Let’s get this out in the open; I am not your typical “techie”. Yes, I enjoy some new shiny hardware and software, but I usually don’t find myself geeking out over every new gadget and website. I’m methodical, I’m analytical….I’m actually a bit of a curmudgeon from time to time. So when Joe Talavier asked what I think a “21st Century Classroom” looks like last week, I couldn’t help but steer this week’s “Tech Director Chat” conversation away from the technology. In fact, I’ve been cultivating a growing belief that the connections and reach technology affords us can lead us to dysfunction and alienation within our own local communities as often as they can help bridge divides on a global scale.
Having said that, the rest of this week’s podcast is rather rosy, despite the poor audio quality (Skyping across the planet and recording flawless audio is a challenge). This week we follow Pete as he jets sets around to globe to Prague, where he is attending an Institute for Innovation in Education Gathering (iiE for short). We talk about potential changes to lighting, presentation technology, and other “wish list” items that teachers have regarding technology in their classroom, and touch briefly on why Pete doesn’t listen to a podcast that he participates in weekly! Pete and I both share their thoughts on the definition of “21st Century Classrooms” and I share my recent “21 Things Every 21st Century Teachers Should Do and Keep Their Sanity” based on Carl Hooker’s tech-heavy blog post of the same theme. And of course, listeners attempt to stump Pete, and almost come away with it in this episode!
Oh, and a little bit of “humble bragging” as well! The “Tech Director Chat” podcast is currently featured as “New & Noteworthy” in iTunes for Educational Technology. Wahoo! Please go and subscribe or leave us some reviews to help make the show even better!
Timestamps for this week’s questions:
1:17 What is Pete doing in Prague, and what is the iiE?
3:13 What is Pete’s role with the iiE?
4:50 A high school student helped plan an international conference?
6:20 When our bond passes, will there be money to change the lighting in the high school?
7:45 Will we be getting better projectors in the district?
8:40 Wait, Pete doesn’t listen to this podcast?
9:25 Is it possible that we might have new dimmer lighting or other enhanced lighting?
10:43 In 60 seconds or less, why does restarting your computer resolve a lot of problems?
12:05 What do you think a 21st Century classroom looks like?
17:18 Stump Pete! Who wrote the album, “Numbers?”
18:20 We were featured as a “New & Noteworthy” podcast in iTunes for Educational Technology, wahoo!
Tech Director Chat – 21st Century Classrooms
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