Do you ever meet an educator whose enthusiasm is so infectious, you just can’t help but get excited when you hear from them? Then you must know our BirdBrain Bestie, Craig Dunlap! Craig, a veteran teacher in at Yealey Elementary School in Florence, KY, takes his skills for integrating technology and engaging students on the road, to share his skills and passions with other teachers through professional presentations. We asked Craig if he’d be willing to share his experience turning his passion for education technology into meaningful professional development, and he put his skills to work!
We hope that you enjoy reading Craig’s tips for becoming a flocking amazing presenter. As an added bonus, scroll to the bottom of the post to see slides from one of Craig’s fantastic presentations.
I love edtech conferences! They are such a great way to learn new things, network with like-minded educators, and chat with my favorite vendors. However, in my mind, conferences go to a different level when you start presenting at them. Have you ever sat in a session and thought, “I wish I was up there talking,” or maybe even, “I think I know more about this topic than that person up front.”? It’s time for you to take that step!
I have been presenting at conferences and in webinars for years, and I wanted to share some tips and tricks that work for me as I create proposals.
1. What’s Your Pride and Joy?
If you have been teaching for any length of time, you undoubtedly have a project or unit that you are proud of. That’s your topic! My first big presentation was about Genius Hour at OETC (Columbus, Ohio). I was very proud of what my students had created with their projects and I was able to turn that into a presentation that showed off their work.
2. It’s About the Kids!
What is your focus? Are you going to show off how awesome YOU are, or will you highlight the STUDENTS? Yes, I work my tail off to create a world-class education for my students, but that is never my focus on anything public-facing. (In fact, that sentence was tough to write.) When you write your proposal, think about how you can show off your students’ amazing work!
3. Throw the Spaghetti Against the Wall!
I never propose just one session. Why? I have no idea what the presentation reviewers are looking for or which sessions will attract their attention. So, what do I do? I create a ton of proposals! For KySTE25 (Louisville, KY), I wrote a whopping nine proposals – and had 6 accepted. That was a surprise because I did the same for KySTE24 and only had 2 accepted. Crank out as many proposals as you can think of and see what sticks. (You can always decline sessions if too many are accepted.)
4. Use a Snazzy Title!
My favorite title? “Think Inside the Box: This Ain’t Your Grandma’s Diorama” Pure poetry. I could have also used this title – “How to Make Digital Dioramas.” Meh! A snazzy title will attract the presentation reviewers AND will attract people to attend your session down the road as well.
5. The Meat is in the Description!
The snazzy title gets people hooked. A well-written description reels them in. Write like you know exactly what you’re talking about – even if you just have a kernel of an idea. Remember to throw some buzz topics in there, like STEM, SEL, coding, AI, and immersive experiences. However, don’t lie about it. I remember one session that I “threw against the wall” that actually stuck. It was about combining tech and art… and I quickly had to find examples that fit the topic. Fortunately, I had the examples in my back pocket but what I presented wasn’t exactly what I wrote in my description.
6. No Imposter Syndrome Allowed!
Chances are, my name is not one you know. I always struggle with calling myself an expert because I can name someone doing something more awesome than what I’m doing – or someone more famous than me. I constantly fight imposter syndrome. (Why on earth did BirdBrain ask ME to write this blog?!?!) This is YOUR project! This is YOUR passion! Don’t let the negativity pull you down. You got this.
7. Your Bio is Important!
Every presentation proposal I have ever written required a bio, and this is an important step. Of course, you aren’t going to dump your resume in there, but you also need to give the highlights of your journey. Once you start presenting at conferences and rack up a few recognitions, this gets easier. In the meantime, don’t be bashful. Remember that we aren’t giving in to imposter syndrome. Tell them who you are like your mother just wrote the bio.
Want an example? Here are two versions of my bio, first more in depth:
Craig Dunlap is the Blended Learning Teacher at Yealey Elementary School in Boone County School District (Florence, KY). In his 31-year teaching career, his love of technology has followed him through four different schools. He has taught at private schools in New Jersey, Kentucky, and Ohio before joining the staff at Yealey in 2016. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Education from Cairn University in suburban Philadelphia and a Masters of Education from Cedarville University near Columbus, OH.Craig’s first school was a small private school which had only one computer for kindergarten through eighth grades. So, he brought his own desktop to school to share with his 4th graders. From that point on, his students could count on him to integrate technology whenever possible. At Yealey, Craig focuses on robotics, coding, video production, and creating metaverse experiences. Craig loves working with other teachers to integrate amazing technology with regular content and bring out students’ inner tech-awesomeness. Mr. Dunlap also heads up social media feeds for the school, maintaining Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube content. He leads a Video Club for 3rd-5th grade students and is an ambassador or trainer for WeVideo, Cubelets, ClassVR, ThingLink, Book Creator, and Sphero. Craig was also the 2021 KySTE Impact Teacher of the Year.Craig is a frequent presenter at edtech conferences, having shared at ISTE, KySTE, and OETC about various topics such as genius hour, social media, book commercial videos, makerspace badges, virtual reality, and collaborations with teachers in his building and around the world.Mr. Dunlap lives in Covington, KY, with his wife — a 2nd grade teacher — and high school daughter. When not working with robots and cameras, you can find Craig enjoying the outdoors with his family on a hiking trail or in a garden.
I am in my 31st year of teaching and always learning new things. I am a frequent KySTE and ISTE presenter and 2021 KySTE Teacher of the Year. I am an Ambassador/Trainer for WeVideo, ClassVR, Cubelets, ThingLink, Book Creator, and Sphero.
8. Don’t Swing for the Fences in Your First At Bat.
My very first professional presentation was a small Microsoft OneDrive symposium at a tiny college in Columbus, Ohio. I was so nervous. I honestly don’t remember much about what I said or even how I got to present there. What I do know is that talking to the fifteen or so people in the room helped pave the way for me to take it to the next level, a regional edtech conference. It was years before I tried something big like ISTE. Start small and give yourself room to grow.
9. How Can You Involve Your Favorite Vendors?
9. How Can You Involve Your Favorite Vendors?Now that I’ve been doing this for a while, I think ahead to the edtech companies I enjoy working with. Once your session is accepted, email that company and let them know what you’re doing. You’ll be amazed at the support they give you. I can’t tell you how many stickers, t-shirts, mugs, and pens I have because I was bold and asked for some support. I have had company employees co-present with me (and sometimes even take me out for dinner). Wait! This isn’t about swag or networking or dinner, but it is a great idea to introduce your audience to your favorite edtech company.
A bonus tip: BirdBrain is Awesome!
I love representing BirdBrain at conferences because Sarah is amazing. She will find ways to support you, even from afar, and she makes you feel like a rockstar… but she may ask you to write a blog post too. So, it’s a double-edged sword.
I hope this blog entry helps you get over the hump of being a conference attendee to conference presenter. You can find me at @cncdky on almost every social site. Send me a message and let me know how I can help.