WEMTA 2025 - Ignite and Inspire: Impacting Learning Together: Full Schedule

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12:30pm CDT

Tech-nically Speaking: The ABCs of Merging IT Literacy with Elementary Essentials

Sunday March 9, 2025 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT

"Tech-nically Speaking: The ABCs of Merging IT Literacy with Elementary Essentials" will explore the integration of IT literacy into elementary education by leveraging interdisciplinary teaching methods. Attendees will learn to align information technology standards with core subjects like math, science, and arts using innovative cross-walking techniques. The session includes hands-on demonstrations of creating crosswalks with AI tools, detailed examples of integrating standards, and strategies for addressing challenges. Participants will leave with actionable templates for prompts, lesson plans, and assessments, fostering critical thinking, creativity, and personalized learning. The focus will be on showcasing multiple tools and strategies for effective curriculum enhancement.

Speakers

Amanda Albrecht

Digital Learning Consultant, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

Amanda is an instructional technology professional with 20+ years in the field of education. She spent the first part of her career as a classroom teacher in the Appleton Area School District. Following that, Amanda worked as an Instructional Technology Coach with the Neenah Joint... Read More →

Sunday March 9, 2025 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT
Sheraton Wisconsin 4

Beginner, Elementary

Company Equitable Digital Access, Instructional Partnerships, interdisciplinary teaching

1:45pm CDT

VR (Virtual Reality) to Boldly Go Where You May Not Have Gone Before: Creating Learning Experiences to Ignite and Inspire Learning Together in the Library and Beyond.

Sunday March 9, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm CDT

Sheraton Wisconsin 4

Students' excitement while wearing the goggles “brings down the house”. Their voices of joy, “saying look at this”are contagious during these immersive experiences. Their oohs and ahhs tell me life is good. Learners run to show their classroom teacher showing them what they are seeing. The sheer volume has brought administrators into the LMC to see what’s going on. Come discover how virtual reality (VR) can ignite a passion for learning and inspire your students by:
Participate in a hands-on Virtual Reality field trip to space and beyond
Steps for preparing students for virtual reality experiences.
What The Robot LAB Standard VR Kit is and how easy it is to use
Exploring what VR field trips are already available
How to use a Ricoh 360-Degree Camera for making the Images to create your own VR tours
Experience some of the VR experiences successfully done with students
Brainstorming VR ideas to inspire creating VR experiences impacting learning together

Speakers

Jeff Carpenter

School Library Media Specialist, Appleton Area School District

Jeff celebrates 35 years serving the AASD as a library media specialist and is a longtime WEMTA member. He earned a Master’s in Library Science (UW-Madison), and a Bachelor’s Degree in elementary education (UW-La Crosse). One of his proudest achievements was receiving the special... Read More →

Sunday March 9, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm CDT
Sheraton Wisconsin 4

Beginner, Early childhood, Elementary, Middle School, High School, Higher Education

Company Collaborative Leadership, Makerspace, Students as Creators

3:00pm CDT

Pawsitive Impact: Bringing Therapy Dogs to Our School Library

Sunday March 9, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Sheraton Wisconsin 4

In this session you will learn how having a therapy dog in your library can improve school engagement and help develop a more inclusive, supportive school environment. Attendees will also learn practical steps that can be taken to implement therapy dog programs in their own school libraries. Facing opposition or district hoops and red tape, this presenter will share how she was able to overcome the obstacles to bring her certified therapy dog into her libraries. Information will include organizations to contact to find volunteer therapy dog teams willing to visit, process to get your own dog certified, where to purchase liability insurance, research to support having a therapy dog in the library, management ideas, and much, much, more!

Speakers

Jennifer Georgia

Library Media Specialist, GBAPS

Hello! I’m Jennifer Georgia. I have been a librarian for the past 15 years in the Green Bay Area Public School district. Prior to that I taught in Green Bay for 14 years. I currently am full time at Martin Elementary School in Green Bay. I am married to my husband of 30 years and... Read More →

Sunday March 9, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Sheraton Wisconsin 4

Beginner, Elementary, Middle School, High School

Company Community Partnerships, Literacy