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Discover Your One-Stop Shop for Ed Tech Solutions

by Kristy Breaux
written by Kristy Breaux

If you’re starting the new calendar year without everything on your technology wish list, you’re in luck! The 2018 TCEA Convention & Exposition vendor list is updated and ready for your perusal. From integration ideas to clever classroom applications, get ready to get all your tech questions answered and compare tech solutions in our one-stop marketplace for educational technology.

Bring your entire team to Austin this February to divide and conquer the vast exhibit hall floor or spend all day together exploring and evaluating solutions from administrative software and disaster-recovery providers to network hardware and more.

Even More Vendor-Hosted Education

New this year, you can find schedules for exhibitor presentations hosted in the booths in the 2018 TCEA mobile app. Get in-depth information from experts representing the top ed tech companies from around the nation and meet your local representatives who will support your integration needs. Chances are you’ll discover a product or strategy you didn’t even know existed! You can download the mobile app to create a personal itinerary, access special promotions provided by vendors, and store notes for follow up.

Transformation as a Team

Whether you are just dipping your toes into game-based learning tools, working with your students to create 3D models, or responsible for managing your district’s network – your passion matters when it comes to successful technology integration. At the TCEA Convention & Exposition you will find everything you need to transform learning. With more than 1,110 sessions in a variety of presentation formats that cater to educators at all levels and in all roles of education, you can design the learning experience that’s right for you.

Here’s a preview of a sample schedule that’s perfect for:

And that’s only a taste of all the incredible opportunities available. You can view all presentations and hands-on workshops here. Each is aligned to a strand and categorized by additional content-specific tags so you can focus on the topics that matter most to you and further tailor your convention experience.

The Time for Innovation Is Now

Not registered yet? There’s still time to sign up to attend before the Late Registration pricing begins on January 11. You can register to attend the exhibit hall only, which includes the opening reception on Tuesday, vendor-hosted presentations, and access for all three days, for only $79. Or register for the full conference to take advantage of the stellar keynotes, recognized featured presentations, interactive learning spaces, and premium content.

The solutions you’re looking for to transform your classroom, school, library, or district in 2018 and beyond are out there—and this February, they’re all available in one place.

 

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Drum Roll Please...It’s Time to Find Out the Closing Keynote for the 2018 TCEA Convention
Professional Learning

What You Need to Know About the 2018 TCEA Convention & Exposition

by Kristy Breaux
written by Kristy Breaux

Gearing up for the opening of convention registration is one of my favorite times of the year. And with so many new features for the 2018 TCEA Convention & Exposition, I’m more excited than I’ve ever been. Here are just a few insider tips for you.

Tuesday Will Be a HUGE Day!

The opening convention keynote has moved from Wednesday morning to Tuesday afternoon. There is so much more content to present and so many great features on Monday and Tuesday that it just didn’t make sense to kick off the convention in the middle of the week any more.

We are so excited to announce that the 2018 opening keynote this year is Marlee Matlin. The award-winning actress is an Marlee Matlininspiring advocate for diversity and inclusion. And in 2015, she developed “Marlee Signs,” the first celebrity-driven app that teaches the basics of American Sign Language on mobile devices.

After Marlee kicks off the convention, we’re headed into the Exhibit Hall Opening Reception. With more than 450 companies setting up intricate displays and even hosting presentations and breakouts in their booths, there’s so much to take in for everyone. There’s a reason the TCEA exhibit hall is referred to as the ed tech marketplace – everything you need to stay connected, innovative, and relevant is here. So stop by Tuesday afternoon and enjoy a quick snack while you see the latest in technology to help your students.

Make Plans for Thursday

This will be the first year, in as long as I can remember, that we have an open night on Thursday. As much as we love to feel the floor shake under the Spazmatics during the social, we are opening this evening to allow more of our great vendors to host bigger and better events for you. When you register for convention this year, there will be a check box to “Receive Correspondence from Exhibitors.” Be sure to check that so you can be on the invite lists to their fun parties.

Stay Through Friday

We haven’t announced our Friday keynote yet because we are still working on the contract and logistics. If all goes as we plan, however, you are not going to want to miss this! Stay tuned for the announcement. You can follow @tcea on Twitter or tcea.org on Facebook.

Upgrade to Premium

We’ve revamped the Premium Academies this year to continue to improve them. And, based on your feedback, what’s really exciting is that you’ll be able to go in between different academies. That’s right! With your Premium Registration, you can attend any Premium Academy session. Want to attend a great Google Academy session at 9:00 and an amazing Transformational Learning Academy at 10:00? No problem. We’ve removed the opening and closing keynotes which restricted us to a maximum capacity for the academies. Some of the more popular sessions will still fill up, but now you’ll have even more to choose from.

Premium registrations are limited based on the number of premium sessions, workshops, and academies offered and the seating capacity. Premium Registration sells out every year. Be sure to register early.

Some New Ways to Learn at the 2018 TCEA Convention & Exposition

In response to your feedback, we have updated some of the Academy offerings, as well as added some new ways to continue learning. This year, we will offer Solution Circles on Wednesday and Thursday to all Basic and Premium registrants. Similar to a Birds of a Feather session, the 50-minute Solution Circles are focused on a particular topic each hour. Those interested in the topic can join their peers at round tables to discuss common problems and find solutions, share resources, and grow their network for future help. A trained facilitator will guide the conversations to ensure that everyone’s questions are heard and answered. A wide variety of topics are offered. Just a few of them are Campus Leadership, Young Professionals, Digital Coaching, Google Admin,  PreK-2, Digital Badges for Staff and Students, Building Stronger Teams, and Redesigning Learning Spaces.

We’ve also refreshed the Academies for this year and are excited about these in-depth explorations:

  • Innovative Teaching Academy – a new academy that that focuses on the latest and best teaching methodologies, including flipped and blended classrooms, distance learning, gamification, PBL, makerspaces, global connections, design thinking, and more (Monday)
  • Transformational Learning Academy – a new academy designed for those leaders responsible for changing education. It includes the topics of integration models, digital coaching, creating a culture of change, adult learning theory, visioning, microcredentials and staff badging, and more. (Monday and Tuesday)
  • ESL/ELL Academy (Monday)
  • ELA/SS Academy (Monday)
  • Math and Science Academy (Monday)
  • Google Academy (Tuesday)
  • CTO/Technology Leadership Academy (Wednesday and Thursday)
  • Librarian/Media Specialist Academy (Thursday)

Register Early

Registration and housing open September 14 at 9 a.m. Once you’ve registered for the convention, you will be able to make your hotel reservation. You can register for the convention with a credit card or purchase order, but you will need a credit card to make your hotel reservation. We’ve added several hotels to our regular block of housing this year, including the new Fairmont next to the convention center.

There is simply no better way to keep your learning current and ensure that you can help those you serve than by being an active participant at the annual TCEA Convention & Exposition. Mark your calendar for the opening of registration on September 14 at 9 a.m. CDT.

 

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Submit your proposal for the TCEA Convention & Exposition today!
Announcements/Important Dates

TCEA Convention & Exposition Call for Proposals Is Now Open!

by Susan Meyer
written by Susan Meyer

At the TCEA Convention & Exposition, thousands of educators gather each year to discover the latest tools, tips, best practices, and resources for integrating technology in the classroom and engaging students. They consider our convention a must-attend event year after year because they get to hear from a diverse range of experts on all topics of educational technology. Are you the next expert ready to increase your reach and share your knowledge with an audience of thousands? Whether you’re a Google guru, an ace at Adobe, a STEM specialist, or just a general ed tech expert, we encourage educators from all levels and specialties to submit a proposal.

We’re excited to announce that the call for proposals is now open and will close on May 31. Your proposal will be carefully reviewed by a crack team of TCEA members, and all presenters will receive acceptance or regret notifications by July 2017.

Types of Presentations

Not all presentations are created equal. Choose the type that best suits the content you’re presenting.

Presentation Sessions: The classic 50- or 90-minute presentation with handouts. Successful presenters often share proven strategies from their wealth of personal experience or research projects focused on technology-based instruction. Know that the availability of 90-minute presentations is limited.

PC Hands-on Workshops: These 90-minute, 3-hour, or 6-hour sessions allow participants to get hands-on with the technology. Offering PC computers with internet browsers and WIN OS for all participants, presenters must provide any additional software needed.

BYOD Workshops: These 90-minute, 3-hour, or 6-hour workshops are intended to give attendees hands-on experience with a PC, mobile, or other platform which they provide themselves. Presenters are expected to provide supporting materials.

Panel Presentation: These 3-5 person panels share their expertise on a common theme through discussion and allow attendees to hear multiple viewpoints on a topic. Panels are 50 or 90 minutes in length. TCEA encourages you to create diverse panels featuring experts from a variety of locations, districts, and job titles.

Poster Sessions: These informal sessions are held in an open-area and allow presenters to engage one-on-one or in small groups with interested attendees. Sessions are grouped together by topic (such as STEM or makerspaces). Each presenter is provided with a six-foot table, monitor, and board to which you can attach flyers or supplemental material. Poster sessions last for two hours.

Presentation Topic Strands

To help you narrow the focus of your vast experience, here are the categories to adhere to. Each presentation should align with one of the following strands:

  • 1:1, District Supported Devices, BYOT (Implementation and Management)
  • Leadership and CTO (Advocacy and Educational Policy, Administration, Assessment and Accountability, Funding, Technology Planning and Evaluation)
  • Online and Blended Learning (Global Connections, Virtual Classrooms, Flipped Classrooms)
  • Library Media (Information Literacy, Library Services, and Media Integration)
  • Professional Development (Professional Development Strategies, Models, and Deployment)
  • Pedagogy and Instructional Design (Technology Integration, Best Practices, Strategies, Project- and Problem-Based Learning, Makerspaces, Learning Environments)
  • Special Populations (GT, ELL/Migrant/Bilingual, Special Needs)
  • Technical Support (Infrastructure, Network Services, Software/Hardware, and Informational Technology)
  • Technology Applications and CTE Courses (Coding, Computer Science, BIMM, STEM, STEAM, etc.)

If you’re interested in sharing your expertise with thousands of innovative educators at the TCEA Convention & Exposition, you can learn more about the selection process and things to consider when submitting a proposal here.

Are you ready to take the next step and create a proposal for the TCEA Convention & Exposition?

[mks_button size=”large” title=”Submit Your Proposal” style=”squared” url=”https://convention.tcea.org/presenters” target=”_new” bg_color=”#c92438″ txt_color=”#FFFFFF” icon=”” icon_type=””]

 

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TCEA 2017 - network
Announcements/Important DatesProfessional Learning

Seven Networking Opportunities at TCEA 2017

by Alexis Cline
written by Alexis Cline

Whether it’s meeting new people, reconnecting with old colleagues, or rubbing elbows with edtech innovators, the TCEA Annual Convention & Exposition is the perfect conference to strengthen existing relationships with peers and forge new connections with educators from around the country. You’ll want to make time to network with other educators, thought leaders, presenters, and exhibitors at one of the many events designed to get you sharing ideas and making connections. Here are just a few to consider.

Poster Sessions

New this year, the come-and-go poster session format allows for up-close access to edtech movers and shakers. Learn from those who are innovating teaching and learning as you talk with them one-on-one. There’s no better way to expand your network. Posters will be offered on the following days and topics:

  • Tuesday, February 7: 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. STEM
  • Tuesday, February 7: 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. Makerspaces
  • Wednesday, February 8: 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. 3D Printing and Virtual Reality
  • Wednesday, February 8: 12 p.m. – 2 p.m. Elementary-focused
  • Wednesday, February 8: 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. Leadership
  • Thursday, February 9: 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. K-12 Coding and Computer Science
  • Thursday, February 9: 12 p.m. – 2 p.m. Amazing Resources
  • Thursday, February 9: 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. Redesigning Learning

Exhibit Hall Opening Reception

Tuesday, February 7
3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

TCEA 2017 - Exhibit HallEnjoy the excitement and energy of the exhibit hall in a whole new way this year. Tuesday’s Opening Reception is the ideal way to kick off your convention experience. Dedicate some time for exploration and inquiry, discover the latest and greatest in edtech solutions, and pick up great schwag from over 450 education and technology vendors.

TCEA 2017 First Timers’ Session

Tuesday, February 7
4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 8
7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m.

Want to make sure you get the very most out of your convention experience? This session, led by convention veterans who also serve as TCEA board members, offers tips for scheduling your day, choosing the best sessions and events for you to attend, and enhancing your experience in playgrounds and poster sessions. Whether it’s your first TCEA convention or not, you will learn (and laugh) in this fun and helpful session.

TCEA17 YOUniverse

Tuesday, February 7 – Thursday, February 9
9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

TCEA 2017 - YOUniverseExplore the Power of You in this interactive learning area. Spend lots of hands-on time exploring makerspaces, breakout rooms, and programming. Discover activities and approaches that enhance learning by sharing in this peer-to-peer, network-rich presentation area.

Special Activities Taking Place in TCEA17 YOUniverse:

Makerspace Showcase
Tuesday, February 7
9:00 a.m. – noon

Come for a half-day of makerspace learning, growing, and building, and experience a variety of hands-on activities.

BreakoutEDU Immersion
Tuesday, February 7
1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Adam Bellow, co-founder of BreakoutEDU, will introduce and explore the concept behind the craze. Attendees will be invited to participate in a BreakoutEDU challenge and learn how to implement the activity themselves for multiple grades and content areas.

Pokemon GO in Action
Wednesday, February 8
5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Join in the fun of Pokemon GO and meet new friends. Designed for pro and novice players, we will explore local Poke-Stops and battle it out for gyms, points, and prizes.

TCEA17 YOUnited

Tuesday, February 7 – Thursday, February 9
9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

TCEA 2017 - YOUnitedMeet other edtech enthusiasts in the social media and connection Hub of TCEA 2017. Featured presenters and edtech experts are scheduled throughout the week to share their favorites tools, techniques, tips, and tricks. Whether you’re new to social media or have more followers than Justin Bieber, this is the spot for integrating social media into your repertoire.

Educational Technology Day at the Capitol

Tuesday, February 7
8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Edtech advocates will receive a briefing on educational technology issues and learn tips and tricks for effectively communicating with legislators and their staff members. TCEA will set up meetings with the offices of each participant’s senators and representatives and provide transportation to the Texas Capitol for meetings with your legislators. Advance registration is required in addition to a fee of $15 that covers transportation and lunch at the Capitol.

Convention Social “Get Powered Up”

Thursday, Feb. 9
5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

TCEA 2017 - SocialThe Thursday social is the must-attend event at the convention, and this year we’ve moved it to a new, more convenient time. Let your hair down and power up with live music, great fun, and fabulous door prizes. There will be games, contests, and energetic tunes, all from the Live Music Capital of the World – Austin, Texas.

These are just a few of the networking opportunities available to you at TCEA 2017. When more than 9,000 educators come together for a week of learning and sharing, there’s bound to be a great new idea or inspiring story around every corner. Don’t miss your chance to plug the Power of You into the energetic mix that is this education conference. Register today.

 

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TCEA 2017
Announcements/Important DatesEducational Trends

Seven Speakers You Must Hear

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey

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.

 

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Good TeachingLeadershipProfessional Learning

Seven Reasons You MUST Attend TCEA 2017

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey

I’ve attended a lot of conferences in my educational career: 34 TCEA Conventions & Expositions, seven Tots and Technology conferences, four System Admin conferences, and literally hundreds of other great learning events put on by various associations and groups. I strongly believe in the power of educators meeting together to share expertise and common problems, in the need for networking and finding solutions together, and in the desire to continually “sharpen our saw” so that what we do in classrooms and schools every day makes a meaningful difference for kids.

I know that all of you reading this blog believe the same. That’s why I want to encourage you to attend the TCEA 2017 Convention & Exposition in Austin February 6-10, 2017. More than just a convention, this event every year is a major learning experience for dedicated educators from around the globe. And it’s just downright fun, too! Here are the top seven reasons why you simply MUST attend!

Reason #7:

Everyone wants to hang out with rock stars. And at the TCEA convention, we’ll have the most famous ed tech stars in the world. Accost them in the bathroom, stalk them in sessions, and put a face to a name of your Twitter have-to-follows. This is your chance to rub shoulders and learn from the best and the brightest gurus in our field.


Reason #6:

TCEA 2017You need more swag for your classroom because you’ve already gone through all of the things you bought from Oriental Trading Company for your students for the entire year. TCEA’s amazing exhibitors and the wacky board members who present the First Timers’ sessions always have the best toys and giveaways that will restock your supply closet and make you the most popular teacher on campus.

Reason #5:

There are still a couple of iPad apps or Chrome extensions that you don’t know about, but might be able to use with your kids or staff. TCEA’s presenters are carefully selected for their outstanding knowledge and up-to-date expertise in the integration of all kinds of technologies, including apps, extensions, websites, Web 2.0 tools, social media, and much, much more.

Reason #4:

In the most steps competition with your campus, you are lagging far behind the PE teachers and coaches. Come walk the Austin Convention Center with its 881,400 square feet and its six city blocks, and you’ll leave them lagging in the dust.

Reason #3:

You won’t feel like a nerd or geek with the crowd at TCEA. Everyone there will have multiple devices, numerous dongles, and will understand your frantic, desperate rush to find an electrical outlet in the next five minutes.

TCEA 2017Reason #2:

You’ve been thinking about repapering your dining room, but can’t really afford new wallpaper. At the TCEA convention, you can grab handfuls of ribbons to wear from your badge all the way down to the floor, and then use them afterwards to redecorate.

Reason #1:

Whether you are an administrator, a librarian, a technician, a teacher, a paraprofessional, or a parent, you want to make the world better for the children you come in contact with each day. Learn from others with the same goal at TCEA 2017, discover new and effective ways to engage students, and ensure that your daily work is based on best practice and the latest research.

I look forward to seeing each of you in Austin the first week of February!

 

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registration
Announcements/Important Dates

TCEA 2017 Registration Opens September 8: What You Need to Know Now

by Kristy Breaux
written by Kristy Breaux

Registration for the must-attend, educational-technology-focused event of the year for teachers and administrators across the globe opens September 8. There are changes you need to know about for registering early to make sure you secure your spot, as well as if you are registering a large group of attendees. Read on to get all the details.

The Registration Process

Registration will open September 8 at 9 a.m. Central. We have enhanced the system this year to expedite the registration process for all TCEA members. A recap of all of the enhancements for this year is available here. Below are some critical pieces of information to know before you begin registering.

  • If your profile is up to date, you will be able to breeze through the registration system. Your membership profile is linked to your email address, and we will pre-populate the pertinent details for you. If you want to check your profile ahead of time (and we recommend that you do), you can do that by logging in at www.tcea.org. Make any needed changes in your profile there.
  • Save time by having your payment (credit card, school purchase order, or check) ready in advance. New this year: If you are paying by purchase order, you can upload a copy of your PO during the registration process. Be sure to have a copy saved on your computer prior to starting your registration. If you don’t have a copy available, don’t worry. You will have 30 days to submit the PO.
  • If you are responsible for registering multiple people from your campus or district, you can use this Group Registration Cheat Sheet to collect all the information ahead of time. Once you have collected the required information, you can register all of the individuals by using the “Add Attendee” function after you complete the first registration. (Are you responsible for registering the group? Keep reading for more helpful tips.)
  • The only events you will need to pre-register for this year are Special Interest Group (SIG) meetings. The registration policy for academy and workshop seating for Premium registration has been streamlined to provide a better experience for convention attendees. All academies and workshops are open on a first-come, first-seated basis to allow you flexibility in your schedule. In other words, you don’t need to plan for what you want to attend until you arrive onsite at the convention.

Hotel Reservations

Once your registration for the convention is complete, you will be able to make your hotel reservation. More hotels have been added this year to accommodate the diverse needs and budgets of our attendees. You can view the hotel list and pricing here.

Hotel reservations require a credit card to confirm the reservation. You will need the following information:

  • Name on Credit Card
  • Card Number
  • Expiration Date
  • Security Code

If you have registered multiple people, you will be able to make up to five hotel reservations at a time. If you need more than five reservations, you will have the option, once complete, to make an additional five reservations. All reservations must be under a registered attendee’s name.

Group Registrations

If you’re responsible for registering a group of individuals (five or more at one time) for convention, you should start gathering the necessary information long before September 8. The most common problem during group registration is incomplete information. Use the Group Registration Cheat Sheet to gather all the needed data. Make sure all fields are complete before starting the registration process. If you don’t have complete information for one person, you should register the rest of the group and come back later to process additional registrations when you have their missing information.

We expect that this convention, like its predecessors, will be huge with tons of learning, excitement, collaboration, and innovation. You won’t want to miss it!

 

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best ed tech learning conference
Announcements/Important DatesProfessional Learning

Your Best Learning Opportunity

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey

Thursday, September 8 is a date you’ll want to circle on your calendar. That’s the day that registration for the best ed tech learning conference,  2017 TCEA Convention & Exposition, will open. At 9:00 a.m. Central, our new registration system will go live, allowing you to reserve your seat and hotel accommodations at the education event designed to strengthen “The Power of You.” Watch the TCEA 2017 teaser video to learn more about “The Power of You.”

Why would you want to attend this ed tech learning convention?

Your professional learning dollars and time are limited, so making the best decision about what conference you’ll attend is critical. More than 13,000 of the brightest minds in educational technology will be in Austin February 6-10 for TCEA 2017, making it your best choice for learning and networking opportunities. Over 950 hands-on workshops and sessions will help empower you, offer best practices and the latest research, and position you to innovate teaching and learning, making you an even better teacher, librarian, instructional coach, and leader.

  • No need to worry about your academies and workshops months in advance. Just select Premium Registration during online registration and then choose the best content for you at the convention itself. This ensures that the events you attend will be exactly what you need most at exactly the right time.
  • Get all of your technology integration questions answered in small-group discussions with experts in the new posters area of the convention. We’ll feature the following topics in this informal, yet powerful, setting in two-hour increments:
    • STEM and Makers – Tuesday
    • 3D Printing and Virtual Reality, Elementary Needs, and Leadership – Wednesday
    • K-12 Coding and Computer Science, Amazing Resources, and Redesigning Learning – Thursday
  • Chat with exhibitors who offer strategic solutions to the problems your students and campus face during the new Exhibit Hall hours. Open Tuesday this year from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m., you’ll be able to experience hands-on sessions, product demonstrations, and the latest technology for learning.

What else will attending TCEA 2017 do for you?

Ten different, specialized, in-depth academies will be offered this year, ensuring that you are powered up and ready to meet the complex needs of your students and staff. Academies are open to all Premium Registration attendees and feature extended learning on a targeted topic.

  • ELA/Social Studies Academy
  • ESL/ELL Academy
  • Google Academy
  • iPad Academy
  • Leadership Academy
  • Librarian/Media Specialist Academy
  • Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) OneNote Academy
  • Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) Trainer Academy
  • Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) Teacher Academy
  • STEM Academy

best ed tech conferenceIn addition to academies, Premium registrants may also select from more than 350 extra workshops, allowing you to get hands-on, minds-on experience with specific software, learning theories, best practices, and technology tools. Add to that the more than 450 sessions that are offered to both Premium and Basic attendees covering a wide range of topics from formative assessment to creating a makerspace to engaging student learners. All of these will ensure that you are powered up for the rest of the school year. And if you’re the chief technology officer in your district, there’s a day of special presentations just for you.

What do other educators say about the TCEA convention?

#TCEA16 Tweets

  • Bridget Visser: A1: Going to #TCEA16 was absolutely jaw dropping! So much info and networking, which is truly the best learning experience ever! #gcisdchat
  • Shawna Ford: Working to apply all of my learning from #tcea16! Anyone else operating on inspiration overload!?!?
  • Jenn and Sciefus: Phew! And we’re back!!! Is anyone else’s brain exploding with amazing #edtech after #TCEA16?!?! What a ride!

TCEA 2016 Attendee Feedback

  • “Y’all are doing a great job selecting speakers and topics. Kudos to all of you. You are wonderful educators.”
  • “Google was so energizing! Everything related to Google was GREAT!”
  • “Subject-specific all day academies – loved the ELA one this year – great resource!”
  • “All of them!?! There was not a single session in iPad and ESL Academies that I couldn’t benefit from. Presenters made it simple and appealing.”

Watch Time Warner Cable News coverage of TCEA 2016, Educators Flock to TCEA to Learn About Technology.

What are your next steps?

Talk with your district or campus leaders in advance to obtain the funds and approval you need to attend TCEA 2017. Discuss the event with your colleagues and make a plan as to who will go with you. Then set a reminder on your calendar for 9:00 a.m. Central on September 8 and register for the convention online. Once you complete the shortened registration process this year, you will be given a link to make your housing reservation. Then get ready for the best learning experience you have ever had as “The Power of You” is strengthened and magnified, empowering you and your students.

 

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Announcements/Important Dates

Call for Proposals for TCEA 2017 Convention Open

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey
We invite you to present at the TCEA 2017 Convention & Exposition where you can help other educators benefit from your experiences, whether you are using technology to open new opportunities, deepen perspective, or differentiate instruction for your students or colleagues.
The TCEA 2017 Call for Proposals is open now through May 31.  A committee of educational reviewers will be choosing more than 400 presenters for next year’s convention, and we hope you will be among them. Don’t wait until the last minute; submit your amazing proposal today!
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Educational Trends

Blended Learning, Lewisville ISD Style

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey

This is a guest blog post from Carolyn Mitchell, a Digital Learning Specialist from Lewisville ISD.

What’s your blend? Blended learning is a hot topic at TCEA this year, and at a workshop on Monday morning, Lewisville ISD Digital Learning Specialists shared the theory behind blended learning, introduced workshop participants to the LISD BlendED program which supports blended learning on the district’s high school and middle school campuses, and empowered workshop participants to determine what the “blend” might look like in their districts, campuses, and classrooms and how to design classroom learning experiences for a blended model.

In a video highlighted by student voices, Sandy Lumley of Marcus High School briefly explained how blended courses were structured for juniors and seniors who choose to take these courses at Marcus and then specifically discussed how she blends learning for students in her Algebra 2 classroom.  Students shared what they liked most about their blended Algebra 2 class—personalization of the learning and the opportunity to have flexibility in their schedules—but also the opportunity to work with Ms. Lumley one-on-one and to collaborate with their peers.  Students de-bunked the myth that they were teaching themselves by participating in a blended learning class.

Workshop participants learned that there were many types of blended learning models that were part of the blended learning taxonomy, yet their definitions are purposely ambiguous so as not to force a “structure” to the model. Administrators and teachers contemplating an implementation of a blended learning model are given the freedom to innovate based on what their vision of blended learning should look like in their particular circumstances.

With the ISTE and iNACOL standards as the focus for the instructional design, the implementation of the learning experiences, and the expectations for teachers, coaches, and administrators, attendees were given the opportunity to use Pollmaker to determine what their blend should look like based on a series of questions.  Conclusions were affirmed, or in some cases, a new blended learning path was considered.  Workshop participants saw how the blend could be transformed using Understanding by Design (UbD), the Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and the SAMR model (Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, Redefinition) to design authentic learning experiences that are both engaging and strategic.

Attendees explored tools that could be deployed to turn standard classroom lessons into interesting participatory experiences. Some that were found to be particularly interesting and effective were TedEd, eduCannon, and Teach-Em  video tools for creating interactive lessons;  Curriculet, Google Docs, and No Red Ink for creating experiences that allow students to interact with content, and the Blended Learning Toolkit. Padlet, Trello, and Dotstorming were of particular interest as collaborative tools to “start the conversation” and share knowledge.

Workshop participants left the session with a blueprint of what their brand of blend could look like, with tools to jump start the learning, and with the understanding that there is no “right way” to blend.  The time, the place, and the space are up to you and your students.

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