Day 2 of the AERA conference began with a walk around the Exhibit Hall. Different then other conferences, the AERA Exhibit Hall was not filled with vendors trying to “sell” or lure you in with “chotckies.” In fact, most of the vendors were various publishers displaying the latest research-based literature for willing researchers.

I attempted to strike up a conversation with a group of monks from Thailand who were attending the conference as doctoral students. They were dressed in traditional robes, but armed with iPhones and interested in expanding their research libraries. I met a professor from George Washington University who was originally from Ireland. He and I talked about the current situation of United States mathematics instruction under the Common Core. We agreed that the math instruction in the US has to develop past the “mile wide and inch deep” into a process that encourages higher level of Blooms.

I attended a few sessions. The one that stood out for me was 38.064 “Learning Our Way Forward: Research and Evaluation Informing System Change and Innovation” with professor Michael Fullan. I’ve seen Michael in other venues such as ASCD and NAESP, and have read his books on change, but seeing him in this venue was different, more personal. The panel he was with discussed the innovations in the Ontario School District, and how that has impacted everything from technology usage to student performance. I learned a few techniques to quantify leadership and changes.