{"id":356611,"date":"2026-07-09T14:34:29","date_gmt":"2026-07-09T14:34:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/uncategorized\/iste-orlando-2026-the-tools-im-bringing-home-to-steam-families-and-why-this-conference-felt-different\/"},"modified":"2026-07-09T14:34:29","modified_gmt":"2026-07-09T14:34:29","slug":"iste-orlando-2026-the-tools-im-bringing-home-to-steam-families-and-why-this-conference-felt-different","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=356611","title":{"rendered":"ISTE Orlando 2026: The Tools I’m Bringing Home to STEAM Families (And Why This Conference Felt Different)"},"content":{"rendered":"


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I just got back from ISTE Orlando 2026<\/strong>, and I keep coming back to the same thought: this wasn\u2019t just another conference. ISTE brought the tools to truly support learning and the valuable conversations we all needed to be part of as future-forward educators and parents.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve followed along with me here or on\u00a0Instagram<\/a>, you already know I\u2019ve been counting down to\u00a0ISTE Orlando 2026<\/strong><\/a>. I went into this conference looking to identify tools and ideas that deserve a place in our learning spaces. I came home with sixteen+ tools worth talking about and identified one big overarching theme we can no longer ignore. Read on!<\/p>\n

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Let\u2019s start with the theme, because it matters more than any single product on this list.<\/p>\n

A New Name, and a Question Everyone Is Finally Asking Out Loud at ISTE Orlando<\/h2>\n

I already told you about the big moment from the opening keynote in my Day 1 recap \u2014\u00a0ISTE+ASCD<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0officially becoming the\u00a0International Society for Transforming Education<\/strong>. Richard Culatta said it best from the mainstage: \u201cEducation is at an inflection point.\u201d As an education founder<\/a> myself, I feel this!<\/p>\n

But here\u2019s what I didn\u2019t expect: that same \u201cinflection point\u201d energy showed up in literally every AI conversation I had for the rest of the week. Last year, so much of the AI conversation in education was still stuck on\u00a0should we<\/em>. This year, the question has been upgraded. It is now\u00a0how do we do this well<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 and honestly, as a mom and innovative educator, that\u2019s the version of this conversation I\u2019ve been waiting for.<\/p>\n

What \u201cDoing AI Well\u201d Actually Looks Like<\/h2>\n

Here\u2019s what stood out to me, tool after tool: the products that impressed me most didn\u2019t lead with what AI could do. They led with the guardrails.<\/p>\n

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Trending<\/span><\/p>\n
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\"Code.org<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n

CodeAI<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 yes,\u00a0Code.org<\/a>\u00a0is now CodeAI, with 150 million students and 2 billion-plus hours of learning behind it \u2014 built a whole workshop around a framework I haven\u2019t stopped thinking about:\u00a0Pilot, Co-Pilot, Autopilot<\/strong>. The idea is simple: no matter how much AI helps with the work, your kid is always the pilot. They make the decisions. They set the parameters. They stay responsible for the output.<\/p>\n

Khan Academy\u2019s Khanmigo<\/strong>\u00a0takes a different but equally thoughtful approach. It\u2019s not an open chatbot \u2014 it\u2019s a Socratic tutor. It asks guiding questions instead of handing over answers, and every single conversation is visible to parents and teachers\u2014nothing hidden.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Even the hardware told this story.\u00a0LEGO Education\u2019s<\/strong>\u00a0brand-new Computer Science & AI kit was built with privacy as a first principle, not a footnote.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\"LEGO<\/figure>\n
\"CoDrone<\/figure>\n
\"Codedrone<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n

And\u00a0CoDrone EDU<\/strong>\u00a0answered the exact questions I\u2019d ask before letting a drone anywhere near my kids: no FAA certification required, no cameras, no student logins, COPPA and FERPA compliant, and every drone arrives pre-built with prop guards.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s the throughline I\u2019m bringing home from Orlando: AI belongs in our kids\u2019 learning when it\u2019s built to support their judgment, not replace it \u2014 and when we as parents and teachers can actually see what\u2019s happening inside it. That\u2019s how we move learning forward and help our kids prepare for the technology we can no longer afford to ignore!<\/p>\n

Okay. Now for the fun part.<\/p>\n

ISTE Orlando 2026 \u2013 The Tools I\u2019m Actually Excited About<\/h2>\n

\ud83e\udd16 Coding & Robotics<\/h3>\n