We’re back from San Antonio — here’s how it went!
Whether you attended ISTELive 25 and want to compare key takeaways, or held down the fort back home and are ready to hear all about the event, keep reading to see what we learned this year!
ISTELive 25 kicked off with opening remarks from CEO Richard Culatta, who introduced ISTE's vision statement; "that all students engage in transformative learning experiences that spark their imagination and prepare them to thrive in learning and life.”
We felt that this statement was a great fit to describe Bluum's presence at the conference as well. We share a compatible vision: “a future where everyone has access to a great education.” Our mission “to improve learning and make it more accessible” further connects us to ISTE’s cause.
Next up was Miral Kotb, the founder of iLuminate, who reminded us of a critical fact — that our students who sometimes don't feel the same sense of belonging, of "normalcy," and of fitting in at school, can often be inspired and find their place through technology; whether it's coding, esports, or STEM. Ms. Kotb described her experience feeling like she was on the outside of her school looking in, until she found her passion in coding.
Bluum supports schools in making these kinds of opportunities available to all students.
Finally, author and podcaster Dan Heath shared his tips for getting "unstuck.” He suggested that we study our bright spots, double down on the things that make us successful, and reflect on the changes we can make to the obstacles that constrain us — even small, simple changes that can build up to a great impact.
On the second day of ISTE, Team Bluum walked the convention center floor, meeting with partners, learning about emerging tech initiatives, and dreaming big with customers!
What really stood out were the meaningful conversations that our team had with school district leaders and teachers; emphasizing teaching and learning outcomes, and solutions that would lead to those outcomes. With representatives from across the country, we were able to discuss strategies that reflect the unique needs of local communities.
It was equally significant to reaffirm how connected Bluum is to so many partners. Our national connections allow us to offer all the right tools that schools and districts need to bring their educational visions to life.
There was a common refrain from this day’s sessions — everywhere we went we heard about engaging students through learning. Not through a lesson or a curricular activity, but through transformative learning experiences. We learned about creating these experiences through the informed usage of AI, competitive esports, the gamification of learning, and using carefully crafted budgets to support the purchase of updated technology. All of these conversations and presentations, however, landed on student engagement as the end goal.
With education being our focus, Bluum delivered what it means to speak the language, know the market, and empathize with the challenges that districts and schools are facing. Our ecosystem of partners with national brands and account executives with local representation allow us to stay connected, giving us a pulse on the challenges each individual market is facing, so we can create community-sensitive solutions.
Our team was committed to making our customers' time at ISTE transformational. We center our customers' experience above all else — helping to dream, design, and deliver on edtech solutions.