Today, the Saint Charles Convention Center hosted the annual Media Education Technology Conference (METC).

The METC is the place and time for teachers all over the country to come together to learn and gather ideas on how to better teach children of all ages through the use of technology.

Being that this is not an easy task, the METC awards those who have managed to successfully overcome this obstacle. One of the most prestigious awards is the Making Instructional Technology (IT) Happen Award.

The Making IT Happen Award is awarded to one teacher once a year who has gone beyond normal standards in trying to incorporate technology to students everyday learning.

“Making IT happen is a an internationally recognized award program for educators and leaders in the k-12 and tech field. The award is presented twice a year and is recognized by METC, the internationally society for technology and education. Award winners are a group of who use technology now, they move forward and never look back. They see students a real people and they teach through relationships.”

This year’s winner is Andrew Wall, an elementary school teacher at Harvest Ridge Elementary. He began teaching through technology with the Nexis tablet, using Google learning activities.

“He’s gone beyond the status quo to help students realize their potential. Learning in the classroom often is key and he is the contributor to those planning and promotions and presentations in our district. He is motivational and never judgmental. Whenever he gets the opportunity to have a technology-centered conversation or a lesson for staff or students alike, he is the bomb.”

Wall said his love for teaching through technology started when he attend a METC conference about four or five years ago.

“I had a little girl and she just struggled and did not communicate verbally very well. I put her on there (Ed Modo) and she wrote this response to an impression about a story and it was just so much deeper than what I thought she was cable of. I really realized the power of of educational technology and what it does for students. It for sure has an effect,” Wall said.

According to Wall, there are many ways that teaching with the use of technology can be more beneficial than the traditional ways of learning.

“It is better because you are meeting the kids’ needs and you are allowing them to explore their creativity. It gives them an outlet for that creativity. Instead of sitting there and being bored, they are involved and engaged. They are not just listening to you drond on and on for hours. They are doing things, they are getting these experiences that are just making a world of a difference today,” Wall said.

With his winning of the Making IT Happen award, Wall says it has only pushed him to continue to move forward.

“I think it’s inspiring to know that you are doing the right thing and you are innovating and moving forward with the instruction of making a difference,” Wall said.