Keynote & Invited Speakers
Thursday, April 9
Making the Future: The Future of Making
Sylvia Martinez
Author, Principal Advisor to Columbia University’s FabLearn Fellows
Abstract: Making in education connects educators around the world in a quest to make education more authentic and relevant. We stand on the shoulders of giants who articulated new understandings of what learning could be and new ways to explore powerful ideas. In the present, we strive to deepen our commitment to provide authentic learning opportunities for all young people. We look into the future to see what the children in today’s classrooms will experience, and support them as they become changemakers and global citizens.
Together, let’s explore the past, present, and future of making in education so that we can equip children with the tools and mindset to solve the challenges of the future, and make the world a better place for all.
Bio: Sylvia Martinez is co-author of Invent to Learn: Making, Tinkering, and Engineering the Classroomhelping teachers bring the exciting tools and technology of the modern world to classrooms. She advocates for student-centered project-based learning with an emphasis on STEAM for all.
Sylvia is principal advisor to the Columbia University FabLearn Fellows, a group of global educators researching and developing hands-on, minds-on projects and curriculum. She also ran educational non-profits and headed product development for consumer software, video games, and educational games at several software publishing companies.
Martinez started her career designing high frequency receiver systems and software for GPS navigational satellites. She holds a masters in educational technology and a bachelors in electrical engineering. For more information, visit sylviamartinez.com
Friday, April 10
Title TBA
Elizabeth Langran
Marymount University, SITE President-Elect
Abstract & Bio Coming Soon!