Teachers, students head to TECH2016 at the state capitol May 10

The 25th annual TECH 2016 Students for the Information Age event will be held on Tuesday, May 10, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m. at the Illinois State Capitol Building in Springfield. More than 100 schools will be represented from throughout the state of Illinois.

At the event, students will show the public and elected members of the Illinois State Senate and House of Representatives how technology is being used in the classroom to increase student engagement and improve achievement. Student demonstrations may be viewed in the Capitol Building Rotunda.

Taking part in the demonstrations locally from 1 to 3 p.m. are fourth-grade students Christina Schierhorn and Max Stankoskey with Lowell teacher Carmen MacDonald and Bolingbrook High School teacher Matthew MacDonald. They will be demonstrating the magic of Osmo which is an interactive system used with the iPad that engages students in areas of Math, ELA, STEM activities and fosters the imagination of students. The various programs encourage creativity and problem solving. Students are able to explore, create and collaborate outside the screen. The activities take on a multisensory approach to learning.

The purpose of TECH 2016 is to raise awareness of the critical role technology plays in preparing students to succeed in today's world, and to show the need for increased funding for classroom technology. Students will demonstrate for lawmakers and the public the creative ways technology is being used to enhance and accelerate student achievement in Illinois schools today.

According to TECH 2016 Co-Chair, Deb Balayti, entering the job force without a strong foundation in information-age technology is not an option for today's high school and college graduates. Understanding computers and related tools is a requirement, even for entry-level jobs, and computer literacy is essential for further education and advancement in almost every academic sphere. From the elementary to the high school level, technology expands the walls of the traditional classroom, bringing in people and events from all over the globe. Technology captures and holds the attention of this generation of learners far better than textbooks alone.

TECH 2016 is a nonprofit initiative presented by Illinois Computing Educators, and is supported by a broad range of education and business organizations. Corporate Platinum Plus partners are CDW-G and Comcast Business.