Wednesday Closing Keynote at ISTE 2010

The closing keynote for ISTE 2010 was delivered by Dr. Jeff Pionteck who is an Author, and currently the "Head of School" of the HTA.


Bio from the ISTE 2010 Program:

"After many years in the New York City area as a science teacher and Director of Instructional and Informational Technology, Piontek is now "Head of School" at the Hawaii Technology Academy (HTA). A unique state charter school, HTA has been transforming public education through a hybrid model of individualized learning that combines classroom and virtual learning across the islands of Oahu, Kauai, Maui, the Big Island, Lanai, and Molokai. The school performed at the top of Hawaiian public schools its first year, and doubled its enrollment to 500 students by its second year"

He is also the author of Blogs, Wikis, and Podcasts, Oh, My! Electronic Media in the Classroom.

The theme of his keynote was: Global Learners = Global Leaders and he began his presentation with a video about his school in Hawaii that was created by some of the students at his school. It was fantastic! Here is the longer version of the video that was shown:




 Pionteck's keynote was everything a keynote should be and more. It is no wonder he was chosen through a "crowd source" type selection process by ISTE members to be the keynote. He was visionary and thoughtful and had an inspiring delivery. He was a great wind up speaker for ISTE 2010 as his message summarized the themes and messages I had heard throughout the workshops and keynotes I had already enjoyed these past few days.

Here are a few of my notes from what Pionteck said during his keynote address:

• Change over the last 25 years will appear slow, compared to the next 25 years.25 Years form Now: What will be emerging?
• Social networking and mobile devices are what students are using today to connect. How many of us can use these tools in our classrooms?
• "Today's students are no longer the people our educational system was designed to teach." -Prensky, 2001.
• A standardized test is a snapshot of the day the student wrote the test, when in reality, it follows them around for a whole year.
• S.T.E.M.: (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) S.T.E.M. needs to integrate into classrooms around the world. Classrooms need to get reorganized to make learning social.
• S.T.E.A.M. is the new STEM - (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) Arts is important to teach creativity and innovation that drives the other parts of education. It helps us find our passion.
• Networking of this conference is important. It is essential to keep in touch with those who you met this week at ISTE. You are now educational technology leaders in your schools.
• It is not important what you look like or what you are wearing, but how you are engaging your students in your students.
• What is your Passion? What drives you? What do you want for your future? What do your kids want for the future?
• People under 20 are living a digitized world. Have your students create a blog or a wiki about their passion.
• All children should have a chance to give it a GO. After Grade 3, students are no longer given the chance to give it a go. To learn from their mistakes and to be creative and explore life.
• All children should have access to technology and the internet.
• ...it's innovation ... it's creativity
• There's no longer an excuse not know how. Students today need to know how to use the tools to find the answer. Eventually they will find what they are looking for. Students need to be culturally aware and remembering where they came from and where they are going.
• What do you consider excellence yourself? When people know that you really care about, they will come and do whatever they can to help you.
• It is time for a revolution in education. We need to give our students the tools they need to learn 21st century skills.
• Another great video made by the students in his school about exploring excellence. Fantastic!
• If you start a project with your students, finish it. Start something small, something you know you can complete. Take an idea that you saw this week and run with it.
• Have students take the information, immerse themselves in it and then create something with that material.
• Blue Mars - program to use to create videos.
• Final thought: It's a challenge- Our job is to nourish the dreams of our children - to make them all that they can be. Those dreams are our future.

Thanks for a great keynote to wind up another fabulous ISTE! I have a lot to digest this summer as I review my many notes and continue discussions with my PLN. Thanks to everyone for making this a fantastic learning opportunity for all!