Westfield Teacher Returns from National Tech Conference

A Westfield teacher was among more than 9,000 educators, administrators and technologists from across the country and around the world to attend the National First Ed-Tech Conference this winter.

Jeanine Gottko, K-5 Master Technology teacher, was a first-time attendee to the conference, of which the purpose was to learn new strategies for implementing technology in the pre-kindergarten through 12th grade environments.

Gottko, who has been a faculty member in Westfield for 15 years, had access to more than 450 sessions and 500 interactive vendors during the four-day conference. She attended sessions which covered topics including advancements in elementary technology, Google Apps for Education, maker spaces, augmented reality, iPads and more, according to Westfield Public Schools.

The conference provided Gottko with the opportunity to connect with many others from the educational technology and to discuss the newest additions to their products and how to effectively train educators in Westfield, the school district said.

“I have learned so much from the leaders in this ever-changing field. This conference has provided me with the tools I need to help the students and teachers in Westfield advance and become 21st century learners,” Gottko said in a release from Westfield Public Schools. “I look forward to continuing to educate teachers on how to best use educational technology to meet the needs of their students and to best prepare them for the world in which we live.”

Westfield Public Schools launched “Walls to Windows”, its technology initiative, three years ago in order to more effectively implement technology into the curriculum.

(Photo courtesy of Westfield Public Schools)