Whether you’ve been attending the TCEA Convention & Exposition for 30 years or this will be your first time, the sheer number of sessions and presenters there is overwhelming. With more than 1,000 presentations in a variety of formats and over 600 presenters crammed into five days, it can be daunting to find the perfect people to learn with.
But never fear! I’ve gone through all of the presenters and their sessions and come up with my recommendations, based on current hot topics. Here are the seven speakers that you simply MUST hear while you’re in Austin.
If you’re into Google, make sure to attend Alice Keeler’s sessions. This is Alice’s first time to present at TCEA, and we are very excited to have her with us. Her Teacher Tech website has some of the most useful blogs that I’ve ever seen, and I read her regularly. She has published several books on Google and is, to me, a true Google goddess. You can see what she’ll be offering here and follow her on Twitter @TheAliceKeeler.
Leslie Fisher (@LeslieFisher) has been at many TCEA conventions and is an attendee favorite. She’s an expert on all things Adobe, and her gadgets session is always filled with new, fun tech. There is usually a standing-room-only crowd for her presentations. So if you want to learn from her, get there early!
For those of you who work in the library or who are interested in makerspaces, make sure to hear Michelle Cooper. Michelle is a librarian in White Oak ISD and is known for her innovative approaches to library design and use. You can find out more about the “Library Lady” here and follow her on Twitter @_MichelleCooper.
Joining us from Canada is the well-known Discovery Education team member Dean Shareski. Dean is able to bring a fresh and clear perspective to all things ed tech. He has a wonderful sense of humor, and his presentations make me think differently about what I know and what I thought I knew. Share some Texas barbecue with him, and he’ll be your friend for life! You can follow him @Shareski.
Presenting about augmented reality, robotics, 3D printing, game making, and more is Jaime Donally. Jaime is the instructional technology coordinator in Gladewater ISD and a long-time TCEA presenter. Her active learning approach will make you feel both excited and empowered. You can find her on Twitter @JaimeDonally.
If you simply aren’t able to select just one topic to focus on at convention, go to sessions presented by Debra Reymundo-Atchison. A retired educator, Debra (@DebAtchison) is the rare instance of a jack of all trades and master of many. She’ll be speaking on Chromebooks, virtual reality, iPads, green screen, and more.
I’m going to cheat a little with my last recommendation and group five people into one. I would be remiss (and probably in a lot of trouble) if I did not mention the great TCEA staff presenters who will be sharing their knowledge at convention. Dr. Bruce Ellis, Diana Benner, Peggy Reimers, Jennifer Bergland, and Miguel Guhlin will all be speaking, and you don’t want to miss them.
Whoever you decide to learn from at TCEA 2017, you won’t be disappointed. We handpick each presenter, choosing experts in both content and presentation style who are leaders in their field. Add these amazing people to The Power of You, and you have an education conference that will equip you with the energy, enthusiasm, knowledge, and support you’ll need to transform teaching and learning on your campus.
