Joel Backon - Choate Rosemary Hall: Director
As Director of Academic Technology and a History teacher, Mr. Backon has been a supporting member of the Choate Rosemary Hall leadership team since 1992. Mr. Backon has taught history and political science since 1998, and has led teams that created two world history courses stressing depth and analytical thinking rather than the traditional survey approach. He has also designed a technology- and research-based Contemporary Global Issues course, as well as teaching and redesigning three senior electives, Use and Abuse of Power, Democracy, Media and Politics, and American Diplomacy. When he used a Tablet PC years ago, Mr. Backon married the Tablet and Blackboard to create his "paperless classroom," a concept he expects to continue in this age of the iPad. Choate adopted a 1:1 iPad program in 2012. He also directs the Choate Technology and Learning Institute (TLI), a summer program providing Eight Schools Association faculty members with an opportunity to hone their technology integration skills to improve teaching and learning. Mr. Backon is a former chair of the Connecticut Association of Independent Schools' Commission on Technology, a current member of the CAIS Commission on Professional Development, a member of the OESIS Board of Advisors, has consulted to ADVIS, NJAIS, and several independent schools, and has made numerous presentations including intellectual property and copyright laws, using Web 2.0 tools for collaborative projects, mapping course management system tools with pedagogy, and redesigning curriculum to reflect the "new shape of knowledge."
As Director of Academic Technology and a History teacher, Mr. Backon has been a supporting member of the Choate Rosemary Hall leadership team since 1992. Mr. Backon has taught history and political science since 1998, and has led teams that created two world history courses stressing depth and analytical thinking rather than the traditional survey approach. He has also designed a technology- and research-based Contemporary Global Issues course, as well as teaching and redesigning three senior electives, Use and Abuse of Power, Democracy, Media and Politics, and American Diplomacy. When he used a Tablet PC years ago, Mr. Backon married the Tablet and Blackboard to create his "paperless classroom," a concept he expects to continue in this age of the iPad. Choate adopted a 1:1 iPad program in 2012. He also directs the Choate Technology and Learning Institute (TLI), a summer program providing Eight Schools Association faculty members with an opportunity to hone their technology integration skills to improve teaching and learning. Mr. Backon is a former chair of the Connecticut Association of Independent Schools' Commission on Technology, a current member of the CAIS Commission on Professional Development, a member of the OESIS Board of Advisors, has consulted to ADVIS, NJAIS, and several independent schools, and has made numerous presentations including intellectual property and copyright laws, using Web 2.0 tools for collaborative projects, mapping course management system tools with pedagogy, and redesigning curriculum to reflect the "new shape of knowledge."
Kris Wiemer - Deerfield Academy
Kris is the Manager of Instructional Technology at Deerfield Academy and has been working in that field for the past 20+ years at Deerfield, Philadelphia University, and The Williston Northampton School. He has taught mathematics, physics, computer science, space science (hybrid course), and currently teaches an elective in the history of comic and sequential art (hybrid course). He has a breadth of knowledge working with learning management systems, productivity suites, Web 2.0 tools, and other web-based applications. He has presented at several regional and national conferences as well as conducted workshops and webinars on Web 2.0 technologies, active learning in online courses, and 1:1 initiatives.
Kris is the Manager of Instructional Technology at Deerfield Academy and has been working in that field for the past 20+ years at Deerfield, Philadelphia University, and The Williston Northampton School. He has taught mathematics, physics, computer science, space science (hybrid course), and currently teaches an elective in the history of comic and sequential art (hybrid course). He has a breadth of knowledge working with learning management systems, productivity suites, Web 2.0 tools, and other web-based applications. He has presented at several regional and national conferences as well as conducted workshops and webinars on Web 2.0 technologies, active learning in online courses, and 1:1 initiatives.