Hosted by the University of Notre Dame, the Alliance for Catholic Education, and Higher-Powered Learning.

 

Access the BLiCSS 7.0 HyperDoc at bit.ly/BLiCSS

 

About BLiCSS:

Blended and personalized learning is a growing movement nationwide, including in Catholic schools. Over the past decade, hundreds of Catholic schools have incorporated adaptive online learning into classrooms to serve their students better. Though there are a number of forums and spaces in which blended learning leaders and practitioners can gather to share best practices and collaborate, BLiCSS is the singular opportunity for leaders and teachers in Catholic education specifically to form a unified mission and vision for blended learning in Catholic schools and collaborate to share best practices from across our schools. 

To fill this need, we created the Blended Learning in Catholic Schools Symposium with two goals in mind:

1. To gather thought leaders in the blended-learning space with an explicit connection to Catholic schools to share ideas, bright spots, and challenges. 

2. To develop our shared capacity to implement high-quality blended learning in Catholic schools. 

BLiCSS gathers school and diocesan administrators, teacher leaders, instructional coaches, university faculty and staff, and education software company representatives.

About BLiCSS 7.0:

As leaders in blended and personalized learning in Catholic education, we, as the BLiCSS community, have the unique position to shape the vision of how AI should be used in our K-12 Catholic schools. Our theme for this year is "Shaping the Vision of AI and Catholic Education."

The emergence of AI and its accessibility to everyday people in the past year have disrupted every sector of our society, education included. We want to discuss the best ways to use this for students.

• Does this have a place in a Catholic school setting?

• What is helpful and what is hurtful?

• How can we best leverage tools to further empower teachers to use technology for the benefit of their students?

If you see this as an issue in your school or have thoughts about solutions or tools, we invite you to explore and participate in this exciting conversation.

Symposium Schedule

Wednesday, March 13th:

• 1:30-2:00 - Registration Open
• 2:00-4:45 - Opening Sessions:
  • "Shaping the Vision of AI in Catholic Education"
  • "Focus Areas: Planning and Preparation; Assessments; and Moral and Ethical Implications."
• 6:00-8:30 - Dinner at 5Church Buckhead Sponsored by Curriculum Associates, creators of i-Ready.

Thursday, March 14th:

• 8:00-9:00 - Breakfast (Provided)
• 9:00-12:00 - Morning Presentations and Workshops
  • "Envisioning AI’s Future: Fascinations and Fears" - Lewis Poche, Higher-Powered Learning at the University of Notre Dame
  • "Supporting Teachers with AI in Catholic Education" - Shannon Tabaldo and Kerwin Molina, iDEAL Institute at Loyola Marymount University
  • "Charting a Course for AI in Your Organization" - Megan Cerbins, Blessed Sacrament Catholic School
• 12:00-1:30 - Break for Lunch (not provided)
• 1:30-4:30 - Afternoon Sessions
  • Shaping the Vision of AI in Catholic Schools Case Studies
  • Panel Discussion

Friday, March 15th:

• 8:00-9:00 - Breakfast (Provided)
• 9:00-12:00 - Morning Sessions
  • AI Lightning Talks
  • HPL Network Presentation
  • Workshopping and Networking
• 12:00-1:00 - Grab and Go Lunch (provided)

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Travel, Accommodations, and Symposium Location

All symposium events will occur at the Atlanta Marriott Buckhead Hotel & Conference Center, 3405 Lenox Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30326. 

Room Reservation Update:

The last day to confirm a room was on February 20th. However, our contact at the conference hotel can honor our group's discounted rate if the hotel still has availability for the conference dates. The best way to check is to directly email our representative at the Atlanta Marriott Buckhead Hotel & Conference Center, Maria Lopez (maria.lopez@atriumhospitality.com). In your email, say that you are with the BLiCSS Conference March 13-15 and looking to book in our room block. If you have questions, please contact Lewis at lpoche@nd.edu.

The Atlanta Marriott Buckhead Hotel & Conference Center is accessible easily by car (about 30 minutes) or by Atlanta's metro system (about 45 minutes) from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. 

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FAQs

Who is invited to participate in the Symposium?

The Blended Learning in Catholic Schools Symposium will gather thought leaders and practitioners in the blended-learning space with an explicit connection to Catholic schools. All are invited to attend; however, the symposium is geared toward thought leaders and school administrators.

What is the cost of attending the Symposium?

There is a fee to attend the Symposium. The Symposium fee will cover all conference sessions and a few meals (details TBD). Financial assistance is available. 

Fee Schedule:

• $150 - Register on or before February 9th, 2024. 
• $250 - Register on or before March 8th, 2024.

What is the appropriate dress for the Symposium?

Feel free to dress however you feel most comfortable. Most people will likely wear business casual. 

I am a facilitator or presenter for a session at the Symposium. Where can I find the guidelines for my session?

A member of ACE's Higher-Powered Learning team should have reached out to you via email to coordinate your session. If you need more information, please email the team at hpl@nd.edu.