Monday, March 22, 2021

MACUL 2021

Over the course of two days, I spent 19 hours staring at a screen.  Or sometimes two screens.  And one time, I even tried three screens.  That didn't go so well.

The only thing that could capture my attention that deeply and for that duration is, of course, the MACUL conference.  MACUL 21 to be exact.

I was blown away by the amazingness that was MACUL 21.  

Every session I went to was engaging, interesting, and full of that passion that flows through the halls when we're in the conference center.  I was amazed how palpable it was through the screen!  There were so many opportunities to interact with other session-goers and in many cases, the presenter, during the sessions.  I think I "went" to 12 sessions between the two days, plus the three keynotes.  I could write about all of them, but for now, here are some highlights:

  • Wanda Terral showed how to make an app that actually looks and works like an app, using a Google Slides template.  I actually had a lesson with 6th grade today on app design and modified the lesson based on my new knowledge!
  • Jennifer Hall presented a Tech Tip 411 that focused on AR/VR tools.  I can't wait to explore everything she shared!
  • Brian Aspinall highlighted Hacking the Classroom and from this session, I learned so much about the history of one of my favorite platforms, Scratch, along with all the intention behind coding in class.
  • Jeremy and Sara Badiner need to take their show on the road.  It was so much fun exploring the power of memes with them!  It was also a great reminder how much comprehension is needed to make "meming" of memes.
  • Melody Arabo left me with so much food for thought, both on advocating for current, appropriate materials and curriculum for students, and on teacher leadership.
  • All three keynotes, Dr. Sheldon Eakins, Gerry Brooks, and Aaron Dworkin were captivating, inspiring, and will likely warrant another post later on.
I can't wait to dig through my notes over the next few weeks and explore all the goodness gained from my favorite conference!  Even better, most sessions were recorded, so between April and July, I will get to "go to" the sessions I missed, and watch some of my favorites again.  Technology is amazing!  Look, I made it on the closing slide!  Mind blown!

P.S.  Each speaker listed is linked to their Twitter profile - I totally encourage you to follow them all!

No comments:

Post a Comment

Thank you for being a part of the conversation!