Overview
- BPLC19 included 3 days of programming from April 4-6, 2019.
- Conference activities included Partner Organization Open Houses, the EdTechRI Pitchfest, school visits to seven Rhode Island school districts, a case study of Providence Public Schools’ journey toward personalized learning, full day workshops on Culturally Relevant Curriculum Design, Pathways to Personalization, and Acceleration through Networks, as well as the Saturday Symposium.
- Saturday’s program included over 50 sessions facilitated by practitioner presenters from near and far as well a Practice Playground, where Fuse Fellows were on hand to offer personalized support, and an EdUnderground space where teachers and students demonstrated tech tools they use in their classrooms.
- The event attracted 948 attendees from 35 states and 3 other countries (Australia, United Kingdom, Canada).
- 55 percent of attendees came from RI, 10 percent from MA, 7 percent from NY, and 5 percent from TX, making this the most geographically diverse BPLC to date!
- 54 percent of attendees were teachers and 18 percent were school and district administrators.
BPLC19 PERSPECTIVES
"Blended learning is often characterized as parking a student in front of a computer. But that’s not how technology was used on Friday in the classrooms on display in Providence.
'Computers are a tool,' said Gina Sousa, a reading coach at Asa Messer Elementary School in Providence. 'It’s not babysitting.'
In one classroom, students were working mostly in pairs on math problems. At another table, students who were struggling worked independently online. Their teacher said she typically brings students back together as a class to review the lesson and make sure everyone understands it. Nearly every student had a Chromebook, but they were using them in different ways."
Excerpt from "Conference showcases new ways of learning in Providence classrooms", by Linda Borg, Providence Journal Staff Writer
"A standout session at the Saturday Symposium was a 3rd-grade blended classroom simulation, hosted by teacher Robin Ryan and her students from Lincoln Central Elementary School in Rhode Island. Participants walked around the room and engaged with learners as they worked through a Station Rotation. It was clear that the students were leaders—essentially running the classroom and collaborating well with peers. They demonstrated how they owned learning and were excited to talk about math and their learning paths. It was a great demonstration of the daily impact that this messy work can make."
BPLC19: 5 Hard-earned Lessons from the Messy, Rewarding Work of Blended Learning, by Chelsea Waite and Jenny White, Christensen Institute
Instant Relevance Podcasts
Episode 24 - Live from BPLC Providence - Part 1 of 3 - Why Personalized Learning?
Episode 25 - Live from BPLC Providence 2 of 3 - Reaching All Students
Episode 26 - Live from BPLC Providence 3 of 3 - Tools and Techniques for Personalization
“I seriously enjoyed the energy and enthusiasm of the conference, those running the conference, hosting seminars and other participants. There was such a welcoming and warm feeling that showed true concern for the practice and wanting to help others.”
“This was my first BPLC conference and it was so encouraging to see the energy and hope that these educators bring to our schools. I am in my 38th year of teaching and I feel sad that this is all happening at the end of my career.The educators gathered there gave me so much hope for the children that will become the innovators in our future.”
"I enjoyed the wide range of presenters on Saturday, and the focus on hands-on, interactive workshops that modeled elements of personalized learning.”
“I felt that English learners were well-represented this year. This is exciting to me because I have always advocated that BPL best supports these learners.”
"The entire day was VERY professionally run. The sessions were great, the extra events were engaging, the environment was high energy and there was plenty of choice.”
"The site visits we took to local classrooms were a highlight. I learned so much by observing classroom experts and debriefing with the educators who were with me.”