#BIT14, Day 2 & 3

By far, the most touching aspect of #bit14: when we see how students benefit from the changes we make as teachers.

— Colleen Rose (@ColleenKR) November 6, 2014

Bring IT Together was phenomenal.  Almost overwhelming.

My friends (colleagues) and I were able to attend #BIT14 thanks to our TLLP project, a professional learning opportunity funded by the Ministry of Education.  Last year, Jenni Scott-Marciski and I attended the conference and immediately wanted to find a way to come back with other educators.  Now that we have absorbed as much information as possible, we feel ready to start working toward our TLLP goals with renewed vigour.

Day 2 of the conference began with a great keynote by Richard Byrne, followed by a variety of fantastic sessions.

I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to speak about “Personalized Learning Through Assessment“, a topic that is both challenging and rewarding.  If you would like to view my resources, please click here.  After my session, I hustled to make sure that I could attend Peter Beens’ “Digital Photography” presentation.  It was worth it!  I’ll be reviewing Peter’s slides a few times to help the information sink in.

Kendra Spira started off the afternoon with “Capturing Student Learning in the Secondary Classroom“, where we learned about her experiences with technology and the benefits it provides for students with a wide array of learning styles.  Excellent work!  Stepan Pruchnicky‘s “Mash It Up” was next on the agenda, and I’m so glad I went.  His multimedia presentation was highlighted with student work, helping to illustrate how to use ideas and resources in the classroom.  It sure is fun to learn about a few new tools to play with.

Thursday night’s Photo Walk was a definite highlight from #BIT14.   Peter Beens gave this beginner some very helpful tips, and our group enjoyed a mild evening while we strolled around Niagara Falls to capture some new memories.

Ron Canuel gave an impassioned keynote address on Friday morning, challenging us to look beyond that which makes us comfortable.  In fact, he encouraged us to become very uncomfortable in order to make progressive changes in education.  In our professional life, do we accept the status quo, or are we willing to innovate?  Have we transformed our practice to benefit students?  Why should we?  How do we?

Next stop:  “The Networked Leader“, with George Couros.  Make sure you’re awake and ready to connect, because George is ready to Google you, to see how you present yourself online, and to help you make the most of networking.

“If you’re not connected, what are you missing out on?” ~ @gcouros

One of the most celebrated events of #BIT14 was the #selfiescavanger — we grabbed our phones and captured tons of great memories.  Here are a few…

Thank you so much to the organizers of #BIT14.  This conference is a fantastic opportunity to learn, connect, and to change.

Some kind feedback.  Thank you.

@ColleenKR gives a passionate plea for voice and choice. Honest and bang on! #bit14

— Michelle Cordy (@cordym) November 6, 2014

“Please don’t ever let your construction end. Always be Under Construction. It is so worth it.” @ColleenKR #bit14 http://t.co/aekMMyZemb — ☻ Andrew Forgrave (@aforgrave) November 6, 2014

@ColleenKR When we humble ourselves enough to change our practice in front of our Ss, they can help us find the way. Love that! #bit14 — Lisa Boate (@MrsBoate) November 6, 2014

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