Innovation Day was an opportunity for educators and Information Technology professionals to learn about the myriad of devices and tools now available in the open market that may be used for specific educational applications. Exhibitors provide hands-on opportunities for attendees to learn about digital devices and their potential uses in K-12 settings. Participating organizations include:
Acer, Cox Business, Lenovo, Apple, Datel Systems, Inc., Logical Choice Technologies, Asus, Dell, Microsoft, AT&T Mobility, San Diego County Office of Education, Motorola Mobility, CDW-G, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, and Time-Warner Cable.
The event was comprised of six elements for attendees:
Think Tanks: 7 conference rooms (with differing capacities) were reserved for teams featuring wireless high speed Internet access for attendees to engage in ad hoc meetings.
Dialogues from the Edge: Moderated talks by invited guests featuring narrative explanations of innovative educational initiatives such as:
- Learning-on-the-Go
- Bring Your Own Device
- iOS in K-12 Settings
- Tablets for the 21st Century
Talks from the Edge: Featuring a picturesque view of San Diego Bay and Mission Valley, these talks inspire and motivate you to consider the future of education and information technologies. During the morning session, a discussion of technologies on the horizon includied volumetric displays, somatic user interface, Web 3.0, Haptics technologies, and Augmented Reality devices. During the afternoon session, a discussion-based panel considered the future of mobile devices – their form factors, capabilities as well as the psychology that is transforming them into a habit of our lives.
Focus Sessions: Exhibitors presented 30-45 minute seminars on the features and benefits of their devices and services emphasizing how their tools can be and are applied in K-12 educational settings as well as educating attendees on various topics. An example of the topics included:
- 3g vs. 4g vs. WiFi vs. WiMax vs. LTE
- DIMR eHandbook – a free and powerful set of tools developed to support and guide your digital adoption process
Exhibit Hall: Mobile devices, digital tools, and services provided by a slew of high caliber vendors and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) were available for educators to use and discuss with the people who really know them best.
Innovation Day – The Game: Used camera-enabled, Internet connected mobile device and any free QR Code reader to unlock clues left around the campus and explore how game mechanics can be used with mobile devices for educational purposes.