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This is a guest blog post written by Tosh McGaughy, a Digital Learning Specialist in Birdville ISD. You can learn more about her and access her resources here.
In a convention as large as TCEA’s, there are many presenters and many presentation models. As educational technology enthusiasts, everyone is carrying cords and dongles to be able to connect and project in whatever room they are assigned. Tuesday’s iPad Academy keynote speaker, Fredy Padovan, experienced what all of us have experienced before: unforeseen technology difficulties. He is an experienced presenter who flew in to present to us from Florida. His information was great, but the projectors just wouldn’t cooperate. What was most remarkable, though, was that he remained unfazed and smiling throughout his presentation. His perseverance and positive attitude were actually one of my personal takeaways. Even as a keynote speaker at an ed tech conference, he didn’t rely on the technology to communicate his message. It would have added something, I’m sure, but he continued to present without it. This was heartening to me as I headed to another room to help a co-worker present her session.
This is my first TCEA convention, and I am fortunate to be part of a close-knit and experienced team of digital learning specialists. One of our team members woke up not feeling well, so I received a text asking me to help out and co-present this morning. I reviewed their presentation over my hotel breakfast and then headed to the keynote. I touched base with my co-presenter via text before the keynote began, and I simply did not have time to get too nervous about my inauspicious TCEA debut. This was definitely for the best.
My other two sessions this morning were both taught by a dynamic duo from Deer Park ISD, Sheila Schatzke and Leslie Kilbourn. They presented a wealth of information that is immediately applicable for teachers in my district and I am grateful for their organized sharing. Their resources can be found here and here. I chatted with them briefly before their second session and I was surprised to find that I had just participated in their very first TCEA presentation.
So, from the unflappable Padovan to the generous and capable Deer Park team, I learned how personality and experience truly make the presentations relevant to the audience.
