If you are one of the lucky ones who’ll be attending the TCEA 2017 Convention & Exposition, it’s time to start planning your learning. With more than 1,000 sessions and workshops, waiting until the last minute to decide what to attend can be a big mistake. The good news is that there is a tool that can help you.
First, decide what your emphasis will be during the convention. While it can be fun to go and hear about a million different topics and resources, that can also result in haphazard learning and a feeling of being overwhelmed. Instead, determine where you most need to grow or what new technology implementation is coming to your campus and focus your learning on that. For example, if your campus is about to add Chromebooks to the classroom, then concentrating on that is an excellent way to tackle the convention. If you need to know more about Problem-Based Learning, then that’s what you should focus on.
Once you have your focus planned, then it’s time to do some research. The TCEA convention offers in-depth learning opportunities on almost any topic in the edtech world that you might be interested in. But you have to know how to search out exactly what you need. To do that, you’ll need your computer and this TCEA website or the TCEA app.
There is a search feature on both the website and the app. Go there and type in the topic that you are interested in. I used “Chromebook” for my example. On the website, you’ll see all of the workshops, session, and poster presentations on that particular topic, followed by the exhibitors who match that keyword as well. On the app, the order is reversed with the exhibitors showing first, followed by the sessions. Clicking on any of the session titles will give you the description, date and time, presenter, and whether it is open to Premium or Basic registrants. In addition, if you log in, you can click to add the session to your schedule (this does not guarantee you a spot in the room; it simply puts it on your calendar) or share it with all of the other attendees or via Instagram or Twitter.
If there is a particular speaker that you desperately want to hear while at convention, you can also use the Presenters button on both the website and app and find out all of the times he/she is presenting.
Planning your time at TCEA 2017 will ensure that you make the most of all of the learning opportunities that are important to you, whether they are formal presentations, networking with new and old colleagues, talking with poster presenters, or visiting with exhibitors. So get busy making your schedule now for the best convention experience ever!
Did you know? Join the December 27-29, 2016 EdCamp Voxer event, 100% audio and mobile, available for free! 
Enjoy 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.
Explore 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.
Meet 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.
The 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.
To help you become a more effective and efficient campus technology specialist, TCEA has put together a solution, almost a miracle cure: an awesome group of presenters who know your struggles and can offer authentic solutions and advice to make your job easier and bring a smile to your face. Here are the top three reasons you should attend the Campus Technology Specialist Academy November 17-18 in Austin.
integrate technology, take a moment to learn about the