2015 NMC Summer Conference

Bill Frakes, a visual storyteller and educator based in Florida who has worked in every US state and in more than 135 countries for a wide variety of editorial and advertising clients, gives the closing keynote at the 2015 NMC Summer Conference in Washington DC. He combines multimedia elements to explain the power of storytelling.

The University of Texas El Paso received the 2015 NMC Center of Excellence Award at the 2015 NMC Summer Conference in Washington, D.C. for fostering student access and working with students, faculty, and staff to create instructional and curricular developments that have resulted in improved learning environments.

Maya Georgieva of New York University presents "No More Walls: Re-imagining the Ancient Agora in the Space of the Modern University" at the 2015 NMC Summer Conference in Washington D.C. This talk explores the innovative design of learning spaces at NYU’s Stern School of Business, an effort to re-imagine the ancient agora in the modern university. The project focuses on creating an open classroom with no walls, emphasizing the importance of collaboration, exploration, and the open exchange of ideas.

Linda Knox & Tom Bray of University of Michigan Libraries present "The Learning Space Research Kit" at the 2015 NMC Summer Conference in Washington D.C. The Learning Space Research Kit uses mobile tools and ethnographic methods to allow participants to report qualitative information that can drive dynamic, empowering, just-in-time support decisions. See it all in five minutes — with fast motion video! Brought to you by the University of Michigan.

Jeremy Sarachan OF St. John Fisher College presents "Find an Art Gallery and Show Off Student Work" at the 2015 NMC Summer Conference in Washington, D.C. By coordinating a class with a student-run art show, students were able to invent creative installations with Processing, Arduinos, and Makey-Makeys. The class, “Algorithmic and Data Art,” covers new media art theory and the creation of physical computing interfaces while fulfilling an arts requirement for the college core.

Jared Bendis of Case Western University presents "Performance Media and Modern Dance: Experiments in Dancing with Light and Color" at the 2015 NMC Summer Conference in Washington, D.C. In Fall 2013, Jared Bendis entered the MFA program in Modern Dance at Case Western Reserve University with an emphasis on ‘performance media’. But what is meant by ‘performance media’? This presentation demonstrates the concept through a concrete example and explores the process and theory behind it.

Lisa Nigara Gustinelli of St. Thomas Aquinas High School & NMC K-12 Ambassador presents "Meet Tommy!" at the 2015 NMC Summer Conference in Washington, D.C. Meet Tommy, the NAO robot from St. Thomas Aquinas High School. Tommy is a 57cm tall robot with 25 degrees of freedom. See how students in the robotics program are using Tommy to make their studies in math, science, and engineering interesting, innovative, and relevant.

William Robertson of the University of Texas, El Paso presents "Dr. Skateboard’s Action Science" at the 2015 NMC Summer conference in Washington, D.C. How can action sports, like skateboarding and bicycle motocross (BMX), be used to teach physics, algebra, data collection, and help students be more engaged in science and mathematics? This presentation will focus on “Dr. Skateboard’s Action Science,” a curriculum supplement that highlights physical science in skateboarding and BMX.

Matthew Worwood and Samantha Olschan of the University of Connecticut present the "Class of 2032 Challenge" at the 2015 NMC Summer Conference in Washington D.C. How many computer languages will the average graduate know in the year 2032? In what ways will they experience schooling? What digital technologies will be the norm? “The Class of 2032 Challenge” is part of a documentary, visualization, and crowdsourcing project designed to explore the classroom of tomorrow.

Danielle Wishka and Gretchen Steinberg of Saint Andrew's School present "Images + Text = IMPACT!" at the 2015 NMC Summer Conference in Washington, D.C. With technology at their fingertips, students communicate with audiences beyond their classroom walls. This session demonstrates a middle school project that combines descriptive writing with photojournalism to create online essays. The audience will get a unit overview that will inspire a group essay incorporating shots of the conference.

Brian Yuhnke of Case Western Reserve University and David Thomas of University of Colorado Denver started a university and you won’t believe what happened Next! Have you heard about THE INTERNET? Experts say it will revolutionize education. Join Brian and David at the 2015 NMC Summer Conference in Washington D.C. as they help break down the future of computers and explain why Brian and David’s University is the most important innovation in education since the Ditto Machine.

Michael Berman of California State University, Channel Islands presents "Small Learning is Beautiful: Why Big Data and MOOCs Won’t Save Us." Big data, MOOCs, personalized learning — each new buzzword is presented as the shibboleth that will lift us from the “education crisis.” Berman argues that this “crisis” is largely self-induced and that human-scale learning and student agency are still the best hope for an educated world.

The University of Nevada Las Vegas received the 2015 NMC Center of Excellence Award at the 2015 NMC Summer Conference in Washington, D.C. for their extraordinary commitment and leadership in embracing the use of technology to solve research problems, assist faculty and students, and enhance the educational experience.

Jonathan Nalder, Digital Learning Coordinator, at TAFE Queensland has received the Henderson Prize for helping other educators recognize the potential of technology and for and socially sharing ideas that can transform teaching and learning with the devices we use daily.

Liz Neely presents "Free-wheeling Invincible Curiosity," at the 2015 NMC Summer Conference in Washington, D.C. Curiosity sits at the foundation of experimentation, imagination, learning and even creativity. An active and curious mind makes us invincible to impending challenges by helping us to envision alternative futures – the ‘what could be’. How can we free-wheel this power of curiosity? Liz Neely talks about how becoming a ‘maker’ led her to better live and share invincible curiosity. Liz Neely is a passionate advocate for how creativity and ‘making’ empower and inspire our lives, giving us a lifelong learning mindset fueled by curiosity. As an established museum professional, she is focused on developing innovative interpretive and learning experiences — including digital scholarly publishing, multi-media storytelling using iPads in galleries, and experimental education programs using 3D printing. She recently gave a TEDx talk called “Inventing Fabulation” on her philosophy of how making ridiculous things can re-make our world. Liz is the current president of MCN, an organization advancing digital transformation in the cultural sector, and serves on the NMC Board.

Check out the workshops, conference sessions, plenaries and more in the Program for the 2015 NMC Summer Conference in Washington D.C.

The Welcome Packet for the 2015 NMC Summer Conference in Washington D.C.