The TWAIN blog

A few more quotes from the staff I took to TCEA:

“…I found that becoming immersed with other professionals in the digital world was exhilirating! Just watching everyone move about the conference with their various devices communicating and recharging gave me a true sense of what our students have been born into. After 20 years of attending various conferences in education, I found myself rediscovering the joys of connecting with others who are excited to try new ways of engaging their students. But that’s where the similarities between conferences from then and now end because today’s methods go “outside the box” in EVERY direction! What an eye-opener!! So many news ideas swirling around in my head!”

“I would tell [my campus staff] to get on their comfy slippers and commit some time to traveling through a few Web 2.0 links, so they can begin to see all of the possibilities for connecting with their students and colleagues (even parents) in new ways. I also believe the library can act as a “medium” for promoting Web 2.0 and supporting the staff/students.
I think that [our principal's] persistence in starting the school news broadcast has been a great catalyst for getting our teachers and students to get their feet wet with potential for podcasting and vodcasting.”

“I learned so much I am about to explode. I can’t get it all out of my head and use it fast enough.”

“TCEA is great. You can go and see new technologies that are coming out as well as current technology you have. You can attend the sessions or visit the booths of various companies and find new ways to use current equipment and well as get a chance to talk directly to the vendors to get answers to questions you may have. No matter who you are, there is something of interest to go to and new things to learn.”

“I felt that my brain was totally saturated with new ideas by the time I left. The excitement for using technology in my classes was very elevated and it was well worth going.”

I posted an online form for my crew from Kerrville to fill out about their experiences at TCEA this year. The form is available online through Google Docs at: http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?key=pcJ_EAVrg90uwhN_UriPRUw.

Responses so far:

“Great wealth of information teachers, technologists and instructional integration. Don’t let time scare you away from integration. As many of the presenters share, these tools are free and easy to use and your students will love them.” This person also added that when I get ready to offer training, she would be willing to help offer some ideas and training too.

“There are so many sites for information and resources out on the internet for teachers and students that it is mind boggling. We haven’t scratched the surface in KISD. Other districts and teachers are doing some incredible teaching through websites, blogs, wikis; going paperless during meetings and other administrative types of activities; organizing information through paperless,searchable software (like ONE NOTE) that could save the district $$ in binders and paper as well as increase productivity and save time. I thought I was knowledgeable about technology and I realized how little I really know.”

“Wow! The amount of technology and resources that are available to educators is awesome and continually increasing. It is up to us who went to this conference to share our knowledge of the resources with others who can use it in the classrooms. Thanks to everyone who made it possible for us to attend!”

“This has renewed my creative energy in technology integration in my classroom.”

“It was invigorating! What a refreshing change to see all the integration being used. I would love to see our elementary school try some of the great integrations ideas that are out there.”

I think they liked it! And this isn’t everyone! Will post more as they come in.

Now….can you see why I have the greatest job in the world???

Can I tell you how excited I am about TCEA this year?

This is my 11th year attending this conference. My dad was one of the founders of the organization back when there were a handful of people meeting in a tiny conference room. They weren’t technology directors. There wasn’t technology yet in the classrooms. These were people in different districts who thought the concept of the computer could be of use in schools.

I remember my dad going to the conference and bringing back all sorts of toys and pens from all the different vendors that my brothers would fight over. I remember one hammer-headed pencil from a company that I took to school only to have it stolen during lunch. I still have a coffee mug he received from Apple Computers back in 1985 and it sits close to my desk at work.

When I started teaching, I would drive down to Austin and stay with friends so I could go to the conference. I would take a sick day and pay my own way to get there. I would mostly spend the evenings out on the town and attend a few sessions. I would spend most of my time in the vendor area looking for something cool to take back to school to share with my students.

Most of the time at the conference, I would tag along behind my dad only because I didn’t know anyone except the people he worked with in his career. For years, I would attend the conference to be introduced as “Bill Adkins’ son”. No name. Just that title. And people who knew my dad shared how much they respected him and enjoyed his company.

A few years ago, my dad retired from education. He attended the conference a few times and the roles reversed a bit. He was introduced as “Joel Adkins’ dad” to a few of my friends. I think he might have enjoyed this a little bit more than I did – though I enjoyed it very much!

His last year of attendance marked the 25th anniversary of TCEA and his 25th time to go to the conference. I remember him telling me at that conference that it would be his last. I told him that I would get him to the next one somehow. Sure enough, I received the Instructional Technology Specialist award and I invited him to attend the banquet for all honorees. I came through on my promise.

A lot has changed with technology over the years. Education has changed in some ways and stayed the same in other ways. The conference gets bigger each year with more attendees and more offerings of training.

I look forward to this conference more and more each year because of what it represents for those of us on the frontlines. It’s a time for us to refocus, refresh, and connect with others in the same boat all over the state and now the world. Twitter is great for posting those quick little bits of info and questions but there’s nothing like like seeing that person in real life for the first, second, or next time.

This year, I am taking 10 staff from my district to this conference. Over half of them have informed me that they have never attended a conference before; much less professional development that takes place over several continuous days.

I am excited about not only visiting with old friends from all over the world, but for the week after the conference listening to what these newbies will experience. I am looking forward to them sharing what they saw, experienced, grabbed (free pens!), and heard.

Blogging is a new concept for them. The wiki is something I started them on when I arrived and they are still figuring it out. Most of the district doesn’t understand YouTube or the relevance of why I unblocked it (for staff only). Some of our computers at the campus level don’t even have Microsoft Office on them.

And all this seems foreign to some who will read this.

But to me, it is the most exciting thing about my job. I am so excited for them to go! After 11 years, I can get jaded about a conference or session and how it “wasn’t anything new”. For this crew, the entire experience of a conference of this magnitude is new. And that is the start of their history with TCEA.

If you are going, give me a shoutout! You can find me via Loopt, Facebook, Twitter, this blog, and just by finding me in the crowd. I would love to see you and shake your hands!

See you in Austin!

I am so far behind on technology. I feel so behind-the-times. I don’t know which way we are heading and I don’t have a grasp of new tools to use in the classroom. I am really lost!

I think I know why.

There hasn’t been a new Tech Chicks Tip podcast since Thanksgiving! No blog posts either! My workouts aren’t the same without the cool-down period of hearing David Pogue from the NY Times and the Tech Chicks.

My workouts are boring! My workouts are now like a good dinner with no dessert (bad analogy for my workout routine, but you know what I mean!). I miss dessert!

Where have they gone? Why aren’t they updating? I miss them. I miss hearing their wonderful voices and commentary about technology. I miss their laughter when they drive around. I miss hearing their shout-outs. And I miss the passion the perspective of hearing about the use of the tools they discuss in their schools! Their podcast is so informative and fun!

I wonder if anyone else feels the same loss I do? Where have you gone, Tech Chicks??