Technology in education is becoming increasingly important as teachers, administrators, parents and policy makers recognize the value and benefits of technology-driven classrooms. Here are five of the most highly anticipated “edtech” conferences of 2017.
SXSWedu Conference
This conference also features a festival that celebrates learning innovation. The SXSWedu Conference features a diverse array of energetic keynote speakers from very different backgrounds in education. Every year, thousands of educators attend this four-day event for the interactive workshops, engaging sessions, learning experiences, debut film screenings and educational products. This collaboration platform promotes educational creativity and social change through embracing technology. The 2017 conference will feature Dr. Christopher Emdin, an Associate Professor at Columbia University, and Sara Goldrick-Rab, Professor of Higher Education Policy at Temple University.
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MACUL Conference
The MACUL Conference featured educational technology experts from various industries. These speakers present events on best practices, classroom tools and teacher development at all levels. The MACUL, or Michigan Association for Computer Users in Learning, Conference is considered to be the single most comprehensive conference on educational technology. The annual conference draws around 5,000 educator-attendees. The 2017 conference will be held on March 15 to 17 at the Cobo Center in Detroit, MI. This event will provide opportunities to learn new tools, gain valuable resources, discover new trends and network with fellow educators.
CUE Conference
The CUE Conference is the oldest education technology conference in California, but it is also one of the biggest events in the country. The CUE Conference has brought together educators for over 35 years. Many of the exhibits and sessions touch on Title I implementation, instruction assessment data, school improvement programs and special needs development programs. This three-day conference is designed for technology coordinators, educators and administrators who want to leverage new solutions to support student achievement and overall school performance. The Exhibit Hall will feature around 200 vendor technology displays.
CoSN Annual Conference
The 2017 CoSN Annual Conference will be held April the third to the sixth in Chicago, IL. This years’ conference theme is called Invent the Future. This years’ conference will feature exclusive events and speakers as part of the 25th anniversary. CoSN provides technology leaders with the ideas, tools and resources needed to successfully implement and maintain district-wide change. Common topics include digital equity, open accessibility and personalized learning. Many educators attend this even to learn how technology is changing the ways that students learn and teachers teach.
Washington Education Technology Policy Summit
This even is geared towards government policy makers, but encourages schools administrators and leaders to attend. This event is sponsored by the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN). This special summit unites educational technology leaders with education policy advocates. This event is attended by representatives from Congress, the White House and the Department of Education. Bipartisan speakers focus on policy trends in order to explain proposed changes, solicit feedback and unveil proposed legislation.
Educators interested in global technology in education can attend the International Society for Technology in Education’s (ISTE) annual conference. Attendees will be exposed to international curriculum standards, staff development tips and culturally sensitive classroom practices.
