PARCC Education Leader Cadre-Chicago Part 1

Ok...still hot, but at least I am now in Chicago. Spent a wonderful afternoon and evening exploring Chicago with some of the other Ohio ELCs...what a great way to get to know each other better. Some things I learned today: How to use technology to work collaboratively and accomplish a performance task: The task- get a group of 7 people, who have never met each other face to face, to downtown Chicago. See something interesting and have a meal. How we accomplished this using technology: Text messaged everyone to meet in the hotel lobby. Text messaged a bread crumb trail of directions to two people who did not meet us in the lobby so they could find us as we traveled by L into Chicago. Took pictures of our location to send to one person who still couldn't find us while at Navy Pier. Used Google Maps app walking directions to get all 7 of us from Navy Pier to the restaurant for dinner. Did a search for the address of the cupcake place on one smartphone while another member found the walking directions. We found yummy cupcakes...and the Hershey store too. The importance of clear, fixed, targets We rode the L from the airport into Chicago. To get to Navy Pier, we had to transfer from the Blue line to the Red line. The large, colorful maps that were displayed everywhere made it very easy to see our final destination and what stops would be made along the way. We were able to get to our destination without constantly asking someone for directions or if we were on the right track. Tomorrow the conference begins with a whole group intro meeting. I know Mass. Teachers are here...curious to see what other states are represented.