In July, I had the privilege to attend my
second Discovery Educator Network Summer Institute (DENSI) and Leadership
Council Pre-conference.
Over 150 educators, from 7 countries came
together to explore resources, tools, and programs focused on leading and
supporting teachers, media specialists, and instructional specialists through digital
transition and enhancing student learning experiences.
DENSI is residential-style event where I lead
and attended workshops, learned from keynote speakers, the Discovery Education
team, and my fellow Discovery Education Community members.
Again this year, I left energized, motivated
and full of new ideas (yes, a little exhausted too). My teaching has been greatly impacted by the amazing educators
(#tribe) I spent the week with in Wilmington, North Carolina.
It was a fantastic investment in my personal
and professional growth. Because
of this week, I continue to learn, connect, collaborate, and share resources,
ideas, and strategies with and from a community of growth-minded educators from
around the world.
My top 20 memories from DENSI 2018 are:
· Participating
in the Leadership Pre-Conference
· Blue
Crew and being able to welcome and meet attendees
· Leaning
all things AI, AR, and VR from Hall Davidson.
· Spending
time learning presentation ideas from high energy Steve Dembo.
· Working
with digital tools to support student learning and creating models for other
educators.
· Sharing
Flipgrid strategies.
· Sharing
#Snaps across the Curriculum
· Exploring
how digital media and tools can support differentiated instruction.
· Exploring
Merge Cubes.
· Visiting
the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle
Rescue Center where we took a behind the scenes tour of the rescue and
rehabilitation of sea turtles.
· Viewing
the documentary Straws by Linda Booker
followed by a Q&A with Linda!
· Meeting
the team from the Cucalorus
film festival & studio for a Media Literacy Audio Workshop and working with
team on film editing, sound strategies and techniques that teachers can bring
into the classroom as the short films and learning strategies for using film in
the classroom.
· Learning
from and presented Googlely Good Stuff with Jenn Hall and Jeremy Badiner
· Mind-Hive
discussions about Problem based learning and forming good questions.
· Exploring
Oppression and Hope
· DENmazing
Race
· Name
that Tune
· DEN-fit
· HyperDocs
with Dane
· DEN
Celebration
Of course, there are so many more memories! The week of learning eclipsed the cost of the plane ticket, was worth sprinting through airports, and coming home DEN tired. I so value this learning experience! Thank you DEN for an amazing week that: grew my mind, filled my heart and brought JOY to my soul. I hope to repeat in this experience again next year!