Building for Today and Improving for a Future Tomorrow #rebelu16

Every year with Rebel U, we work at improving things from previous Rebel U events and trying out new things.  One thing our Tech Team has always tried to be open to is taking risks.  We took a few risks trying new things this year and some worked well, others not quite like we had envisioned.  As part of our evaluation each year, we like to ask attendees what they feel we can improve upon so that the next Rebel U flows better and meets teacher learning needs.  This year, we knew two big areas where we fell short in providing you with the best learning experience possible...and you let us know too (which we love the constructive feedback, really!).

According the evaluation results, the two main topics that frequently came up were the Internet/wifi connection issues as well as general concerns about the location.  We want you to know that we truly value your input and would like to share some of the concerns as well as what we know/can do about improving.  Like previously stated, we are not afraid to take risks.  We took a risk by having Rebel U at a new location.  The Kent ISD was booked, and we have learned from previous years of Rebel U, it is becoming increasingly difficult to hold within district due to the growing number of staff, availability of air-conditioned space, and appropriate seating for adults.  We also like to respect the fact that many teachers spend a lot of time prepping their classrooms for the beginning of the school year, and having 150 come into their teaching/learning space can throw off work that has been put into preparation.  We know that no amount of apologies can change the lack of wifi access (despite our many inquiries as it if it could handle our load!) and room temperature/size issues that were present this year, but we appreciate your open minds and positive attitudes as you moved forward throughout the day.

Listed below are the other areas of concern that were brought to our attention (other than the Internet/wifi and location concerns).
We are by no means perfect, but we try really hard to create a positive learning environment for you at Rebel U.  Based on your feedback, we would like to share some insights and feedback with you.

• First and foremost, Rebel U is an EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY day.  As long as the Technology Team, it will continue to have an EdTech focus.  We are the first to say that technology is not the be all, end all to classroom instruction.  The teacher is essential to student learning and the technology used for the teaching and learning process is simply a tool.  We also understand that other professional development is needed for teachers.  Please do not hesitate to speak to your building administrator if you feel you need other non-technology related PD.
• We open Rebel U up to teachers and administrators in the district to present, as well as other professionals outside of the district.  We do not select certain presenters, but rather celebrate those that step forward to give of their own learning time at Rebel U to share their knowledge, expertise, and experiences with others.  If you feel you would like to learn more about a certain topic at Rebel U, please feel free to let Sarah or another member of the Tech Team know and we can work to find someone to share about that particular topic.
• We partnered with the Teaching, Learning, and Accountability Department to include a Human Centered Design component this year as part of the district initiative that is taking place.  Technology in the classroom should not be separate from the content learning that is taking place, but rather integrated to support the curriculum.  The HCD component this year was not something that was meant to be new, or added on to something you are already doing, but rather for you to help organize your thoughts about your learning for the day.  The things you learned about in your sessions are the "WHAT" and the "HOW" in design thinking and the "WHY" and the "WHO" help you get to the heart of learning.  This took the place of the Collaboration Block/Reflection Time that we have had the previous years.
• Due to a complex calendar, we do not get to pick which day Rebel U will take place.  Our Tech Team is SUPER happy that we are able to have one day to work with all teachers in the district.  Unfortunately, the day we have been given the past couple years has fallen on the day of the elementary open houses. We would love for you to have a relaxing day, be able to dress up, and not have to worry about the evening events, but unfortunately, we can't always make the calendar perfect.  We try our best to make the day fun for you though!

We hope this has been helpful in answering some of your questions about Rebel U.  If you mentioned something that was not noted here, it does not mean that we haven't read what you shared!  It is helpful for us to reflect on why we do what we are doing, what we are intentional about, and of course, what we can improve for next year!