Meet the OEB2018 Speakers: Esther Wojcicki

Get to know our high-profile Speakers more closely in our new feature „Meet the OEB2018 Speakers“. We will present one of our Speakers through a questionnaire in each edition of our newsletters running up to the conference, which will give you an insight into their preferences and interests both professionally and personally. Learn more about the renowned American journalist and educator
Esther Wojcicki and find out which technological tool she thinks is the coolest and if she had to choose, which job she would love to try out for one day.

1. Who, or what, was your most important teacher?

Tragedy in life. The accidental death of my 18 month old brother.

2. What were your best/worst subjects in school?

Best subjects were math, science, history. Worst subjects were dance, cooking.

3. If you could try out any job for a day, what would you like to try?

Governor of the state of California

4. Which technology, in your view, had the biggest influence on the way we learn now?

Google and YouTube. YouTube is the largest education site in the world with more than a billion hits per day (not including entertainment). Google allows us all to search information and learn about anything we want to learn. Educators need to know that no one has to sit and listen to a boring lecture now. We can all learn online.

5. What is the coolest gadget / technology / tool you have seen lately?

AR and VR using Google Expeditions with Google cardboard (it is cheap and convenient) and now you can take a virtual trip from your home. The Oculus headsets are great, but clumsy and expensive.

6. What current learning trend do you think will have a lasting impact?

Blended Learning will hopefully have a lasting impact. I am working on it

7. Who would you recommend in the Learning World to follow on twitter right now?

ww2.kqed.org/mindshift

8. What would be the title of your autobiography?

How I Raised Empowered Women

9. What was your first thought about OEB 2018’s overall theme: Learning to Love Learning?

For people to learn to love learning, teachers need to change their role in the classroom, at least part of the time so the learner has some control.

10. What do you hope to take away from OEB?

An understanding of what other people think is important in the age of technology in the classroom.