Teachers + Tech
Teachers + Tech
Recently three of our WCDS teachers attended the CUE Conference, a three-day event in Palm Springs designed to inspire and help educators learn how they can better utilize technology. The CUE conference is the largest and longest running education technology conference in California and one of the largest in the United States. It provides keynote speakers, smaller training workshops, and opportunities to speak with companies about programs and about purchasing additional tools for their schools.
Each participating WCDS teacher took away something specific they can try in their own classrooms and/or share with their colleagues. Miss Stam attended many hands-on iPad training workshops with the intent of expanding the use of our WCDS classroom iPads. She discovered many new apps including those on math, coding for children, and Google docs. Two of her favorites were a reading fluency app where students record themselves reading aloud while a video dictates the words on screen. Another, in the area of science, allows students to zoom in on the various features and textures of insects—perfect for enhancing first grade’s science unit on insects.
A highlight for Mrs. Gansereit was connecting with the National Parks Service representative in an exhibition booth. He informed her of virtual field trips where teachers can contact a docent, then later have the docent give a live, interactive tour via their computers and have it beamed into a classroom miles away. What an opportunity for students to see amazing and historic places they would never have had the opportunity to visit!
Mrs. Murdaugh appreciates the fine arts and was excited to see a couple of STEAM projects highlighted—those combining science, technology, and art. The projects involve lights, electricity, circuits, and artistic presentation. Mrs. Murdaugh is hoping to have her class try it out and maybe have their work exhibited in a future school-wide art festival.
The CUE Conference lived up to its commitment of helping our teachers be innovative, be inspired, and be learners of new technology.
