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strong>EdTech for Equity [clear filter]
Monday, January 20
 

9:15am EST

A Different Form of Advocacy
Monday January 20, 2025 9:15am - 10:00am EST
Middle School, Room 109
Advocacy means supporting our students, there are several ways to accomplish this. This poster session illustrates how to advocate for your students by showcasing their work and achievements publicly, safely, and appropriately. The goal is to build a bridge to the community to draw support for what your students are accomplishing in your classroom.


Objectives: 
  1. This session shows how to give voice to students from any socio-economic or ethnic background. The process shows how to utilize free resources to give voice to any and all students.
  2. Encourages educators to build out FREE Platforms to showcase student work in a safe manner utilizing best practices for a variety of classroom levels.
  3. Attendees will discuss and begin safely building out their platforms in ways to reach a broader community of parents and other educators to showcase student successes and build not only an audience for their work, but support for their efforts.
Speakers
avatar for Dominic Salvucci

Dominic Salvucci

Teacher, New Brighton School District
Monday January 20, 2025 9:15am - 10:00am EST
Middle School, Room 109
  Session, Engage and Connect

9:15am EST

AI + Early Literacy Development: The Early Learning Collaborative a Model for Change
Monday January 20, 2025 9:15am - 10:00am EST
Middle School, Room 103
In partnership, the Early Excellence Project, The Center that CARES, and Jeremiah's Place have created the Early Learning Collaborative that leverages AI to enhance literacy development, focusing on addressing opportunity gaps for young learners. This project aims to address systemic inequities in literacy by targeting foundational challenges in early childhood education. With a commitment to equity and access, we integrate technology to deliver personalized, culturally responsive literacy support. Attendees will interact with the project’s AI powered curriculum, Waterford, firsthand and explore our approach to assessing impact and adapting to the needs of Black and other historically marginalized children. This session will illustrate how our collaborative model strives to create lasting change in early learning systems.

Objectives 
1. Understand Collaborative Approaches for Equitable Early Literacy Development:
Participants will explore how the Early Learning Collaborative leverages educational technology to bridge equity gaps in early literacy, emphasizing strategies that address root causes in early childhood development for lasting impact.
2. Identify Best Practices in Implementing AI for Early Learning Programs:
Through interactive discussion, participants will identify actionable steps for implementing technology in early learning environments, including key factors that enhance access and equity in literacy programs, to apply within their own schools or organizations.
3. Identify Best Practices in Implementing AI for Early Learning Programs:
Through interactive discussion, participants will identify actionable steps for implementing technology in early learning environments, including key factors that enhance access and equity in literacy programs, to apply within their own schools or organizations.


Speakers
SJ

Shinora Johnson

Chief Operations Officier, The Center That CARES
CB

Cassandra Brentley

Non Profit Leader, Early Excellence Project
Monday January 20, 2025 9:15am - 10:00am EST
Middle School, Room 103
  Session, Engage and Connect

9:15am EST

AI-Powered Tools for Enhancing Math Learning: Boosting Engagement Through Hybrid Tutoring, Goal Setting, and Parental Support
Monday January 20, 2025 9:15am - 10:00am EST
Middle School, Room 101
This session introduces AI-based tools designed to enhance middle school math homework through goal-setting, motivation, and parental involvement. Attendees will explore the Smart Homework Project, which showcases tools co-designed with students and parents to provide personalized support, helping students stay on track and empowering parents to assist with challenging homework. Additionally, the session will feature the PLUS Tutors program, which originated from the Personalized Learning² (PL²) project aimed at bridging opportunity gaps in the Pittsburgh region through math tutoring. By partnering with local afterschool programs, PLUS Tutors successfully reached underserved communities and doubled student math learning during the pandemic. Now focused on in-school math tutoring, PLUS Tutors currently reaches nearly 3,000 middle school students with 300 remote tutors. Attendees will experience an interactive demonstration of these tools and learn practical strategies for fostering stronger connections between home and school; the session will also explore opportunities for school partnerships to implement these AI tools in educational settings.

Learning Objectives:
1. Understand how AI-based tools can enhance middle school math homework by integrating goal-setting, motivation, and parental involvement to improve student engagement and achievement.
2. Explore practical strategies for incorporating AI-supported tools into school settings, empowering teachers to track student progress and enabling parents to assist with challenging homework tasks.
3. Learn about the PLUS Tutors program and its impact on bridging opportunity gaps through math tutoring, and identify ways to form school partnerships to implement similar AI tools in underserved communities. 
Speakers
avatar for Conrad Borchers

Conrad Borchers

PhD Student, Carnegie Mellon University
avatar for Erin Gatz

Erin Gatz

Head of Partnerships, Carnegie Mellon University
Monday January 20, 2025 9:15am - 10:00am EST
Middle School, Room 101
  Session, Engage & Connect

9:15am EST

ELLs in Your Content-Area Classroom: Empower them with Edtech (K-12)
Monday January 20, 2025 9:15am - 10:00am EST
Middle School, Room 105
Are you looking for practical ways to better support English Language Learners (ELLs) in your classroom?  


This session will equip you with dynamic strategies and user-friendly, tech-based resources that will unlock ELL learning and engagement in your classroom.
As you explore new techniques, you will see how enhancing your existing routines and curriculum will empower your ELLs to thrive in the content-area classroom.


This session is designed for those in a content-area or grade-level (K-12) setting in which English Language Learners are students in classrooms alongside those who speak English as a primary language.

Objectives: 
  1. Learn general strategies to support ELLs in the classroom and about edtech tools that can be used in order to effectively implement such strategies.
  2. Understand gain a basic familiarity with a few low-prep, high impact edtech tools that can be incorporated into any teacher’s routine to better support their ELLs.
  3. Gain a better understanding of both the needs and capabilities of our English-Language Learners.
Speakers
RM

Rachel McVeagh

Instructional Innovation Coordinator, Allegheny Intermediate Unit (transformED)
Monday January 20, 2025 9:15am - 10:00am EST
Middle School, Room 105
  Session, Engage and Connect

9:15am EST

Intro to micro:bit and micro:bit Create AI
Monday January 20, 2025 9:15am - 10:00am EST
Middle School, Room 113
Join us for an exciting introduction to the micro:bit, a pocket-sized computer that opens up a world of coding and physical computing! This interactive session will guide you through the basics of programming with MakeCode. We will also explore all the free resources available through the Micro:bit Educational Foundation. If you're a beginner or have some experience, this workshop is perfect for anyone curious about micro:bit and not sure where to start. Let's build, code, and innovate together!

Dive into the future of creative coding with micro:bit CreateAI! This innovative tool combines the power of machine learning with the versatility of the micro:bit. In this session, you'll learn how to train your own AI models to recognize gestures. You'll then apply these models to create interactive code that blend the physical and digital worlds. Whether you're a seasoned coder or a curious beginner, this workshop will inspire you to explore the exciting possibilities of AI and micro:bit.

Objectives:
  1. Gain a foundational understanding of the micro:bit's capabilities: Participants will learn about the core features, sensors, and outputs of the micro:bit, and how it can be used to engage students in STEM learning.
  2. Explore the MakeCode platform and its potential for educational applications: Participants will become familiar with the user-friendly interface of MakeCode, accessibility features, and learn how to create simple programs to control the micro:bit's inputs and outputs.
  3. Discover a variety of resources and activities for incorporating micro:bit into the classroom: Participants will be introduced to the rich ecosystem of online resources, tutorials, and curriculum materials available for micro:bit, enabling them to implement engaging and effective STEM activities in their classrooms.
  4. Understand the basics of machine learning and its applications in education: Participants will gain a conceptual understanding of machine learning and how it can be used to create engaging and interactive learning experiences.
  5. Learn how to train and deploy AI models on the micro:bit: Participants will acquire practical skills in using the micro:bit CreateAI tool to train custom gesture recognition models and integrate them into their code.
  6. Identify opportunities to integrate AI and micro:bit into existing curriculum: Participants will explore how to incorporate AI and micro:bit projects into subjects like science, math, and art, enhancing student engagement and fostering a deeper understanding of STEM concepts.
Speakers
AJ

Amanda Jeane

Director of Learning, CodeJoy
Monday January 20, 2025 9:15am - 10:00am EST
Middle School, Room 113
  Session, Engage and Connect

9:15am EST

The Power of Generative AI: Redefining Writing Instruction with WisdomK12
Monday January 20, 2025 9:15am - 10:00am EST
Middle School, Room 111
Imagine revolutionizing how students learn to write, with instant, personalized feedback that motivates them to improve faster than ever before. This lecture presents a groundbreaking case study on WisdomK12, an automated writing evaluation tool transforming writing instruction in Northeastern U.S. middle schools. This study, guided by Richard Elmore's renowned instructional core framework, reveals how public and private school teachers and students embrace technology to enhance learning outcomes. Participants found that WisdomK12 not only saves valuable time but also delivers authentic, encouraging feedback, inspiring students to write more and with greater confidence. If you’re invested in improving education with cutting-edge technology, this presentation is your gateway to understanding the future of writing instruction.


In "Generative AI in the Classroom: Redefining the Writing Process," we explore how local school districts have transformed writing instruction using the innovative WisdomK12 generative AI tool. This presentation will showcase qualitative and quantitative data highlighting the tool's impact on student engagement and writing proficiency. Attendees will gain insights from students, teachers, and administrators who have successfully integrated WisdomK12 into their curricula. Discover firsthand experiences and best practices that demonstrate how AI can enhance the writing process. Join us to learn how generative AI is reshaping education, making writing instruction more efficient and effective.

Objectives: 
  1. Apply AI to improve writing.
  2. Emphasize writing in cross-curricular assignments with AI affordances.Leverage AI to improve critical thinking and creativity.
  3. Understand the Integration of Generative AI in Writing Instruction: Participants will learn how the WisdomK12 generative AI tool is being used to redefine the teaching of writing, including the specific methods and strategies employed by local school districts.
  4. Analyze Data and Outcomes: Attendees will review and interpret qualitative and quantitative data collected from the implementation of the WisdomK12 tool, gaining insights into its effectiveness in improving student writing skills and engagement.
  5. Gain Practical Insights from Real-world Implementations: Participants will hear firsthand accounts from students, teachers, and administrators who have used the tool, enabling them to identify best practices and potential challenges in adopting generative AI in their own educational settings.
Speakers
avatar for Eric Sparkenbaugh

Eric Sparkenbaugh

Asst. Superintendent, Montour School District
avatar for Michael Marchionda

Michael Marchionda

CEO, WisdomK12
Michael Marchionda is a seasoned educator, entrepreneur, and thought leader in the intersection of education and artificial intelligence. As the founder and CEO of WisdomK12, Michael has revolutionized how educators and students collaborate, leveraging generative AI to enhance writing... Read More →
TR

Traci Ramey

Cheif Academic Officer, William Penn Academy
Monday January 20, 2025 9:15am - 10:00am EST
Middle School, Room 111
  Session, Listen & Learn

9:15am EST

Be the Boss of AI
Monday January 20, 2025 9:15am - 10:45am EST
Oliver, Room 213
Generative artificial intelligence and AI chatbots have captured the public’s imagination in remarkable ways. This workshop turns the tables on our AI overlords and puts kids in-charge. Learn how chatbots may be used in playful ways to create, learn, write better, solve problems, and develop critical thinking skills. Mind-blowing project ideas and tools will be shared to enhance learning long after this unique workshop.

Learning Objectives:
1. Become aware of indispensable AI tools for the classroom that are not chatbots.
2. Appreciate ways in which AI may be used to amplify the creative and intellectual potential of each learner.
3. Using AI as a partner in programming, writing, video editing, and oral communication.
Speakers
avatar for Gary Stager

Gary Stager

Founder, CEO, Professor, STEAM Educator, and Author, Constructing Modern Knowledge
In addition to being a popular keynote speaker at some of the world’s most prestigious education conferences, Gary Stager is a journalist, teacher educator, consultant, professor, software developer, publisher, and school administrator. An elementary teacher by training, he has... Read More →
Monday January 20, 2025 9:15am - 10:45am EST
Oliver, Room 213
  Workshop, Create & Explore

9:15am EST

Revolutionizing Core Math + Science Classrooms 7-12 with Virtual Reality
Monday January 20, 2025 9:15am - 10:45am EST
Oliver, Room 112
Join us for a revolutionary learning experience in Secondary Math + Science that uses virtual reality to transform student engagement, confidence and competence.  Come hear from Dr. Trisha Martell, Principal and Ms. Alison DeMarco, Director of Digital Teaching and Learning, at Elizabeth Forward Middle School, what teachers and students are saying and why they feel so passionately about spatial learning with Prisms VR.  

You will experience the power of immersive, embodied and kinesthetic learning, and reimagine what it means to teach and learn core Math and Science with the next generation of spatial computers for enduring long term memories.

Learning Objectives:
1. Participants will experience Embodied Learning in Secondary Math + Science with VR.
2. Participants can explain the unique opportunities in learning core math with VR.
3. Participants can lead a Prisms module in a math or science classroom.
Speakers
DT

Dr. Trisha Martell

Principal, Elizabeth Forward School District
BC

Beth Carr

Prisms Partnership Director, Prisms VR
Monday January 20, 2025 9:15am - 10:45am EST
Oliver, Room 112
  Workshop, Create & Explore

10:15am EST

Carnegie Mellon University + Burrell High School Digital Writing Center: A Dynamic and Mutually Beneficial Student Support
Monday January 20, 2025 10:15am - 11:00am EST
Middle School, Room 111
Carnegie Mellon University has a variety of education outreach offerings throughout the University, including the Leonard Gelfand Center for Service Learning and Outreach’s LGC Tutoring. COVID-19 forced this program to find unique alternatives to in-person tutoring to support students, which have since been found beneficial post-COVID. With community partners, the establishment of fully virtual digital writing centers allows CMU undergraduate student tutors to offer robust written feedback to high school students. This session will offer an overview of the digital writing center model, the structures for implementation, and details of the mutual benefits of this partnership; featuring Burrell High School. 

Objectives:
  1. Attendees will be able to identify the benefits of the digital writing lab model for both 6-1th graders and undergraduate and graduate students in high education settings. 
  2. Attendees will be able to understand the dynamics of partnering with High Education instructions using open source technology.
  3. Attendees will be able to understand how to create a digital writing lab or how to work with an existing digital writing lab 
Speakers
MW

Mimi Wertheimer

Director of Student Instructor Development and K-12 Community Partnership, Leonard Gelfand Center @ Carnegie Mellon University
Monday January 20, 2025 10:15am - 11:00am EST
Middle School, Room 111
  Session, Engage and Connect

10:15am EST

High Schoolers Engaging Elementary Students Through Innovative STEM Lessons
Monday January 20, 2025 10:15am - 11:00am EST
Middle School, Room 105
Whether it’s VEX, SkillsUSA or FIRST, these youth robotics programs instill a passion for all things STEM. Garrett County Public Schools (Maryland) leverages this passion by allowing its high school robotics students to teach highly engaging, standards-based, and scalable lessons to all students, grades 2 though 5 - making a systemic impact in our district. These lessons produce many “ah-ha” moments and help ensure that elementary-aged students develop the skills needed for their success in STEM. This session will feature our high school students sharing about their lessons and the “gadgets” they use to teach them -including a LEGO Abacus and Top Spinner, a “math-magic” trick based on the rudiments of binary numbers, a set of LEGO calipers that exactly determine the Golden Ratio and homemade “Makey Makeys”.  Many “gadgets” will be given away. In fact, all participants will take at least one home! This program has been a huge “win-win” success and our students’ passion is contagious. They will inspire you with the difference they make! 

Objectives: 
  1. Participants will learn how high school students can be used effectively in teaching STEM lessons to upper elementary students to promote the development of essential STEM Skills such as spatial reasoning, proportionality, and those found in computational thinking.
  2. Participants will be presented with 5 highly engaging and scalable STEM lesson lessons that are easily replicable and reinforce concepts of multiplication, the binary number system, and the significance of the Fibonacci numbers.
  3. Participants will become familiar with FIRST Robotics and how its programs encourage its teams to make a systemic impact on the schools and communities they serve - making a difference to all students, whether they are on a robotics team or not.
Speakers
avatar for Chuck Trautwein

Chuck Trautwein

Teacher, STEAM Educator, Garrett County Public Schools, Maryland
Monday January 20, 2025 10:15am - 11:00am EST
Middle School, Room 105
  Session, Engage and Connect

10:15am EST

POD x TECH: Using Audio-Storytelling to Enhance Digital and Media Literacy
Monday January 20, 2025 10:15am - 11:00am EST
Middle School, Room 109
Since 2018, PART has operated a  K-12 digital literacy program in 8 school districts across the greater Pittsburgh region. We call our program POD x TECH, in abbreviation for two components that represent growing fields of increasing significance to students workforce readiness — podcasts and technology.

Now in its fourth year, the POD x TECH program, in which PART grew the program to 15 classrooms across 12 schools, PART works directly with students in supplementing their year-long curriculum in two equally important ways, where technology is at the intersection of each student's preparedness for continuing education and entry into the workforce.

Attendees will explore PART's methodology, our successes and failures, and leave with tools for their students and schools.

Mike Zula, or “Mr. Mike” is a Pittsburgh native with an education background spanning the state of Pennsylvania, culminating in matriculation from Penn State and Pitt Law—Mike understands the education landscape in Pennsylvania and abroad as it pertains to both higher education and career readiness programs.

Mr. Mike’s passion is situated somewhere between storytelling and technology—how we tell our stories utilizing technology profoundly impacts the way in which future generations will understand our use (hopefully the responsible use) of technology.

A staunch advocate of individualized education and multimodal education methods, bringing Mike and PART into your classrooms, libraries, or board rooms provides an energetic and entertaining look at how we interact with technology in our educational journeys—journeys which are lifelong.

The Partnership to Advance Responsible Technology (PART) is a Pittsburgh-based, independent, 501(c)(3) nonprofit think-tank that engages key, multi-sector stakeholders to ensure the responsible research, development, deployment, and governance of emerging and data-driven technologies, notably artificial intelligence. The POD x Tech program is funded by the Grable Foundation.

Objectives : 
  1. Understand the methodology behind the POD x TECH program: Attendees will learn how PART integrates podcasts and technology into K-12 classrooms to enhance digital literacy and career readiness, and how this approach can be applied in their own schools.
  2. Identify key successes and challenges in implementing a digital literacy program: Attendees will gain insights into the growth and development of the program, including practical takeaways from both its successes and challenges, enabling them to better plan and adapt similar initiatives in their institutions.
  3. Gain tools and strategies for enhancing student workforce readiness: Attendees will leave with actionable tools and strategies to integrate technology and storytelling into their educational programs, fostering students’ preparedness for higher education and the workforce.
Speakers
MZ

Mike Zula

Education Program Manager, Partnership to Advance Responsible Technology
Monday January 20, 2025 10:15am - 11:00am EST
Middle School, Room 109
  Session, Engage and Connect

12:00pm EST

Innovation Hall: Exhibitor, Vendor, Poster Sessions, and Student Showcase
Monday January 20, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm EST
Snyder Gym
Earn TRETC Cash for just entering the Innovation Hall! Then collect more TRETC Cash as you visit each table. There is SO much to explore. You will use your TRETC cash at the TRETC Auction in the REA Auditorium at the end of the day!
Monday January 20, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm EST
Snyder Gym
  Booth Showcase

1:00pm EST

Innovation Hall: Lighting Talks
Monday January 20, 2025 1:00pm - 1:45pm EST
Snyder Gym
Earn TRETC Cash for just entering the Innovation Hall! Then collect more TRETC Cash as you visit each table. There is SO much to explore. You will use your TRETC cash at the TRETC Auction in the REA Auditorium at the end of the day!
Monday January 20, 2025 1:00pm - 1:45pm EST
Snyder Gym
  Booth Showcase, Create and Explore

1:45pm EST

Let’s Bring AI into Your Class! A Co-Design Session to Embed AI Literacy into Traditional Subjects
Monday January 20, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm EST
Oliver, Room 215
This interactive co-design session empowers K-12 teachers to seamlessly integrate AI concepts into their existing classroom activities, making learning both engaging and relevant for students. Teachers will work collaboratively with the speakers to develop activities that convey essential, practical AI knowledge, helping students build the foundational skills to become responsible, informed decision-makers in a future shaped by AI. No prior AI expertise is required—this session is designed to support all educators. By the end of the workshop, each team of teachers will have crafted an AI-enhanced activity ready to bring into the classroom, helping students build common-sense AI literacy through familiar subjects. Join us to explore accessible, innovative ways to bring AI into your teaching practice!

Learning Objectives:
1. Identify potential AI-related knowledge that suitable for existing learning activities.
2. Create a classroom-ready AI-embedded activity.
3. Design assessment criteria for this AI-embedded activity.
Speakers
RX

Ruiwei Xiao

PhD Student at Carnegie Mellon University, Carnegie Mellon University
Monday January 20, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm EST
Oliver, Room 215
  Workshop, Create & Explore

1:45pm EST

Origametria: Teaching K-7 Geometry Curriculum with Origami
Monday January 20, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm EST
Oliver, Room 212
Join educators Elizabeth King and Autumn Dillaman for a workshop focused on teaching students from Kindergarten to Middle School geometry through origami. Origametria is a multi-award-winning digital environment for teaching the full geometry curriculum through paper folding. It was founded by Miri Golan and Paul Jackson, world-renowned origami educators. Together, they developed a hands-on platform of 200 animated lessons that are investigative and engaging for all students, including students with learning differences such as ADHD and dyslexia. During this workshop, Elizabeth and Autumn will share their experiences implementing Origametria lessons in grades 2-5 at Falk Lab School. They will also lead participants through several Origametria experiences, which will include easy activities to take back to the classroom.

Learning Objectives:
1. Get introduced to the Origametria curriculum, pedagogy, and online platform.
2. Hands-on experience of a geometry lesson delivered through paper folding.
3. Paper folding geometry activities to take back to your school community.  
Speakers
AD

Autumn Dillaman

Division Director, Elementary, Falk Lab School
EK

Elizabeth King

Elementary Educator, Falk Lab School
Monday January 20, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm EST
Oliver, Room 212
  Workshop, Create & Explore
 
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