LD Innovation Symposium

Diverse Technologies for Diverse Minds
Friday, September 30, 2016

Keynote by Dr. Jan Plass, Chair in Digital Media and Learning Sciences at NYU 
"Adaptivity and Personalization for Learning"

Adaptivity and Personalization for learning are highly popular notions, for academics and ed tech vendors alike, yet the concepts themselves are poorly defined, and the science of learning behind them is often under-defined or completely lacking. In this talk I will first distinguish among customization, personalization, and adaptivity. I will then propose a taxonomy for adaptivity that will allow for a more systematic discourse about this important topic and more effective evaluation of educational environments that claim to be adaptive. I will illustrate the use of this taxonomy on examples involving adaptivity based on cognitive, emotional, motivational, and socio-cultural variables.

Special Guest Presentation by Dr. Roger Tucker, Founder, Sonocent Software 
"Harnessing the Power of Spoken Language for UDL using Sonocent Software"

Written text can be a huge barrier to learning for so many students, but it is not a necessary one. Sonocent makes software that enables students to effectively learn and express themselves using spoken language. From note taking to writing assignments, Sonocent software breaks complex writing tasks into manageable steps, scaffolding many study processes and removing the need for writing entirely for some people. The software enables users to work with images, text and audio in a simple interface, enabling students to combine information from almost all sources in one place. It is currently being used by over 100,000 students across hundreds of institutions, some of whom see their average GPAs rise by as many as 3 points when using the software.This presentation will explain why and how we should be harnessing the power of spoken language to help students study independently and reach their potential, demonstrating how students use Sonocent for note taking and other study skills.

Special Guest Presentation by Dr. Matthew Schneps
Director, Laboratory for Visual Learning
"Rethinking the Technologies We Use for Reading"

Whether we read using a computer, a cell phone, or on a sheet of parchment penned by a quill, reading necessarily invokes use of a technology.  While people differ in their abilities to read, how much of this is simply a consequence of the technology itself?  New research suggests that reading is fundamentally limited by some basic design choices made in formulating the technology of reading, and that through judicious reconceptualization of such technology people --including those regarded as reading impaired-- can substantially improve their capacity for reading.  In this session we will review the emerging literature in this field and consider new perspectives on reading disability implied by these links to technology. The session will offer practical suggestions practitioners can immediately take away and apply to make reading more efficient and inclusive.

We will use an Apple/Android smartphone app called Voice Dream Reader to illustrate some of the ideas presented, and participants may enjoy having this on their device during the presentation to follow along more closely.

Also featuring our Technology Playground

The Tech Playground is an interactive, audience participation segment of the LD Symposium. It is set up like a technology fair, with individual presenters at tables demonstrating technology or apps they use. Our focus is on technology that supports personal or professional productivity. In the past we've highlighted wellness apps, apps for facilitating conversations for individuals on the autism spectrum, note-taking tools, and many others.

Registration and pricing information

Click the link to take you to the registration page.