EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

PUBLIC AFFAIRS SECTION

Invitation

"The importance of pursuing education in the field of technology and engineering”

Videoconference with Mary Spio,

founder and president of Next Galaxy Media, a technology company that produces, distributes and markets digital media. 

After receiving this invitation, I took a bus 550 and soon was near the Embassy of the USA.

Mary Spio is a founder and president of Next Galaxy Media, a technology company that produces, distributes and markets digital media. At age 29, she engineered Boeing Digital Cinema’s technology for delivering videos and movies via satellite to movie theaters around the world; she holds multiple digital-cinema patents. As if that wasn’t enough…she recently wrote a nonfiction history book called aSong for Carmine. Mary Spio is also the founder of engineer.tv, a nonprofit that brings engineers and companies together to inspire students to pursue engineering degrees. "I believe I have been successful because I am a lifelong learner. I am always in someone’s classroom, always seeking great people to learn from. Mentors have been my lifeblood,” says Spio, who last year was named by NBC News and TheGrio as one of the "100 History Makers in the Making” along with Jay-Z and Oprah Winfrey.

It was a joy to listen to this energetic woman speaking about her personal achievements and saying that she sees the future, and it's beautiful because the whole world is waiting for  creativity  and skills. 

After 15 minutes' speech Mary Spio offered  the  teachers to ask her questions. I told her about our students' achievements in using modern technologies, about sharing Wiki with American children from Kansas and asked her what new technologies are  expected soon in education.  She said that new technologies will develop students' abilities, they will be different in quality.  They will be everywhere. The games,  which children like, will be more interactive and will be getting more educational.

When asked if technologies can replace a teacher, Mary Spio said that new technologies can't replace a teacher, and there is no substitute to the human element. Only a teacher can encourage with a hug or a smile. Teachers will adapt to new conditions. Their roles will be changing.

At the end of the video session Mery Spio asked us what we think of  new technologies. I said that we will continue using new technologies because if we stop doing that , we will badly leg behind.

The Embassy organized a very warm welcome for teachers. After the video conference there was a short discussion. The Embassy workers were impressed by the level of modern skill which our students have. One of them said to me: I thought you are a teacher of computer studies, but now I understand how advanced you are as a teacher of English in using new technologies in teaching English.

It is not allowed to take photos inside the Embassy. So here a photo which was taken outside.)))

The Embassy workers promised to send me some photos, which they took during the conference.

Mary Spio's photo taken from the site