Today my goal was to discover ways to help my district without having to rob the US Mint and I believe I discovered several new ideas.  We often use our HS cafeteria for disrict wide professional development and use a projector for various presentations.  AVRover has a very nice little tool that is extremely portable, less than $1000 and when connected to a projector will may any surface an interactive whiteboard.  Not only is that impressive but the fact that the ONfinity will enlarge the image up to 15 makes it an outstanding value.  All three of our schools would be able to make use of this.  Also there is the RFB&D program that offers downloadable audio resources  and it is offers free home usage for students that qualify.  Two very exciting finds for my district in these times of financial shortages.

Today was the opening day for 2009 T+L and I started my day by attending a 7:30 session, The Virtual Science Lab put on by Tool Factory.  If you haven’t attended a Tool Factory session you need to.  Their products are great and you never leave a session empty handed.  Then off we all went to the opening session and this years keynote speaker Frans Johansson.  What a captivating speaker!  The weather seems to have kept some people from attending but I don’t think it has dampened the spirits of anyone who is here.  What a great place the Exhibit Hall is to learn .  I just wish all our students were as captivated by at the prospect of learning something new everyday as I am, especially while attending T+L.

The last of the blue conference bags have left the Seattle convention center, the busy chatter between workshop sessions has ended, and the long escalator rides mimicking the climb of a rollercoaster are in the past but the message, the inspiration, the connections, and the excitement remain. Paul Saffo opened the first general session by igniting a forest fire of excitement throughout the attendees. As it can best be summed up in the words of a woman I passed on the escalator, “it was just mind blowing. I mean, just amazing!” After starting T+L out with such a visionary and inspirational message it isn’t any wonder that the buzz and excitement grew exponentially for the next two days!

Presenter’s came from across the country from local Seattle to Canada, and with attendees from Australia to India and the majority from the US…. the flattening world of education technology continues to dissolve into one common mission, using technology to enhance learning environments for children. Key notes, featured speakers, and education leaders used white boards, Second Life, Moodle, Twitter, ipods, and one-to-one devices to bring their messages to life. NSBA’s very own Senior Staff Attorney, Tom Hutton, addressed common legal issues and tough uncharted questions of education and the technology that continues to transform the boundaries of the classroom. Leading school districts from around the country presented on web-based collaboration, open source, increasing student achievement, the new definition of 21st Century learning environments, their own pilot programs that have impacted their school districts, partnering with their communities and the importance of PR, professional development, assistive technology, writing and getting grants, and the list goes on and on.

The excitement, buzz, and collaboration that was occurring during sessions, between sessions, over lunches and dinners and at networking events was immeasurable. The experience is noteworthy and we can’t wait for 2009! Denver here we come!