5 Things I Learned at ISTE Today

It is Day 2 of #ISTE2014 and my head is already spinning with so much information that I thought I had better take a moment to reflect and write down at least 5 things that really stood out about the day before I went back tomorrow to pack more in:)
So the top 5 things I learned today are:

1. Ron Clark Academy students pray before they begin a presentation.

2. Thinglink is pretty cool (I have seen my Texas tech-y friends use it for a while, but I never quite "got it" until today). It is an app and it's online. The purpose of Thinglink is to allow you to place interactive icons linked to text, URLs, and websites on a static picture OR beginning tomorrow inside a video (like to ask guiding questions or assess understanding). I got to meet the founder today and she gave me a sneak peek!

3. Thanks to Al Pajak, I learned that you can embed a You Tube video inside a Google form. He uses the forms to verify students completed a flipped learning assignment.

4. From QR Code Scavenger Hunts for teachers to the Amazing Race, @AngelynCheatham and @JessicaBranch are taking a fun approach to professional development with the Extreme PD Makeover Edition.  They shared ideas that I will definitely incorporate!

5. It is important to make time to really connect with people. I had the amazing opportunity to talk with some wonderful EdTech Women over dinner tonight. It reminded me that it is always about people. So often at a conference, I get caught up in heading to the next session to hear about the next hot tool and I forget that there is more value in relationships than there can ever be in the next great whatever.  Thank you Sehreen Noor Ali and Margaret Roth for facilitating a fantastic conversation tonight.

Reflection:
      As I read back over my list of 5 things I learned, I think their commonality can be summed up in one word: connection. In some instances, I learned things that helped me connect the dots like that you can embed stuff in a Google Form and I honestly can't wait to try it. In others, I connected with people and with connections to people the learning is limitless. 
     Thank you to all who shared with me today through your conference presentations, your tweets, and your stories.  It was another great day at #ISTE2014!