developing student leaders in technology, and educating parents.
Meg is a teacher, a keynote speaker, and an author of seven books, including Creating a Digital-Rich Classroom, which received an honorable mention in the education category for the 2010 Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards. After twelve years teaching and coaching in the classroom, Meg volunteered on her local school board, facilitated grant projects, and continued researching and writing about best practices.
Meg has a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from the National College of Education at National Louis University and travels globally, sharing her passion for real change in the classroom. She lives in the suburbs of Chicago with her husband, Brian; her sons, Danny and Patrick; and her golden retriever puppy, Sonoma.
To learn more about Meg’s work, follow @megormi on Twitter.
Scott D. Parker is a science teacher and instructional technology coach for a suburban high school near Chicago. Since 2006, he has also co-taught, with a special education teacher, students with mild and moderate disabilities. As a seventeen-year teaching veteran, he is a passionate and innovative educator who believes in the power of education technology to enhance and better assess student knowledge across all content areas. Since 2015, Scott also has been an instructional coach. He piloted his district’s 1:1 Chromebook adoption to full implementation, which covered nearly 6,500 students.
Scott has presented at local and state conferences. He received his bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Iowa. He has master’s degrees in secondary education from the University of St. Francis and in education technology from the American College of Education. When Scott is not teaching, you will probably find him at one of his four kids’ sporting events or activities.
To learn more about Scott’s work, follow @scottparker013 on Twitter.
Tom Lubbers teaches mathematics at a high school in the Chicago suburbs. He has taught at both the middle school and high school levels. At the middle school level, he piloted a 1:1 device program, during which time he integrated the Common Core mathematics curriculum with iPads. Tom took this firsthand experience witnessing the impact technology can have on student learning with him to the high school level, where he works with students using Chromebooks. Tom enjoys looking for new ways to incorporate technology in the classroom that promote student appreciation for mathematics as well as deeper content understanding.
Tom received his bachelor’s degree in mathematics with a minor in secondary education from Elmhurst College, an endorsement in special education from Lewis University, and a master’s degree in educational technology from Concordia University Chicago. When Tom is not working on creating a more rigorous and cohesive mathematics curriculum, he can be found on the golf course, going somewhere on vacation, or spending time with his friends.
To learn more about Tom’s work, follow @TALubbers on Twitter.
Gretchen Fitzharris teaches mathematics at a high school in the Chicago suburbs. She has co-taught special education classes and has been privileged to teach in a district that emphasizes technology and encourages educators to think outside the box to try new technology and expand student learning. Gretchen has also taught the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program at her school and experienced the benefits of technology use outside her core content area. Gretchen’s school has a 1:1 learning environment, and she is passionate about holding her students to a high level of rigor that 1:1 complements. It excites Gretchen to try new things in the classroom and be a leader in her department and to encourage her colleagues to do the same.
Gretchen received her bachelor’s degree in secondary education from Indiana University and her master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from Concordia University Chicago. When Gretchen is not teaching, she enjoys spending time with her daughter, running, sewing, and cooking.
To learn more about Gretchen’s work, follow @gmfeldma on Twitter.
Ellen K. Lawrence is a certified leader, librarian, and technology specialist with experience teaching elementary school, high school, and college students. As one of two library directors in her district, Ellen focuses on ways to support student and teacher performance across the curriculum.
The American Library Association named Ellen’s current district’s library program the 2012 National School Library Program of the Year. Also, Ellen dedicates time to presenting at local and national conferences on the topics of libraries, technology, and professional development.
Ellen earned her bachelor’s degree in early childhood education at Illinois State University. After teaching first grade for two years, she obtained two master’s degrees, one in instructional technology from Northern Illinois University, and another in educational leadership from the University of St. Francis. Passionate about education, Ellen is currently pursuing a doctorate in instructional technology at Northern Illinois University. In addition to having a passion for teaching and learning, Ellen is an avid sports fan torn between Chicago hockey and St. Louis baseball.
To learn more about Ellen’s work, follow @LawrenceEllen on Twitter.
Katie N. Aquino is an instructional coach for a high school district in suburban Chicago. She served for several years as a high school English and video-production teacher and technology integration coach. Katie focuses on integrating innovation into education curricula to best support and develop student learning. She is passionate about growing 21st century learners and thinkers by leveraging inquiry, creativity, and problem solving in the classroom.
Katie is a Google-certified teacher, trainer, and innovator and speaks at many local and national conferences, focusing on helping other teachers seamlessly incorporate new and emerging technologies into a variety of high school curricula. She also works with teachers to use technology to maximize their efficiency and be more present in their classrooms.
Katie has a bachelor’s degree in English education and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction, both from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She also holds a master’s degree in instructional technology from Northern Illinois University. She is certified in English language arts, instructional technology, and library media for grades 9–12. When Katie is not at school, you can find her at home with her daughter and husband, likely cheering on her world-champion Chicago Cubs, cooking up a storm in the kitchen, or curling up with a good book.
To learn more about Katie’s work, follow @edu_katied on Twitter.
To book Meg Ormiston, Scott D. Parker, Tom Lubbers, Gretchen Fitzharris, Ellen K. Lawrence, or Katie N. Aquino for professional development, contact [email protected].
Introduction
Walking out of high school in 2017 looks much different than it did twenty or even ten years earlier, and these students will head for jobs that look and function very little like those of the 20th century. They will become user-experience designers, roboticists, nanotechnologists, and social-marketing
