Tuesday ~ Caitlin Krause

Founder, Educator, Speaker, Author

Caitlin Krause is an experience designer fostering XR (extended reality) fluency. She focuses on the intersection of technology, innovation, and wellbeing, and founded the XR studio and consultancy MindWise in 2015. She teaches about digital wellbeing and XR at Stanford University. In 2021 she authored the book Designing Wonder: Leading Transformative Experiences in VR. Caitlin has advised global organizations including Google, Meta, Oracle, TED, Evernote, University of San Francisco, ETH Zürich, and the U.S. State Department. She has created and run numerous collaborative experiences in social XR, fusing presence, storytelling, meditation, and social and emotional intelligence. She is a writer and designer for digital therapeutic applications that incorporate haptics and biofeedback. She holds an MFA from Lesley University and a BA from Duke University. After two decades of teaching and leadership experience, she wrote Mindful By Design (Corwin Press, 2019) helping individuals and teams navigate complexity and change, prioritizing mindful wellbeing, design, and imagination.

 

 

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Tuesday Keynote: 12:05-1:05pm ~ 4 Rivers Ballroom

Learning as a Journey: Staying Meaningfully Connected in Times of Accelerated Technology Change

Amidst the rapid evolution of digital innovations, including AI, educators find themselves at the forefront of a transformative era in learning. Our opening keynote, "Learning as a Journey," shines a light on the crucial role of genuine, meaningful connections, even when technology is reshaping educational landscapes. While acknowledging the challenges of our digitally-infused world, our focus will be on the abundant opportunities it offers. From fostering authentic relationships to reinvigorating teaching methodologies, we'll frame ways to spark wonder, awe, and joy in the classroom and also ensure that our educational core remains firmly anchored in compassion, rigor, connection, and an unyielding curiosity about our world. Join us for a keynote conversation that seamlessly blends the timeless wisdom of teaching from the heart with the exciting promise of a technologically-enriched tomorrow.

Concurrent sessions offered by our Tuesday keynote speaker in the 4 Rivers Ballroom:

Learning as a Journey: Deeper Dives

This active session following the keynote gives us a chance to “ventilate the topics” as Caitlin likes to say, finding space between the notes for open questions, dialogue, sharing and identifying even more strategies and tools that help us put ideas into practice.

“Drawing from the Well of Well-being”

In our digitally connected era, we as educators often find ourselves at the intersection of constant online and external engagement and the vital pursuit of personal well-being. This workshop session offers a hands-on exploration to navigate this balance, empowering you to leverage digital tools while intentionally maintaining genuine connection, energy, and compassion. Together, we'll uncover practical strategies to prioritize moments of wonder, awe, and joy amidst our tech-centric routines. This isn't just about taking a pause; it's about actively thriving in the digital age. Join us in this dynamic session as we merge the best of both digital and personal worlds to foster a balanced, energized, and enriching set of practices that can reframe our quality of experience.

Wednesday ~ Craig Sheil

Digital Learning Specialist

Craig Sheil is a Digital Learning Specialist at Bedford High School in Bedford, NH, with 20 years of experience in education. While Craig started as a high school math teacher, his passion currently lies in inspiring others to embrace technology purposefully, empowering educators to infuse it effectively into their classrooms. He has helped equip teachers with the tools and strategies needed to navigate the digital landscape over the years.

Craig is a Google for Education Certified Trainer and adjunct faculty member at Fitchburg State University, where he teaches educational technology graduate level courses for teachers. He can also be found presenting at conferences, conducting professional trainings [how about professional learning, instead of “trainings”?] for school districts, and offering online workshops. Craig is a proud awardee of both the Susan Janosz Technology Impact Award (awarded by NHSTE in 2018) and the Fernand J. Prevost Mathematics Teaching Award (awarded by NHTM in 2005)

Craig’s Blog, “the Sheil Spiel” can be found at: www.craigmsheil.com
Twitter: @csheil

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Wednesday Keynote: 12:00-1:00pm ~ 4 Rivers Ballroom

Striking the Balance: Supporting Education through Human-AI Collaboration

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming our world, and education is no exception. AI has the potential to help us reshape traditional learning opportunities, but it is important to use AI in a way that complements human intellect. We must find ways for AI to help amplify our abilities, allow us to be more effective, help foster creativity, and think critically. It is all about striking the right balance and learning how to co-exist and integrate AI in your everyday life in a way that makes the most sense.

Thursday ~ Sean Arnold

Educator, Presenter, & Blogger

Sean spent 17 years in NYC’s District 75, citywide special education, and now serves as a director helping coordinate the NYC Schools’ equitable computer science efforts. Those roles have allowed him to maintain his commitment to reaching ALL students through inclusive and innovative technology and practices. He shares his expertise at making learning personally meaningful, intrinsically motivating, and made for everyone at BraveInTheAttempt.com. He has received the ISTE Outstanding Teacher Award, ISTE Inclusive Learning Outstanding Educator Award, NYCDOE Excellence in School Technology Award, the EDxEDNYC Excellence in Technology Award, and many other accolades and certifications.

 

 

 

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Thursday Keynote: 4:00-5:00pm ~ 4 Rivers Ballroom

Brave In The Attempt: Boldly Inclusive Learning

The breadth of societal, political, and structural challenges facing educators can seem daunting. And with the backdrop of pandemics, climate change, and the rapid advancement of new technologies, we can feel overwhelmed by what is asked of us as teachers and school leaders. But we can step into the fray seeking to make the best of one small moment in one classroom with one group of students and find ways to nurture that into a movement for real change. It is only in a jarringly honest space that we can see the needs of our students, our community, and our fellow educators. And in that space we will see examples of empowering students across backgrounds and ability levels to become the change makers we need for an uncertain future.