ISTE 2016 was an event to remember. Not just because it was my first international education conference, but it was also amazing to see the opportunity for thought leadership and professional development (100 sessions an hour), combined with the number of partners that are focused on the success of students through the use of technology.

Cisco's booth at ISTE 2016 showcased two main elements: Cisco Meraki and Cisco Digital Learning solutions.

Every hour, on the hour, our staffers presented many different topics including the importance of needing a reliable, secure, and easy to use cloud-based network, the different solutions required to make distance learning possible via TelePresence, and one-click Mobile Device Management to ensure students stay on task.

Aside from our presence at ISTE, we had many education-specific partners in attendance that fit in our digital learning and digital campus portfolios.

These partners included: McGraw Hill, Canvas, Blackboard, D2L, CirQlive, iSchool Initiative and Cyberpatriot. The latter is very interesting as it's a K-12 competition that focuses on cybersecurity defense, instead of traditional "hacking."

iSchool Initiative had one of the most interactive booths at ISTE. Their Escape the Bus activity attracted educators by the dozens and triggered many dance competitions between sessions.

Travis Allen and team "locked" attendees in their bus for 30 minutes with minimal instruction. The objective was to escape the iSchool bus based on various clues. There was only a 20% success rate amongst adults who participated, compared to a much higher student success rate -yet luckily enough, my group was one of the few to escape! See the pure joy below...

The digital investments schools are making for the future of their students are obvious. Mobile learning is changing the way students work, live, and prepare for their careers. Having the ability to learn anywhere, at any time, from any place requires a cultural transformation. ISTE is equipping teachers and administration with the correct tools to drive this change first-hand in their schools. The future for mobile learning has never looked brighter.