On Friday, April 15, Poughkeepsie Day School hosted a cutting-edge conference for public and private school educators from throughout the Hudson Valley and far beyond. The event, titled “Embracing Innovation in a Time of Disruptive Change,” was co-sponsored by the Independent Curriculum Group (ICG) and the New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS).
The conference addressed the latest theories and practices related to neuroscience, cognitive processes and the digital environment. A highlight of the day was Keynote Will Richardson’s presentation titled “Learning in a Networked World: For Ourselves and Our Students” which examined eight important global shifts, and the innovative ways that teachers and schools are integrating them into the classroom. Click here to view presentation slides.
Other very well received presentations included:
Technology, Passion and Learning: One Teacher’s Journey Into the Digital World of 21st Century Learning
This case study examined how a sixth grade veteran humanities teacher and her students learned together as they embraced school 2.0 in their daily humanities learning. Click here to view the slide presentation and learn more (you may have to scroll down the page a bit).
Shirley Rinaldi, Poughkeepsie Day School, 6th grade Humanities Teacher
Science 2.0
This session explored how to leverage Web 2.0 tools to support authentic student engagement and collaboration in project and problem-based learning.
Philip Vinogradov, Centennial School District, Warminster PA, Science Teacher and 21st Century Learning Coach
From Instinctive Aggregator to Critical Creator: The Google Generation and the Research Assignment
This presentation addressed opportunities afforded by digital collaboration and the explosion of access to primary and scholarly resources to enhance student research.
Meghann Walk, Bard High School Early College – Manhattan Librarian, Social Studies faculty; Bernadette Condesso, Poughkeepsie Day School Chair, History Department Asst. Director College Counseling
The Tale of Two Kindergarten Teachers and the Power of A PLN
This session talked to the construction, creation and philosophy behind
#kinderchat, its influence on teaching practice and the technology learning curve in the changing application of organizational leadership structure.
Heidi Echternacht, Stuart Country Day School, Teacher
Teaching Innovation: NuVu and Beaver Country Day School
How can high school students learn to think outside the box? By spending eleven weeks working with experts from MIT and Harvard on open-ended, multidisciplinary problems. This case study gave participants insight on this innovative approach.
Rob MacDonald, Math Department Chair, Beaver Country Day School; Peter Gow, Director of College Counseling and Special Programs, BCDS; Nancy Caruso, Assistant Head of School, BCDS
Designing and Building OPuS
The Online Progressive unSchool is an open-source design for a non-profit community-created learning resource. This session cover efforts to bring OPuS to life.
Fred Bartels, Head of the Computer Dept. and Director of Info. Technology at Rye Country Day School
Entering the Virtual Classroom: A Discussion-Based Online Course Model
Using Holy Child's first online class as a model, participants saw how one example of a “virtual classroom” can work and discussed the advantages, opportunities and concerns that come with teaching a class solely online.
Kate Marlow, English Teacher, School of the Holy Child, Rye, NY