference in Minneapolis for two days. It is with the generosity of the Central Minnesota Libraries Exchange that I was able to learn so much that I can bring back to my school district.   

While attending various sessions by educators from all of the conference pedagogy and tools were discussed. Some of the items I took back from the conference can be used in individual classrooms and other items can be used as an entire district.

I was also able to showcase some of the work that the teachers in Sartell are doing by presenting two different sessions on Digital Breakouts and Implementation of Google Slides for more than just Presentations.  

One of my favorite sessions was a session on student and teacher feedback. The focus was on getting rid of that red pen and giving feedback online instead. This allows the people involved to give audio and video feedback and be able to start a continuous dialogue. By working with digital feedback there is also an immediate response when the feedback is given. Students are no longer required to wait until the next day to get that feedback.

The conference was once again an insightful two days and I appreciate being able to attend.

 

Conference, Guest Blogger, Services

TIES 2018: Rachel Miller

This is a guest post written by Rachel Miller, Instructional Technology Specialist at Sartell Middle School. Do you need a scholarship to attend a conference?  Apply today! 

This year was the second time I attended the TIES conference, but it was my first time attending as an Instructional Technology Specialist focused on supporting teachers in their technology integration journeys, as opposed to attending as a classroom teacher. As such, my favorite takeaways from this conference were those that I knew I could share with my colleagues for use in their classrooms.

I attended sessions that might be of interest to the language arts teachers in my building, including sessions on podcasting, engagement tools, and media literacies. I’m excited to further explore and encourage the use of PearDeck in the classroom to increase student interaction while using slideshows. It was a tool that I was vaguely familiar with before attending TIES, but I had not had extensive experience with it. The work time provided during the session allowed me to explore the tool in a much deeper way. I am excited to use it and introduce it to teachers!

In thinking about how to apply lessons and concepts learned at TIES to my work, I am aware that I need to fight the urge to immediately share new ideas with colleagues. Instead, I will strategically try to incorporate ideas and strategies through conversation and planning in order to best meet staff where they are at currently. Overall, I found this conference to be rewarding and energizing for my own professional development.

I am grateful to the Central Minnesota Libraries Exchange for their support of my professional endeavors!



Services

TIES 2018 Scholarship: Jason Menth

This is a guest post written by Jason Menth, STEM Integrationist at Talahi Community School. Do you need a scholarship to attend a conference?  Apply today! 

Once again the TIES conference at the Hyatt Hotel in Minneapolis didn’t disappoint. Thanks to a CMLE scholarship, I was able to attend two days of influential keynote speakers, learn from amazing educators from around the country, and make new connections.

My role as a STEM Integrationist at Talahi Community Elementary School in St. Cloud is dependent on my knowledge and skills of current best practices. Though TIES is recognized as technology in education, there are many sessions to attend that inform all areas of education. For example, I attended sessions on the design thinking process, STEM infused learning centers, personalized professional development, problem-based learning, and innovated approaches to learning.

My goal in my position is to bring real-life problem-based learning and application for our students. I often connect with our school’s media specialist to pair the best stories, be it fiction or non-fiction to bridge the learning and help make connections with our students. We’re also fortunate enough to have our school’s makerspace in our library. Students follow the engineering design thinking process to tinker and build a community project for our school.

Two of my favorite sessions were on the design thinking process and problem-based learning. Books and other forms of media such as presentations and video are vital to demonstrate the design thinking process and learn the necessary background knowledge to real life problems that need to be solved. Since attending the conference I’ve already reimagined our makerspace and ordered new books to help promote the design thinking process and bring real-life learning inside the walls of our school.

Luckily, I also got to present at TIES in their makerspace playground. I was able to share our engineering design process and project-based learning our students do at Talahi. The compliments and discussions were so positive that I know what we’re doing at our school is contributing to student success.

I can’t thank CMLE enough for approving my request to attend this conference. CMLE connected me with so many educators that will advance my practice and bring forth new learning for our students and staff.

Conference, Guest Blogger

TIES Conference Report: Holly Nelson

This is a guest post from Holly Nelson, Media Specialist at Kennedy Community School. Need a scholarship to attend a conference or participate in Professional Development? Apply today! 

Attending the annual TIES Conference provided me the opportunity to experience an array of multiple educational initiatives and innovations all in one event.  As a school librarian, I’m cognizant of the vastly changing role of libraries within schools and the learning I experienced was beneficial for my personal professional development but more importantly for the staff and students at my school.

I was able to learn about a new technology integration initiative we’ve now begun at my school.  The SeeSaw tool is used now with teachers, students, and parents to share student learning and build student digital learning portfolios.  Learning from other educators who are using this tool also opened a communication network between multiple professionals and collaborative opportunities.  I am now able to provide support to all users of this new tool and/or extend my support beyond the walls of our school.

The various topics available for exploration at TIES was invaluable. Sharing my knowledge of computational thinking using coding in the “Digital Playground” was a great way to network with other educators. Another great resource that I learned at TIES is how to help students using their 1:1 iPads to create book commercials for an engaging way for students to share their learning. I can’t thank CMLE enough for this chance I received to learn and help grow my school library and its vital role in education.

 

Conference, Guest Blogger

TIES Report: Jenny McNew

This is a guest post from Jenny McNew, Media Specialist at Talahi Community School. Need a scholarship to attend a conference or participate in Professional Development? Apply today! 

I would like to thank CMLE for the scholarship to attend the TIES 2017 Conference: What’s Your Story! Both Keynote speakers Ken Shelton and Jennie Magiera delivered great keynotes on the how and why of sharing your voice.

In the past I have attended many TIES conferences and each year it gets better. As a Media Specialist in a working school library of very diverse learners this year’s title of “What’s your Story” really spoke to me. We have so many staff and students that really need the opportunity to share their voice. We need to believe that each person has an important voice, and we need to be a listening ear in order to create a community where everyone is welcome, seen, and heard. It really made me think of all the opportunities I can help provide so those I come in contact with have the knowledge and technology to share their all important voice while being mindful of the implications of sharing that voice on a digital platform. Ken Shelton referred to it as a digital tattoo which is so true.

What I love about TIES is it isn’t just about the newest and coolest technologies but it has embraced the application of those technologies in learning situations. I attended several sessions where again Leslie Fisher saved the day by showing me some cool new tools that will make my everyday job easier, or the presentation by Shelly Sanchez which gave me insight on putting together digital citizenship activities.  

This year I presented in the “coding playground” giving me the opportunity to share some of our story using Blue and Bee Bots, Lego robotics, and Edison robots. It was evident that even though I am not sure we are doing anything “exceptional” to someone else it is worthy and cool, once again proving that we all have a story to tell.

Thank you CMLE for providing the opportunity to attend this amazing conference. The ability to attend professional development is priceless!