I'm a little late with this entry, but I want to share a bit about the Mobile Learning Institute held Thursday before the Convention. NASSP teamed with the Pearson Foundation to invite about 30 school leaders to Phoenix a day early to discuss options for integrating cell phone technology in instruction--both inside and outside the classroom.

First, I want to thank and congratulate the principals, APs, and teacher leaders who joined us Thursday. While most schools still focus on how to keep students from using their technology in schools, these leaders took a step to see what the othe possibilities are. Some already have some pretty intensive technology programs in place, some are just getting started, and some are just figuring out how to start, but all contributed to an engaging discussion of how we can get students more engaged in their own education by allowing them to use their own technology.

Thanks also to the Pearson Foundation who brought  series of terrific presenters to Phoenix to lead the discussion, including VA principal Kipp Rogers, TX teacher Matt Cook, CA teacher Judy Pederson, and Pearson's Nancy Cho. Elliot Soloway joined us via Skype.

A couple of observations from the day:

• Kids are capable of extraordinary things when they're engaged. If you let them use their own technology, you break through the engagement barrier and kids give you permission to teach them.
• Unlike most technology discussions, we heard very little about technology being blocked in any of these initiatives. (IT directors, don't get any ideas.) Of course. mobile devices allow you to take learning outside the school.

Find out more about what students are doing with mobile devices at www.mobilelearninginstitute.org.