Technology Test Kitchen
Celebrating a Decade of Innovation
Daily Prompt-a-Thons | Daily App Smashing Sessions | Innovative Tech Showcases | Jam in the Kitchen: A Tech-Infused Musical Celebration
The Technology Test Kitchen marks its 10th anniversary at OLC Accelerate 2024, continuing its legacy as a dynamic, hands-on learning space designed as a catalyst for creativity and innovation.
Originally conceived as an exploratory installation inspired by a teaching kitchen metaphor, the Technology Test Kitchen has evolved over the years, featuring everything from Chef Battles to educational robot demonstrations. At its core, the Technology Test Kitchen remains a low-stakes, approachable learning environment where participants interact with expert “chefs” who offer demonstrations, activities, and “recipes” for innovative teaching practices.
For our 10th anniversary, we’re blending the best of our past with a vision for the future, with:
- Hands-on Stations: Explore AI, AR/VR/XR, robotics, and assistive technologies with guidance from our expert chefs and technology partners.
- Interactive Sessions: Join daily “Improv App Smashing” and “Prompt-a-thon” sessions for spontaneous creativity and problem-solving.
- Open Exploration: Bring your own devices to our collaborative sandbox areas for free-form experimentation and peer learning.
- Take-Home Recipes: Leave with practical, contextualized strategies you can immediately apply to your teaching environment.
Whether you’re a tech novice or a digital expert, the Technology Test Kitchen offers a space to learn, experiment, and grow. Our goal is to foster confidence and skills that transform participants into “chefs” in their own right, ready to innovate in their classrooms and institutions.
Join us in the Exhibit Hall to celebrate a decade of culinary-inspired tech exploration, and help us cook up the next generation of digital learning experiences!
Check back for more details as we get closer to the conference. The Test Kitchen team is looking forward to innovating with you in Orlando!
Step into the future of education with our daily Prompt-a-thons in the Technology Test Kitchen! This exciting event showcases the power and potential of AI in crafting engaging, effective learning experiences.
Armed with cutting-edge AI tools, you’ll be challenged to craft prompts to generate learning content. As you work in teams to refine your approach, you’ll leverage the interplay of human creativity and AI capabilities.
Whether you’re an AI novice or a prompt engineering pro, the Prompt-a-thon offers something for everyone. You’ll learn strategies for:
- Crafting clear, effective prompts
- Iterating and refining your approach
- Adapting AI-generated content for various learning contexts
- Critically evaluating AI outputs for educational use
Join us to push the boundaries of AI in education, share your insights, and learn from peers and experts alike. Let’s explore how AI can enhance, not replace, human creativity in teaching and learning. Remember, in the Prompt-a-thon, the real winner is education itself as we collectively advance our understanding of AI’s role in shaping the future of learning!
Join us each day for App Smashing in the Technology Test Kitchen! These high-energy, improv-style sessions will challenge you to think on your feet and create innovative solutions using a mashup of tools and technologies.
We’ll draw a real-world educational challenge from our “fishbowl” of challenges. Then, we’ll work in teams and improvise to craft effective solutions – smashing together unexpected combinations to overcome limitations and create powerful learning experiences.
These sessions embrace the “never settle” philosophy. When one app falls short, we’ll show you how to combine it with others to create the ultimate learning object. You’ll witness live demonstrations of app smashing strategies and walk away with “recipes” for combining diverse tools into exciting, engaging educational solutions.
Come ready to think fast, collaborate, and push the boundaries of what’s possible when we refuse to be limited by a single tool. It’s time to smash expectations and cook up some tech magic in the TTK!
The Innovative Tech Showcases embody the spirit of the Technology Test Kitchen – a place where cutting-edge technology meets practical application in the service of enhanced learning experiences. These dynamic sessions feature invited guest chefs – industry leaders and innovators – who will demonstrate cutting-edge applications that are revolutionizing the learning landscape.
Experience firsthand how these innovators are solving real-world educational challenges, including:
- AI tutors seamlessly integrated within Learning Management Systems
- Interactive case-based learning platforms that bring real-world scenarios to life
- Easily deployable AR and VR solutions focused on fostering community and belonging
- VR environments that enable authentic situated learning experiences
Our guest chefs will not only showcase their work but also provide insights into the problems these innovations are solving, the pedagogical principles behind their design, and the potential impact on the future of education.
Join us and see how these tools can enhance your own teaching and learning environments!
As part of our 10th anniversary, we’ll be closing out each day in the Test Kitchen in musical celebration at our electrifying “Jam in the Kitchen” sessions! We’ll be turning up the volume on innovation with this unique blend of technology and music.
Hosted and led by the talented Clark Shah-Nelson, these daily jam sessions invite you to experience the harmonious intersection of educational technology and electronic music creation. Whether you’re a seasoned digital musician or a curious novice, there’s a place for you in our kitchen orchestra!
What to Expect:
- Live electronic music performances and improvisations
- Hands-on demonstrations of music creation technology
- Collaborative jamming sessions with fellow attendees and experts
We encourage participants to bring their own devices and join the jam! We’ll play with soft synths on laptops and tablets along with other electronic music-making gear. No gear? No problem! Come celebrate with us and discover how the rhythm of innovation can inspire new approaches to teaching and learning. It’s the perfect way to unwind, network, and get inspired after a day full of exploration!
We look forward to seeing you at the OLC Accelerate 2024! Questions? Contact us at conference@onlinelearning-c.org
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Phylise Banner, Champlain College, Technology Test Kitchen Co-Chair |
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Clark Shah-Nelson, University of Maryland, Technology Test Kitchen Co-Chair |
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