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TCEA 2021
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Best-Kept Secrets for Making the Most of TCEA 2021

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey

Whether you are a veteran attendee of the annual TCEA Convention & Exposition or this will be your very first one to attend, the TCEA 2021 event and the learning contained in it will be new to everyone because it is virtual this year. So how can you maximize your time and energy to gain the most from this jam-packed event? Well, keep reading, and I’ll share some of the secrets previously known only to the TCEA staff about the convention.

Number of Sessions

TCEA has partnered this year with another outstanding ed tech organization, IDEA (Illinois Digital Educations Alliance). That means that there are a ridiculous number of sessions (more than 550 and counting so far!) available to every attendee. And the normal five-day event will now last for an entire month, so there are even more opportunities to learn and network and grow. But it all goes away on March 5, 2021, so you need to access it quickly.

Types of Content

Not only is there plenty of content and more time to enjoy it, but the types of content are also different this year.

  • On-demand sessions will be released each day for you to enjoy. These learning experiences are pre-recorded, so you can learn from them at any time of the day for the entire month. You can even watch them over again to catch great ideas and resources you may have missed the first time.
  • Live sessions occur only at specific times and will feature the ability for you to ask questions and interact with the speakers. But these are also being recorded, so you have full access to them for the month as well. You don’t have to worry about not being able to get into the room or having to choose between two topics offered at the same time that you really want to attend. It’s all there for you whenever you want it.
Explore the Schedule Overview

Crafted Schedules for TCEA 2021

But all of that content means that, more than ever, you’ll need to have a game plan to access everything you want to before the content expires in a month. Don’t worry, though, because TCEA has you covered. We asked our content experts to craft mock schedules for specific job responsibilities and topics. These schedules include must-attend live sessions, recorded presentations, visits to the virtual exhibit hall, and more, taking all of the work out of planning your own schedule.

You can find all of the mock schedules here. Feel free to follow them completely or take them as a starting point for creating your own schedule. There are mock schedules available for the following. (If you don’t see one for a topic you are interested in, please let me know so that we can create one.)

  • Blended/Hybrid/Remote Learning
  • Campus Leaders
  • CTE
  • CTOs and Technology Directors
  • Curriculum and Instruction
  • ELAR Teachers
  • ELA/SS Teachers
  • Elementary Teachers
  • General Ed Tech
  • Innovative/Research-Based Instruction
  • Librarians and Media Specialists
  • Math Teachers
  • Professional Development
  • Robotics Teachers
  • Social Studies Teachers
  • Special Populations Teachers
  • STEAM Teachers
  • Technical Support and IT Staff
Explore Mock Schedules Here

Can’t-Miss Presenters

It wouldn’t be a TCEA/IDEA event if there weren’t some amazing thought leaders that you simply shouldn’t miss. And because of our partnership this year, there are even more of these than ever before. Just take a look at all of these unbelievable headliners who will inspire you, challenge you, and rock your world with their ideas and resources. A few of my favorites include Principal Hamish Brewer, Jennifer Gonzalez, Dr. Desiree Alexander, Eric Curts, gadget queen Leslie Fisher, and Claudio Zavala. But you can’t go wrong with any of the ones speaking; they are all true leaders and worthy of your time.

By the way, did I mention that educational research guru John Hattie will also be speaking at the convention? As you may know, Hattie’s research into what really works in education is changing how learning happens in the classroom. Hear him speak and see how you can use high-effect research strategies that will truly impact student learning.

TCEA PD team members will also be presenting sessions before and after his presentation on his research, helping you to dive more deeply into what it means and how it can be used on a daily basis. Check out their sessions on Wednesday through Saturday.

Must-Attend Extras for TCEA 2021

Of course, no TCEA/IDEA convention exists without lots to do besides attend sessions. There will be networking activities, an incredible virtual exhibit hall, an opening celebration, morning kick-offs, solution circles, poster sessions, games, and so much more. With two sets of meeting and events planners working on this extravaganza, you know that the fun and excitement will be AMAZING!

TCEA 2021In addition, there will be really fun Bitmoji activities happening in the TCEA Membership Booth each day that you won’t want to miss. Whether you are a Bitmoji veteran or have yet to create your own avatar, stop by, and learn how to up your game and showcase all that you’ve learned during TCEA 2021. There will be daily lessons, tons of resources, and so much fun!

If you haven’t registered yet, you might want to hurry. The registration price will increase on January 9. So save a little money and ensure that you are registered for this powerful collection of learning and collaborating. I look forward to seeing you very soon!

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tcea 2021
Announcements/Important Dates

Why You Need to Hear These Speakers at TCEA 2021

by Andrew Roush
written by Andrew Roush

Educators choose their career because they’re passionate about teaching and learning. Passion, however, requires inspiration, rejuvenation, and creativity. As you progress through the years and over the course of a career, educators need a lifelong commitment to their own learning, expanding their point of view and renewing their passion.

The best professional development opportunities grow your sense of wonder, of exploration, and of purpose. At the annual TCEA Convention & Exposition, we work to provide ample, novel ways to refresh your passion for education. This year, our virtual event is full of ways to embrace education from every angle, in part by gaining new insights from our amazing speakers — the inventive experts we call Thought Leaders.

Here are a few reasons you’ll want to register for TCEA 2021, and not miss out on these speakers.

Focusing on What Matters at TCEA 2021

Our 2021 TCEA and IDEAcon Featured Focus speakers bring big ideas, remarkable personal stories, and powerful examples of transformative learning through can’t-miss keynote presentations. Here’s who you’ll be inspired by.

Bonnie St. John Helps Build Resilience, Inclusion, and Success

Paralympian and former Rhodes Scholar Bonnie St. John is a leadership consultant with a powerful perspective on working through trying circumstances, creating open discussion, and achieving goals — topics vital to everyone in education from administrators to classroom teachers and staff.

Hamish Brewer Motivates You to “Be Relentless”

Tattooed, skateboarding principal Hamish Brewer has achieved positive outcomes by encouraging students to “be relentless.” You won’t want to miss his stories of success.

John Hattie Reveals Strategies That Work

World-renowned professor and educational researcher John Hattie will share his insights on teaching strategies that not only support learning, but accelerate it.

Kate the Chemist Makes Wonder Grow

Chemist, science entertainer, and professor at The University of Texas, Dr. Kate Biberdorf routinely amazes audiences with remarkable science experiments and demonstrations. Join her for a sessions that will entertain and engage.

Ken Shelton Tells Stories That Make You Think

Educator and ed tech expert Ken Shelton focuses on using tech creatively to grow equity and inclusion, anti-bias/anti-racism, multimedia literacy, cultural intelligences, visual storytelling, and instructional design.

Ali Hearn Supports Positive Outcomes

Ali Hearn, MSW, LCSW, is passionate about generating positive organizational cultures and is an expert in Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS). Join her to amp up your school’s culture of inclusion, participation, and success.

Jennifer Gonzalez Shares Powerful Pedagogy

Jennifer Gonzalez is the creator of the popular Cult of Pedagogy blog where she shares her experiences in the classroom and with training educators. She’s sure to provide practical strategies to bring teaching to life.

Kevin Carrol Brings Fun to the Fundamentals of Learning

As an author, speaker and agent for social change, Kevin Carroll is known as the “Katalyst.” He’s bringing energy and dynamism, a sense of play — and positive social change — to teaching.

And There’s Much More…

Popular and exciting Thought Leaders will be presenting throughout this year’s event. Explore our full list of Thought Leaders here. And don’t forget to register today — prices will go up January 9.

Who are you looking forward to seeing at TCEA ’21? Let us know in the comments!

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Professional Learning

Maximizing Your TCEA Convention Experience

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey

The 2020 TCEA Convention & Exposition is almost here and it’s time to get serious about planning out your experience. With more than 1,000 sessions and a wide variety of learning activities, you can’t just walk in without some preparation. So here are a few tips to make sure that you get every ounce of personal learning you can during the week.

Your Focus

First-timers to the convention are always overwhelmed by the sheer volume of choices that are available. So I recommend that you make a plan before you go. Now is the time to decide on your learning goals for the event.

What two or three main topics do you want to focus on? What are the biggest needs that your classroom or district is facing? What is the latest ed tech trend that you want to get up to speed on? What new teaching strategy or tool do you need? If you can articulate the answers to these questions, then you have a direction to focus on during the convention.

Your TCEA Convention Planner Tool

TCEA Convention

Download the free TCEA Convention app (available for Android and iOS). Log in to the app using your attendee service center log in (included in your convention email confirmation) and you’ll be able to create your personal calendar of learning events during the week. The app will also have the most updated sessions and any changes made.

Find the Topics You Need at the TCEA Convention

Once you know your focus, it’s time to take a look at the learning opportunities being offered and create your schedule. (By the way, we recommend that you do this on the convention website instead of the app as the search feature there is more robust. Then you can simply access your schedule on the app.)

  • Is there a keynote or featured speaker that you simply don’t want to miss? Add that to your schedule first.
  • Curated session lists on a variety of topics have been created to help you narrow down the offerings. Whether you are looking for Future Ready, Google, STEAM, or other topics or you want to browse sessions by job role (like CTO, principal, teacher, librarian, etc.), there’s a list for you. In addition, each of our SIGs (Special Interest Groups) has hand-selected sessions that you don’t want to miss.
  • Do you need hands-on practice with a new tool? If so, you might want to attend a workshop or a playground (go to the Session List and select “playground” in the Time/Format box). (By the way, if you want to make sure that you get a seat in a workshop, you should volunteer to be a hands-on workshop facilitator. It’s a very simple job, just checking people in, and you get the only guaranteed seat in the workshop.)
  • Are there specific exhibitors that you want to talk with? Locate their booth and make a plan on when you will visit them. (Note: This year, we will have dedicated exhibitor time when there will be no other sessions going on. That will happen on Wednesday, February 4 and Thursday, February 5 from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. Central.)

New this year, we also have another great way to design your learning. After picking up your badge at registration, step across the aisle and visit the “Design Your Experience” booth. Here, veteran TCEA convention attendees will help you create the perfect, personalized schedule to maximize your time.

Your “Free” Time at the TCEA Convention

Learning can continue during your non-session time at the convention as well. As you’re standing in line for a coffee or a presentation, be sure to put away your phone and talk with those around you. You can grow your personal learning community and pick up another ed tech tidbit or two. Here are a few situational questions to get you started.

Waiting for a Session to Start

  • It took me (however long) to get over here. I just came from (insert session here). Where are you coming from?
  • My session ran long because ….. (or short because). I wish they would have explored _____ more. How did your session go? What did they talk about?
  • What are you hoping to learn in this session?
  • How has your district implemented (whatever the session topic is about)?
  • I’m always looking for the next great web tool. Have you learned about a new one this week that you could share with me?

Waiting in a Concession Line or at a Restaurant

  • I’m glad they have ____ available. Usually, I just have _____ at work (or where I’m from). Are you from here?
  • What’s been your favorite session so far?
  • I was thinking of heading to ____ session, but ___ session is a little closer. What sessions have you attended already?

Train Twitter to Help Network for You

Twitter can be a powerful ally for any convention attendee. But it can work even harder and smarter for you if you combine it with IFTTT (IF This Then That). All you have to do is create an “if this happens – then that happens” scenario between Twitter and IFTTT. From there, the tool will make sure that every “this” action triggers a “that” action to happen. Here are a few that you might find useful at convention:

And, of course, be sure to follow the official convention hashtag of #TCEA. That way, you won’t miss out on any of the great learning posted online.

Share the Wealth by Sharing Your Notes

There is so much going on at a TCEA convention that you cannot possibly attend all of the sessions you want to. That’s why it’s so important for attendees to share their notes with others.

Take notes from each session you attend using a Google Doc; be sure to include the session title and presenter’s name, email, and Twitter handle. Then share your notes publicly for anyone to view. You can notify people via Twitter that your notes are available. Besides just being a nice thing to do, it will also increase your visibility and position you as a thought leader. You can even consolidate all of your Tweets that contain session recaps by saving them as a Twitter Moment. You can share this moment at the end of the conference so attendees won’t have to scour through dozens of tweets to find your notes.

Finally, to make your TCEA 2020 convention experience the very best it can possibly be, be sure to stop by the TCEA Lounge on the fourth floor. Here you can listen to live discussions, discover ways to extend your learning 365 days a year at no additional cost to you, and grab some cool TCEA swag. Happy learning!

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top take aways from TCEA 2019 Convention
Content AreasEducational TrendsGood TeachingGoogle Tips and TricksMicrosoft Tips and Tricks

Top Take-Aways from the TCEA 2019 Convention, Part 2

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey

If you weren’t able to be at the TCEA 2019 Convention & Exposition last week, you can still participate in the great learning that happened there. In this blog, I’ll be sharing some more of the fabulous strategies, ideas, and tools that attendees found particularly useful. You can also find more of them in Part 1 of this blog series here.

New Tools to Try

  • Want to create exciting infographics? You can use the TCEA Infographics Made Simple website. Or try this site a session participant shared with me.
  • Learning Ally is a collection of free audio books for students in Texas public schools who have reading disabilities or vision impairment. If teachers have struggling readers, this would be a great place to start to try to engage them in reading.
  • Take a look at the many accessibility tools that Microsoft offers, including Immersive Reader and Learning Tools.
  • Prompts are a great way to hook your students on writing. You can find lots of them here, here, and here.
  • To set a default font in Google Docs, open a new Google Doc and type any text. Then highlight that text. Select Format – Paragraph styles – Update normal text to match. Select Format again – Paragraph styles – Options and save as My default style. (Thanks to Suzette Ross for this tip!)
  • The Novel Effect app uses invisible technology to follow along as you read a book. Music and sounds play while you are reading. Smart voice recognition stays in sync with your reading style, if you skip ahead or read a favorite part again and again.
  • Experience Real History: Alamo Edition – Travel back in time and visit the Alamo with these augmented reality products. Students can engage in historically accurate adventure scenes with Personalized Reality Boards, Reality Books and Trading Reality Cards. Download the IOS and Google Play apps here.
  • If you’re looking for some fun greenscreen projects for Valentine’s Day, you’ll discover some excellent ones here.
  • NewseumED provides free educational programs, primary sources, and standards-aligned (national) resources that focus on history, media literacy, civics, and the First Amendment. Check out the resources that are available in Spanish.
  • Anchor.fm is a powerful and free way to make a podcast and it works well with students. (Thanks to Dr. Roland Rios for this tip.)

I hope that you found these shared resources useful. Consider attending the 2020 Convention & Exposition in Austin next year February 3-7 and gather even more amazing strategies, new ideas, and tech tools yourself!

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top take aways from TCEA 2019 Convention
Educational TrendsGood TeachingGoogle Tips and Tricks

Top Take-Aways from the TCEA 2019 Convention, Part 1

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey

The TCEA 2019 Convention & Exposition has ended and was a rousing success. Our attendees loved San Antonio and the learning was amazing. I know that they will be changing student lives over the next few months as they implement the new strategies, resources, and tools that they learned.

But those of you who weren’t able to attend convention don’t have to miss out. In this blog, I’ll share some of the best ideas that I and the TCEA professional development team saw last week. So you, too, can join in the learning! All you have to do to access the resources is access this website (even if you didn’t attend convention) and do a search for the topic, strand, or presenter you are interested in under sessions. Each presenter was asked to upload their handout to the app (although some have not) and you have full access to all of them.

You can access additional resources by searching for the #tcea hashtag on Twitter. Attendees were great about sharing there, too!

It’s All About Blended

I think the most discussed topic at convention was blended learning. Blended Learning Universe defines it as:

…blended learning is any formal education program in which a student learns at least in part through online learning, with some element of student control over time, place, path, and/or pace.

Critical to the definition is “online learning, with some element of student control.” In all blended-learning programs, students do some of their learning via the internet. This does not mean using any digital tool, such as an online graphing calculator or Google Docs. Online learning means a bigger instructional shift from a face-to-face teacher to web-based content and instruction.

I found the “Adventures in Blended Learning” session had some great insights into the philosophy behind the movement (and some fabulous resources, too). “Blended Learning for ELL Brilliance” shed some light on using the strategy with special populations. I also learned a lot from “Blended Learning for Brilliance.” Be sure to check out all of those handouts. And Brandey Addison shared these two resources:

Google Still Reigns

Any session that had the word “Google” in its title was packed, as you might expect. A search for “Google” in the app will give you tons of sessions and handouts to pour over. In addition, here are some other Google bits that really popped.

  • Use the Fillable Slide add-on for Google Slides to create a Form within a Slide. It adds a live, fillable form onto a Slide and, when completed, it stores the data in a Google Sheet. This can be useful for collecting data or doing a quick formative assessment in the classroom.
  • “Gamifying Instruction with Google” offers a clear, step-by-step process for adding game elements to any subject area or grade level, in addition to some powerful, classroom-tested lesson ideas.
  • Learn how to create stop motion animation using Google Slides as well as Google’s Stop Motion Animator application with this handout.
  • And for some really out-of-the-box thinking, check out “Run Your Classroom Like Google.”

Laughter Unites Us All

Featured presenter Gerry Brooks (#gerrybrooksprin) had some very inspiring (and funny) things to say to attendees. “You cannot change the personalities of people you work with, but you can change you” was one idea that really resonated with the listeners. Another was:

“You need one confidant at school. You can tell them everything. Talking to a second is gossiping, talking to a third is being a bully because you are wanting many others to agree with you and be upset with that person too.”

You can catch other words of wisdom from this elementary school principal on his YouTube channel.

I’ll be sharing even more great ideas from TCEA 2019 tomorrow, so be sure to look out for additional resources and tools!

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elementary
Announcements/Important Dates

Must-Know Tips for the 2019 TCEA Convention & Exposition

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey

If you will be one of the thousands of dedicated educators joining us in fabulous San Antonio February 4-8, then you know that this is the first time TCEA has been to the Alamo City for convention. That means that you may be feeling a little out of your depth with all of the changes occurring because we’re in a new place. But never fear! I’m here to share all of the must-know tips and tricks to make you feel at home and have the very best professional learning experience ever. So read on to be in the know!

Before You Go

There are more than 1,100 learning opportunities at the convention this year. That’s a lot, so many that it can sometimes be overwhelming deciding what to go to. So the first thing you should do is to select one or two topics of need that you want to focus on at the event. Maybe your district is implementing iPads or Chromebooks or you want to learn more about blended learning or how to incorporate STEM in your classroom. Pick one or two big topics to concentrate on and spend most of your time at those sessions. Concentrating will ensure that you don’t feel scattered or overwhelmed and that you have a solid plan to put into place when you return to your campus. Of course, this doesn’t mean that you can’t attend sessions on other topics, but simply that you will have a strong focus to keep you anchored.

Next, download the TCEA app. We are using a new app company this year. So if you have our old app downloaded, it won’t work for this event. Search your App Store for ‘TCEA Convention‘ and download the app.

          

With the app installed, you can now search for presentations on your two topics. Tap “Start” and then “Session List.” You can type your topic in the search bar at the top. Once you find a session you want to attend, use the Bookmark to mark it for later.
Because there will be so many attendees at the convention, you will need to have a backup plan in case one of the sessions you want to take part in is full. And for those presentations that you absolutely have to get into, get there early!
The sessions are provided in a wide (and dizzying) array of formats to best meet each attendee’s learning needs. You can read up on what each one offers here.

Attire and Things to Bring

The weather should be pretty nice for February. There is a chance of rain on Thursday, but otherwise, it looks great.

Convention centers can be cold places, regardless of the weather outside. Especially on Monday and Tuesday, when there are usually fewer people in the building. So plan on wearing layered clothing that you can remove as needed.

WEAR COMFORTABLE SHOES! This is not a fashion event. You will be walking anywhere from two to five miles a day in this big place. So wear cushiony socks and really comfy shoes.

With all of that walking, it’s easy to get dehydrated. The convention center has water fountains and some water coolers scattered around. So your best bet is to bring a refillable water bottle instead of paying too much money for bottled water there. And because you may want to skip lunch to get in an extra session, pack some snacks: fruit, nuts, crackers, cheese, whatever will keep you energized for all of the learning that you’ll be doing.

The Convention Center

Be sure to get familiar with this new convention center before you arrive on site. We will be using the entire building except for the River Level rooms. There are detailed map on the app that you can look at. But here are the basics:

The main lobby is on Level 1. It’s where most people will enter the center and where the shuttles will drop you off. Here, you’ll find registration, volunteer check-in, the membership booth, social media wall, exhibit hall main entrance, and exhibitor registration.

Level 2 has the majority of the session rooms. You’ll find Solution Circles, presentations, Exhibitor Showcase sessions, the Apple Playground (on Thursday) and Apple help desk (all week), and the Dell room there. The Innovation Lab is also on this floor (and has some really cool things going on in it!)

Also on Level 2, you’ll find the poster sessions, Innovator Spotlight, Google room, SMART room, CDWG room, Microsoft room, and the Amazon Web Services room.

The BYOD workshops, featured presenters, and keynote sessions can be found on Level 3 (below).

Additional maps are available in the app and in your printed program.

After Hours

San Antonio is an amazing city and has so much to offer. So don’t just leave the convention center and spend the rest of the evening in your room. Two longtime San Antonio residents, Convention Chair Elect Charlotte Dolat and Area 20 Director Caleb Hudgens offer their insider ideas for the best places to visit after your learning day is done. You can catch their fabulous tips in this video.

Secrets (Don’t Share with Anyone Else!)

You’ll be glad that you read to the end of this blog because of the three secrets that I’m going to share with you now. First, if you arrive a little early for the Tuesday keynote, you’ll receive a fabulous momento of your experience at TCEA in San Antonio. (And, of course, you’ll get to hear the amazing Mae Jemison!) Seating for this event is limited.

Also, the TCEA Membership Booth is having a special contest during the convention. Each day, the membership staff will hide 100 plastic light bulbs that contain a tech tip, a TCEA fact, or other interesting piece of information around the convention center. If you find one of these light bulbs and bring it to the Membership Booth, you will receive a free t-shirt. In addition, you’ll help to light up a real display as we all get Fully Charged!

Finally, if you can find me during the convention (I’m usually wandering around!), I’ll be happy to provide you with a unique ribbon to add to your badge. As you may know, having the most ribbons on your badge is a standard non-game that we play at TCEA each year.

Be sure to take full advantage of this amazing learning experience by following all of these tips, which will guarantee that you leave San Antonio FULLY CHARGED!

2019 TCEA Convention

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Future

Educational Technology: Trends Coming in 2019

by Guest Blogger
written by Guest Blogger

A fresh, new year is upon us once again and we’ve caught up with our “chief geek” Martin McKay, our Chief Technology Officer and one of the founders of Texthelp, to see what his predictions are for educational technology in this coming year.

What do you think the year ahead has in store in terms of educational technology?

I think 2019 is going to be another great year for ed tech. One of the things we are continuing to see is IT costs continuing to fall.

Access to technology is getting better. Fifteen years ago, Nicholas Negroponte from MIT was talking about a one laptop per child initiative, and he was trying to get the cost of computing down to about $100 per child. Many thought that it was a completely unachievable goal. If you go onto Amazon today, there are laptops available at that price, and they’re going to continue to drop. Laptops will continue to become more powerful, and that means that it’s going to be more reasonable for every child to have a device in school.

It’s not like two years ago when Chromebooks were inexpensive and Windows computers were typically more expensive. Now Microsoft is releasing Windows Core next year which is going to be a super light and inexpensive version of Windows to run on cheaper laptops.

Will big data/learning analytics have a major impact on education this incoming year? What are you doing to incorporate them into your software?

Learning analytics has been a slow burner for a few years now, but 2019 is going to be the year that they take to the main stage. When we talk about learning analytics, we’re talking about measuring how students learn, not just how they use a piece of technology.  Being able to look at things like how quickly students write, what the error rate of the writing is, what’s the maturity of their writing, how many spelling, punctuation and grammar errors there are, how long did they spend writing per day, all of this information will be invaluable.

Over the last year at Texthelp, we’ve been able to create a set of national norms for writing for the US, and we’re planning to expand that next year to include Canada, Australia, and hopefully the UK, too.  This means that teachers are going to be able to see how their students are writing compared to the national norm.

Another technical trend we’re seeing, particularly in regard to assessment, is using technology and AI (Artificial Intelligence) to make ongoing, regular assessment faster and easier for teachers and also to try to take out some of the subjectivity from assessment. For example, if you give a student a writing task and you have 10 teachers assess that task, you’ll probably get 10 different scores. The technology we’ve been working on will not only create the national norms, but will try to remove some of the subjectivity from writing assessment using AI and statistical approaches. This will allow teachers to quickly and consistently assess writing.

There is a big buzz around machine learning. How big a role will this have in education in the year ahead?

Machine learning is incredible. It’s a hot topic everywhere at the moment and it’s going to be as relevant in education as it is anywhere else. Children learning how to develop machine learning technologies in class and then implement them is something that would have been inconceivable ten years ago – now it’s just the norm!  What they can do in one day or even in an Hour of Code project is truly fantastic. For example, they can build their own machine-learning-based technologies on raspberry PI’s and Play’s at home. Google has also introduced a new thing called AIY – the Artificial Intelligence Yourself version of DIY, which allows the user to use kits and devices to build intelligent systems that see, speak, and understand. Then start tinkering. Take things apart. Make things better. See what problems they can solve. It’s very cool stuff.

If you’re interested in finding out about our cool ed tech stuff, then be sure to stop by Texthelp booth #1545 at the upcoming 2019 TCEA Convention & Exposition.  We hope to see you there.  In the meantime, do you have anything else to add? What are your ed tech trends for 2019? Tell us in the comments below; we’d love to hear your thoughts on this.

This is a sponsored blog provided by Texthelp. 

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Alison Levine
Announcements/Important Dates

Our TCEA Convention Closing Keynote Is Always Reaching New Heights

by Susan Meyer
written by Susan Meyer

I can’t wait for the 2019 Convention & Exposition in San Antonio. Not only am I excited to see thousands of motivated educators gather in the Mission City, but we’re welcoming not one but two incredible adventurers as our keynotes. You may have already read about our opening keynote astronaut Dr. Mae Jemison, but our closing keynote is just as inspiring. TCEA is pleased to welcome Alison Levine to the stage to close out the week. Read on to learn why you aren’t going to want to miss her.Alison Levine

She’s Unstoppable

Alison has survived it all. Extreme temperatures, avalanches, hurricane-force winds. You name it. She is one of only a few dozen people to have completed the Adventure Grand Slam, an achievement she spent more than two decades working towards. The Adventure Grand Slam requires skiing to the North and South Poles and climbing the Seven Summits (the highest mountain on each of the seven continents). She completed her Grand Slam by scaling Mount Everest in 2010.

In January 2008, she went down in the history books as the first American to complete a 600-mile trek from west Antarctica to the South Pole. She survived extreme conditions and lugged 150 pounds of gear while on skis. This is despite having had three heart surgeries and suffering from a condition that makes her particularly susceptible to frostbite.

Alison believes anyone can achieve what they want to by sheer force of will and never giving up. As she shares on her website: “You don’t have to be the best, fastest, strongest climber to get to the top of a mountain. You just have to be absolutely relentless about putting one foot in front of the other.”

She’s a Leader

Alison’s summit of Everest was made as the captain of Team No Boundaries, the first ever American all-women group to attempt and achieve reaching the top of the tallest mountain in the world.

Outside of her outdoor adventures, Alison has climbed great heights on the corporate ladder as well.  She worked in the pharmaceutical and medical device industry, earned an MBA from Duke University, and spent three years working for Goldman Sachs. When she left Goldman in 2003, it was to serve as deputy finance director for Arnold Schwarzenegger in his successful bid to become Governor of California.

She has also led as an educator. Levine served as an adjunct instructor at the United States Military Academy at West Point She has also acted as a strategic advisor for the Thayer Leader Development Group at West Point. This is an executive education program that “shares West Point leadership best practices with senior-level executives from the public and private sectors.”

Her knowledge on leadership doesn’t just stop at the mountaintop or the boardroom door. Whether you’re seeking to lead other educators or students or community stakeholders, Levine has plenty of insights to offer.

She Helps Others Rise with Her

In 2005, Levine founded the Climb High Foundation. This nonprofit organization is dedicated to helping improve the lives of women in Africa by providing job training so they can become mountain guides. This way they can have a sustainable living wage by being part of climbing tourism in their countries.

She also supports the stories of others. She is an executive producer on a film called The Glass Ceiling which tells the story of Pasang Lhamu Sherpa who became the first Nepali woman to summit Everest. Born into poverty, Pasang battled racism, sexism, and political leadership in her country to achieve what is already a very difficult feat, even without those barriers.

Overall, Alison Levine is someone who will inspire you to be the best leader you can be in your own life and work. I hope you will join us at the 2019 Convention & Exposition to hear from this remarkable adventurer, risk-taker, trailblazer, and advocate for those who never give up no matter what challenges they face.

This Wednesday, November 14 is the last day to register at the early bird price, so register now to save $100.

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Professional Learning

Stop Struggling with Ed Tech

by Kristy Breaux
written by Kristy Breaux

We’re constantly talking and thinking about this thing called “ed tech.” And usually, it’s in the context of how can I make technology tools a part of education? But the reality is that technology is a part of everyday education. So the real question is: how do we unite as classroom teachers, technology leaders, and district/campus leaders to make technology a seamless part of what we’re already doing well?

There are many options for training and gathering resources that support great teaching and leadership with technology. At TCEA, our goal is to make your learning experience fun and customized for you. Our annual TCEA Convention & Exposition is where it starts. We bring together the teacher and the superintendent, the novice and the pro, the early adopter and the technophobe, for a flexible week to fit everyone’s needs. If you’re ready to transform from worrying about “ed tech” to just focusing on great teaching and learning strategies, here’s a preview of some of the fantastic presentations happening this year to help support you.

For the Campus Leader

  • A Foundation for Innovation and Divergence
  • Implementing Online Assessments from A to Z

For the CTO

  • E-Rate Strategies for Maximizing Funding
  • The Landscape of Technology in Texas

For the STEM and CTE Teachers

  • Coding the Curriculum with Ozobot Lessons
  • ME Teach Them to Build WHAT? Robotics Made Easy

For the Librarians

  • Future Ready Librarians…Where Are We Now and Where Are We Going
  • Digital Badging of Literary Genres

For the Math Teachers

  • Scratch in the Classroom: Math, ELA, and Science
  • Top Apps for Math Class

For the Early Learning Educators

  • Learning with Littles: How Our Youngest Use Tech
  • Flipgrid: The Power of Common Assessments

Visit convention.tcea.org to see all the presentations and to learn more about how the TCEA Convention & Exposition will meet you where you are and provide solutions for the challenges you’re facing.

Need help convincing your leadership this conference is a perfect fit for you? Here are some resources you can use.

And don’t forget, the early registration price ends November 14. You can register with a purchase order, check (sent within 30 days of registration), or credit card. As soon as your registration is confirmed, you’ll also gain access to all the TCEA member benefits—including the online Community where you can begin gathering resources and connecting with content experts.

Already planning to attend? Share in the comments below what you’re most excited to learn about. And remember: new technology tools will come and go, but strong educators will always be the foundation of student success.

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TCEA convention
Announcements/Important DatesProfessional Learning

Choosing Your Hotel for the TCEA Convention

by Kristy Breaux
written by Kristy Breaux

Registration for the TCEA 2019 Convention & Exposition will open on September 13. In other words: exactly one week from today! I know you’re excited to get officially registered so you can start planning what sessions you’ll attend, what exhibitors you’ll check out, and of course…where you’ll be staying. Once you officially register, you will able to make your hotel reservations. Reservations are compared to the list of those who have registered, so please make sure you are registered as an attendee for the convention first before getting your rooms.

This year, we have 13 hotels that are offering reduced rates for our convention attendees. I’m here to share a few insider tips to make sure you find exactly the right fit during your stay in San Antonio.

Be Hosted by the Convention’s Host Hotel

If you like to be in the middle of the action, you will definitely want to consider the Grand Hyatt. This is the convention’s host hotel, and it’s conveniently connected to the convention center. As the host hotel, other convention-related activities and vendor-hosted events will take place here. Unfortunately, while the hotel is quite large, it doesn’t have enough rooms for all of our incredible attendees. Luckily, there are a dozen other hotels to choose from, each with their own advantages.

Seeing Double

When making your reservations, be sure you are selecting the correct hotel. There are a few brands that have multiple hotels on the list.

For example, don’t confuse the Marriott Rivercenter and the Marriott Riverwalk. These hotels are located across the street from one another. They are both adjacent to the convention center, making these the next best option if you want to be as close to the convention excitement as possible.

The Marriott isn’t the only hotel group with two properties. In addition to the Grand Hyatt mentioned above, there is also the Hyatt Regency. This hotel is perfect for the attendee who wants to spend his/her evenings enjoying the River Walk. From the Hyatt, you can walk to many of the premier River Walk restaurants: Boudro’s, Saltgrass, Landry’s, County Line, and Hard Rock Cafe, to name just a few.

(Side note: Stay tuned for my next blog which will give you the inside scoop on all of the fantastic restaurants in San Antonio.)

Historic Hotels

There is one more set of hotel twins on the list, and these two properties are ideal for those that prefer their hotels with a story. There are two Drury hotels: The Drury Inn and Drury Plaza. The Drury Plaza is a unique building that was once a bank. Much of the architecture is from the original building. You’ll experience this throughout the hotel, starting with the guest check in which uses the original bank teller windows.

Located on the other side of the river, The Drury Inn is also an historic landmark. It’s the first commercial office building in downtown San Antonio to face the river, and it has been restored to resemble its original 1920s facade.

While I have walked to the convention center from both of the Drury hotels many times, the half-mile walk can be a stretch. TCEA will provide shuttle service to and from the convention center for both hotels. Even if you’re not a hotel history buff, why choose the Drury hotels? For the FREE hot breakfast and 5:30 Kickback® included each day.

There are other historic hotels to choose from as well. The Hilton Palacio del Rio is recognized for how quickly, and how it was originally built. All rooms were actually built on a site seven miles away from the hotel, complete with furniture, carpeting, lamps, TV’s and even a Bible in the night stand. Then, each room was brought in and stacked on top of each other around a tower built in the middle of the hotel.

The Menger Hotel, located steps from the Alamo, is the oldest continuously operating hotel west of the Mississippi. Although it has been upgraded with modern touches, the rich Victorian architecture remains glamorous throughout.

Omni La Mansion dates back to 1852. It originally served as a school campus and later housed St Mary’s University School of Law.

More Bang for Your Buck

The Drury hotels are not the only hotels with a free breakfast. The La Quinta is the hidden treasure among the convention hotels. This gem is located across from the convention center and has surface lot parking, perfect for those large Texas trucks and SUV’s. This is the flagship hotel for the brand constructed in 1968 for the World’s Fair, and it’s unlike any other La Quinta you’ve stayed in before.

I once was told that La Quinta means “Next to Denny’s.” While that might not be linguistically accurate, it’s certainly true in this case. There’s a Denny’s right in the same parking lot. So, you can have your free breakfast (and signature Texas-shaped waffle) at the La Quinta, or you can indulge in the 10-page, budget-friendly menu next door anytime of the day.

At a Glance

This blog doesn’t cover all of the hotels, so don’t make your decision just yet. You can find the full list, map, and prices for each hotel on the convention website.

Tips and Tricks for Making Your Reservation

Okay, you have your hotel picked out and are ready to make a reservation. Here’s what you need to know.

  • TCEA uses a housing bureau to manage the hotel reservation process. Orchid Events is the official housing partner for the TCEA Convention & Exposition. You cannot access the discounted rates by contacting the hotels directly. The link to make a hotel reservation is on your convention registration confirmation. If you haven’t registered for the convention, you will not have access to the link.
  • You can reserve a maximum of five hotel rooms per reservation. Yes, this means that you can make the reservations for others that are attending with you all in one easy process.
  • A credit card is required to make your hotel reservation. You can pay by check when you arrive, but you must have a credit card to confirm your reservation. Some hotels will charge a deposit of one night’s room and tax fee. This will be listed in the description/details for each hotel.
  • If you cancel your hotel reservation after November 15, you will be charged one night’s room and tax as a cancellation/processing fee. There is no penalty for changing hotels within the designated convention hotel list, name(s) on a reservation, arrival, or departure dates.

Pro Tip

If you are attempting to make a reservation and yield no results or limited results in your search, it could be because your query did not match the inventory. For instance, if you are arriving on Sunday and departing on Friday and it shows no rooms available, it may be that one of the days is not available at the discounted rate. I recommend you make a reservation for the available dates at your preferred hotel. You can be wait listed for the missing night(s). The wait list is monitored daily and is cleared as quickly as possible.

After September 13, contact Orchid Events for help with the reservation process.

Phone: 844-443-7241 or 801-428-3261
Email: help@orchid.events

I hope you found this hotel guide helpful as you make your plans for February. I want to make sure you get a good night’s sleep so you can get Fully Charged by day. As always, you can contact me or any of our team at TCEA if you need anything as you prepare for the 2019 TCEA Convention & Exposition in San Antonio.

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