Home Announcements/Important Dates
Category:

Announcements/Important Dates

Stay updated with the latest TCEA announcements. Find news, event updates, and important information for educators and tech enthusiasts.

educator awards
Announcements/Important DatesGood Teaching

2020-21 Educator Awards and Scholarships Nominations Are Open

by Robert Bennett
written by Robert Bennett

The classrooms might be different this year, and the start date of classes might have changed, but the TCEA Educator Awards are opening right on time to recognize exemplary educators who have made a difference for their campuses, colleagues, and students!

If you work in education, chances are you know someone doing incredible work (and there’s no shame in admitting if that person is yourself). It might be a teacher who works hard to establish guidelines for remote learning, or a librarian who is creating amazement on a limited budget. Or it could be a campus tech specialist or an IT pro who makes your job easier every day by being a rock star at theirs.

We want to recognize these heroes and applaud them, their work, and their accomplishments. Because education is about connections from person to person, and that experience becomes extraordinary with extraordinary people.

Nominations can be submitted via the forms below, with the last possible date being October 30th. The award winners will be announced during the TCEA Convention scheduled for February. 

Award Nomination Forms:

TCEA also awards three scholarships to undergraduate students and those already in the profession. Scholarship recipients are awarded between $500 and $1,000 based on the criteria of the scholarship.

Scholarship Applications:

Remember: Nominations are open from September 1 through October 30, 2020. Don’t delay — nominate yourself or a colleague now!

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinEmail
Announcements/Important DatesProfessional Learning

A Virtual Conference You Don’t Want to Miss

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey

If you’ve been busy doing remote teaching for the past two months, then the last thing you want to think about right now is attending a virtual conference or, quite frankly, anything virtual ever again. Staring at your computer screen one more time may make you forget why you went into education.

But before you give up on the idea of learning anything more while working from home or in isolation, I ask that you consider the following: If we have discovered nothing else from this horrendous time, it is that most of us are not fully prepared to teach remotely or even in a blended learning situation. And that means that professional development is more critical than ever before. Even if you have mastered the art of teaching 22 busy elementary students from a distance, you must admit that you could use a new high-yield instructional strategy or two or a few new tech websites and tools to help differentiate learning.

With that in mind, I want to invite you to take part in TCEA’s Elementary Technology Conference, virtually. The Elementary Technology Conference (ETC) is an event unlike any other. Each summer, it brings together hundreds of elementary educators to discover the latest tools, resources, and strategies for engaging PreK-5 learners. Get to know the educators blazing trails in your field. Get advice and tools to fit the needs of your grade level, your specialty, and your classroom. Get energized, get excited, and get exploring. (All done virtually, of course!)

Designed Around Elementary Needs

This is a one-of-a-kind learning experience solely designed for elementary educators who face a unique set of challenges, have specific needs, and required different tools. You won’t see sessions that focus on concepts that are too hard for your students to handle or that don’t understand how important the basics are in the primary grades. You will see handcrafted learning opportunities presented by other elementary educators, people who have walked a mile in your shoes and fully understand that that means your students are following right behind you.

And we don’t forget the other critical folks who support elementary education in the classroom: elementary campus administrators, library media specialists, and instructional and technology coaches. There will be specific sessions for each of these groups as well, all designed to help you better lead and grow.

Highlighting Important Trends

Learning opportunities at the Elementary Technology Conference will feature all of the hottest topics and trends that you need to be aware of for your students’ achievement. Here are just a few of the more than 100 sessions that will be presented:

  • Digital Tools for the Mathematics Classroom
  • Tablets for Tiny Learners
  • Doodle Away: Supporting Visual Thinking and Sketchnoting
  • Creating Engaging Activities with Google Drawing
  • Meaningful Differentiation with Technology
  • Forms to the Rescue! Digital Documentation Made Easy
  • Science Journaling
  • Getting STEAMed Up About Writing
  • Rescue Me with Coaching CPR (Content Specific, Pedagogically Sound, Results Based)
  • Moving from Consumption to Creation
  • Adventures in Blended Learning
  • Writing with Podcasts

In addition to all of the amazing sessions that you will have access to, the conference will also provide your choice of three two-hour workshops included free with your registration. These sessions will take a deeper look at content and strategies for elementary students.

  • Blended Learning in the Elementary Classroom
  • The Power of STEAM-Themed Literature
  • Using the Jigsaw Method in Your Classroom or Professional Development

Having Fun and Sharing with Other Educators Like Yourself

Because ETC is a conference for one of the most fun-loving groups of educators in the world, I can guarantee that you’ll have a good time. We’ll have a game night, a coffee chat, several networking breaks, a social hour, and door prizes, all done virtually so you can stay safe (and in your pajamas). We’ll provide lots of opportunities for you to connect with other educators who are doing what you do and share ideas and resources with each other. And the TCEA board members and staff will be there to party along with you.

Elementary Technology Conference Details

I hope that I’ve convinced you that this event is the one more virtual experience that you must attend. Live sessions and activities will be held Sunday, June 14 through Tuesday, June 16. (You can see the schedule here.) Attend all of these live learning opportunities and you’ll have earned 14 CPE credits and a million new ideas. But there’s more. There will be another 106 recorded webinars that are included with your registration, which means you can watch these any time you want and continue the learning through July 13, 2020.

Registration is only $169 (down from $239 for the face-to-face event) and includes a year of membership in TCEA. That will enable you to take advantage of another 100 live and recorded hours of learning, along with amazing resources and idea sharing in our Community, for another 365 days.

We are limiting attendance at this virtual conference. So I encourage you to register today. If you’re still not convinced, just check out this blog I wrote after attending last year’s Elementary Technology Conference. And be sure to say “hi” when you arrive this year at the virtual conference; I promise to change out of my pajamas just for you!

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinEmail
TCEA
Announcements/Important Dates

TCEA: 40 Years Young and Growing

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey

It was the 1979–1980 school year, and across the state of Texas, some new technology began appearing by ones and twos in classrooms: personal, desktop computers. Whether they were Commodore 64’s or Apple IIe’s, they were new territory to teachers and leaders who had lots of questions and few answers.

TCEA

There Was a Need

A number of educators were interested in investigating, or already involved in utilizing the new computers that had started to appear on campuses. Several of these educators decided they needed to take some instruction in programming as that was one of the main ways to interact with a computer at that time. So they enrolled in a night course at North Texas State University, taught by Dr. James L. Poirot.

Two of these educators, Vicki Smith and Diana Radspinner, stayed after class one night and initiated the thought, “Wouldn’t it be nice if there were a way to share ideas and network information among the teachers in the state using or interested in technology?” Dr. Poirot responded that he would be willing to organize a meeting to discuss this if they were willing to do a “little” paperwork. The paperwork soon became an immense undertaking as these two educators from Dallas ISD mailed out fliers to other educators, sketched out a logo (see below), and created an organizational name.

TCEA

On May 3, 1980, an organizational meeting took place and was attended by 135 educators from around the state. Those attending the meeting joined the new Texas Computer Education Association. And that was our beginning. A few months later, on October 4, 1980, TCEA held its first official conference at North Texas State University. A constitution was adopted and the first board of directors was elected. After that, the first newsletter was published and the organization formally exhibited with its first official booth, table, and handouts at the National Education Computing Conference (now known as ISTE) in Denton in the summer of 1981.

TCEA Grew Quickly

TCEAFrom early Saturday meetings where educators were encouraged to bring their own floppy disks (and disk notchers) and make legal copies of MECC software to use in their classrooms to conferences with sessions like “A Plan for Improving Education through Computer Use” and “The Word Processor and the Teacher” to time learning the new communication system TENET, TCEA quickly became the go-to expert in how to best use technology for learning. Fast forward 40 years and TCEA is still that resource for more than 34,000 educators around the world.

That growth is directly attributable to two groups of individuals. The first group is composed of all of the absolutely amazing leaders we have had over those 40 years. From our founding father, Dr. Jim Poirot, through to the current board of directors, from the SIG leaders to the Champions, dedicated educators have willingly served countless hours to provide extensive planning, professional development, and resources to anyone interested in educational technology. They’ve helped TCEA grow from doing just one professional learning event to an organization that provides more than 200 opportunities to grow in a wide variety of formats each year.

The second group that has helped TCEA grow so much, and without whom we could not even exist, is our members. To those of you who present at our events, to those of you who share our mission and vision, to those of you who answer questions in the Community, we thank you. We appreciate those of you who put on programming contests and train students to take part in robotics events. We thank the CTOs and technology directors who plan and implement technology initiatives. Our thanks go to the network guys and the technicians who keep everything connected and working and to the library media specialists who often act as front-line ed tech experts. We applaud the C&I staff and campus and district leaders who help everyone to integrate technology into learning. And we especially thank all of the front line teachers who use technology make a difference for students every single day. All of you have had a big role in helping TCEA grow and prosper and achieve so much.

Where TCEA Is Headed

While none of us can predict the future with 100% accuracy, I think we all can agree that the importance of technology for learning can only increase. The recent crisis with remote teaching and learning is just one indicator of the need for continued development in the use of technologies today and those coming tomorrow. And TCEA will be right there with all of you as that future comes closer.

Happy Birthday, TCEA!

The first 40 years were unbelievable. I can’t wait to see what the next 40 have in store for us. Tremendous thanks go to each and every one of you who has been a part of our journey thus far. What can’t we accomplish together????

0 comments
1 FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinEmail
remote learning
Announcements/Important DatesProfessional Learning

Here for You: Free Membership and Remote Learning Help

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey

I don’t think any of us could have predicted what the state of teaching and learning would look like today with the virus, shelter-in-place orders, and remote learning. It came out of the blue and, quite frankly, really surprised us. And that means that we weren’t able to prepare for it. Teachers and administrators were thrust into roles that they had only heard discussed previously or had possibly had mentioned in training.

So it’s understandable that the anxiety level of our educators across the county, and even the world, is extremely high right now because of all the unknowns. There are a ton of questions about the teaching and learning. How long will this last? Will we be able to actually have physical school again? How do I teach students who don’t have internet access at home? How can I support my special needs students?

And then there are the questions about the technology. How can I make sure my students are productive while online? How does Zoom or Google Classroom work? Which assignments that are sent home should be graded and how? What kind of lesson plans work well digitally?

Good News

The good news is that TCEA is here to help you. Connecting people, demonstrating how to best to use technology for digital learning, providing ideas on how to support those working remotely, coaching teachers to feel more comfortable with these changes, all of it is exactly what we do — and have done for 40 years.

To help support everyone during this time (and beyond), TCEA today is offering free, one-year membership in the organization. The free membership includes all of the online learning, resources, networking, and other features that can help you not only survive this scary time, but also thrive in it. The free membership is open to anyone, regardless of where you live or work; whether you are in a public school, private school, or home school; whether you are a teacher or administrator or librarian or counselor or technician or anyone working in education today.

The free membership will be available Monday, March 30, 2020 beginning at 8:00 a.m. Central and running through Friday, May 8. If you are already a member, you can add on another year of membership at no cost by taking advantage of this free offer.

Even More Good News

Also beginning today, TCEA will be providing additional, short videos on key issues for teachers and leaders during this time of remote learning. The videos are designed to answer some of the many questions we have received about how to offer effective and engaging learning opportunities to students at home.

They will be available on this website with four new videos added each day. All of the videos will include quick, easy-to-implement ideas, lessons, activities, and resources.

Here are just a few of the topics we’ll cover:

  • Teaching and Leading Remotely: How TCEA Can Help
  • Become a Zoom Expert!
  • Remote Learning with Google Classroom
  • Teaching Remotely with G Suite for Education
  • Setting Up Educational Playlists in YouTube
  • Staying Connected with Your Students and Staff
  • Keep Remote Learning Simple
  • Using Fliphunts in an Online Setting
  • Google Sites for Remote Learning
  • Differentiated Reading Resources to Help
  • Digital Audiobooks for Free
  • Making Worksheets Interactive
  • Test-Enhanced Learning Made Easy
  • Using Screencasts to Facilitate Learning From Home
  • And many more!

So make time today to sign up for your year’s worth of learning, sharing, leading, and creating by taking advantage of our free membership. Then check out the resources to help you master remote teaching and leading. And remember, you are not alone in this endeavor. TCEA is here with you, along with all of our members.

unsplash-logoPhoto: sydney Rae
3 comments
1 FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinEmail
tcea 2020
Announcements/Important Dates

TCEA 2020 Opening Keynote Sekou Andrews

by Andrew Roush
written by Andrew Roush

“I’m an artist at heart” says Sekou Andrews. “But I’ve always been half artist, half entrepreneur.”

Andrews’ unique blend of aesthetic and insight comes to TCEA 2020, when Andrews takes the stage for his opening keynote session, Tuesday February 4, at 1 p.m. A teacher-turned-actor, musician, two-time national poetry slam champion, and entrepreneur, Andrews brings an exciting mix of strategic storytelling, spoken word poetry, theater, and comedy, all combined into an experience you won’t want to miss.

After his time exploring teaching, music, and performance, he fell in love with spoken word poetry. Unfortunately, there seemed to be no career path forward as a poet.

“So the entrepreneur [in me] got excited about pioneering an industry for spoken word,” he says.

That path involved re-thinking what a poet does — not simply performing poetry, but mixing in the insights of a public speaker, the energy of a musician, and the ability to craft inspiring messages valued by organizations and businesses around the world. 

Today, Andrews keynotes conferences around the world, and has presented for Fortune 500 companies as well as for Maya Angelou, Larry King, Norman Lear, Coretta Scott King and family, and has even performed pieces for Barack Obama in Oprah’s backyard. 

As a recording artist and producer, his album “Poetic License” made him the most awarded artist in the nation’s largest independent music organization, and his album “Sekou Andrews & The String Theory” was nominated for a 2019 Grammy Award. Sekou has shared the stage with such heavyweights as Stevie Wonder, Jay-Z, Carlos Santana, Kendrick Lamar, Maroon 5, Jill Scott, and John Legend.

Art and Education

Like his art, Andrews is a symphony of ideas and inspirations, drawing together a number of influences and styles to arrange powerful performances. Among all those influences, his commitment to education has remained. That’s why, he says, he’s so excited to share his poetic voice with TCEA attendees.

“I became a poet 17 years ago,” he says, “but I’ve maintained a commitment to education. I always knew that, even though I was leaving the classroom, my voice was always committed to education as one of my causes.” Educational events are a magnet for him, from audiences of thousands at professional conventions, like TCEA, to his goddaughter’s school poetry day.

For Andrews, his new take on spoken word poetry is the evolution of an ancient art, one classroom teachers know well: the oral tradition, the verbal transmission of art, ideas, knowledge, and culture.

“The oral tradition is one of the oldest and most powerful traditions there is. In terms of the value of the spoken word, it has shaped nations, changed politics, shaped society. It has the power to create revolutions. It certainly has the power to shape business and inspire people in industry, and in education.”

Keeping up (and Breaking with) Tradition

Andrews works to refresh and reignite the oral tradition with a modern blend of poetry, music, and presentation. What does that mean for the audiences he engages?

“I think it’s easy for an audience to get ahead of a speaker in the traditional format,” he says, “and I wanted to create something that kept morphing in modalities, kept hitting you in different ways, kept hitting different parts of you, so that you weren’t able to get ahead of it. That’s the value-add of poetic voice.”

His innovation lies not simply in the energy of his art, but also the power of his messages that he hopes exhilarates his audiences. 

“It’s not just inspiration,” he notes, “it’s not just feel-good. We’re going to get actionable content, we’re going to get actual education from this. That’s the real win.”

So, what makes Andrews excited to open TCEA 2020? When he speaks for businesses, be they shoemakers, healthcare workers, or salespeople, Andrews is often approaching the industry from the outside. With educators, he’s returning to a group of his former colleagues. 

“It’s great when I can go stand in front of a group of educators as an ex-teacher” he says, “and just talk. We can relax, loosen up our ties, let our hair down, and just be one with each other, because we understand each other.”

And besides bringing his energetic perspective, he’s excited to gain energy from a convention center filled with dedicated educators. 

“I feel like educators always come in with great energy. Teachers work on the ground level, they work with other people every day. They feel a sense of each other, and their humanity’s worn on their sleeve.”

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinEmail
TCEA 2020 Convention
Announcements/Important Dates

Don’t Miss the TCEA 2020 Convention

by Robert Bennett
written by Robert Bennett

I’ve worked with conventions and meetings for about nine years now, whether it’s managing registration and membership, coordinating vendors, or scheduling speakers and sessions. That’s just a constant of all volunteer associations when it comes to events of such size: It’s all hands on deck, and everyone wears lots of hats.

However, another constant of conventions and meetings is that their largest competitors aren’t necessarily one another — that is, one conference competing against others for attendees.

Rather, the biggest competition is simply a lack of awareness.

Awareness Raised about the TCEA 2020 Convention

I can’t begin to count the number of times I visited members and constituents and mentioned an event we were planning – an event that was often years in the making, the product of countless volunteer hours and staff work, supported by a months-long marketing campaign — only to be met with a blank stare and the comment “So… What is that, now?”

Really, this shouldn’t be too much of a surprise. People are living their own lives, and they aren’t waiting with bated breath for news of the next conference taking place here or there. And due to the eruption of technologies and media, we have more choices than ever for what to do with our time. Add to that here’s more competition for those choices, meaning it’s easy to get lost in the crush of marketing noise.

What is surprising, though, is that TCEA is different. Since I joined TCEA as Director of Membership and Engagement, I’ve noticed that the buzz surrounding our marquee event is substantial.

“I Love Your Convention!”

For example, I was at an educational event and trade show recently and was stationed in our TCEA booth to meet with attendees and let them know a little about who we are and what we do and to mention our upcoming convention to folks who might be interested. However, time and time again, I had no opportunity to do this. Because almost all the people who came to my booth already knew all about the TCEA convention – and had nothing but glowing things to say about it.

“I love your convention!” one attendee said. “I’m going this spring!” Others said they were sending their staff in their place, and were, quite frankly, a little jealous. Still others said they couldn’t make it this year, but dutifully took notes on where the convention would be taking place next year, and the year after that, and the year after that.

This left me more than a little perplexed. This was not, in my experience, how things were supposed to go. I was supposed to talk with people, bring up the convention, be met with polite but mild bafflement, and hand them a little pamphlet in case they wanted to learn more. What was not supposed to happen was for all these attendees to know a lot more about the convention than I did, and be eager to learn more.

What the Buzz Is All About

The upcoming TCEA 2020 Convention, February 3–7, will be my first here at TCEA. I have to say, I’m definitely looking forward to learning what all the excitement is about. Personally, I’m looking forward to getting to meet face-to-face with thousands of dedicated and energized educators. If they’re this excited, how can I not be?

If you’re curious about TCEA 2020, don’t worry; there’s still time to register. Check out all the ways to learn and grow on our convention web page, and when you’re ready, make sure you’re registered. I look forward to seeing you there!

Photo: Spencer Selvidge

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinEmail
professional development
Announcements/Important DatesProfessional Learning

Weave Together Perfect Professional Development

by Kristy Breaux
written by Kristy Breaux

TCEA is more than just an event, it’s a community. That’s why our annual TCEA Convention & Exposition is designed to create a professional development experience that meets the needs of a variety of dedicated educators, all sharing a vision for the future.

Every educator, from administrators to classroom teachers, faces a diverse array of challenges, and each deploys their own knowledge and skills in different ways. Put simply, no two teachers are alike. So when we planned our 2020 TCEA Convention & Exposition, we worked to ensure that a variety of different specialities and topics in education were addressed. We call these strands.

It’s our hope that over the five days of world-class presentations and conversations, you find resources from all the strands that touch on your work and professional learning. Here’s how you can weave together these strands to reflect your personal approach to education.

Step 1: Make Sure You’re Registered

You can’t jump into all that content if you’re not registered. Choose the badge type that’s right for you or your group and submit your registration here. Don’t forget, registration comes with a one-year membership or renewal in TCEA, so you can be a part of a vibrant education community year-round and continue the learning.

And remember: Registration prices will increase on January 10, so don’t delay!

Step 2: Explore the Strands

With over 1,000 expert-led presentations, it can be hard to narrow down the sessions that meet your requirements, interests, and needs. So check out the strands below, and find the ones that fit you for a customized convention experience.

  • Application Immersion: Deep dives into the use of a software or application so you can use the apps that increase learning with ease and confidence.
  • Leadership and CTO: Sessions designed to help decision makers find the best products, services, and purchasing practices, along with big-picture ideas for training and coaching, as well as district and campus visioning and leadership.
  • Library Media: Discover the latest and best in multimedia learning, including ways to engage students in the learning process, conduct research, and become responsible consumers of information and good digital citizens.
  • Online and Blended Learning: Insights to help you flip your classroom or augment your in-class work with the most effective virtual classroom technologies. Find the tech that helps keep learning going beyond the classroom.
  • Pedagogy and Instructional Design: Boost creativity and productivity, explore open educational resources, and find the tools and techniques for lesson planning, technology integration, and more.
  • Professional Development: Find new, effective ways to connect with peers, staff, and colleagues through technology, from strategies and models for making connections to the smartest means for measuring outcomes.
  • Special Populations: Best practices, new technologies, and proven strategies for supporting learning with ELL and bilingual students, GT and gifted students, and students with special needs.
  • Technology Applications and CTE Courses: Create computational thinking in the classroom and pick up the newest and most useful strategies and tools for teaching coding and CTE, as well integrating STEM/STEAM into teaching and learning.
  • Technology Support and IT: Upgrade the ways you keep faculty, staff, students, and parents safe online. Find the latest trends, tech, and techniques for securing network infrastructure, managing hardware and software, and providing technical support.

Step 3: Find Your Professional Development Sessions

Now that you’re excited, jump into the sessions that fit you. You can find all the sessions for TCEA 2020 online. Even better, you can search by strand or keyword and explore everything the convention has to offer.

It’s that easy! Although, if there were a step four, it would be: Start planning now — February will come sooner than you think. So get ready! We’re excited to see you there.

unsplash-logoPhoto: Sergio Gonzalez
0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinEmail
Announcements/Important Dates

TCEA Invites Your Students to Talk with Santa!

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey
Watch the recording of our chat with Santa

Keeping students engaged during the time before the winter break can be difficult. But, as always, TCEA is here to help. For the fifth year in a row, we will be hosting a free-to-anyone chat with the man of the hour, Santa Claus himself, and you and your students are invited to join us.

Ever wonder how Santa preps for the holidays? Curious to know how many elves work in the North Pole? Scratching your head about how St. Nick distributes all those presents in just one night? Submit all of your burning questions to Santa himself, and tune in on Tuesday, December 10 from 2:00 to 2:30 p.m. Central for a live chat to get all the answers! 

Santa will be stopping by TCEA’s headquarters to host a free, live chat for students around the world. So make that mug of hot cocoa, get yourself a big plate of sugar cookies, and read on to find out how your class or school can take part in this merry occasion.

Come One, Come All to Hear Santa

The Virtual Chat with Santa is intended for kids of all ages (and adults, too!). This event requires no registration and is broadcast through YouTube. You do not have to be a member of TCEA to join in the Yuletide fun.

During the chat, Santa will happily answer the burning questions your students may have about him and all of his North Pole friends. If you’re an advance planner like Kris Kringle (he makes his list and checks it twice, after all), you can submit your questions for Santa ahead of time using this form. Like to ask your questions on the fly (just like those reindeer would)? No problem! Santa will also accept questions live during the chat. (Just so you know, if you submit your questions in advance, Santa may give you a shout out by name during the live event!) 

Do you know someone who might want to break down their classroom walls to talk to an expert on sleigh bells, toys, and holiday magic? Spread the word and make sure all Santa fans know about this fun event that comes but once a year.

Spreading Good Cheer

Santa won’t just be answering questions. He’ll also be doing what he does best: getting everyone in the spirit of joy and giving. Don’t miss an opportunity to hear one of Santa’s favorite holiday stories read by the man himself. This year, he’ll be sharing If I Could Give You Christmas by Lynn Plourde. He’ll also give an exclusive update on the latest happenings at the North Pole. Don’t you want to snag the inside scoop on Mrs. Claus and the elves? You can learn all the latest reindeer games and gossip by joining us live.

How to Join

Are you ready to get jolly? Here is the link to the live chat. Make sure to test it out so that you know you will have access. If you are unavailable to attend the live event, a recording of the chat will be available shortly after it ends. If your students submitted questions in advance, they might still get to hear their questions read and answered. 

One more time…Join us on December 10 from 2:00 to 2:30 p.m. Central for a live chat with the North Pole’s most famous resident (and a long-time TCEA friend). We hope to see you there!

4 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinEmail
giveaways
Announcements/Important Dates

Announcing the TCEA ThanksGiveaway!

by Andrew Roush
written by Andrew Roush

Thanksgiving is fast approaching, and while we’re grateful for dedicated educators 365 days a year, TCEA is using the occasion to give back to attendees heading to the 40th annual TCEA Convention & Exhibition with ten days of giveaways.

We want every attendee to have a memorable, productive, and exciting experience. That’s why we’re showing our thanks with 10 days of giveaways leading up to Thanksgiving. From November 11–22, TCEA is offering thanks to the visionary educators helping to shape the future of education by giving registered attendees to the 2020 TCEA Convention & Exhibition exciting ways to upgrade their convention experience. We’re calling it the #TCEAThanksGiveaway.  

One lucky winner will even get a complimentary registration to offset their attendance. The best part? If you’re registered, you’re already in the running for the giveaways. 

The Giveaways/Upgrades

Here are some of the enhancements we’re giving away to attendees to help make TCEA 2020 a truly memorable event. Follow TCEA on Facebook and Twitter to get the latest information each day during the event.

  • Convention Swag Bags: Everything you need to commemorate five days of non-stop learning.
  • Starbucks Gift Cards: Convention mornings can be hectic. That’s why we’re chipping in for coffee.
  • Amazon.com Gift Cards: Need to pick up a few things, like an extra charger or comfortable shoes, before you pack your bags for Austin? We’ve got you covered.
  • Signed Book from a Featured Presenter of Your Choice: A rare keepsake from a memorable experience.
  • Enhance Your Convention Experience (winners choose one of the following): $30 concession credit for all Convention Center outlets, premium reserved seating at keynote sessions, or $30 credit in the TCEA Store 
  • …And one winner will receive a free registration!

How to Earn a Free TCEA 2020 Registration

If you are already registered for this amazing event, but want to earn one extra entry each day, it’s easy:

  • Just share the daily TCEA Thanks Giveaway post or contest page link (https://convention.tcea.org/giving-thanks/) and use #TCEA2020Giveaway on Twitter for one additional entry into the giveaway.
  • If you are on Facebook, like the daily #TCEAThanksGiveaway post and answer the daily question in the comments to gain another entry for the drawing.
  • If you’re not yet registered, you’ll still be entered into the complimentary conference pass drawing for sharing.
  • Followers of TCEA on these platforms can share the #TCEAThanksGiveaway posts multiple times per day,  but they will only be eligible to gain one additional entry per day.

Participating in this event on both social media platforms is encouraged. A maximum amount of entries into the final November 22 drawing for the Free Full Registration badge is limited to 21. Attempts by any participant to obtain more than the stated number of entries by using multiple or different identities or Twitter accounts, spamming methods, bots, or any other method deemed unfair or unlawful, will void all entries by that participant. See the event page for the full terms and conditions.

What You Need to Know about the Giveaways

At 4 p.m. each weekday, November 11–22, we’ll randomly pick winners, chosen from all attendees registered at the time of the drawing. Those selected will be notified by email. By accepting the gift, each winner grants TCEA permission to use their name, likeness, or comments for publicity purposes without payment of additional consideration, except where prohibited by law. 

You can find giveaway guidelines, listings, and all applicable terms and conditions here.

unsplash-logoPhoto: Joanna Kosinska
1 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinEmail
TCEA Convention
Announcements/Important DatesProfessional Learning

Who Belongs at TCEA 2020? You, of Course

by Andrew Roush
written by Andrew Roush

Each year, thousands of educators, from district administrators to classroom teachers, meet at TCEA’s annual Convention & Exposition. They come to discover the latest trends in education and how technology might be able to aid learning outcomes.

But this isn’t just an event for die-hard tech lovers; it’s a can’t-miss event for anyone passionate about building a vision for the future of education. Wondering if attending the 2020 TCEA Convention & Exposition is right for you? Check out the roles listed below, find the one that best fits your work, and then see how TCEA can inform and inspire you.

And when you’re ready, don’t forget to register!

CTOs, Tech Directors, and Technology Consultants

  • Specialized sessions in the convention’s CTO Strand, from asset management, disaster recovery, strategic planning, and learning management systems to student information systems, network and infrastructure planning, mobile device management, and more.
  • Boost your PLN with exclusive networking events designed for technology leaders.
  • Find the very latest products and services in the exhibit hall for all things ed tech. More than 450 companies will be there. You should, too.

Campus and District Leaders

  • Hear from leading education experts on tools and best practices for innovative learning and assessment.
  • Find the tools and ideas to support successful, lasting transformation and preview the most up-to-date ed tech solutions in the robust exhibit hall.
  • Preview poster sessions showcasing real examples of campus and district initiatives that have improved student learning outcomes.

PreK–12 Teachers and Special Ed Professionals

  • Immersive workshops go beyond just learning a new tool. Learn how to incorporate it into your lesson plans and create better outcomes.
  • Opportunities abound to strengthen your PLN through facilitated discussion groups and other networking opportunities with like-minded teachers.
  • Discover ideas and resources to support learning for special needs, ESL, GT, and bilingual students in our Special Populations strand.

IT, Network Administrators, and Technical Support

  • Attend sessions with industry professionals in the Technical Support strand that meet your needs and provide real-world solutions for everything from BYOD management and security to end-user support.
  • Enjoy networking opportunities with ed tech experts, including facilitated Solution Circles on topics relevant to your work.
  • Meet with hundreds of technology vendors showcasing the latest in products and services for your school or district in the exhibit hall.

Librarians and Media Specialists

Photo by Spencer Selvidge

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinEmail
Newer Posts
Older Posts