High-Tech Meets The Classroom At Palm Springs Conference

Thousands of teachers from all across the nation are in Palm Springs Thursday and Friday for a conference called “Computer Using Educators,” or “CUE” for short.

Teachers are learning new technology they can use in the classroom, while some tech companies are showing them some new tricks using tried-and-true programs.

Like kids in a candy store, more than 3,000 teachers and tech experts skipped school to spend the day trying create a 21st century classroom.

Alan Lutz has been coming to the conference for 25 years. His first year he wanted to know how to use an Apple IIe in his classroom.

Now, technology has changed – a lot. One conference-goer from Encinitas showed us how it’s changed in one year.

“I think we’re going to see a lot of iPads and tablets,” said Mike Guerena.. “Last year, iPads came out after the conference was over, so this year we’re going to see a lot of that kind of computer… A lot of sessions on that.”

Google is here with their program for educators.

And don’t forget social media.

One company is rolling out a face-book-like website for students to – get this – learn.

“(Room 21) takes concepts that kids are used to like Facebook, and puts learning into it,” said Laura Spence from Santee, Calif.. “Instead of stripping kids away from what they like to do 24-hours-a-day, we’re incorporating it, saying if this is where you like to play, this is a place where you can also learn.”

And what is often a teacher’s worse nightmare – the cell phone – is now being touted as one of the best educational tools around. And one developer urged teachers to change their thinking…

“I gotta change what I’m doing to adapt to the student of today,” said John Stippick with Superstar Learning Co. “It’s not the same student from the 60s or 70s. There is no chalkboard. The student of today is walking around with a cell phone, and this is where they want to be. And all the information in the world is already available in here.”

If you want to check out some of what’s coming up in your child’s classroom technology-wise, click here.