Pete Cashmore is the founder of one of the hottest and profitable Social Media News Networks - Mashable. It would be interesting to hear his take on the trends and tools for 21st century learning.

In the last few years, neuroscientists have begun to unravel the enigma surrounding struggling readers: why they continue to struggle despite appropriate curriculum and excellent interventions. The answers are in the way the brain organizes. For some students, attention, processing speed and working memory skills lag behind other skills and interfere with academic achievement in many areas.

ELL students—the nation’s fastest growing K-12 population—are challenged to learn both the English language and academic content at grade level simultaneously. Who are the ELLs in our schools? (The vast majority are born in the U.S., are U.S. citizens, and begin school in kindergarten and first grade with their monolingual English-speaking peers.) What types of language education programs work, based on scientific research? What funding and resource opportunities exist? What can schools do to close the achievement gap and raise the graduation rate among ELL students?

Over the last 30 years, neuroscience research has led to a better understanding of the processes involved in effective reading and learning. How can we use these findings to boost brain processing efficiency and accelerate learning to help all students reach their academic potential?

Carl Fisch mentioned at the TIE Conference last summer that students and their teachers need to be aware of the digital footprint that they are leaving behind as their web presence increases. How can an instructor/facilitator help "digital natives" create a reliable system of checks and balances that reach beyond yearly classroom expectations, potentially outdated district guidelines, and/or transient peer influences?

How 21st Century Learning can enhance the curriculum by engaging students

Using Free and Open Source resources in the classroom to bypass commercial products that make school districts reliant on expensive consulting and implementation costs.

Social networking technologies are transforming the very basis of how we think, and how our thinking impacts the knowledge and development of others. Yet, teacher education operates in a world of responsiveness...response to national reports, public opinion, content standards, professional standards, the media, and more. Let's flip that model on its head. Instead of reacting, educators, researchers, and policymakers can work together via social networks to proactively lead the way in transforming education in their own schools and institutions.

Using technology tools to provide a platform for student voice. Marco Torres would be a fantastic choice to speak about reaching every student and providing opportunities for students to collaborate and communicate with a global audience. Embracing culture and connecting communities is essential for 21st century students!

FIRST Robotics is a program that demonstrates what happens when you combine Digital Age learning with Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Mathematics (S.T.E.M.). FIRST robotics competitions combine the excitement of an athletic event with real world robot design and research. FIRST has robotics competitions for students K-12. See how FIRST Robotics can make a difference in the lives of your students.
FIRST Robotics Competition (grades 9-14)
FIRST Tech Challenge (Grades 8-12)
FIRST LEGO League (Ages 9-14)
Jr. FIRST LEGO League (Ages 6-9)
http://www.usfirst.org

ISTE & its members are all about effective teaching & learning. K. Cator, Yong Zhao or Ken Robinson, as examples, have key and important messages about the direction of learning in a global perspective. It is important for conference attendees to think in the largest possible terms. Technology, as we all understand, facilitates expressions of this creativity.

Web 2.0 and 3.0 is all about collaboration, communication, and extending the classroom beyond the physical walls and beyond the school day. With both federal and state law written to protect students when using the Internet, and with few technology tools available to districts to protect students when using the most used Web 2.0 applications, how does a district reconcile the two so that students can experience safe and authentic learning experiences?