Baldwin teachers learning new innovative technologies ahead of upcoming school year

FAIRHOPE, Ala. ( WKRG ) — Baldwin County Teachers and administrators are learning more skills to take into the classroom this fall. A special conference continues today focusing on ways to integrate technology into lessons.

Tuesday is day two of the Gulf Regional Innovative Technology Conference or “Grits.” It’s three days of sessions geared to different areas of expertise.

This program is funded through the non-profit group the Baldwin County Education Coalition that helps fund additional training and material for teachers that tax dollars don’t always cover.
More than 300 teachers and administrators from around Baldwin County are taking part this week.

There are more than 100 presenters and plenty of tech tools for the classroom. One of the keys–finding ways to incorporate new tech in the classroom that fulfills the mission of the teacher and the school.

“The innovation is not the technology, it’s the strategy that you use to have that technology in the classroom. If our teachers are just going from app to app to app and throwing out an extra little, you know, fun thing they found or whatever, it’s really not impactful. But if they know how to integrate it into their instruction, that’s when it really makes a difference,” said Education Technology Coordinator Jeremy King.

Teachers have to be technology literate because, in many cases, students are more used to technology than the teacher. They’ve been holding GRITC for the past several years, one professional development opportunity to get teachers ready for the new school year–which starts in just a few weeks for Baldwin County, on August 8th.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5.