Back in another lifetime, I was a LotusNotes gurl. I developed courses and taught NetWare and LotusNotes when the industry certifcations were just coming out. I have been to a few tech conferences in my day. I was at iNACOL last year.
But ISTE is a whole another level.
20,000 educators, footballs fields of vendors, sessions, playgrounds, and posters. I had no idea what playgrounds and posters were before I went there but I highly recommend them. ISTE is a huge event. Plan before you go, get there the day before and stay until the closing.
The first day was great. I was with my poeple. Not that I went there with anyone but all the people there - they're my people. They get it. They get the constant learning and comfortable shifting sands of technology.
The second day the vendor floor opened and I was off chasing shiny things. The free stuff otherwise know as trickets and trash. I cramped my hand writing raffle entries. I watched product demos I will never use for the tee-shirt. I got a dozen ribbons for my badge.
Then I hit a wall. Suddenly it all looked trendy and flashy. There were robots everywhere. I have been mentoring robotics on a team founded in 1999 but apparently it all just caught on. I ended the second day with a pretty good haul. At least four tee shirts. One is really soft. Another says "The Code is strong with this one" (star wars!). A great book ( Ditch that textbook). and about 30 pounds of flyers.
Time to regroup. What was I there for?
I work in a vaccum. I am the only person leading online learning and virtual program in my school. My mentor just retired. The position I report to have been vacant for sox month and my dep. supe. does not know what I do.
I'm not a ISTE for the trendy products. I am not here for the tools. I am here for the thought leadership.
So I started my third day planning to listen to Will Richardson. At the bus stop, I learned about a sketchnote meetup in the blogger cafe. I attended and got my start at sketchnoting. I met @SylviaDuckworth. I listened to Will Richardson remind us that technology should amplify the learning not drive it.
Overall ISTE was a great experience. I learned a lot. I connected with many people. and I found my focus.
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