Coverage of the FETC Conference
Here you'll find coverage of the FETC conference. The 2017 National Conference is being held Jan. 24–27 in Orlando, FL. We're providing news from the show floor and session highlights from the event. You'll also find coverage of past FETC events deeper in these archives. For show schedule, registration information, and other details about the conference itself, visit FETC.org.
Ahead of FETC 2017, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Monday approved Internet provider Kajeet to be a Lifeline Broadband Provider, allowing school districts to enroll students from low-income households to receive high-speed internet at home at little-to-no cost to the schools.
Building relationships and a culture of innovation are major themes at the Future of Education Technology Conference in Orlando through January 14.
In a lively dialogue, mobilists Cathie Norris and Elliot Soloway discuss why telling teachers to just "integrate the technology into the curriculum" is a recipe for disaster — and they invite readers to tell their own tech transformation stories.
FETC is partnering with Learning Games Network and BrainPop to offer a free day of professional development to help educators from across the country innovate through the use of games.
Visual Literacy proponent Lynell Burmark explains why the use of images is so important in the classroom and how it can help teachers meet the challenges of getting through the curriculum and engaging students in skills and content they'll actually remember and apply after the test.
Technology doesn't have to be expensive. Just ask John Kuglin, a long-time tech guru who shows educators how to tap into myriad free Web resources that can be used in and out of the classroom.
Ed tech consultant and 'Fandroid' Leslie Fisher explains why educators need to pay attention to Android to prepare for the future.
"Comfort is a dangerous addiction that deprives us of opportunities," according to Rushton Hurley, founder and executive director of the educational nonprofit Next Vista for Learning, "and prevents us from getting excited about new prospects."
Restrictive approaches to social media in the classroom are hurting K-12 districts that expect their teachers to successfully guide students into the new media world. According to Steven Anderson, director of instructional technology at Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools, "best practices and guidelines have to allow kids to both explore and make mistakes."
If eduTecher founder and FETC presenter Adam Bellow had his way, K-12 educators would jump out of the technology "echo chambers" that many of them are trapped in and test out new tools, implement new applications, collaborate among each other, and allow more student-owned devices into the classroom.