This article was originally published in The Notebook. In August 2020, The Notebook became Chalkbeat Philadelphia.
Organizers of the third annual Educator Forum @ School of the Future are looking for educators’ submissions that highlight the use of technology to enhance student learning.
The forum, scheduled for May 2-3 at the West Philadelphia school, is both a competition and a conference. It’s organized by the SOF Partnership Foundation and SEPAECT, a group concerned with educational technology.
Educators can enter a project in the competition that demonstrates how they help students learn using technology or attend as a participant for the professional development experience.
The event is designed to “promote the sharing of exceptional practices, recognize educators and innovative schools, and provide professional development in technology integration,” according to Kate Hayes, head of the SOF Partnership Foundation.
Submissions should show how projects engage students in problem-solving, inspire creativity, and impart life skills, Hayes said. Educators can apply on their own or in teams of two.
School leaders who direct programs and initiatives that use technology to enhance education throughout the school community can submit projects that are either classroom-based or school-wide.
Hayes said that projects showcased in the last two years included one that used gaming to bring autistic and regular education students together and another that used blogging to explore the popular Hunger Games book series and foster digital collaboration among students. Last year’s winner used video conferencing to foster communication between her business students and business owners in the real world.
Among the speakers already lined up is Chris Lehmann, principal of Science Leadership Academy. Professional development workshop topics range from how teachers can find free Microsoft tools to “The Pedagogy of the One-to-One Classroom.”
Educators can submit a project or register online to attend.