ISTE session balances human-centered STEAM

ISTE’s 2026 conference program includes a preconference session called “Balancing Humanity and Technology in STEAM Learning” that frames AI as one tool inside a broader hands-on classroom design. The session is scheduled for June 28 at ISTELive 26 in Orlando, according to the conference program. (conference.iste.org) Its description says attendees will move “from unplugged innovation to AI-enhanced creation” and learn strategies for projects built around innovation, collaboration and real-world problem-solving. The listing aligns with a broader ISTE emphasis on human-centered AI use. ISTE’s “AI Ready” conference materials describe “AI-enabled, human-centered learning” through educator stories, student work and hands-on challenges, rather than automation alone. (conference.iste.org) ### Who is leading the session, and what does the conference listing actually say? Rachelle Dené Poth is named in the ISTE program as the presenter for the session. The listing identifies her as a Spanish and STEAM educator, consultant, attorney and author with ThriveinEDU LLC. The ISTE description is specific about the classroom mix it is promoting. (conference.iste.org) It says participants will explore how to combine unplugged learning with AI-enhanced creation and leave with strategies for designing projects that support innovation, collaboration and problem-solving. (conference.iste.org) ### What does “human-centered” mean in this setting? ISTE has used unplugged AI instruction before as part of its teaching guidance. In a prior ISTE article on teaching AI, the organization said teachers do not need devices to introduce core AI concepts and outlined classroom activities that work without chatbot tools or virtual assistants. (conference.iste.org) That approach matches the conference language for this session. The program does not describe AI as a replacement for design work or discussion; it places AI alongside hands-on activity. ### How does this fit with other AI sessions at ISTE? (conference.iste.org) Another ISTELive 26 session, “Prompt for Impact: Reclaiming Creativity Through Student-Centered AI Design,” uses what the program calls a “70:30 Create vs. Consume” model. Its outline says educators will redesign prompts to support creativity, originality, ideation, iteration and reflection rather than shortcuts. (iste.org) The overlap is notable because both sessions describe AI as bounded and teacher-shaped. In the “Prompt for Impact” listing, participants are asked to turn AI into a scaffold for student work, not an endpoint. In “Balancing Humanity and Technology in STEAM Learning,” the sequence starts with unplugged innovation and then moves into AI-enhanced creation. (conference.iste.org) ### What does Delightex’s material show about the classroom angle? Delightex’s education site describes its tools as “classroom-ready AI tools” aimed at meaningful learning, digital literacy and hands-on exploration in 3D. The company says its platform is designed for student creation, including storytelling, simulations, coding and virtual environments. (conference.iste.org) A Delightex recap of ISTE 2025 also highlighted “immersive, accessible, and student-centered learning” and pointed to Poth’s work on human-AI collaboration in classrooms. That recap does not appear to be the 2026 session itself, but it shows the same vocabulary around student-centered use and human-AI collaboration. (conference.iste.org) ### What can teachers take from the session description now? The conference listing points to a practical sequence for STEAM teachers: start with unplugged or low-tech design, add AI in a limited creation task, and keep the project tied to collaboration and problem-solving. That reading is based on the session description and on related ISTE program language around student-centered AI use. (delightex.com) ISTELive 26 is scheduled for June 28 through July 1 in Orlando, and the session appears in the public conference program under preconference institutes. Attendees can find it in the event’s session search before the conference opens. (conference.iste.org) (blog.delightex.com)