Technology Test Kitchen
Brief Abstract
Stop in anytime to engage with our Master Chefs in this exploratory and interactive space dedicated to educational technologies and their use. Meet new people while you are there, learn and practice some new techniques or try out some new tools, and leave with tons of new ideas.
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Presenters
Extended Abstract
The Technology Test Kitchen, simply put, is designed to provide you with hands-on learning experiences that will support your online, digital, and blended teaching and learning efforts. The space was originally designed as an exploratory installation which leveraged the metaphor of a teaching kitchen. In this “Test Kitchen,” participants interacted with “chefs,” who had prepared teaching and learning related demonstrations and activities, guided and reinforced by “recipes” that they could take with them beyond the conference. While the chefs were the resident “experts,” the idea was to foster a low-stakes and approachable learning space whereby through direct engagement with the application of the “recipes,” participants walked away with the skills and confidence to see themselves as “chefs” and “experts.” Importantly, to make this experience meaningful to participants, recipes were always structured as contextualized and relating to practical application which could be translated to their personal teaching and learning contexts.
Based on who is running the Technology Test Kitchen, the space and therefore the experience has looked different from year to year, and has featured everything from educational robot demonstrations, to open, free-flowing sandboxes where participants can bring their own devices for collaborative play. Regardless, it has as a central goal to provide a welcoming and engaging space to share, practice, and model a myriad of pedagogical approaches for online, blended, and digital learning, particularly as they relate to new and interesting ways to engage with educational technologies. What’s more - our Master Chefs have prepared a recipe you can take with you for every activity you can engage with.
This year we welcome back two popular programs: the OLC Escape Room with all its wicked puzzles, challenging codes, and mysterious messages, and the sizzling, fiery pedagogical competition that is the Iron Chef Battles. Along with the informative and engaging Chef Demos and the tantalizingly engaging virtual TTK experience that our TTK team has prepared for you, this year’s Technology Test Kitchen will be one you don’t want to miss!