ISTE 2016 Series: Sketchnotes, badges, and vendors, oh my!

Expo Hall

My first full day at ISTE 2016 was full of playing and connecting. One thing I notice that sets ISTE apart from other conferences I have attended is the amount of spaces dedicated for PLAYING. Unlike other expo halls, ISTE vendors delivered fun games and stations for attendees to explore new tools and have fun. Of course there were also the standard ed tech celebrities, like Moby from BrainPop. 

Sketchnotes

My first official session set the standard high, as Matt Miller, author of Ditch That Textbook, dropped some sketchnote knowledge on us. His tips and tricks made me feel like one day I too can sketchnote. For his FREE resources on sketchnotes tips and tricks, click HERE. 

Badges

While in Matt Miller's session, I connected with an attendee who was an expert in badges and he very kindly stayed and chatted with me! Noah Geisel is an amazing resource for badging and is leading the way in Aurora. If you're interested, follow him on twitter or join #badgechatk12 to connect with others. 

EdTek Talks

The most powerful part of my day, was listening to the EdTek Talk presenters. One presenter stuck out in particular, and truly touched my heart. Marley Dias was tired of reading about 'white boys and their dogs.' With help from her mother, Janice Dias, they began the #1000BlackGirlBooks movement. The movement strives to gather titles where black girls are the main character, not the side kick. They now have over 7,000 titles available. Her story reminded me that every child needs to see themselves in the stories we read.