Naturally Innovate

This second day of the summit we spend all day at SMART Technologies HQ for three different activities and we started with the most awesome thing: the Hackathon. All SEEs were divided in smaller groups of 5-6 people with that same amount of software developers to start brainstorming on the next best thing for SMART Notebook, SMART LAB, SMART kapp, SMART kapp iQ and of course SMART amp. Brainstorming helped us getting further to an awesome plan within SMART LAB (activity builder), but is total NDA, due to avoid spoilers for new users. I really do hope that our idea will eventually really be added to SMART Notebook (LAB). We will find out more about that next Friday.

After spending a few hours with developers we were split into three large groups for a guided tour around SMART HQ:

• software testing lab: real nice visit and we could all share our complaints. Did you know that in this testing lab they have all different kinds of computers with minimal settings and operating systems to test every release of soft- and firmware on all kinds of SMART Boards and interactive flat panels. Nice!
• briefing center: Have been there before and was nothing new. Although the SMART Collaborative Classroom (showroom) is nice to be in.
• hardware testing lab: this was the best. So many cool things were shared with us, but most of that is of course total NDA. The camera-testing was cool. Did you know that each camera is unique and has to cover and correct the errors from the other three cameras from the SMARt Board. This makes every board unique! How about that!

At last we all went to a reflection group, that we've signed up for. I was in the SMART Response VE group and could speak with the developers and we could share our wishes and the way we all use SMART Response VE in the classroom. There will be a new version coming soon, so nothing can be shared ahead of that. All I can say is that it will be very good! And it was nice to see that some of my earlier comments through a feedback session by phone were already in there.

Broken Toyz is on the plan for tonight!

Global SEE Summit preparations

This week we all received the summit guide and the program looks just fantastic and I'm really looking forward. Instead of the regular four days, we will now have five full days of learning and professional development at the SEE Summit in Calgary, Alberta.

As a summit peer mentor there will be some sessions that I will do. On Tuesday I'm one of the reflection group leaders to point out what we've gained on that day. On Wednesday I will be leading with three other SEEs the unconference about Changing School Culture. A great topic and really where my school is at now. And I will do a session with Lise and Charity on presenting about SMARTamp at Google Apps for Education summits. And throughout this day I am the social media specialist with Sergio, so keep an eye on the #smartee hashtag on Twitter and Instagram. On Thursday I will do the ice braker activity and I've prepared a education apps logo quiz with SMART Response and also a secret quiz ... and I will bring some prices as well! Looking forward. Will keep you posted. Whoohoo! 

SMART Response

Last week I used SMART Response (the VE-version in Notebook 14) in my SMART Collaborative Classroom during geography class. Students needed to learn how to work with climate charts and had to look them up in the atlas and answer some questions. I used one of the SMART Boards for the instruction and after the instruction I shared a few Response questions: single questions and not a question set. Here's what happened:

After the first question, I could see that hardly anyone had understand anything of it and couldn't tell anything from the climate charts in the atlas being used. And at that point they really wanted to know what they've done wrong. This continued until question nr. 3 which had a percentage of more than 80%. They were really getting it and of course they scored all 100% on the final question.
It was really nice to see that after a little failure, they wanted to learn themselves and were eager to check their answers with me each time in order to have a good score on the next question (and for me to know that they finally understood how to work with climate charts). Mission accomplished.

Amping up at SMART HQ

The first day at SMART Technologies HQ was a great success and still is while I'm writing this. We are with 76(!) SMART Exemplary Educators in one room with great SMARTians to enrich us and make sure than even after day one we will gain a lot which we will takje home and can use directly in our class room. That is my experience after almost one day spending with loads of inspiring people.

At first president of education Greg Estell welcomed us with his keynote about education and how important we as teachers are and can make a difference. He was very kind and made sure that we understood that we are more than welcome and that we matter. Good to know.

"A brand is no longer what a company tells the consumer it is. It's what consumers tell each other it is."

Jenna shared a lot information about the roadmap of the software and hardware of SMART Technologies, but since we signed an NDA we don't have permission to tweet, blog, etc. about it. All I can say is that it keeps on mind-blowing for me ...

Heather Lamb, Erica Arnoldin and others shared (new) features of SMART Notebook 2014 (eXtreme Collaboration, SMART Response VE, Geogebra etc.) and SMART amp during sessions for smaller groups. There's already a list of things that I will take home and will and can use in my SMART Collaborative Classroom.

Stop Motion (200 pics in 20 seconds)

I handed out some souvenirs from The Netherlands and Alphen aan den Rijn - the town I live - to SEEs that I and my students have been working with the past year and to make sure that we will collaborate more next school year. Michelle from Illinois, Mary from Florida, Hamdy from Saudi Arabia and Yulia from Russia are the SEEs present. SEEs that are not present like Emil from the Czech Republic and Kate from Philadelphia.

At the end of the day I was asked to do a TV interview. How awesome is that. I don't have any footage yet, but there's a picture of me at SMART HQ with the TV camera. Lunch was very good, snacks and drinks were provided. After all it was a good day! Looking forward to do more tomorrow!

P.S. check the hashtag #smartee on Twitter to follow in on what's happening at the Global SEE Summit.

With Sergio and Allen

Global SEE Summit

Oh YES!! I have been selected to attend the Global SEE Summit from July 20th-26th in Calgary, Canada!! I got the e-mail from EMEA SMART Education Specialist Ainhoa Marcos and the e-mail made me very happy! The e-mail stated that:

"You are a proven technology leader and an outstanding advocate for inspiring excellence in education through the use of technology. You are simply amazing and we are absolutely thrilled to invite you to attend this exclusive event."

I've been to a SEE summit in Calgary before in 2011, but this time it's going to be a global happening and there will be around 25 SEEs from EMEA as well. This is just awesome! No it's EPIC and I'm really looking forward to meet al the other amazing teachers from around the globe.

To be selected all the SMART Exemplary Educators in EMEA and NA had to create a short video and should be about there first, best experience with SMART Notebook software or other SMART product. I did create one, but wasn't too happy after I send that one in and did create another one. Both of them are for sharing ... (as I've stated before "Celebrate failure" and the first one is just not good enough).

Take one ...

Take two ...

This year there will be about 75 of the best SEEs invited for the Global Summit. And I'm very  happy to be one of them and collaborate with them, share with them the things I've learned and experienced the past few years and will learn a lot from them in order to take a lot home with me. Happy to meet inspiring SEEs like Charity and Danesa again and more than happy to meet Rafranz for the first time. 

And on top of this Deena asked me if would like to do a workshop about Global Collaboration. I've been doing quite a few of those collaboration projects with SEEs from Russia, Turkey, Saudi-Arabia, Czech Republic and the US the past year. And at the moment I'm involved in a long term collaboration project with teachers and schools from Surinam and Curacao through the Global Teenager Project. Awesome project whilst I will share at the Summit on Wednesday the 23rd of July ... I will keep you posted.

P.S. and many many thanks to the people that voted for me or any other SEE.