Education budgets are tightening, screen-time debates are intensifying, and AI has dominated every industry headline. How can today’s education companies break through the noise?

One word: relationships. As in humans talking to humans. And listening to humans. In a crowded marketplace, the vendors who survive and thrive are those who stop pitching and start partnering.

This theme is at the heart of Tech & Learning’s EdExec Summit, taking place in Chicago September 10-11. While the agenda will focus on the key components of developing a strategic plan–including sales, marketing, research, and compliance–what makes this event different is the opportunity for education company executives to have deep conversations with their buyers and create meaningful relationships.

To offer a sneak peek into these conversations, Tech & Learning has partnered with the Ed-Tech Leadership Collective to present an Industry Briefing that will explore how current market pressures are fundamentally reshaping how districts choose—and stay with—their vendors.

Event Details

• Date: Tuesday, June 16, 2026
• Time: 2:00 PM ET
• Registration Link: Secure Your Virtual Seat Here

What You Will Learn

By attending this briefing, education executives will gain actionable insights on how to align their strategies with district realities:

• Understanding District Priorities: Discover how current district challenges directly shape their buying decisions and partnership expectations.
• The Relationship Pivot: Learn how to transition your sales approach from cold, transactional outreach to value-driven, relationship-focused engagement.
• Network Maximization: Strategies to leverage your current district successes to build organic exposure across peer networks.
• Pilot Programs with Purpose: How to structure pilots that deliver clear ROI and cultivate long-term partnerships rather than forcing a heavy, upfront investment.
• Flexible Commercial Models: Creative ways to think about pricing, packaging, and budget alignment in a tight economy.
• Proving Impact: Why vendors must demonstrate measurable, high-quality outcomes rather than superficial engagement metrics to retain district business.

Featured Speakers

Hear directly from the leaders who make the purchasing decisions:

• Joe Ayala | Director of Information Technology, Santa Clara Unified School District, CA
• Trina Reaves | Director of STEM and Innovation, Clayton County Schools, GA

REGISTER FOR THE WEBINAR NOW

Join us for this conversation on June 16 to learn how your company can become an indispensable district partner, and in Chicago on September 10-11 for the Tech & Learning’s EdExec Summit to meet one-on-one with buyers and put those relationship-building strategies into practice.

• Navigating the ESSER Cliff: Why Education Company Leaders are Heading to the 2026 EdExec Summit

USA EdTech, a coalition of education and edtech companies dedicated to global expansion, announced its official delegation for Bett UK 2026, the world’s largest celebration of education technology with more than 35,000 attendees.

Now in its third year, USA EdTech is helping forge meaningful relationships among education providers around the world. What began as a fellowship of like-minded providers has evolved into a growing movement to accomplish two major goals. First, USA EdTech helps providers based in the U.S. build connections with education leaders around the world, including individual educators, school group leaders, and ministries of education. Second, USA EdTech supports the mission-critical role of services companies dedicated to helping global education companies navigate US markets with confidence.

Members of this year’s USA EdTech Delegation include an impressive array of global brands and emerging leaders who will be presenting their solutions to the global community, including:

• Amplify
• ClassLink
• EdGate
• Edlink
• Imagine Learning
• iPearl Inc. Jupiter Ed
• PowerSchool
• SchoolDay
• Trimble (SketchUp)
• Walkabouts

USA EdTech is a production of First Step Advisors and is under the direction of Jim McVety, Managing Partner. Citing the benefits that come from collaboration, McVety lauded the partners’ contributions, saying, “Through the power of community, early-stage and global leaders alike have an opportunity to make incredible connections and, more importantly, make an impact on education.”

As the only U.S. delegation operating in Bett’s Global Showcase Arena, the delegation will present members in a bespoke pavilion, enabling delegates from around the world to engage with leaders from across the United States. Along the way, a community of supporting organizations is helping strengthen the education industry. Supporting members who will be participating in the delegation include:

• Advancing Global EDU
• Content2Classroom
• Cooley LLP
• Ed2Market
• Greenfield Learning

Together, this community of education leaders have demonstrated a lasting commitment to supporting providers around the world, and the global marketplace has an opportunity to see their capabilities and forge meaningful connections.

With additional support from Product & Process, OpenField, RP Impact Partners, and The Trailhead Group, USA EdTech has reached an unprecedented level of participation, underscoring the strong desire among all providers to seek, find, and build a stronger education community for all.

Phones in class? Tablets at home? Everyone's got an opinion — but what does the data say?

The results from a national survey of school districts around student screen time and its impact on learning was the focus of a recent webinar sponsored by Lightspeed Systems. Hosted by Christine Weiser, Content Director for Tech & Learning, the discussion featured Amy Bennett, Chief Of Staff for Lightspeed Systems, Kyle Berger, Chief Technology Officer at Grapevine-Colleyville ISD, and Charles Franklin, Assistant Superintendent for Cypress Fairbanks ISD. The panel explored the realities of student screen time, challenging common misconceptions with data and expert insights.

“Chances are the majority of y'all looked at the screen of your phone before your feet touched the earth this morning,” said Berger. “It's just a natural addiction that everybody seems to have.”

WATCH THE WEBINAR ON DEMAND HERE

Key Data and Misconceptions

A significant finding from Lightspeed Insight, based on data from hundreds of school districts, reveals that K-12 students spend an average of 77 minutes of screen time per day on district-owned devices. This constitutes less than 20% of the average school day, a figure considerably lower than many parents and policymakers assume. The majority of this screen time occurs within school hours, supporting instruction, rather than after school.

Screen time averages vary by age, with elementary students using devices for less than an hour daily, while middle and high schoolers spend more time online due to increased coursework and collaboration. The data also shows a seasonal tapering of screen time throughout the school year, aligning with instructional rhythms, holidays, and testing periods, generally staying below 90 minutes a day. This consistency suggests that digital learning is integrated into instruction rather than replacing it.

A crucial takeaway is the shift from "quantity to quality" of screen time. The 77 minutes average is predominantly spent on curriculum platforms, productivity tools (such as Google Docs), and academic apps, not on "doom scrolling" or entertainment. This highlights the importance of the purpose behind screen use – whether it's for creating, researching, collaborating, or building fluency. Tools such as content filtering and classroom management are vital for establishing "digital guardrails" to ensure students remain focused on educational applications.

"Screen time is tied to mental health, to student engagement, to educational outcomes, school budgets, even topics like AI,” said Bennett. “Really, all the hot topics that are going on in edtech, screen time relates to them."

Educating the Community and Addressing Concerns

Both Berger and Franklin emphasized the ongoing battle against the misconception that students are constantly glued to their devices.

“As you reflect and spend time walking your schools and looking, you'll probably agree that there's probably a very, very small amount of students that are glued to a screen eight hours a day,” Berger said. “It's just not happening. So that misconception is really big."

“We have the same type of misconceptions where parents and the community feel like the students are on their screens constantly," Franklin added. “And I do think that some of the misconception comes from when students get home. We're not necessarily mirroring the exact environment that you may or may not have at home."

Grapevine-Colleyville ISD, a one-to-one district for over 13 years, and Cypress Fairbanks ISD, a one-to-one take-home district since the pandemic, actively educate their communities through professional development for teachers and Parent Tech Academies. These initiatives break down the different types of screen time (passive, active, and required for assessments) and communicate the districts' expectations and boundaries.

The districts also work to engage parents to help manage screen time.

"We go as far as to encourage our parents to participate, and we do a device-free dinner,” said Berger. “Once a year, we invite people out to the local restaurant. We lock up their cell phones and say, ‘Hey. If you can make it through dinner without looking at a device in general, our partners will help sponsor your dinner for you.’"

Impact of Cell Phone Bans and Equity

The implementation of House Bill 1481 in Texas, banning cell phones in schools, has been overwhelmingly positive. Teachers and principals reported increased student engagement in class activities and more direct student-to-student interaction. While some initial "withdrawal" was observed among students, and parents expressed anxiety about connectivity to their children, the ban ultimately reinforced existing policies and led to a re-education on student safety protocols.

Regarding equity, both Berger and Franklin highlighted their districts’ commitment to providing equal access to technology. This includes pre-K through 12 one-to-one device programs and providing wireless hotspots for students lacking home internet access.

The panelists stressed that while restrictions such as cell phone bans can create more equal usage, blanket screen time limits on district devices could widen gaps for students who rely solely on these devices for learning and connectivity. The consensus was to find ways to make the use of technology safe, protected, and healthy by teaching digital citizenship and self-regulation skills.

Advice For Districts

For districts feeling overwhelmed, the experts advised starting with data – whether from surveys, software such as Lightspeed Insight, or observations. This data should initiate open conversations within the community, involving curriculum and instruction teams, teachers, and parents, to establish shared expectations for screen time usage. The goal is to define what is appropriate for each campus and district, understanding that every community is unique.

Said Franklin: “A lot of it is explaining to the parents exactly what students have access to, showing them exactly what our approved applications are, explaining exactly what screen time looks like for every grade level, and also engaging our CTE and those departments to also explain exactly what boundaries we have and what opportunities we have because it does work both ways."

Tech & Learning's new weekly article/podcast series, “Tech & Learning Conversations,” is hosted by veteran edtech reporter Kevin Hogan, who digs beyond the prompts to get to the human side of every story.

Each week, Kevin will interview innovative edtech leaders from school districts, industry, researchers, and more to discuss:

• Industry Trends: Not the clickbait headlines, but the real trends that are impacting student success.
• Overcoming Challenges: Real educators share their solutions to the challenges they’ve encountered, from the classroom to the board room.
• A Look Ahead Beyond the Bells & Whistles: What technology is likely to make a real impact in teaching and learning – and what is more likely hot air.

KEVIN'S LATEST CONVERSATIONS

Data Dashboards Aren’t Enough—AI Makes PD Smarter
The AI for Advancing Instruction at Scale (AI2S) project, developed in partnership with edtech company Edthena, uses a multimodal neural network trained on thousands of hand-coded classroom videos to analyze both the audio and visual dimensions of math instruction. Rather than generating a dashboard of metrics, the system guides teachers through a structured coaching cycle—helping them identify a focus area, review their classroom data in context, and build a concrete action plan.

How Schools Can Stay Safe
In an age of K-12 school-targeting cyberattacks, how can district administrators protect vital systems and private information? Kevin speaks with Clever’s Head of Education Strategy Jeff Carlson on the state of school district security, with an emphasis on artificial intelligence-generated wrinkles.

Bad AI Policy Is Worse Than No Policy at All. How to Build One That Works
SchoolAI policy analyst Sasha Luks-Morgan offers a clear-eyed framework for where AI policy in schools stands — and what it's going to take to move it forward. In the process she clarifies the difference between acceptable use policies and responsible use policies. "Bad policy is worse than no policy," she says. "We really want to see districts succeeding."

How KidWind Turns Clean Energy Into A Classroom Without Walls
The 2026 World KidWind Challenge drew 125 teams of 4th–12th graders competing across wind turbine and solar home design categories. Kevin spoke with KidWind founder Michael Arquin and veteran coach Morgan Berkgren about the structure of the challenge, funded virtual workshops, as well as the appeal to students of varied majors.

Time to Clean House
How does a K12 CIO determine which tech tools are providing real value to students' education? Kris Hagel's Washington State district of nearly 10,000 students is in the middle of a pullback from what he describes as a pandemic-era "whatever works" posture toward technology—one that left his team with thousands of approved apps and no clear rationale for most of them.

The Southern Surge Proves Science of Reading Works. Why Aren't More Districts Listening?
Kevin's interview with the founder of Learn Platform and CEO of Really Great Reading (RGR) delves into Mississippi's dramatic rise in reading scores, which he credits to evidence-based instruction. They also touch on outcomes-based contracting as a model for accountability within the literacy platform field.

Edtech's Big Tobacco Moment Is Here. Schools Can't Afford to Miss the AI Reckoning That Follows
Author and educator Andrew Marcinek argues that the Meta lawsuit is the inevitable outcome of 20 years of algorithmic manipulation — and that schools have a narrow window to get AI right before history repeats itself.

Beyond the Classroom: How Esports Spaces Double as Learning Hubs
Extron's Jason Bond explains how districts can start small with esports AV infrastructure, leverage dual-purpose spaces, and use AV over IP to build a scalable foundation for student engagement.

Get Cash Out of the Backpack: Adopting Digital Communication And Payments
Chad Stevens, Head of Growth & Partnerships at ClassDojo for Districts on digital payments, family engagement, and the future of school-to-home communication

Responsible Use Is The New Acceptable Use: One District's Pragmatic Playbook for the AI Era
Pineville ISD (TX) technology coordinator Kenzo Vanhaesebroeck explains why vague-on-purpose policy, a grading scale for AI use, and teacher-to-teacher modeling are the best defenses a small district has against an overnight technological revolution

Better Safe Than Sorry: A Gold-Standard Approach To Cybersecurity
Charles Franklin, Assistant Superintendent of Technology & Information Services at Cypress-Fairbanks ISD in Texas, shares his district's approach to cybersecurity and data privacy.

Take Teaching To The Next Level: Live From The Kira Event
Kira execs and beta-users explore new ways to use AI in schools.

How The West May Win When It Comes To Improving Literacy
Allison Zimmermann, CEO of Foundations in Learning, and Dr. Seth King, Associate Professor of Special Education at the University of Iowa, on their initiative to help struggling readers across rural Wyoming, Iowa, and other states—with lessons for schools everywhere.

From Compliance to Companion: How One District Built an AI Culture That Puts Students First
Franklin Township Schools (IN) Director of Technology Integration Nadine Gilkison and Superintendent Dr. Chase Huotari share their three-year journey moving beyond AI policy debates to create authentic learning experiences.

A Different Way to Lead
Marlon Styles Jr., Award-winning superintendent and upcoming keynote for the Tech & Learning Leadership Summit at NCCE 26, delivers new techniques to manage today’s school districts.

The Scoop on BETT 2026
Elizabeth Crawford, Senior Director, Global Education at Kahoot! breaks down BETT, this year’s largest edtech conference.

Let’s Make Some Things Clear: One District's Communications Evolution
Superintendent Tom Livezey of Oakridge Public Schools in Muskegon, Michigan, discusses how he implemented a deliberate approach to communication, that wasn't a grand strategic plan but rather a series of "course corrections" responding to parent needs and changing technology.

How Teachers Can Kick TikTok's Butt (Kind Of)
Matt Bardin, former educator and Zinc Learning Labs Founder, argues that teachers shouldn't try to compete with TikTok's dopamine hits, but instead offer the deeper satisfaction of meaningful reading experiences.

Survey Says: The Human Touch Defines Student Success
Peter Emmel, Director of Technology at Randolph Township Schools (NJ), and Juliana Finegan, VP of Educator Experience at Vivi break down the 2025 Global Teacher Insights Report, in which 85% of nearly 2,000 teachers worldwide identified strong teacher-student relationships and active engagement as the two most influential factors in their sense of success.

Beyond the Ban: Why Taking Away Phones Isn't Enough
FETC 2026 keynote speaker Alana Winnick argues schools must explain the "why" behind cell phone bans and teach students self-regulation for the real world.

Addressing The Digital Design Divide
The State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA) reports that teachers increasingly have access to technology but lack the time, resources, and training to integrate it effectively into their instruction. Kevin unpacks the issue and explores solutions with Julia Fallon, Executive Director, and Ji Soo Song, Director of Projects and Initiatives at SETDA.

AI Gets Real
How should schools respond to students' increasing use of artificial intelligence tools? Is a total ban the best answer, or is there a legitimate place for generative AI in the classroom? Join Kevin and educator and edtech innovator Carl Hooker as they answer these questions and discuss the options.

How Next-Generation CTE Programs Prepare Students for High-Wage, High-Demand Careers
Career and technical education (CTE) has evolved far beyond the traditional "vocational ed" model. Aldine Independent School District executive director Brooke Martin oversees programs serving 19,000 students across multiple career pathways, preparing them for high-paying, high-demand jobs rather than just minimum wage opportunities.

Things We Talk About When We Talk About Student Engagement
90% of educators, superintendents, and principals recognize the importance of student engagement—yet they disagree on what engagement means. In fact, while majorities of superintendents and principals believe they have the right tools to measure engagement, only about half of teachers agree. Kevin explores this dichotomy in his conversation with Brian Shaw, CEO of Discovery Education.

Exploring the Dynamics of Online Gaming Behavior
Within the gaming ecosystem, there's an underworld—anonymous chat rooms where 83 million American players have faced harassment, where extremist recruitment happens, and where hate speech thrives unchecked. Kevin's conversation highlights the gap facing parents and educators who struggle to understand gaming's hidden dangers.

Back to Basics: Why Student Engagement Remains a Core Priority
Has all the buzz about AI, VR, and other emerging technologies changed the way education leaders measure success in their schools? Perhaps not. According to a recent study by Logitech, educators and IT decisions makers still prioritize student engagement and participation.

Warning: Social Media Hurts
Is social media as dangerous as alcohol and tobacco? If so, will annoying and intrusive caution banners have any effect on kids' social media use? As California prepares to become the first state to require warning labels on social media platforms, Kevin talks with Mikey Hothy from Common Sense Media about California's groundbreaking Assembly Bill 56.

ISTELive25 was another energetic and inspiring conference, held in San Antonio this year with hundreds of sessions and exhibitors enjoying the learning and networking.

The exhibit hall showcased hundreds of new products and services, and our Tech & Learning judges culled the show floor to review the many nominated products for this year’s Tech & Learning's Best of Show awards at ISTELive 25 awards. The evaluation criteria included: ease of use, value, uniqueness in the market, and proof that the product helped make teachers' lives easier and supported student achievement.

"While AI continued to dominate discussions at ISTE this year, we were truly impressed by the nominated products that bolster the core of teaching and learning while also thoughtfully integrating emerging technologies," noted Christine Weiser, Content Director for Tech & Learning. "Our judges selected the innovative products they believe support classroom and district needs. Congratulations to all our winners!"

PRIMARY EDUCATION

Acer America, Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 (model CPE794-1N-797A)
"The Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 offers excellent multitasking power with Intel Core Ultra processors, crisp visuals on a 14" touchscreen, and AI-enhanced video/audio tools for teaching and conferencing."

Acer America, Acer Chromebook Spin 512 (Model R857TN-P5QA)
"Purpose-built for elementary students, the Acer Chromebook Spin 512's flexible 360-degree hinge, Wi-Fi 7 readiness, optional LTE, and replaceable components make it an adaptable and sustainable classroom companion. With Chrome Education Upgrade support, it's also easy for IT teams to manage at scale."

ActiveFloor, ActiveFloor
"This is an innovative, portable solution that utilizes movement for learning."

Avantis Education, ClassVR from Avantis Education
"ClassVR is the total package when it comes to bringing and scaling Virtual Reality use for schools to adopt this technology. ClassVR not only has made the hardware and management of that hardware easy for schools to adopt and implement, it has also created a phenomenal software platform to complement this amazing system."

Beanstack, Beanstack
"I really like their approach to reading and comprehension. The use of AI as well as other ways of tracking and discerning comprehension is very well thought out. Also, the data reporting capabilities is a huge help."

BenQ Education, RP04
"These boards and are excellent. They have a great feature set and are very easy to use and manage."

BirdBrain Technologies, Inc., Hummingbird Robotics Kit for Primary Ed
"The Hummingbird Bit Robotics Kit offers an exceptional, research-backed platform for inclusive and creative STEM learning. Its blend of accessibility, flexibility, and cross-curricular applicability make it an ideal tool for engaging students in meaningful, long-term robotics exploration."

BookBreak,BookBreak
"BookBreaks is an amazing platform that connects real-world authors in realtime to classrooms. This is a great tool to ignite the passion of reading and writing in students of all ages."

BrainFreeze, BrainFreeze by Airia
"This new BrainFreeze AI Literacy Platform is just "what the doctor ordered"! It comes just in time for the explosion of AI tools that have come on the market and provides a beacon of safety and sanity when it comes to helping students, teachers, parents, and community navigate the AI complexities of today's world."

ClassLink, ClassLink Suite
"The ClassLink Suite has been a tremendous asset in boosting both learning access and operational efficiency across schools. Its intuitive design, especially features like QuickCards and LaunchPad, makes digital access seamless for younger students while maintaining strong security for older users."

Clear Touch,Sho Software
"Clear Digital's Sho Software offers a modern, scalable approach to digital signage, perfect for schools seeking dynamic communication tools. Its creative integrations and safety-focused features make it both practical and engaging."

Clear Touch, Connect Software
"Connect Software has addressed a pain point for educators that may teaching a variety of settings outside their classroom."

Clear Touch,Next Hub
"I like that NEXT Hub is trying to keep older technology working in schools instead of disposing. This is a very nice solution that not only upgrades software and security, but adds a camera and video capability to older interactive panels."

Cricut, Cricut Explore 4
"Cricut Explore 4 is a fast, user-friendly cutting machine that makes high-quality crafting more accessible. It’s a great tool for education and creative environments, blending ease of use with the flexibility to produce professional-looking custom projects."

CTL, CTL Chromebook PX121E
"CTL Chromebooks are very well made and the addition of free provisioning and quick service turnaround are great additions."

Curriculum Associates, i-Ready: Clear data and connected instruction
"This is a very comprehensive solution. I like i-Ready’s adaptive diagnostic features and the fact that it is a connected ecosystem and not a set of disparate tools."

Edmentum,Exact Path for Primary Education
"ExactPath by Edmentum is a really nice tool for taking assessment scores and standards from annual and quarterly summative assessment companies and projecting a unique learning path for students to improve their areas of deficiencies."

Edmentum,Edmentum Virtual Tutoring
"I like how this product first identifies gaps in prerequisite skills that indicate standards readiness and then focuses on mastery of the on-grade skills. This product also emphasizes the need to quickly close gaps in a student's learning by providing targeted remediation based on that student’s needs."

FACIL'iti MYdys, FACIL'iti MYdys
"MYdys EDU, an assistive technology app, helps students with dyslexia read and comprehend text more easily."

Forward Edge, Edge•U Badges Primary Education
"EdgeU Badges is an innovative professional learning platform that brings a game-based approach to educator growth. We’ve used it to streamline PD and keep it focused, personalized, and engaging. The badge system motivates teachers while clearly showing progress in their learning journey. At the elementary level, educators especially appreciate the incentive-based format, as it mirrors the reward systems they often use with their own students making the experience both familiar and motivating. It’s a creative and effective way to build educator capacity while fostering a sense of accomplishment and continued growth."

HMH, HMH AI Tools
"I like HMH's use of AI to help automate tasks as well as their approach to data privacy which is an issue in the AI space."

HoverCam / Pathway Innovations, Inc., HoverCam Orbit Trio
"Teachers can use Trio to show student work from anywhere in the classroom without being tied to a desk or projector. Its wireless document camera and AV-over-IP casting let teachers share student thinking in real time."

IXL Learning, IXL
"IXL is a great product that they keep working on to improve. The feedback and help students get "un-stuck," are very good. The data reporting is also a great tool for the teachers."

JAR Systems, Open6 Charging Station Automated by Go-Box
"Go-Box has always been a great tool for IT Departments. It makes provisioning and refreshing Chromebooks so fast and easy. This design is even better and takes up less space with less cords."

Kahoot!,Kahoot! AI Generator
"I like how Kahoot! has grown. Their AI features are a huge time saver for teachers. The ability for students to get feedback as well as generate their own study content is terrific."

Kai's Education, KaiBot and Market Math
"KaiBot with Market Math is a playful, engaging tool that effectively combines early math skills with hands-on coding for young learners. The UDL-based design ensures all students can access and enjoy the content"

Kibeam Learning, Inc. Big Readers Start Small: The AI Wand That Transforms Paper Books Into Interactive Learning Adventures
"This is a very innovative and creative use of AI with a device that has no screen. The ability to interact with books both as an entire page, or just a word is very good. Plus the kinetic and interactive features make it more than an tool that reads a book to you. And the data feedback to teachers is great."

LG Electronics USA, LG CreateBoard Core
"This is a very competitive space, but LG has included preloaded operating system feature that helps them stand apart from the competition. I especially appreciate like management and an OPS slot for customization."

LG Electronics USA, LG CreateBoard Prep
"This is a really good tool and the fact that it allows you to import a variety of file types like, .notebook and .flipchart is terrific. The fact that it is free and can be used without a interactive board is great."

Mackin,MackinVIA
"I really like this product's comprehensive resources and features. It is an excellent addition to for the education space."

Magic EdTech, MagicBox
"MagicBox has addressed both end user and administrative and data privacy issues. They allow for integrations with LMS and SIS solutions. Feedback and the use of AI helps improve productivity."

MagicSchool, MagicSchool AI
"MagicSchool AI has been at the forefront of reliable, trustworthy AI tools for teachers looking to dig into AI and experience the "Magic" when it comes to using AI to save time and make learning more meaningful for their students."

MAXCases, MAXCases Extreme Shell-FL Case for Chromebooks & Laptops
"This MaxCases Extreme Shell-FL is MAXCases the best case yet. They have learned from the demands that cases have gone through during the past years and have found solutions and made fixes on the feedback of their users. "

MIND Education, Seeing is Believing: InsightMath Makes K-6 Math Click
"I'm impressed with the neuroscience behind this product and the interactivity and multi-modal methods of instruction."

MIND Education, ST Math: See Math. Learn Math. Know Math.
"ST Math is a powerful visual learning program that supports deep conceptual understanding through spatial-temporal reasoning. Its emphasis on problem-solving over rote memorization makes it especially valuable. A must-have resource for districts focused on strengthening math instruction."

Otus
"Otus stands out for its comprehensive, AI-enhanced data and assessment tools that help educators make smarter decisions with speed and clarity. Its integration with Discovery Education greatly broadens its reach and impact."

OverDrive, Sora
"With built-in tools like dyslexia support, reading goals, LMS integration, and real-time reading analytics, Sora not only makes accessing ebooks and audiobooks seamless—it also fosters a love for reading and student ownership over literacy growth."

Ozobot, Ozobot Ari
"I have always like Ozobot's approach and the improvements on this device are really great. I especially like the touchscreen."

Play Piper LLC, Piper Computer Kit
"The Piper Computer Kit is an inventive STEM tool that allows students to build their own computer and explore coding and circuitry through interactive, story-driven activities. By blending physical assembly with game-based learning, it introduces complex concepts in a hands-on, engaging way that makes computing accessible and exciting for students in grades 3–8."

Play Piper LLC, Play Piper's Enhanced Base Station Curriculum
"Play Piper’s Enhanced Base Station Curriculum stands out for its educator-first design, adaptability, and hands-on approach to STEM learning. It's a well-rounded tool that lowers barriers to classroom integration while still sparking curiosity and technical growth among students."

Pocketalk
"The Pocketalk system for on-the-spot translation of over 92 languages is nothing short of amazing. Perfect for students to use on field trips and using with parents who speak a language other than English when they come into school to speak with teachers and other building staff."

Prodigy Education, Prodigy
"Prodigy is a zero-cost, game-based learning platform that combines engaging adventures with standards-aligned math (grades 1–8) and English (grades 1–6) instruction. Its optional revenue model ensures free access while maintaining high standards for student data privacy."

Robotical, Robotical Cog
"I really like the simplicity of this product and the variety of coding languages. This a a great fit for an introduction to coding at the primary level."

Samsung Electronics America, Samsung WAF Enhances Classroom Collaboration
"Samsung’s WAF Interactive Display elevates classroom interaction and collaboration with high-quality hardware, familiar Android integration, and thoughtful instructional tools. It's a powerful, scalable solution for modern learning environments."

CyberNut, Security Awareness Training
"CyberNut is a game-changing tool for K-12 education that brings real-time cybersecurity awareness training to teachers and staff in a gamified approach while providing a mechanism for educators to report phishing and suspicious email activity."

Seesaw Learning, Seesaw Learning
"Seesaw Instruction & Insights offers a rich, research-backed digital platform tailored for elementary education. By combining interactive lessons, creative student portfolios, and two-way communication, it delivers an engaging, transparent learning experience."

Sergeant Laboratories, AristotleK12
"AristotleK12's digital integration platform and content filtering solution can help improve classroom management, enhance online safety for students, and provide detailed reporting for IT and administrative staff."

Smartbox Assistive Technology, Inc., Grid
"Smartbox's Grid software and Grid Pad assistive technology devices include intuitive interface, customization options, text-based communication, and environmental control."

Teachers First LLC, Toddle
"I like that this is a solution by educators for educators. They have the features needed in a good LMS as well as the integration of AI for productivity."

ViewSonic Corp.ViewSonic ClassSwift Education Software
"The ViewSonic ClassSwift Software is designed with educators in mind, offering an intuitive interface and straightforward navigation. ClassSwift is designed to integrate well with other educational technologies and platforms, including LMSs and digital whiteboards."

World Book, Inc., ClassMate
"The Worldbook Classmate platform offers expert-verified WorldBook Content combined with AI-powered scaffolding to produce and boost literacy abilities. This is a good use of AI with wonderful, well-known Worldbook content."

zSpace, Inc.,zSpace Imagine - A Headset-free AR/VR Solution for Elementary Learners
"This Z-Space Headset-free AR/VR Solution for Elementary Learners is an amazing platform that will help young students navigate their through using AR and VR. I particularly liked the 3D aspect of performing hands-on tasks. The platform also provides for life skills programs for neurodiverse students."

SECONDARY EDUCATION

Acer America, Acer TravelMate B3 Spin 12 (Model: TMB312R-31-C45D)
"The TravelMate B3 Spin 12 goes beyond basic functionality, encouraging deeper interaction with content. A smart, student-friendly device for dynamic learning environments."

Acer America, Acer TravelMate B5 14 (Model: TMB514-31-G2)
"The Acer TravelMate B5 14 offers strong performance and long-term stability for daily classroom use. A solid investment for maintaining a stable and efficient device program."

Ativion, StudentKeeper from Ativion
"StudentKeeper stands out as a multi-functional platform that enhances digital safety, classroom engagement, and student well-being. Its AI-powered tools and parent connectivity make it a smart solution for schools seeking comprehensive and cohesive digital environment management."

BenQ Education, RP04
"These boards and are excellent. They have a great feature set and are very easy to use and manage."

BenQ Education, BenQ SL04 PANTONE VALIDATED SIGNAGE
"The BenQ SL04 Series delivers impressive visual quality and Google certifications, making it ideal for educational environments where color accuracy matters. It’s an excellent solution for engaging digital signage and content display.

BirdBrain Technologies, Inc., Finch Robot for Secondary Ed
"With robust hardware, a removable micro:bit, cross-platform compatibility, and comprehensive instructional support, The Finch Robot 2.0 is a versatile and affordable robotics solution tailored for secondary students to master programming from block-based to advanced text-based coding like Java and Python."

Brisk Labs Corp.,Brisk Teaching: Helping Educators Focus on What Matters Most
"Brisk Teaching is one of my favorite AI tools for teachers on the market today. Not only do they pay close attention to student and teacher data privacy as the process input with AI, but I love the fact that it already resides as an extension to your browser."

Cellairis,The Cyber Pouch
"The Cyber Pouch is a smart, low-tech solution to tackle cellphone distractions in the classroom. It blocks signals to keep students focused without compromising safety or accessibility, using a rugged, no-fuss design that’s easy for schools to adopt at scale."

ClassDojo, ClassDojo for Districts
"ClassDojo for Districts strengthens school communities by connecting educators, students, and families through inclusive, multilingual communication and student engagement tools. It enables district leaders to broadcast updates, teachers to share classroom moments, and students to participate in learning with personalized incentives—all within a mobile-first, user-friendly platform that prioritizes equity and transparency."

ClassLink, ClassLink Suite
"The ClassLink Suite has been a tremendous asset in boosting both learning access and operational efficiency across schools. Its intuitive design, especially features like QuickCards and LaunchPad, makes digital access seamless for younger students while maintaining strong security for older users."

Cricut, Cricut Maker 4
"The Cricut Maker 4 elevates personalization with unmatched versatility, cutting everything from paper to leather and metal with precision and speed. The easy setup and free Design Space app make it both accessible and powerful for diverse applications."

Edmentum Courseware
"Edmentum’s comprehensive Courseware digital curriculum for grade 6 through adult learners is based on the development of real-world skills, identifying students’ passions, and cultivating perseverance and grit."

Edmentum, Exact Path for Secondary Education
"ExactPath by Edmentum is a really nice tool for taking assessment scores and standards from annual and quarterly summative assessment companies and projecting a unique learning path for students to improve their areas of deficiencies."

Edmentum Virtual Tutoring
"I like how this product first identifies gaps in prerequisite skills that indicate standards readiness and then focuses on mastery of the on-grade skills. This product also emphasizes the need to quickly close gaps in a student's learning by providing targeted remediation based on that student’s needs."

Forward Edge, Edge•U Badges Secondary education
"Edge U Badges is an innovative professional learning platform that brings a game-based approach to educator growth. We’ve used it to streamline PD and keep it focused, personalized, and engaging. The badge system motivates teachers while clearly showing progress in their learning journey. A creative and effective way to build educator capacity with impact."

Gale, part of Cengage Group, Learning Differentiated with Gale In Context: For Educators
"Gale's newly updated platform makes it easy for educators to share curations and resources across their grade levels and across their districts. This is a terrific resource to help librarians and educators help our students become savvy digital information curators."

HMH AI Tools
"I like HMH's use of AI to help automate tasks as well as their approach to data privacy which is an important issue in the AI space."

Incident IQ, iiQ Resources
"iiQ Resources modernizes how school districts manage instructional materials by consolidating inventory, distribution, and accountability into a single, streamlined platform."

Incident IQ, iiQ Ticketing and Assets
"iiQ Ticketing and Assets offers a tailored, streamlined solution for K-12 tech teams, combining help desk automation with robust asset management."

IXL Learning, IXL
"IXL is a well thought out product that uses research to hep students and teachers improve teaching and learning. The diagnostic data is great feedback for the teachers."

Learning Genie
"I really like the co-creation features in this product. It gives students and teachers a collaborative workspace to help them successfully understand content. It also gives the agency they speak of to the students so they can feel empowered in their learning."

Learning.com, Digital Literacy and Citizenship
"Learning.com's EasyTech Digital Literacy and Citizenship is a strong, well-structured program that equips K-12 students with the foundational skills to navigate the digital world responsibly. The lessons are age-appropriate and cover critical areas like privacy, digital footprints, and ethical online behavior."

Lightspeed Systems,Lightspeed Signal
"Lightspeed Signal is a powerful visibility platform that gives tech leaders a clear, real-time view of device usage, app access, and network health across the district. It helps identify issues like unused devices, VPN workarounds, and performance gaps that are otherwise hard to track. An essential solution for any district focused on efficiency, accountability, and digital safety."

Logitech, Logitech Reach
"Logitech Reach is a sleek, portable, and powerful tool that empowers educators to bring physical content to life in the classroom. It blends precision, ease of use, and smart design into a compelling solution for hands-on teaching, particularly in STEM and art-based disciplines."

MAXCases, MAXCases Extreme Shell-FL Case for Chromebooks & Laptops
"This MaxCases Extreme Shell-FL is MAXCases the best case yet. They have learned from the demands that cases have gone through during the past years and have found solutions and made fixes on the feedback of their users."

NetSupport, classroom.cloud
"The NetSupport Classroom Cloud product is amazing when it comes to mobile device management at the classroom and teacher level. This system is also device agnostic and allows teachers to have full control over the content and use of their students devices that are district owned."

Ori Learning
"OriLeaning provides a platform that makes teaching emotional well being and transition easy and engaging. I loved the multiple modes of lesson delivery and it's incredibly accessible with text-to-speech autoplay and text highlight, while also serving over a 136 different languages."

Otus, Otus
"Otus consolidates assessment, grading, and data analytics into one intuitive platform. Its recent partnership with Discovery Education and AI-driven insights elevate its capabilities, empowering educators to act quickly on trends and support every learner effectively. With broad adoption and deep integration features, Otus stands out as a streamlined, high-impact educational tool."

ParentSquare
"ParentSquare is a powerful communication platform built for inclusivity, helping schools foster stronger, more equitable connections with families. Its deep feature set, ease of use, and integration capabilities make it a cornerstone for modern school engagement."

PBLWorks Teach
"PBLWorks Teach is a platform that provides more than 70 projects for Project-Based Learning, all backed by research."

Power Technologies,Power Technologies PT-Pro Series Locker
"This storage solution gives IT departments the ability to securely store repaired or loaner devices."

PowerSchool, PowerSchool Attendance Intervention
"PowerSchool's Attendance Intervention tool helps schools monitor attendance patterns and automate basic outreach."

Samsung Electronics America, Samsung WAF Enhances Classroom Collaboration "With support for simultaneous student interaction, seamless Google app integration, and robust device management tools, The Samsung WAF Interactive Display promotes collaboration, engagement, and instructional flexibility. The WAF stands out for its ability to include more students in interactive learning via screen mirroring and multi-zone whiteboarding."

Teachers First LLC, Toddle
"I like that this is a solution by educators for educators. They have the features needed in a good LMS as well as the integration of AI for productivity."

ViewSonic Corp.,ViewSonic ViewBoard IFP8651 EDLA Interactive Flat Panel Display"The Viewsonic IFP8651 EDLA Interactive Display is amazing! Not only is it priced right but it offers a wonderful functionality to laptops or desktop computers by bringing the power of touch to these devices as well as additional viewing real estate."

Vivacity Tech PBC, Vivacity 36-Unit Smart Charging Cart
"This is a is a durable, easy-to-use solution designed specifically for school environments. It keeps devices secure, charges them efficiently, and makes organization simple with clear slots and smooth mobility between classrooms."

Vivacity Tech PBC, Vivacity B30U 30-Unit Pre-Wired USB-C Charging Cart
"This is a sleek, time-saving solution perfect for classrooms using USB-C devices. With pre-wired connections and organized cable management, it's ready to use right out of the box no setup stress for teachers or tech teams."

Vivacity Tech PBC, Vivacity Guardian Backpack
"The Vivacity Guardian Backpack is a fantastic and durable way to transport and protect your technology when it comes to any size laptop, Chromebook or tablet. In fact, this backpack is so versatile that it can carry all three of those items, and more, at the same time!"

Vivacity Tech PBC, Vivacity Guardian Work-in Case with Pouch
"The Vivacity Guardian Work-in Case is a fantastic and durable way to transport and protect your technology when it comes to laptops or Chromebooks. This case has many great features, especially the many pockets that are specific to the accessories and supplemental technologies that are carried with your workstation."

Vivacity Tech PBC, Vivacity Repair Academy
"The Vivacity Repair Academy is an incredible platform for learning how to repair your own devices. This academy is not only perfect for your staff in your school district, but can provide a wonderful opportunity to bring into a high school CTE program."

Vivacity Tech PBC, Vivacity V Suite Pro
"The Vivacity V Suite Pro provides the most comprehensive Chromebook warranty in K-12. V Suite Pro offers unlimited claims, zero deductibles, free shipping, and an incredible repair turnaround time."

HIGHER EDUCATION

AVer Information Inc. USA, M11WB
"I particularly like that the AverMedia M11WB features 4K resolution and 29X zoom to eliminate visibility problems, allowing every student to see fine details, whether it’s a science experiment or a piece of student art."

BenQ Education, InstaShow VS20 Wireless Presentation System
"There are a lot of wireless presentation systems on the market but this one seems to address the connectivity issue quite well. I especially like the touch back feature."

BenQ Education, RP04
"These boards and are excellent. They have a great feature set and are very easy to use and manage."

BenQ Education, BenQ SL04 PANTONE VALIDATED SIGNAGE
"The BenQ SL04 Series is a standout choice for higher education environments that demand vibrant, accurate visuals and adaptable digital signage. This solution combines performance and style, perfectly suited for the fast-paced, visual demands of higher ed."

Epson America, Epson EB-PU2116W large venue laser projector
"The Epson EB-PU2116W is a powerful solution for educational institutions seeking to create immersive, large-scale visual experiences. Its compatibility with various lenses and advanced setup tools makes it highly adaptable and effective for dynamic instructional and artistic applications."

Samsung Electronics America, Samsung WAF Enhances Classroom Collaboration"The Samsung WAF Interactive Display is a robust, Android 14-powered classroom solution that enhances collaboration and engagement with seamless access to Google Apps and smart multitouch features. Its updated Note app, intuitive annotation tools, and centralized device management make it a powerful hub for modern, interactive instruction."

ViewSonic Corp.,ViewSonic LDS138-151 Mobile Direct View LED Display Solution
"The ViewSonic LDS138-151 is an impressive 138-inch all-in-one, mobile Direct View LED Display Solution. This Video-Wall display is nothing short of amazing and even folds up to transport it when combined with the wheelable cart."

We're here in San Antonio, walking the exhibition floor of ISTELive 2025. Here are a few of the sights! Enjoy!

In Part 2 of this two-part series, Tech & Learning, in partnership with PowerSchool, brought together school district experts to share advice about how they improved teacher retention by streamlining their onboarding processes, creating a supportive culture, and offering personalized coaching and professional development programs.

This webinar delved into:

• How to improve retention by putting staff in places to succeed, connecting their work with the strategic direction of the district, and providing frequent feedback
• Tips to transform real-time instructional coaching data into personalized goals
• Strategies to tailor professional development recommendations to boost retention

Participants included:

• Dan Ryder, Director of Design and Innovation, CRCS Overman Schools, Maine
• Dr. Todd Dugan, Superintendent, Bunker Hill CUSD #8, Illinois
• Dr. Leanna Mullen, Student Data Coordinator and RtI Data Coach, Egg Harbor Township School District, New Jersey
• Fred Scott, Retired K-12 Educator, Consultant, and Solutions Engineer, PowerSchool

SEE PART 1 OF THIS SERIES HERE

Key Takeaways

Understanding Next Gen Teachers

Mullen discussed how her district has done in-depth research on the new generation of incoming teachers, which are primarily GenZ and Millennials. The research confirmed that these new teachers are very tech-savvy as it is embedded in all they do, plus they really value PD and crave constructive feedback. She added their strategy is “the millennial sandwich of ‘You’re doing a great job, but here’s something you can do to improve, but you’re doing a great job!’”

Ryder added: “The thing I hear all the time is, ‘They have all grown up with tech. But they haven’t had to use it the way the teaching profession needs it. We make assumptions all the time about generations, but some folks don’t live and breathe in specific modalities. Like, we’re not putting out lesson plans on Snapchat. We’re using tools that they’re not used to.”

Time Is Of The Essence

Mullen also shared from her district’s research that they find that most teachers coming into a district will decide around Day 44 whether they’ll stay, so it’s critical to focus on that time.

Duggan’s district had a 100% retention rate last year. “We didn’t set out for that, it just happened,” he said. But he noted that over the past few years they’ve introduced a full-blown new teacher/staff induction program that coincidentally happens inside the 44-day period Mullen mentioned. In addition to offering PD, they insist that new teachers spend a full day observing a teaching peer in the building or even in another district. They also have a part-time instructional technology coach for support.

Culture Club

“We’ve arrived as a district at the conclusion that it’s our culture that helps us retain teachers,” Duggan said. In addition to the aforementioned PD, they provide an opportunity for teachers to apply for a mini grant to travel to a major education conference. Being able to do so helps teachers feel as if they are actual working professionals, and builds their self-esteem.

Ryder said that as a public charter school not affiliated with a specific town, they have limited funds and can’t just ask for money to pay more competitive salaries.

Therefore, they’ve adopted the “radical” idea of treating people as humans, which has gone a long way to making them want to stay. “Authenticity helps people be themselves,” he said.

PD Voice and Choice

Scott shared that PowerSchool has done a study around what educators are looking for from their PD, and noted that a few key points: They want evidence-based PD that is flexible in strategies; it should be not one-size-fits-all, and offer hybrid and peer-to-peer opportunities; and they want to have the opportunity to have reflection on their practices.

Scott also said that the areas in which new educators are most interested are:

• How to handle discipline and disruptive students.
• How do I address student interventions?
• Communicating with parents and too many meetings/committees.

Ryder echoed the desire for personalized PD, noting that each teacher is able to choose their own path based on their own needs. “Everyone is going to be able to choose the path that fits them best,” he said, which follows the learning paths they’ve created for students. “We’ve had a realization over the past few years: What is good for our learners is good for our staff.”

“Ultimately, choice is important, especially for Millennial/GenZ teachers, who want that opportunity,” said Mullen. Her district offers after- or before-school PD cohorts that focus on new strategies and networking opportunities. They try to provide a variety of modalities and tools, and have launched an innovation team that determines strategies and vets digital tools. New PD opportunities are also generated by this group.

Collaboration Education

“Collaboration is key for PD being effective,” said Duggan, noting that sit-and-get PD isn’t engaging for anyone. “Our district has PD days built into the school year for new teachers to collaborate and learn from peers.”

Mullen discussed using data to show what’s working and the key to building rapport with existing staff. “We want to make sure everyone is on the same page in regard to PD.”

Scott said that PowerSchool’s research showed three preferred PD modalities: common planning time, PLCs, and a collaborational friends group, all of which rely on educators working together.

“Collaboration works best when everyone is authentic and real and heard,” said Ryder. “Their actual needs are met, plus sitting down to collaborate and problem solve together creates moments such as, “I want to work with you on this because I need the answer too!” That’s an amazing synergy.”

• Tech & Learning Webinars

Finding good teachers can be a daunting task. Knowing that our kids are in good hands is important for educators as well as parents. Therefore, the recruitment and onboarding of qualified educators is of equal importance.

In this recent webinar sponsored by PowerSchool, Dan Ryder, Director of Design and Innovation at CRCS Overman Schools in Maine, Greg Bagby, Coordinator of Instructional Technology at Hamilton County Schools, and Fred Scott, K-12 education veteran, talked about the recruitment and onboarding process in the education space.

Watch the full webinar for free on demand here

Unique Recruitment Obstacles

While there are tried and true methods of hiring employees, more nontraditional methods have become popular, especially in the world of education, to overcome recruitment obstacles. Greg Bagby served as a teacher, principal, and is now working in the district office providing support to principals in the process of vetting new teachers for their schools.

“Where Chattanooga is, we sit on the Tennessee-Georgia border and only until recently, like this year, the pay in my district was a little bit less than the surrounding districts were just across the state line,” said Bagby. “So it was a real challenge for us to recruit teachers to come to the district initially.”

The difference in support for public schools and their private counterparts also poses a hurdle when it comes to teachers deciding where to teach (and principals making public schools a desirable location).

Dan Ryder recalled how his district provides for students from a variety of backgrounds while also existing in a politically mixed environment, which influences the educational hiring process.

Fred Scott discussed how recruitment used to be a simple process for educational decision-makers and what teachers are now looking for in terms of employment expectations.

“There are three things that I have experienced in hiring large numbers of people and working with people. They want to be respected, they want their work to be inspected, and they also want to have solid expectations of what their job is. Those are the three things,” said Scott.

Being aware of what goals teachers have and where they want to be is important as it makes teachers feel more appreciated as employees and as people.

How to Recruit Quality Teachers

Regardless of the obstacles educational leaders may face, the recruitment process is important to providing quality education for students. Finding the right teachers might not involve the traditional recruitment process, as Ryder explained. At times, it might venture outside of the box.

“We started doing what most people do, which is put it out on your job posting sites,” said Ryder. “That’s been our primary driver for years. Then it was also going to your college fairs and visiting teacher prep programs, and that's been fine. But what has been really helpful for us to get the word out is using social media to constantly be talking about what we’re doing and that we’re always looking for people.”

Word of mouth seems to be a more preferred way to find educators who not only fit the culture of a school or district but also are genuinely interested in working in that particular environment. Using platforms such as Facebook can be great ways to provide insight to what happens inside the school.

Using searches for larger districts can help to refine the type of teacher for which you may be looking. In this case, traditional recruitment can help, but modern recruitment practices can also help to refine the educators who will become a perfect fit for a particular school or district.

How to Onboard Educators Successfully

After you find the right candidates, how you bring them into a new culture is key to helping create a solid relationship.

Scott explained that creating a clear communication path between teachers and their higher ups is important to fostering continuing success. Being clear on what teachers need to do in the classroom is also important. Providing support, training, and resources can make the difference between successful and unsuccessful teachers.

Bagby mentioned that he treats prospective teachers like they are already part of the team. This may involve in-class activity, but it can also feature out-of-the-class activities such as inviting teachers to lunch. Talking about teaching and expectations in a comfortable environment can help people relax, Bagby said, and giving teachers a stress-free introduction to the culture of a school can go a long way in helping teachers have a fruitful beginning in a new school or district.

• Tech & Learning Webinars

THE BENEFITS OF TECH & LEARNING WEBINARS 

FOR EDUCATORS

Tech & Learning webinars feature education leaders and experts from across the country, discussing how they are solving some of the biggest challenges facing schools and districts, from AI and data privacy to mental wellness and cybersecurity. Each one provides professional learning opportunities, best practices, advice, and more. Plus, registrants may be eligible to win a $250 Amazon Gift Card!

FOR SPONSORS

Webinars continue to be one of the best ways to generate leads and educate fresh audiences about your solutions. Tech & Learning’s webinar platform and marketing program offers an opportunity to showcase your product and get qualified leads in two models: single sponsor and multi-sponsored.

To read about and view all of our past webinars, visit Tech & Learning's Webinars page.

RECENT PAST WEBINARS

Tech & Learning's EdTech to Watch: The AI Playbook: 2-Part Webinar Series

The rapid evolution of AI is fundamentally transforming the educational landscape, offering unprecedented opportunities alongside new responsibilities. This recent two-part webinar series was designed to guide education leaders through this shift, moving from the "what" of cutting-edge innovation to the "how" of workforce preparation and the "why" of data security.

It featured two sessions:

The Cutting Edge: New Features from Top AI Solution Providers: This session explores the most impactful new features from industry-leading AI solution providers that support curriculum, lesson planning, streamlining administrative tasks, and more.

The Integrity Infrastructure: How to Ensure AI Solutions are Safe: This session dives deep into the architecture of safety, exploring how leading AI providers are prioritizing student data privacy and institutional security.

Watch on demand here

Tech & Learning's 2026 EdTech to Watch

In this two-part virtual interactive “playground” webinar series from Tech & Learning, attendees had the opportunity to explore innovative edtech products and ask questions during a live Q&A. Hosted by Christine Weiser, Tech & Learning’s brand content manager, each event featured 15-minute live demonstrations.

Watch Part 1: Primary Education On Demand

Watch Part 2: Secondary Education On Demand

The Screen Time Debate: Myths vs. Facts

Phones in class? Tablets at home? Everyone's got an opinion — but what does the data say?

The results from a national survey of school districts around student screen time and its impact on learning was the focus of a recent webinar sponsored by Lightspeed Systems. Hosted by Christine Weiser, Content Director for Tech & Learning, the discussion featured Amy Bennett, Chief Of Staff for Lightspeed Systems, Kyle Berger, Chief Technology Officer at Grapevine-Colleyville ISD, and Charles Franklin, Assistant Superintendent for Cypress Fairbanks ISD. The panel explored the realities of student screen time, challenging common misconceptions with data and expert insights.

WATCH THE WEBINAR ON DEMAND HERE

MATH + MOTIVATION = ACHIEVEMENT: PROVEN PRACTICES THAT WORK

Achievement in math doesn't happen without motivation—and the most successful districts know how to combine the two.

During this recent webinar, featuring Cassandra Haines-Riiska, Educator Success Specialist for Prodigy Education, and Edward Courtney, an elementary teacher for Long Beach Public Schools in New York, as well as content from Lisa Marceau, Director of Curriculum and Instruction for North Adams Schools in Massachusetts (who could not attend), attendees heard real-world examples of how creating fun, engaging math experiences drives student persistence, improves outcomes, and helps close achievement gaps.

Whether your district is looking to accelerate learning, improve equity, or simply help students enjoy math again, the discussion provided practical, research-informed approaches to explore how math plus motivation adds up to lasting achievement for every student.

WATCH THE WEBINAR ON DEMAND HERE

Ready for AI? Preparing for the Next School Year

The recent "Ready for AI? Preparing for the Next School Year" webinar, sponsored by PowerSchool, focused on equipping teachers and staff with the necessary skills and confidence to integrate AI into their classrooms. The discussion also showcased how AI can save time and enhance both teacher productivity and student engagement.

Participants shared advice, best practices and specific ways that they personally approach providing PD centered around implementing AI into their work.

WATCH THE WEBINAR ON DEMAND HERE

Turn Caring into Action: Boost Engagement & Attendance

During a special webinar, sponsored by ClassDojo and hosted by Tech & Learning’s Content and Brand Director Christine Weiser, the focus was on transforming school culture through meaningful family connections. Lorri Hobson, former Director of ADM/Attendance for Cleveland Metropolitan School District in Ohio and Director of Productive Development at Attendance Works, and Chad Stevens, Head of K-12 Engagement at ClassDojo, walked attendees through a simple, effective five-step process that has proven to improve interactions with families and address attendance challenges.

Watch the webinar HERE for free on demand

K-12 Cybersecurity in the Age of AI: Taking Back Control

AI isn't just a buzzword, and K-12 cybersecurity isn't just about blocking threats; it's about securing data from AI-driven risks while ensuring districts retain full control. As AI adoption grows, schools must take control to prevent misuse, protect data, and enforce accountability through technology, without adding complexity.

Retaining Talented, Passionate Educators

School district experts share advice and best practices on how they improved teacher retention by streamlining their onboarding processes, creating a supportive culture, and offering personalized coaching and professional development programs.

Recruiting and Onboarding Talented, Passionate Educators

Finding good teachers can be a daunting task. Knowing that our kids are in good hands is important for educators as well as parents. Therefore, the recruitment and onboarding of qualified educators is of equal importance.

Standards-Based Learning and Grading: Your 2024 Game Plan

The movement toward standards-based learning has been in motion for more than 30 years, yet there is still widespread confusion about why this model is so valuable.

During this roundtable webinar, a panel of K-12 leaders discussed how they tackle the most pressing questions about standards-based learning and grading and shared how you can prepare to address them in the new school year.

Empowering School Communities Through the Next Generation of the K12 Maker Movement

An insightful webinar hosted by Cricut designed to explore the transformative potential of the next generation of tools powering the K12 Maker Movement. This webinar covered the following:

• Introduction to K12 Maker Movement 2.0
• Benefits for Educators & Administrators for Leveraging Cricut to Empower the Next Generation of the K12 Maker Movement
• Implementation Strategies
• Resources and Support

Creating A Responsible AI Policy: Top 10 Things to Know

For school and district leaders facing the task of creating a responsible AI policy, understanding of the different types of AI and its ethical use is critical. During a recent Tech & Learning webinar, in partnership with Merlyn Mind, ten critical aspects essential for creating a responsible AI policy were discussed, including data privacy, safety and security, training and support, and student well-being.

Implementing an AI Roadmap Framework: Preparing Staff & Students

The rapid growth of AI in schools has caused both excitement and concern from school district communities. In Part 2 of this two-part series, Tech & Learning, in partnership with PowerSchool, brought together school district experts to share advice about how they trained their staff to be comfortable with the integration of AI tools, as well as support students with using the AI tools that can help with their success.

Designing an AI Roadmap Framework: Creating and Communicating AI Guidelines and Policies

The use of AI in school districts has been equal parts exciting and concerning for educators. Many factors involving the use of AI-driven programs and technology have yet to be fully understood. However, the quest to integrate and comprehend AI’s usefulness is one that many school districts have undertaken to help both teachers and students.

3 Modern Challenges Facing District IT Leaders

With the rise of innovations such as generative AI, IT leaders face increasingly complex challenges in the effort to protect student safety and digital wellbeing. During a recent webinar presentation sponsored by Linewize, Logan Joiner, Network Analyst for Richland School District in Washington, and Terrisa Reeves, Territory Directory for Linewize, discussed exploring practical solutions and empowering IT teams for success in the evolving world of edtech.

To read about and view all of our past webinars, visit Tech & Learning's Webinars page.

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”

― Charles Dickens on the Explosion of Artificial Intelligence (just kidding – it’s obviously the opening line of A Tale of Two Cities – but it kinda works, doesn’t it?)

It’s conference season in the education space, and spring has blossomed into dozens of acronym-hosted events across the country (ASCD, DLAC, AASA, etc.). Naturally, the acronym du jour, “AI,” dominated every conference agenda. 

I was able to attend two of these national conferences – The CoSN Annual Conference and ASU-GSV in April, almost back-to-back and on opposite coasts – so I thought it would be fun to capture a comparison of these two conferences that aim to support innovation in education, but in very different ways. 

A caveat: These observations are just my opinions on what I experienced as one veteran education reporter who was only able to collect samples from each conference given the constraints of space and time. I’m sure AI will be able to help me better scale my experience next year!

CoSN & ASU-GSV: Beautiful Location 

CoSN
Check! The InterContinental Miami on the waterfront offered spectacular views of blue skies overlooking gently bobbing boats, graceful seagulls, breathtaking sunsets, and plenty of fun things to do in the area. 

ASU-GSV
Check! The Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego ticked the same boxes as The InterContinental Miami – just on the opposite side of the country.    

Conference Theme

CoSN
Leading for Innovation at Warp Speed 

ASU-GSV
Here Comes The Sun

Core Audience

CoSN
K-12 CTOs, companies looking to do business with them.  

ASU-GSV
Venture capitalists/private equity/investors targeting K-20 education and workforce, edu startups looking for funding and partnerships, K-20 educators and administrators 

Program

CoSN
Plenty of AI, of course, but there was a plethora of other sessions focusing on the work of K-12 tech leaders with data security/privacy coming in at No. 2 for most popular session topic. 

ASU-GSV
Ditto on the abundance of AI on the agenda, but the ASU-GSV program focused less on the practical applications of AI and more on the imagining of what it can become in education. This was especially evident in the conference’s new AIR Show – ASU-GSV’s first time hosting a traditional trade show running concurrently with the main conference. There was plenty of passion from the startup founders of these AI companies I spoke to at this event, but I’m hopeful these dreamers take the needed time to ensure their “children” have the time to mature into safe, interoperable young adults that solve new problems in education – or fill niche voids in the current education industry product offerings. 

Vibe

CoSN
The size of CoSN (about 1,000) was perfect for meaningful networking. I need to disclose bias here: I have attended this conference for years and many of our T&L advisors and company friends attend, as well. That said, I do think there is a general warmth and friendliness at CoSN. The conference is a good blend of reunion and new networking opportunities. Almost every time I was greeted by a friendly face, I was introduced to at least one new person. 

ASU-GSV
The actual attendance numbers at ASU-GSV are likely skewed. Official reg is about 8,000, but I suspect that number increases significantly when you factor in the many opportunists who set up shop in the hotel lobby to take advantage of some guerilla networking. (Not surprising for a conference designed for entrepreneurs!) This conference is all about BUSINESS – making deals, closing deals – you get the idea. Attendees are not unfriendly – they just seemed a bit more hurried and determined. This is not a judgment or criticism as I really enjoyed my conversations at the event. I would just describe the vibe as a bit more serious. 

Best Place to Network

CoSN
Hotel lobby.

ASU-GSV
Ditto! 

Sample Keynote Speakers

CoSN
- Dr. Susan Enfield, Retired Superintendent, Washoe County School District
- Jean-Claude Brizard, President & CEO, Digital Promise
- Hadi Partovi, Founder of Code.org 

ASU-GSV
- Paula Abdul
- Van Jones
- Common
Not sure on the edu connection for some of these choices but heck – it was “straight-up” cool to see Paula Abdul! 

Most Frequent Education “Celebrity” Sightings 

CoSN
Richard Culatta, CEO of ASCD/ISTE, for the win. He was my first sighting at both conferences and I know he attended many of the other spring acronym events. He also popped into our Utah Leadership Summit for a surprise visit. He always looks refreshed, happy, and welcoming. How does he do it?!  

ASU-GSV
Ditto! Runner up: Carl Hooker. As our official Regional Summit emcee, I see Carl about once a month, but know he jet sets as much, if not more, than Richard. He is also always energetic, fun, funny, smart, and welcoming. I have mad respect for this guy! 

Some Personal Favorite Moments 

CoSN
- Puppies! Yeah – you read that correctly. A local dog rescue group brought in some seriously adorable puppies for cuddling – and ideally adoption. Cuddling these little fur balls was the best mental health break of the day. 

-  Women in IT Breakfast (image at top): This sold-out session was inspiring – and a bit disheartening. Dr. Ivy Nelson, Instructional Technology Manager, Belton School District (MO), presented some disappointing stats about how few women still represent IT in education (2016: 36% of CTOs were female – this dropped to 33% in 2023). We broke out into small groups to discuss a variety of topics that yielded some emotional, candid conversations about how much work we still need to do in this area. I’d love to see this expanded into a longer program! 

-  Livestreaming the solar eclipse: Kudos to the conference organizers and sponsor Slooh for interrupting the afternoon keynote to beam in a livestream of the solar eclipse via  telescopes in Missouri. The narrator was REALLY into it, which made for good fun. Watch the footage here. 

ASU-GSV
- Free ice cream! Okay, so this wasn’t an official part of the conference, but when Ben & Jerry’s gave away free ice cream one afternoon, even the most buttoned up business pros smiled like they were back in kindergarten as they enjoyed their cones by the waterfront under a beautiful blue sky.

- The new AIR Show: Year One for this new conference went pretty well. Attendance was light the day I went (the last of three days), but that day conflicted with the opening of the concurrent ASU-GSV conference that took place at the Grand Hyatt down the street from the convention center. Most people I spoke with said the weekend had a good turnout. The event design was reminiscent of the international education conference, BETT, with sessions taking place right on the show floor with the vendor exhibits. Room to grow here for sure, but a valiant first-year effort. 

- Talking with Dr. Richard Charles, CIO of Denver Public Schools (but SO MUCH MORE). I was seriously blown away by the story of Dr. Charles’ life journey, and plan to profile his work soon in T&L. I told him my suggested title for the memoir I hope he writes: “I Wanted to be an Astronaut, Now the Moon is Within Reach: My Life’s Wild Ride.” Intrigued? You should be. I’m humbled and grateful that Dr, Charles has agreed to share a small slice of his incredible life experience in his keynote at our Tech & Learning pre-ISTE Leadership Summit. 

“It was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity.”

Back to Dickens’ Tale of Two Cities to bring this full circle. We have certainly entered into uncertain times with the AI Revolution, and it can be easy to get distracted by the “wow factors” of this new technology. But as Dr. Charles said during our conversation at ASU-GSV, schools should proceed with caution before systematically integrating AI too quickly into school programs. Many of these tools capture private student data, so putting guardrails in place to ensure this data stays safe is vital. 

Thanks to the event hosts for their hard work on both conferences. Next up: ISTE in Denver! 

Educators and school leaders will get two conventions for the price of one next year when ISTELive and the ASCD Annual conference join forces in San Antonio, Texas, from June 29-July 2, 2025. Those who register for either conference will get access to both, which will be held at the same facilities and operate as a two-in-one event. 

Jennifer Ragan-Fore, ASCD + ISTE Chief Experience Officer, says the decision to co-host ISTELive and ASCD was made for the same reasons the two organizations decided to merge in the first place. 

“It’s really about being able to bring together people across the entire instructional spectrum — leaders all the way down to classroom teachers and coaches,” she says. “The events for both organizations are obviously an exclamation point, and each year we’re bringing that educator community together.”

ISTELive and the ASCD Annual Conference Co-located: What That Will Look Like  

Some aspects of the 2025 co-hosted ISTELive and ASCD Annual Conference are still coming together, but participants will be able to register through ISTE or ASCD, and though that, registration will provide access to all events. Various talks, panels, demonstrations etc. will be branded as either an ISTELive or ASCD conference event. Broadly speaking, each of these types of events will have their own flavor. 

"On the ASCD side, there's been a lot of focus really on thought leadership, really deep learning longer format sessions,” Ragan-Fore says. “On the ISTE side, it's been a little bit faster moving shorter sessions, more hands-on things, lots of public space workshops and playgrounds. What we hear a lot is the audience is really there to find those sparks of inspiration to go back and try in their classrooms.” 

Excitement From Educators  

With the events now hosted together, leadership-focused educators will have the chance to sit-in on more classroom-centric events and classroom-focused educators can listen in on some broader curriculum focused workshops and discussions. Various team members from the same district will also be able to attend together and discuss what they have learned, Ragan-Fore says. 

At this year’s ASCD conference there was lots of excitement about the plan. “We got a lot of great feedback from folks, lots of people coming up and saying, ‘We have limited budgets, and every year, I'm trying to decide, 'Can I send this subset to this event, and this subset to this event?' It’s going t be super exciting to bring a whole team together and be able to kind of experience this across the board,’” Ragan-Fore says.

Advice For Conference Attendees  

Whether attending the co-located conference next year or ISTELive this summer, Ragan-Fore recommends planning ahead to ensure you choose correct conferences. 

For next year, Ragan-Fore says the team is hoping to unveil an AI recommendation app that can help participants choose the best events for them. But even so, she says, it’s also good to have a second pick for each time slot in case you arrive and that event is full. 

And no matter how great the events are, one of the true highlights of this, or any other conference, is connecting with other educators. 

“You're learning from other people and hearing their reflections on things,” she says. “Even if you're part of the team reach out and hear other perspectives from other schools and districts, and if you're going individually really try to take advantage and make the most of those [networking/connecting] opportunities.”  

• What is TeachAI? The AI Education Resource Explained by ISTE’s Chief Learning Officer
• Best of ISTELive 2023

ISTE and ASCD will be co-locating ISTELive and the ASCD Annual Conference starting in 2025. The events will be happening together June 29 - July 2, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas.

"When ASCD and ISTE decided to join forces, we did so with the goal of bringing together a community of educators and innovators to design the future of education," says Jennifer Ragan-Fore, ASCD + ISTE Chief Experience Officer, in a recent press release announcing the partnership. "At the heart of the merger was a desire to build a united community of passionate educators who would spark joy and design transformative learning experiences for their students."

The events will also coincide with Tech & Learning's Regional Leadership Summit, which will also be in San Antonio in 2025.

According to the press release, "By registering to attend either ISTELive or the ASCD Annual conference, [attendees] automatically unlock access to both conference programs covering innovative teaching, leadership, and learning across all instructional roles. In addition, [they'll] enjoy a series of joint learning experiences featuring exciting mainstage programming, an integrated expo focused on learning, and a series of blended content at the intersection of curriculum and digital innovation."

Although details are still being finalized, pricing will be similar to current ISTELive and ASCD Annual Conference pricing, with tiered registration and member discounts, according to the ASCD website. Conference content will be held at the Henry B Gonzalez Convention Center, Grand Hyatt San Antonio, and San Antonio Marriott Rivercenter. 

"Co-locating our two events helps us achieve this goal by providing you an unparalleled learning experience," Ragan-Force says in the press release. "At our co-located events you will have the chance to connect with some of the brightest minds in education, explore how technology can spark curiosity, and discover opportunities to make learning more meaningful and engaging."

• ISTELive 2024
• 2024 ASCD Annual Conference

The EdExec Summit is a new event from Tech & Learning that brings together top executives from the K-12 industry for a unique three-day networking conference to help business leaders develop new strategic partnerships, navigate the ever-changing landscape of education, grow their businesses, and build the infrastructure and culture needed to ensure a successful, scalable education business plan. 

The event takes place at the beautiful Chateau Elan Winery & Resort outside of Atlanta, Georgia, on September 6-8, 2023.

                                                    REGISTER HERE

Agenda highlights include:

►Keynote presentation by NFL CIO Gary Brantley, who will share practical tips to develop thriving edtech business ecosystems. 

►Finding the money after ESSER and the “fiscal cliff”

►How to scale into new global markets

►How to avoid the 6 mistakes made by emerging edtech companies

►How to market and sell in a post-Covid economy

►How to integrate generative AI into your products and educate your customers about how generative AI impacts teaching and learning.  

►How to successfully recruit and onboard diverse former educators and prepare them for success in their shift to corporate careers. 

►A sneak peek at the National EdTech Plan – and what this means for the education industry. 

►Marketing tips from a panel of school district leaders who share an inside look at how and why they choose corporate partners. 

►Education policy updates: What edtech companies need to know and how to prepare they need to watch for in 2024 to ensure financial success. 

                                                       REGISTER HERE

Whether you are a K-12 publisher, software developer, hardware manufacturer, investor, industry analyst, or provider of any service to schools, the robust EdExec Summit agenda offers invaluable advice to support your business growth. We hope you can join us for this networking conference dedicated to the business of education at the beautiful Chateau Elan Resort, North Georgia’s premier destination resort, which includes a winery, spas, golf, and more!              

This panel of education leaders shares the reading intervention strategies their districts used to help students meet grade-level literacy objectives. 

                                                                  WATCH NOW

Dr. Kecia Ray talks with experts about specific ways school district leaders can easily integrate STEAM programs into their schools and support their teachers with lessons that engage and inspire our future innovators and problem solvers. 

                                                                  WATCH NOW

Dr. Kecia Ray talks with thought leaders about using “expanded learning” to move beyond remediation to accelerate student learning and mastery. 

                                                                  WATCH NOW

A bad grade can keep a student up at night but offers little in the way of constructive feedback. 

“When you think about a traditional grading system, there's one data point, 'I got a 75 on this quiz,' or 'I got a B on this essay,'” said John Camp, head of teaching and learning at the New England Innovation Academy. That’s part of why at his school the focus is on competencies rather than letter or numerical grades. “There are several data points for each assessment so that a student can understand what skills they're working on, and when they get that back with feedback, they understand how to improve,” Camp added. 

Camp and other education experts recently spoke about effective grading models at a Tech & Learning webinar hosted by Dr. Kecia Ray and sponsored by Otus. 

The webinar can be viewed on-demand here.  

Key Takeaways

Traditional Grading is Losing Points 

Matt Townsley, professor of Educational Leadership at the University of Northern Iowa, said COVID helped speed up trends in grading toward standards or competency-based grading that were already present. “We want to create a system, a gradebook, that honors that students learn at different rates and different paces. We knew that before COVID, but COVID just kind of highlighted that fact for us,” he said. 

Camp added, “Not only do students learn at different rates in different ways, teachers teach at different rates and in different ways. A lot of times, that's super challenging when we're talking about the arbitrary nature of 'This is five points, this is 100 points.'” 

Updating a Grading System Takes Time 

Despite what advocates see as advantages for competency-based grading, education leaders should not try to move their district to a new grading system overnight. 

“If you're considering a change, I would say take it slow. Don't try to do too much all at once,” said Kendell Hunter, user community coordinator at Otus and a former teacher. “Make sure that teachers have the right tools to work smarter, not harder. I was in a school that went through a three-year transition to standards-based grading. At one point I was calculating my conversions, we were all sitting down and our heads were just spinning trying to crunch numbers. We don't need teachers to crunch numbers, we need them to analyze responses, guide instruction.” 

Getting Parents on Board

The first step for school leaders looking to update grading systems is to start with the why. “Clearly articulate what the purpose of grades is going to be in your school,” Townsley said. “Do not start by saying, 'We want to buy an awesome gradebook,' or 'We want to do this little change.' Start by creating consensus within the school around what the purpose of grades is.”  

The next step is communicating that to students and their parents. One of Camp’s students last year told him that while he understood the competency-based system he wasn’t sure what to tell his parents when they asked how he was doing in the class. “I said, ‘Tell them what you learned. Tell them what you're learning. Tell them what you're working on,’” Camp said. 

Keeping Students Motivated 

A common question about competency-based learning is in regard to whether students will be motivated to do daily homework if they’re not being graded on that work. The panelists agreed that the role grades play in motivation is overrated. “I can confidently say that the grading scale did not impact motivation in my experience,” Hunter said. “The students who struggled with motivation struggled when we were on points, when we were transitioning to standards, and when we were full on standards-based.” 

She added, “In terms of motivation, I always had the most success when I focused on things that I could control, like the learning activities, the level of excitement, the safety that my students felt in their classrooms, that collaboration.” 

Standards Aligned Grading is Not Grade Inflation

Sometimes competency or standards teaching is accused of being grade inflation by another name. The panelists disagreed with that assessment. 

“I would argue that it's not great inflation because you can really target how a student is performing on a standard,” Camp said. “Getting points for homework – that's the grade inflation, just getting points for compliance. In a standards-based system where you're focusing on specific skills, it's very clear you can't just get a high mark if you can't do the skill well, so it's much more targeted than a traditional system.” 

Standards Aligned Grading Is How the World Works

Another argument against standards-aligned grading is that it is “not how the real world works.” Townsley disagreed with that. “Never in the real world is anyone ever expected to be perfect the first time and every time thereafter,” he said. “Our aim in the K-12 system is to help as many kids as possible, get it. That's our goal. That's why we exist. So we should be figuring out ways to provide students multiple opportunities to learn the stuff that we're teaching them.” 

Effective standards-aligned classrooms allow students multiple opportunities but students have to earn the opportunity to retry an assignment or test. “It's not some free-for-all where we hand back the test or the project, then 30 seconds later they're doing it all over again. It's much different than maybe it seems from afar,” Townsley said. “There's a ton of things in life that you don’t get a second chance on. But there are plenty of things you do. You can take the GRE exam multiple times, the MCAT exam multiple times, the ACT multiple times, the driver's license test multiple times. Some of the highest-trained professionals I know, surgeons, they practice and make mistakes on cadavers time and time and time and time again before they're ever allowed to practice their surgical skills on real people.” 

• Tech & Learning Webinars

Any New York City teacher can register to attend the 10th annual #NYCSchoolsTech Summit, which will be back in-person on Wednesday, August 17 at LaGuardia High School in Manhattan. At the Summit, you’ll find dozens of thought-provoking sessions, hear best instructional practices, gain edtech insights, learn about new technologies and strategies, and network with colleagues.

There are lots of other reasons to attend the Tech Summit. Here are eight: 

A chance for in-person connection

It’s been over two years since DIIT has held a large, in-person conference. This conference is a chance to reconnect with colleagues and meet SPOCs, librarians, and parent coordinators in person. In some cases, it’ll be a chance to meet colleagues in-person for the first time! 

The latest tech

Emergency remote teaching turned New York City into the largest district in the nation with one device for each student. Wonder what devices and software kids are using these days? Come take a spin on the vendor floor and find out. 

Keynote

This year’s keynote speaker is Roya Mahboob, an entrepreneur and Afghanistan’s first female tech CEO who has used her success and expertise to help educate and empower Afghan women and girls. She founded the Digital Citizen Fund and the Afghan Girls Robotics Team, and has worked to build innovation/tech centers across Afghanistan. 

Escape room - made by students!

Can you make it out of the escape room? Give it a shot and see if you can solve a series of puzzles and decipher clues about ed tech to make it out of the room! Students at Thomas A. Edison Career & Technical Education High School designed the entire experience. 

Special guest star

Gaspare Randazzo is a New York City teacher and stand-up comedian, performing in clubs around the city. He’ll be on stage, during the closing remarks, to talk about life as a teacher. 

Social Media Scavenger Hunt

Is your Insta and Twitter game on point? Share what you’ve learned in the Social Media Scavenger Hunt using #NYCSchoolsTech for a chance to win terrific prizes. 

Many teacher-led sessions

Teachers will host many of the summit's sessions. They’ll share their real experiences with the technology they’re using.

Free food!

We all love free food and snacks. Come to the Summit for coffee, snacks, and a delicious lunch. 

This was cross-posted at The Innovative Educator.

In order to help organizations that are affected by ongoing staff shortages and individuals who are looking to enter the education field, the Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (ALAS) is hosting a virtual National Career Fair from 1 - 5 p.m. Eastern Time on Feb. 11 and Feb.12, 2022. School districts and education companies from across the country will be at the online event to recruit for a wide variety of jobs, including teachers, school counselors,  school and district superintendents and other education positions, as well as for company jobs such as education consultants. The event includes workshops for job seekers with interview tips, resume feedback and mock interviews. For school districts and companies, it offers an opportunity to make connections with the ALAS network to support diversity within staff.

Job seekers and potential employers can register at https://app.associationsphere.com/OmQ6e. Registration is free for job seekers. Registration is $550 for potential employers that are ALAS members and $750 for non-members.

“We need a strong pipeline of talented, compassionate, equity-minded staff members, educators and administrators in order to improve education, especially for Latino and other historically marginalized students,” said ALAS Executive Director Dr. Maria Armstrong. “Our National Education Career Fair is an opportunity for job seekers to learn about new opportunities to make a difference, and for school districts and companies to recruit passionate employees which will ultimately help to strengthen that pipeline and better serve our students.”

The ALAS National Career Fair is geared toward educators, administrators and others in the education field who are ready to start or climb their career ladders. Representatives from colleges and universities will also be on hand to meet with attendees who want to discuss their career path.

The event is one of several networking programs and events that ALAS offers. The organization also hosts a major education conference in the fall, as well as vodcasts discussing issues in education, and other professional development opportunities throughout the year. For more information about ALAS, visit https://www.alasedu.org/.

Explore the intersection of Social Emotional Learning and STEM Education, the STEM pipeline, and much more.

The virtual Summit takes place on October 28, 12:00-3:00pm ET.

STEM education aims to prepare students to solve the big problems of the world. But we now realize that it’s not enough just to know how to code and calculate. Creating solutions -- especially for today’s issues -- means tapping into our humanity. It means developing skills of empathy, compassion, self-discipline and social awareness, among others. 

Explore the connection between STEM and SEL at this year’s SmartBrief Education STEM Pathways Summit. Topics slated for this year’s event include:

• SEL driving STEM education
• STEM and STEAM for early learners
• Nurturing the STEM educator pipeline
• Crashing the barriers of equity and diversity
• Helping students see themselves in STEM career fields
• Developing the next-generation of entrepreneurs
• Creativity and design

This event is designed for educators, policymakers and industry professionals working in STEM. Audience members include K-20 Career and Technical Education administrators and directors, K-20 directors of STEM education programs, K-12 superintendents, K-20 STEM specialists, K-20 STEM educators and professors, College and Career Readiness professionals.

Why attend?

LEARN

• Take a deep dive into the future of STEM in education
• Understand critical thinking within the classroom
• Understand real-world ways to address the STEM skills gap, and prepare students for careers in STEM fields

NETWORK

• Networking opportunities and virtual booths allow you to interact with industry leading speakers and sponsors 
• Connect with peers on how they are approaching STEM 
• Arrange 1:1 meetings after the event with the brands you are interested in

PARTICIPATE

• Take part in Q&A during event sessions
• Join the conversation on Twitter and see the live feed in the event hub using   #SBSTEM21 @SBEducation  
• Download valuable documents and resources throughout the event 

REGISTER FOR FREE NOW 

Social-emotional learning’s importance for students, teachers, and all school stakeholders is increasingly recognized. But how we define SEL, how best to implement it, and what role technology can play in providing SEL support is not always clear.  

During this recent Tech & Learning virtual roundtable, these topics were discussed. Dr. Kecia Ray spoke with Dr. Nick Yoder, director of strategic initiatives for Harmony SEL and Inspire Teaching & Learning at National University; Dr. Dawn Bridges, the AASA SEL Cohort Program Lead and the Senior Director of Education Partnerships for Right At School; and Michael Boggess, sales director for Lightspeed Systems. 

Watch the on demand version here. 

Key Takeaways 

SEL Definitions Abound

Defining SEL is more difficult than many people realize and research has found hundreds of terms have been used to talk about children’s social and emotional development, said Yoder. “So it's not surprising that we all come with a very different definition of what we mean and think about social emotional learning,” Yoder said, noting that he generally uses CASEL’s definition. The definition has been recently updated to say that social-emotional learning is an integral part of education and human development. It is the teaching and learning process, in which all young people and adults, acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy relationships, manage emotions, achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain healthy relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions. 

“They even continue to further talk about how it supports equity and equitable access for youth and the combination and the context in which all youth live, learn, and grow and develop in families, and communities,” Yoder said. 

Not Just for Students or Teachers 

While more attention is being paid to the SEL needs of teachers, Bridges said the conversation can’t stop there. “We need to make sure that it includes the community, it isn't  just teachers,” she said. “It's the staff and bus drivers. It's the Board of Education and the whole entire community. And when we think about moving forward and what schools need, we need to take a very comprehensive look and make sure we're including all stakeholders in that.” 

SEL and Mental Health 

Though linked, SEL and mental health are not synonyms. “The World Health Organization, defines mental health as a state of well being in which an individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with normal life stressors, and can work productively and is able to make a good contribution to his or her community,” Yoder said. “Another definition of mental health really focuses on a series of psychological symptoms that can interfere with overall functioning, so there's both that sort of asset-based approach to defining mental health as well as more of a deficit-based approach to defining mental health.” 

He added, “When we're thinking of SEL we're definitely thinking about that asset-based approach and skill development. The attitude development within supportive contexts that will help people function in multiple domains of life. So they are similar in that they both promote overall well being, but they are slightly different in their focus and how they are approached within schools and districts.” 

Making SEL Part of Your Ongoing Plan

Bridges said superintendents need to be thinking several years in advance about how SEL can support their district’s goals. “What are those skills, what is that experience of a pre-K to grade 12 and beyond, and into postgraduate work? What are those outcomes that we want, and how do we want to make sure that we are very systemic and intentional in embedding a plan and a vision for our students around social-emotional learning,” she said. “From a leadership perspective, the superintendent and stakeholders and board of education really needs to think about what does it look like, what do we want these kids to have and so a profile of a graduate is one thing that comes to mind when building that vision.” 

Harmony SEL, the program Yoder works with at National University, offers free SEL training and teacher prep for educators. “There is a huge need for increased SEL within teacher preparation across the board, but it was deeper than many people realize and it definitely needs to be ingrained more fully,” he says. 

Using Data and Technology to Support SEL 

Boggess said that before utilizing data you have to make sure it is accurate and easy to obtain. “Solutions such as Lightspeed can show you who's not logging in, which is the equity, part of the conversation,” he said. “If you have these students who have devices and they don't have connectivity at home, you need reports of who's not actually using it, not who's using it and how they're using it. It's more important to see who's not using it, because that right there is your first warning sign of what's going on.” 

It is also key that you are able to track student uses of various tech tools. This data can also provide info that helps you target SEL efforts to students and can encourage more questions to be asked by school leaders around SEL.  

“I'm grateful to see so many leaders asking the questions and using technology to ask questions like ‘Do you feel that you belong?’” Bridges said. “The biggest thing is building those relationships. So how can we use that technology to make sure that we are connecting with kids and that they do feel that they do belong. Or if they don't, what are we doing to make sure that they do, and what are our equitable practices that we're putting in place to ensure that they do feel like they belong.” 

More T&L Webinar Recaps

• Using Technology to Address Student Mental Health
• Engaging Students in Any Environment
• T&L Webinars

Tech & Learning is launching a new event series to address the age-old question: “Can the marriage of technology and curriculum be saved?” 

The new Tech & Learning Regional Leadership Summits will bring together instructional and technology district leaders in a relaxed virtual setting in which attendees can talk candidly about how collaboration between these departments is key to developing effective district strategic plans. 

Each Tech & Learning Leadership Summit focuses on the unique needs of specific regions to give attendees the valuable insight they need to develop action plans. 

What follows are the dates and regions for the 2021 Tech & Learning Regional Leadership Summits:

March 23: Texas - website

April 23: Mid-South - website

May 21: California- website

June 21: Georgia- website 

 “We’re excited about this new event series,” says Tech & Learning Content Director Christine Weiser. “We’ve learned this past year that a healthy collaboration between the instructional and technology departments continues to play a crucial role in implementing effective district initiatives. The focus of each Regional Summit will be on how these departments can use collaboration, communication, and leadership to guide these initiatives as districts plan for next year and beyond.” 

For more information and to apply to attend this invitation-only event, please visit the website for the region of your choosing. There is no charge to attend. 

WHO SHOULD ATTEND: CTOs, CAOs, Instructional/Tech District Leaders

WHY TO ATTEND: 

• Collaborate with other technology and curriculum district leaders
• Share ideas and best practices
• Expand your PLN through this new community 
• Get the latest news about school funding in your region 
• Walk away with specific actions for your strategic planning 

COMING UP: 

SEPTEMBER 24: Midwest

OCTOBER 22: Northeast

NOVEMBER 12: Northwest

DECEMBER 3: Florida

For more information, contact Christine Weiser at Christine.Weiser@futurenet.com. 

Bett, the world’s largest education event, ran its first virtual show in January. BettFest was three days of inspiration, professional development and product discovery. Over 7,500 people from 110 countries and all parts of the edtech industry took part in this exciting event.

The event focused on three key themes which will help to shape remote learning on a global scale: leadership, digital inclusion and resilient futures and content was delivered in three ways: Mainstage, Bett Academy and Solutions Showcases to support the different needs of the global Bett community.

Anchoring each day was a live mainstage packed with thought leaders including Sir Anthony Seldon, Bruce Daisley and Microsoft’s CEO, Satya Nadella. We were also honoured to broadcast a special address from Rt Hon Nick Gibb MP, who recognised the vital role that education technology has played in the past year and announced initiatives to support this to continue. The mainstage also gathered educators from across the world sharing stories from their schools during lockdown. These keynote sessions were designed to inspire but also to celebrate the classroom educator who innovation and dedication has anchored and supported young people through this past year.

At 4pm each day attendees were able to benefit from professional, accredited CPD from Apple, Connected Learning Centre, Animate2Educate and Microsoft – practical, interactive, deep-dive sessions. These sessions officially launched Bett Academy, a monthly series of interactive, accredited professional development that will take place live on the last Friday of each month at 4pm GMT. Sessions are all available on-demand for easy 24-hour access at https://www.bettshow.com/bett-academy.

To keep the spirit of innovation and new ideas alive BettFest also featured daily Solutions Showcase sessions which were available on-demand. Companies including Dell, HPE, Asus, Acer, Cisco Meraki, Microsoft and a selection of entries to the Bett Awards. These exciting sessions aimed to echo the innovative spirit of the Bett Show live and featured product launches, discussions with celebrities including comedian Dara O’Briain and astronaut Tim Peake.

Bett isn’t complete without the Bett Awards and this year was no exception. BettFest culminated in the announcement of the winners of the Covid-19 Response Champions Awards which paid tribute to the companies and schools who have responded to the Covid-19 outbreak in a way that has positively impacted on the education, health and wellbeing of the student population in combating the pandemic. Winners were announced in three categories: International Initiatives; Schools & Colleges (UK & International); UK Companies.

To see the full shortlist and winner for each category of the Covid-19 Response Champions Awards follow this link https://bettawards.com/2021-winners-covid-categories/

To watch BettFest back on-demand follow this link https://www.bettshow.com/BettFest

Data can be powerful even in a pandemic when used correctly. 

That was one of the messages from educators during this recent Tech & Learning virtual roundtable hosted by Dr. Kecia Ray. The virtual event focused on preparing students for their futures with the help of formative assessments to meet each student where they are so that teachers can adjust their instruction and personalize it. 

Watch the on demand version here. 

Key Takeaways 

Make Assessments Count 

“I've always believed that if you are going to solicit data from students you have a moral obligation to actually use that data to benefit those students,” said Trenton Goble, vice president of K-12 Strategy for Instructure, the developer of Canvas LMS. “If you're not using it, if it's just a tool to put a score in a grade book and we're not actually using that information to identify student levels of understanding, we're not using it to target students for intervention. We're not using that data to self evaluate our own instructional efficacy, we're missing out on I think the core elements of what it means to assess kids.” 

Gretta Rogne, director of digital learning at New Caney ISD in Texas, said that the pandemic has helped educators in her district really focus on getting actionable data about student performance. “Covid has really shone a light on how teachers are assessing the classroom, and it's really making them think more in terms of, ‘Are my assessments giving me feedback from the kids? Are they something that I can use to find out where the kids are in terms of their levels?’” 

Get Students Involved 

Over the past few years, New Caney ISD has focused on getting students to look at their data and learn from it just as their teachers are. “It's really important for the students to take ownership of that data, and to also have the transparency to see how they're performing,” Rogne said. 

In the past, grades have been a mystery to students, with a letter or number telling them little about what skills they had and what skills needed improvement. “We're really looking at aligning things to our standards, and not only having teachers look at that but also making sure that our students are actually able to see that data as well,” Rogne said. “So they know that they are being successful, and they know their areas of growth and improvement. They're really able to see where they are.” 

Use Your LMS to Create Personalized Learning 

To gather the right type of data you need an effective LMS. 

“A lot of people look at the LMS and say, you know, it's about personalized learning, or it's about one-to-one initiatives, or it's about all of these other things,” said Goble. “Ultimately, this work that we do is really about finding ways to make learning personal for each of our kids and providing opportunities for teachers to engage in that.” 

Rogne said New Caney ISD chose Canvas after a year-and-a-half search. “One of the biggest things for us in selecting a platform partner was their ability to change, to listen, and to grow with us,” she said. “Everything is constantly moving and shifting for the better.” 

Learning From the Pandemic 

“My fear is that teachers have worked really hard, and they are really tired, and they've invested a lot, and had to acquire a lot of new skills. I think there may be a tendency for some to say, ‘I just can't wait to get back in my classroom and stop doing some of those technical things,’” Goble said. “Teachers have worked too hard to bring this content to an environment that allows students to have access to it at any time. When we come back together, we will always have students who will benefit from being able to know what they're supposed to do when things are due. And that doesn't go away. It is good practice that I hope stays with us.”

Rogne said that following the pandemic, her district will continue to use data in more efficient ways. But the pandemic has also impacted how her district implements technology. 

“We had a roadmap and covid propelled us three or four years ahead,” she said. “We're definitely in a much better place, a much stronger place, to just strengthen what we are doing for our students. Not just our academics, but our social-emotional learning and everything that we are doing.” 

Blended learning is here to stay, and the district is exploring how best to maximize the impact of both face-to-face and virtual learning. “Covid has not been a good thing, but it has been a way for us to move things forward in a positive way,” Rogne said.

Lunch 'n Learn with Tech & Learning

We hope you can join us for these regular District Leadership Lunch ‘n Learn Roundtable series, hosted by Dr. Kecia Ray. In these events, districts from across the U.S. share their strategic plans, the challenges they are facing, and the creative solutions they are using to support students and teachers. Register for our upcoming events here. 

More from T&L: Lunch 'n Learn roundtable recaps

• How to Use Data to Prepare for the Upcoming School Year
• Using Data to Prepare for Back to School
• T&L Webinars

When schools shut down last year, districts scrambled to ensure every student had a device, but, in many cases, there was little time to create an informed plan to support effective implementation.

In this recent webinar moderated by Dr. Kecia Ray, attendees heard from education leaders about research-informed best practices to help district leaders prioritize and focus their resources on strategies that will bring the most impact in equitable digital learning environments. 

“The pandemic has exacerbated existing barriers and highlighted the inequities that exist in schools, especially in our lower income, most challenged communities,” said Ray. “There’s plenty of research out there to lean into to overcome the effects of Covid-19.”

The on-demand version of this webinar is available here 

Key Takeaways

Speaking Up. “The idea of evidence is important not only to take a look at where we did see changes in activities but also in terms of changes and beliefs and values,” said Julie A. Evans, CEO, Project Tomorrow, a national education nonprofit that produces the annual Speak Up education technology usage report. Project Tomorrow has surveyed more than 100,000 K-12 students, parents, and educators since the beginning of the pandemic and remote learning, and have gained valuable data to help shape learning. 

Among Project Tomorrow’s insights:

• Last year saw a dramatic increase in students being assigned digital learning devices. For example, there was an 80% increase in the number of Chromebooks given to students in upper elementary grades and middle school. 
• The use of digital classroom content grew as well, including a 23% increase in teachers reporting use of an online curriculum, and a 41% increase in teachers use of animations, movies, and videos to support learning. 
• The idea of teacher-student communication has changed, with an increased use of text messages, with more than two-thirds of middle and high school students reporting that they text with their teachers. 
• The amount of teachers who wanted to take some type of professional development course on how to teach online increased 120%, as many are still not comfortable with using it in instruction. 

“We also know that equity is beyond just digital access and so it's important to talk more about those equity considerations,” said Evans. “We also know that this new role of parents as co-teachers is something that the genie is not going to go back in the bottle on. So we need to think about how to continue to engage with the parents in these new roles that they've taken on during school closures or school interruptions, keep them informed and also keep them involved.”

Using Tech to Close Gaps. “The pandemic has been the first time we’ve done remote learning at scale, and we have a lot to learn from this experience, including looking at some of the inequities of the system,” said Barbara Means, Executive Director of Learning Sciences Research for Digital Promise. For example, having an internet connection might work fine for one student, but maybe not if there are three students in the same home sharing devices and access. Younger students are also especially vulnerable to learning loss versus older students, who are able to work more independently.

The support from school leaders while trying to implement technology is also critical, said Means. Having coaches and good models can also help teachers learn in a non-punitive and peer-supported way. “We have to be ready for the next interruption,” said Means. “I think we’re seeing some of ‘If we can just find the right product or solution, we’ll be okay.’ And that doesn’t work.” Means stressed that we’re dealing with a complex problem that is going to require planning, setting goals, implementing solutions and ‘the personal touch’ of the teacher, and then using data collected along the way to drive improvement.

Additional Project Tomorrow resources:

• 90 Days That Changed K-12 Teaching & Learning 
• 2020 Congressional Briefing: National Release of Speak Up 2019-20 data findings
• Equity in Educational Opportunities  
• The Impact of Remote E-Learning on K-12 Teachers’ Professional Learning Needs 

Lunch 'n Learn with Tech & Learning

We hope you can join us for these regular District Leadership Lunch ‘n Learn Roundtable series, hosted by Dr. Kecia Ray. In these events, districts from across the U.S. share their strategic plans, the challenges they are facing, and the creative solutions they are using to support students and teachers. Register for our upcoming events here. 

More from T&L: Lunch 'n Learn roundtable recaps

• Distance to Hybrid Learning: How to Drive Student Success
• Flipping Virtual Classrooms for More Impact
• T&L Webinars

Bett brings the global education community together virtually for three days of professional development, solution discovery, and thought-leading best practice on January 20th-22nd 2021. 

BettFEST 2021 themes include leadership, digital Inclusion and building a culture of resilience. BettFEST will stream from:  

• Main Stage: Leading education experts will discuss trending topics
• Solutions Showcase: Exclusive product announcements workshops and technology demonstrations on-demand
• Bett Academy: Certified CPD sessions during the show or on-demand
• After School Clubs: Socialize with the wider Bett community through "fringe" events

Agenda highlights include "Leading successful remote and blended learning," "The Future of Learning Today," and "Supporting student and teacher mental health." 

BettFEST boasts a sterling lineup of speakers, featuring some of the top leaders and voices in education technology today. Global  education leaders presenting include:

• Barbara Holzapfel, Vice President of Microsoft Education
• Bruce Daisley, Author and former Vice President, EMEA, Twitter
• Jim Knight, Chief Education Officer, Tes And Former UK Minister For Schools
• Madge Thomas, Head Of Innovative Finance, Corporate And Philanthropic Partnerships, Education Cannot Wait (UNICEF)

Learn more about the BettFEST 2021 agenda and register here 

TCEA has announced that the 2021 TCEA Convention & Exposition will be fully virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

TCEA’s live experience will begin February 1-6, 2021 with more customizable ways to learn throughout the month. Self-paced content will be available through March 5, 2021, and registrants will receive access to IDEAcon February 22-24 with live content between both experiences.

Eight different learning formats aim to expand viewpoints and provide an education toolkit with ideas to implement immediately. Visit TCEA to register and learn more.

The San Diego Diplomacy Council’s Fall Signature Event – Global Game On: How Video Games Promote World Peace & Diplomacy – on Friday, Nov. 13 at 5 p.m. PST will focus on how digital diplomacy and video games help close divisive gaps around the world.

In the Zoom event, co-hosted with San Diego chapter of the International Game Developers Association (IGDA), attendees will be transported from war to peace: Panelists include Lual Mayen, who fled war-torn South-Sudan and spent 22 years in a refugee camp. As founder of Junub games, Mayen now creates video games that build peace. He will be joined by Kate Edwards, a specialist in content culturalization and 27-year veteran of the gaming industry who currently serves as executive director of the Global Game Jam, the world’s largest annual game creation event; and Dr. Constance Steinkuehler, an American professor of informatics at the University of California, Irvine, who currently researches the cognitive and social aspects of video games and gaming, and previously advised on policy matters about video games and learning in the Office of Science and Technology Policy at the White House Executive Office. The event will also feature two representatives from the U.S. Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, with welcome remarks from Assistant Secretary of State Marie Royce and moderation by Joshua Shen, strategic designer for interactive media and games.

Then, in partnership with the North America Scholastic Esports Federation, attendees can witness the concept in action, as high school students in San Diego and Mexico participate in the empathy video game “Among Us,” to promote global dialogue and collaboration.

The North America Scholastic Esports Federation will also be partnering with Tech & Learning for the new Leveling Up: The Esports Expo & Conference on December 4th. This event is free for school staff. Learn more here. 

Esports is one of the fastest growing industries worldwide -- and making up 61% of the total audience, 13 to 24 year olds are driving the growth.

To explore the tools, trends, and experience in esports and education, Tech & Learning, Systems Contractor News, and AV Technology are co-hosting a one-day virtual event for K-12 and higher education professionals on December 4, 2020. 

The “Leveling Up: The Esports Conference & Expo” will feature dynamic expert speakers from the esports community, including keynote speaker Lori Bajorek, President of the National eSports Association.

 Topics will include: 

• How to start an esports team 
• How esports can support social-emotional learning 
• How to build an inclusive esports community 
• The best gaming systems for esports in education 
• How to connect students virtually through esports 
• AV and esports 
• And more!

The “Leveling Up: The Esports Conference & Expo” program is designed for leaders in K-12, higher education, and pro AV integrators. The event is free for qualified attendees, who can register here.  

Interested in presenting? Submit your proposal before October 2 here.  

Esports has become a proven opportunity for students to develop skills, follow career pathways, and potentially earn scholarships. Find out why so many schools are now supporting gaming within the classroom at “Leveling Up: The Esports Conference & Expo” on December 4! 

• What is Esports and How Does it Work in Education? 
• How Esports Can Support Equity 
• Esports: How to Get Started with Cloud-Based Gaming, Such as Stadia, in Schools 

The Future of Education Technology Conference® (FETC®), a collaborative exploration of new education technologies, best practices and pressing issues, today announced the four-day conference, kicking off on Tuesday, January 26, 2021 will adopt a no-cost, virtual model. The fully digital format will give educators and technology leaders access to live-streamed sessions, daily keynotes, Q&As, AI-based networking, exhibits of new technologies and more. 

“No one could have predicted the current changes in education," said Jennifer Womble, FETC Program Chair. "The pandemic has demonstrated that the most important thing we can do for administration and educators is provide high quality professional development and community support. FETC is proud to offer engaging educational technology content digging into the most pressing issues from access and equity to change management, cybersecurity, digital literacy, and distance learning at a time when districts need it most.” 

The fully interactive, free FETC virtual experience will use state-of-the-art technology to ensure attendees are able to explore and network with other participants, speakers, and solution providers. Attendees will be able to take part in live Q&A, one-on-one meetings, join group chats, visit booths, and more. The 2021 agenda will cover key current topics and include roundtables, product demonstrations, and solution provider sessions. Additional details will be released in the upcoming weeks. 

To register for free visit www.FETC.org.

With the continuing uncertainty of face-to-face events in 2020, ISTE is planning an option for virtual participation alongside its traditional ISTE20 event. 

The organization is soliciting preferences and ideas from educators and others who have attended in the past, or who are interested in attending ISTE20. Questions help participants explore and express what works for them in the virtual space, what timing is best, and which topics are most important to educators right now.

The survey should take about 5-7 minutes to complete and those who complete the survey will be entered to win one of four ISTE20 virtual registrations. The survey closes July 8th.

The show management of InfoComm and the executive leadership of AVIXA™ have chosen to cancel the InfoComm 2020 show scheduled for June 13‑19 in Las Vegas, Nevada.  New options to bring to life the educational experiences of the show in different ways are under consideration. 

To find more detailed information about the cancellation of InfoComm 2020,  read the FAQs.

After much consideration, and based on recommendations from health organizations and policymakers, ISTE has decided to postpone ISTE20 to later in the year. 

The biggest education conference in the Unites States will now be held Saturday, November 28–Tuesday, December 1, in Anaheim, California.

To connect with fellow educators before that time, visit ISTE's COVID-19 Educator Help Desk.

The Federal School Safety Clearinghouse will host a set of three webinars for the school safety community interested in learning more about the tools and resources highlighted on SchoolSafety.gov. Presenters will provide an overview, demonstrate the website's functionality, and update participants with future state information. A question and answer session will follow. 

The webinars will take place from 4:00 to 5:00 pm EDT on:

• Thursday, March 5th  
• Wednesday, March 11th
• Monday, March 16th

Interested educators can register for one of the above dates here. 

The Tech & Learning Live Conference brings together district teams from a regional level that includes everyone from top level executives down to school staff. During this one-day conference, K-12 Tech leaders share ideas related to all things edtech: what works, what doesn't, how to get stuff done. 

The next Tech & Learning Live Conferences  will take place in Austin on September 11, 2020.

Conference topics include personalized learning, successful PD models, digital citizenship, the latest tools for core curricula, coding, robotics, and much more. Read more here. 

Interested in presenting? Email christine.weiser@futurenet.com

CALL FOR PROPOSALS NOW OPEN

We're looking for highly interactive sessions and hands-on workshops/demos that address the most pressing, current, and emerging topics in educational technology. 

Submit your proposal here by 5pm ET on February 15, 2020.  Decisions will be finalized on February 21, 2020.

Bett has announced a three-year global partnership with SMART Technologies in the UK, Asia, Middle East and Africa.

The partnership aims to foster educational and promotional opportunities to help teachers and leaders use technology effectively.

The partnership will kick off in January 2020 at Bett’s flagship event in London, which will introduce 6 new solutions-based zones, designed to help visitors navigate the show and make the most of their time at Bett. The zones include: The Education Show, Equipment & Hardware, Management Solutions, Teaching Tech, Learning Tech and the Global Showcase.

SMART Technologies will be the headline sponsor of the Teaching Tech zone, which will showcase technology and time-saving solutions as well as assessment, lesson development, distance learning and more.

SMART Technologies will deliver education content programmes at Bett UK, Bett Asia and Bett MEA with sessions for decision makers, teachers and IT managers focused on the effective use of technology, saving time and turning static content into interactive learning. Leadership sessions for K-12 leaders and ministry delegations will focus on large-scale implementation and outcomes planning. SMART Technologies will also have a booth at NH20 in the North Hall, where attendees are encouraged to interact with some new, best-in-class products and exciting software updates.

Bett 2020 is free to attend and takes place Wednesday 22 – Saturday 26 January 2020 at ExCeL London.

For more information or to register, visit www.bettshow.com

Due to relocation of The Science Leadership Academy to the School District of Philadelphia's District administrative building for this year, EduCon will be hosted in this building at 440 N Broad Street. 

The location is still in Center City Philadelphia, is still walkable from the recommended hotels on Ben Franklin Parkway, and is accessible on public transit via the Broad St. Line. 

For more information visit 2020.educon.org.

Sessions for EduCon 2020 can now be viewed on the EduCon website at educonphilly.org. 

EduCon 2020, "a conference and a conversation," takes place January 24th–26th, 2020 at The Science Leadership Academy in Philadelphia. To view sessions or learn more, visit http://2020.educon.org/ Tickets may be purchased at the EduCon 2020 website. 

Digital content is here and in our classrooms. The real opportunity to unlock the opportunity that digital content provides comes from understanding what is working now and how to make the learning experience even better as needs evolve. In this free webinar presentation, our panel will discuss the latest insights into digital content in schools found in The 2019 K-12 Digital Content Report from ASCD and OverDrive Education.

Each attendee will get a copy of The 2019 K-12 Digital Content Report when they register. If you’re interested in learning more about how digital content is changing education as well as how you’re peers are using and viewing it, this is a live presentation you won’t want to miss.

Click here to register for this free webinar.

At the Tech & Learning Leadership Summit, being held in Washington D.C. just before the CoSN conference, cybersecurity expert Doug Levin will present the opening keynote address. 

Doug Levin is the founder of the K–12 Cyber Incident Map which has been instrumental in drawing attention to cybersecurity threats facing U.S. K–12 public schools and districts. In addition to being cited in federal and state legislative bodies, the map has been used by district leaders since 2017 to help advocate and plan for better cybersecurity practices.

Levin will present the most recent research updating the threat map; lessons learned through these incidents; issues around evaluating the harm of a data breach; specific incidents of breaches, including ransomware, malware, and vendor breaches; and challenges and policy implications for the future.

District leaders will also have the opportunity to listen to and share the many ways their colleagues are using technology to drive innovation. 

This event for district leaders is by invitation only. Learn more about Tech & Learning Leadership Summits here and visit this link to apply. 

Date: Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Time: 03:00 PM Eastern Standard Time

Duration: 1 hour

Summary

Register today for a chance to win one of four $100 Amazon gift cards!

Using print-based learning technology to drive ROI and cost-savings in education has never been easier. Don't believe it? Hear from the experts gathered on this webinar who will debate the results of these transformational tools that enable more effective learning through the ability to lower color printing and energy costs while providing fewer hassles for the IT department. 

 In this webinar you will learn:

-  Where print-based tools excel beyond digital.

-  How the latest print tools provide higher performance with less cost.

-  Real-world print solutions in use within Chicago school district that you can employ in your district.

Speakers

Kevin Hogan
Content Director
Tech & Learning Magazine

R.J. Gravel
Assistant Superintendent for Business Services at Glenbrook High School District 225

A native of the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois, Dr. Gravel (@rjgravel) is the Assistant Superintendent for Business Services at Glenbrook High School District 225. As an educator, business manager and technologist for elementary, secondary, and higher education institutions, co-moderator of #EdFinChat, a SMART Exemplary Educator, and a Skyward Leader in Excellence recipient, R.J. advocates for effective technology integration in PreK-12 education at the local and national levels. As a contributor to the profession, Dr. Gravel contributes to a number of publications, and emphasizes the importance of school leaders working together in order to ensure student and staff success.

Scott Marsic
Product Manager
Epson America

Scott Marsic has over two decades experience successfully transforming diagnostic, technical and business intelligence products into innovative, market-leading goods and services. As a Product Manager at Epson America, Scott’s is responsible for developing strategic initiatives to help drive channel growth and end user demand across the Business Inkjet product category. Core to this focus is Scott’s direct management of third party software partnerships within the US and Canadian markets. Scott holds a BS from the University of California, Santa Cruz, a MS from the University of Southern California, and an MBA from San Francisco State University.

Doc Ballje
Subject Matter Expert ACDI
PaperCut

Doc Ballje has over 20 years’ experience in the copier industry as a System Engineer/Solution Architect/Subject Matter Expert, starting in the business as a down the street copier rep before moving to the technical side. Doc has been extensively trained in print management, document management, document distribution, color theory, production printing and is well versed in all facets of pre sales support. Doc is an SME at CompTIA for CDIA+ (Certified Document Imaging Architect) and holds many other certifications for printing, networking and security.

Noted author and former Google advertising strategist, James Williams, will be the featured speaker at CoSN2020 March 16-19, 2019. His latest book, Stand Out of Our Light, challenges the tech industry to help ensure the technology we carry with us every day does not distract us from pursuing our true goals in life.  

For more information or to register, visit CoSN2020.

I’ll be honest. I’m having trouble processing the recent hate inspired events in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio.

But one thing that has become clear to me over the last few years is that the more we talk about racism and discrimination – starting with the fact that they exist – the better chance we have of combating their effects.

To ignore these shootings and the shooting attack on Oslo’s al-Noor Islamic Center four days ago and the June arson fires of three African American churches in Louisiana and the May arson attack on a mosque in New Haven, Connecticut and the March attacks on New Zealand mosques and last year’s attack on a Pittsburg synagogue and the 2017 demonstrations in Charlottesville and the 2015 African American church shooting in Charleston and all of the other too numerous to mention incidents . . . to ignore as teachers this pattern of violence – not to mention what is happening online – seems like educational malpractice.

Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe we shouldn’t teach our kids about what has and is happening in this country and around the world.

But I don’t think I am.

I think we have a responsibility as social studies teachers to give our kids the tools they need to make the world a better place. And part of that skill set has to include conversations about past and present intolerance. Is it easy? No. Can it be done. Yes. (You might try this, or this, maybe this, and I love this.)

Another way to create that skill set is to do a better job of focusing on the human stories of the Holocaust. I know that many of you teach the Holocaust and teach it well. But as you’re planning your nine month scope and sequence to include these sorts of conversations, would you mind if I share a few semi-random thoughts?

1. Be clear from the get go with your kids. It happened.
We have hundreds of thousands, millions, of primary sources. We have photos. Government documents. Train timetables. Movies. We’ve got oral histories. Diaries. Letters. Court transcripts. There are prison confessions. Newspapers. Lists of stolen property. Sacks of hair. Piles of shoes. Boxes of wedding rings. And many of the actual camps, barbed wire, gas chambers, and crematoria still exist.

So be clear.

The Holocaust happened. Over six million European Jews were murdered between 1933 and 1945. More than six million others deemed undesirable were also murdered by the government and party led by Adolf Hitler.

So, please, do not plan an historical thinking activity that asks your kids:

Don’t give students copies of or links to articles written by Holocaust deniers – in an attempt to be “unbiased” and open minded – and then ask them to use their analysis skills to determine whether or not 12 million people were murdered as a result of hate and prejudice. Don’t provide students the opportunity to use that “evidence” to support a claim that the Holocaust is a hoax.

I’ve never seen or heard of a teacher who asked their students if the American Civil War happened. Or if the 1929 stock market crash is a hoax. Whether or not George Washington actually won the battle of Yorktown. Or if he was our first president. I support the goal of encouraging historical thinking skills through the use of uncomfortable content. But not the clearly false equivalency of millions of primary sources documenting an event versus a few racist secondary sources that attempt to explain away 12 million bodies.

As we struggle to address the ongoing attacks and murder of American citizens and the rise of hate groups throughout the United States and around the world, we need to be careful how we go about our work. While talking about genocide in Europe during the 1930s and 1940s, we need to be very intentional about asking better questions. About using better evidence.

2. Focus on questions of why, not if, racist attacks happened and continue to happen.
The Holocaust took place because individuals, groups, and nations made intentional decisions to act or not to act. Focusing on those decisions can lead to insights into history and human nature and can help your students become better critical thinkers. So talk about the choices that people made and continue to make.

3. Ask questions of courage and perseverance.
Simply choosing to stay alive is a form of resistance. Writing a diary is a form of resistance. So talk about how both victims and rescuers resisted. And people who risked their lives to rescue victims of Nazi oppression do provide useful, important, and compelling role models for students. But be careful – only a small fraction of non-Jews under Nazi occupation actually helped rescue Jews, so an overemphasis on heroic actions during your unit on the Holocaust can result in an inaccurate and unbalanced account of the history.

4. Ask questions about bystanders and perpetrators.
Roles that people played during this time were very complex. One helpful technique for engaging students is to think of the participants as belonging to one of four categories: victims, perpetrators, rescuers, or bystanders. Examine the actions, motives, and decisions of each group. Portray all individuals, including victims and perpetrators, as human beings who are capable of moral judgment and independent decision making. Do the same categories exist today? What roles are being filled in 2019? By whom?

5. Ask questions about how kids should and can respond.
“Never forget” is one of the important messages kids can take away from reading things like Anne Frank’s diary. But we need to go beyond that to “individual decisions can have a tremendous impact.” Remembering is passive. Taking action means making a difference. Ask students “how will you respond now?” To the shooting in El Paso? In Pittsburg? To the rise of white nationalism in the US? To racist comments and behavior in your school? What options can you help students uncover?

6. There are lots of resources available that can help. Start with these:

The November 2018 Smithsonian magazine is a timely reminder of how racist and anti-Semitic attitudes like those of the El Paso and Pittsburg shooters can lead to acts of violence small and large. The issue also reinforces the importance of using stories to connect your students to Holocaust events.

Five of the magazine’s articles focus on stories told by young people during the Holocaust and specifically on the story of Polish teenager Renia Speigal. Like Anne Frank in Holland, Renia also kept a diary describing life under the constant threat of death at the hands of the Nazi government. Recently discovered in a desk in New York City, Renia’s words have the power to resonate with your students and make the terrible events of that period real and accessible.

More than 65 diaries written by young people have surfaced from across Europe. In her article “World, Wake Up,” Alexandra Zapruder suggests that “these surviving fragments . . . are valuable beyond measure, endlessly surprising and complex accounts written inside the cataclysm itself.” She adds: “. . . nothing collapses the distance between the reader and the historical past quite like a diary.”

(Perhaps the most powerful article in the series is one written by Dara Horn. Horn challenges us and our students to remember not just Renia and Anne but to be aware of other accounts of the period as well. Simply reading Anne’s account can make it easier to ignore the people who shipped her away to be murdered and the fact that people like them are still around.

The Tree of Life synagogue shooter who admitted that he “wanted all Jews to die,” and the shooter in El Paso are not random concentration camp prison guards from the 1940s. They grew into what they are right here. Reading accounts beyond the inspirational such as Anne’s can help students better understand how that can happen.)

The Anne Frank House and the Anne Frank Center both provide a wide variety of resources that help tell individual stories. The 3D Secret Annex at The Anne Frank House can be especially powerful.

Using a variety of media, including text, audio, music, video clips, and 3D technology, the site takes you into the small area where Anne, her family, and four others hid for over two years. The site uses technology similar to VR apps – allowing you to walk around and through the Secret Annex as if you are Anne herself in 1942. During your exploring, you can hear descriptions of each area and pan around in 360 degrees. You can also let Anne take you on a tour, using period photographs and her own words from her diary. This piece is especially powerful because you get a sense of who Anne was and what she thought.

Use the this lesson plan to help your students explore the Annex with purpose. Download reader guides to Anne’s diary and explore extensive teaching resources including award winning Free2Choose curriculum materials.

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is a must go-to when teaching about the Holocaust and other genocides around the world. Dig deeper into teaching about the Holocaust and then explore the USHMM lessons and commonly asked questions.

Get access to ten lesson plans with primary resources, materials, teaching suggestions from Echoes and Reflections.

The Anti-Defamation League has a ton of curriculum and professional development resources. Find their lessons here. Including a special section of resources specific to talking and teaching about the Pittsburg synagogue shooting.

USC Shoah Foundation has a rich database of video oral histories from survivors that can be connected to diary accounts such as Renia’s.

Teaching Tolerance has numerous resources for learning about the Holocaust, racism, and anti-Semitism. Be sure to explore a teaching kit titled One Survivor Remembers, a documentary around the oral history of Gerda Weissmann Klein. Get the Teacher’s Guide and primary sources.

The work of coming to terms with the past and connecting it to the present is at the heart of what you do every day. The alternative? Educational malpractice.

cross posted at glennwiebe.org

Glenn Wiebe is an education and technology consultant with 15 years' experience teaching history and social studies. He is a curriculum consultant for ESSDACK, an educational service center in Hutchinson, Kansas, blogs frequently at History Tech and maintains Social Studies Central, a repository of resources targeted at K-12 educators. Visit glennwiebe.org to learn more about his speaking and presentation on education technology, innovative instruction and social studies.

EduCon 2020 launches with the theme of "Authenticity,"  and a new conference space at 1482 Green St., Philadelphia, PA 19130. 

Submit proposals by November 1, 2019. To learn more or register, visit http://2020.educon.org/register

TCEA announces its opening keynote speaker, Sekou Andrews.

A teacher-turned-actor, musician, two-time national poetry slam champion, and entrepreneur, Andrews aims to wow his educator audience with a blend of storytelling, spoken word, theater, and comedy.

Andrews joins a roster of expert speakers, including closing keynote Gerry Brooks.  Register here for the 2020 TCEA Convention & Exposition. 

The National Future of Education Technology® Conference (FETC®) today announced that the full program for the 40th anniversary event is now available online. The conference will feature more than 600 total learning opportunities, including keynote presentations from world-class speakers, targeted session tracks organized around the most relevant roles in education leadership, hands-on technology workshops and more. The conference will take place January 14-17, 2020 at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami, Fla.

New Opportunities at FETC 2020

The following opportunities are some of the highlighted new additions to the FETC program:

• New Content Tracks to Support Evolving Ed Tech Roles―FETC 2020 will feature the Future of Ed Tech Library Media Specialist and Future of Ed Tech Coach tracks.
• FETC® Coaching Collaborative Powered by iTeach―FETC and the Bagwell College of Education at Kennesaw State University have partnered to provide a new certification program for technology champions, instructional technology coaches and others interested in expanding their professional knowledge of education technology. 
• Learning Sandboxes―This dedicated hands-on learning experience on the FETC Expo floor will specialize in different topics each day, including augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR), maker education and elementary digital tools. 

Celebrated Keynotes

FETC attendees will have the opportunity to experience the following keynote sessions:

• Daniel Pink―On Wednesday, January 15, international best-selling author Daniel Pink will deliver the opening keynote, “Leadership, Innovation, and the Surprising Truth of Human Motivation,” which challenges attendees to consider the key question, “what motivates people to do their best work?”
• TechSHARE LIVE!―This attendee favorite will return on Thursday, January 16.  Educational technology experts Adam Bellow, Hall Davidson, Leslie Fisher and Kathy Schrock will give participants a first look at the latest, most exciting gadgets, apps, hardware and software to involve learners in creating, making, programming, problem solving and more.
• Justin Shaifer―Shaifer will give the closing keynote, “Bring STEM to Class: A Practical Guide to Education,” on Friday, January 17. In this presentation, the dynamic 24-year-old keynoter will offer practical strategies to engage Generation Z in STEM education.

Registration is now open for the 2020 Future of Education Technology Conference. For additional information and to register, visit fetc.org/register or call toll-free 1-800-727-1227.  Educators who register before November 1, 2019 will save up to $150 by securing the Super Saver rate.

TCEA announces five new presenters for TCEA Convention & Exposition 2020

Michael Bonner taught at South Greenville Elementary in North Carolina, a 100% free and reduced lunch campus, before moving to the Ron Clark Academy in 2019. His creative teaching caught the attention of Ellen DeGeneres, who gave Bonner and his students gear to make their own educational music videos — and helped them make one alongside Ellen, Big Sean, Ice Cube, Migos, Ty Dolla Sign, and Lin Manuel Miranda. Bonner’s energetic teaching style puts an emphasis on social and personal needs and challenges and opportunities for learning.

Michael Cohen also known as The Tech Rabbi, is an educator and creativity expert with a  mission to help educators unleash their own creative abilities to empower students through design thinking and entrepreneurship. When he isn’t traveling the world sharing his message, he is the director of innovation for Yeshiva University of Los Angeles Boys School (YULA), where he oversees the Schlesinger STEAM and Entrepreneurship Center.

Principal Baruti Kafele is an award-winning former principal, master teacher, and a transformational school leader. With more than 1,000 conferences, presentations, and seminars since 2011, Principal Kafele is a leading authority in effective classroom and school leadership strategies. He has authored 10 books, including his five ASCD best sellers, and is the recipient of over 100 educational, professional, and community awards.

Catlin Tucker is an educator, trainer, author, and Google Certified Innovator who earned the 2010 Teacher of the Year award in Sonoma County, California. An expert on blended learning and the station rotation model, you won’t want to miss out on the insights that have made Catlin a best-selling writer and respected educator.

Liv Van Ledtje (aka LivBit) is a 11-year old education advocate, shark expert, and future ichthyologist. She is an ambassador for the Gills Club, an organization promoting girls in science through inquiry-based experiences meant to grow enthusiasm and activism for sharks. She is a passionate advocate for technology that promotes student voice. In Liv's limited spare time, she is also an accomplished ballerina.

Register now for more than 1,000  interactive sessions. 

Alex Seeskin from the University of Chicago Urban Education Institute (UEI) spoke at the T&L Leadership Summit, held last  in downtown Chicago. The theme of the Summit was "Using Data to Personalize Learning." The analysis and insights from UEI's recent report "Using Data to Improve Schools from the Ground Up"  served as the conversation starter for the day.

The mission of the Urban Education Institute is to produce knowledge to create reliably excellent urban schooling. UEI's knowledge on the driving forces behind school improvement and student success stems from nearly three decades of rigorous applied research, and from putting that research into practice within its own teacher education program and public school as well as more than 6,000 schools across the nation.

Seeskin is the Chief Strategy Officer at the Urban Education Institute where he is responsible for guiding strategy for the organization and leading high priority work across and within UEI’s units. Seeskin also the leads To&Through Project (toandthrough.uchicago.edu), which aims to empower educators and families with research, data, and resources they need to move more students to and through high school and college. Previously, he served as the Director of Strategy of UChicago Charter, and as a resident at UChicago Impact.

Prior to coming to UEI, Seeskin taught high school English in Chicago Public Schools for seven years, serving as the English Department Chair at Lake View High School from 2008-2012. Seeskin earned a BS in communications from Northwestern University and an EdLD from Harvard University.

Tech & Learning Leadership Summits are attended by a select group of K-12 technology and instructional professionals from districts across the country who understand and benefit from timely and relevant executive-level news about the successes and challenges of edtech.

Presenting timely and relevant content from the most authoritative speakers and advisors, along with unmatched networking opportunities, the two-day events are comprised of lively panel discussions and roundtables, one-on-one meetings, and networking-focused social activities.

Speakers and discussions will focus on K-12 leadership for tomorrow’s schools and the impact of emerging technologies such as mobile and cloud computing, immersive and virtual environments, and more. Each Summit will use a combination of presentations and working sessions to focus on challenges and success stories related to technology-supported educational transformation.

Read about our 2020 Summits here. 

The elation felt while attending the June 2019 Tech & Learning Leadership Summit in Philadelphia could be compared to the exhilaration of running up the Rocky Steps in the City of Brotherly Love. This edtech summit brought district leaders together to discuss innovative models of schooling, tech breakthroughs that drive innovation, and what schools are doing to create the next generation of innovators.

The leadership summit began with four innovative guest speakers committed to the project-and inquiry-based learning in their schools and communities. A statement from Chris Lehman, founding principal and CEO of the Science Leadership Academy Schools network, hit home with the leaders assembled: “the key to innovative learning is for educators and administrators not to fall in love with the curriculum at the expense of the students.” Lehman described how the Academy Schools focus on the “why” that drives the learning, and curricula are designed to meet the needs, interests, and goals of each student.

The group was engaged when Ayris Colvin, principal of Building 21, a competency-based school, described how the school focuses on finding alternative ways to teach students and meet students where they are. Using learning models, teachers develop problem-based learning projects based on community or career problems.

Students are not the only ones who need innovative learning environments, as is evident in the mission of the nonprofit Philadelphia Learning Collaborative. Founding director Crystal Cubbage described the PLC as a grassroots organization focused on training and supporting K–12 educators who are student-centered, progressive, and interested in more in-depth learning. The organization’s purpose is to compile, create, and share resources that help schools support student growth related to real-world problems and interpersonal skills.

Ron Woodard, the assistant superintendent of instruction at Maury County (TN) Public Schools, inspired Summit attendees when he declared that it was time for the narrative to change. It’s our civic duty, he said, to provide every child with the excellent education they deserve. His district is committed to ensuring that there are no barriers to learning, and they focus on producing a great product (students) by developing partnerships and relationships with local business to support the interests and needs of students.

Energized by the innovative and visionary work being done in districts around the country, edtech leaders had the opportunity to discuss, with each other and with the four presenters, what innovation does and could look like in their districts. These roundtable discussions were the catalyst for themed working group sessions where attendees and sponsors gathered in conference rooms to discuss challenges, share best practices, and offer solutions regarding innovative learning that support teaching and learning in school districts.

The session on blended and personalized learning focused on the importance of school districts developing platforms that combine and integrate robust synchronous and asynchronous tools to truly enable an anytime, anywhere learning environment. Edtech leaders like Travis Taylor from Little Rock, Arkansas, described how traditional personalized learning provides a platform to teach students based on a particular need. However, he emphasized that personalized learning should also be viewed as an opportunity for students to choose their educational path, with schools providing the resources and support to meet those goals.

Changing pedagogy happens when innovative learning and anytime, anywhere learning are a priority for districts. In the working group session with this particular focus, edtech leaders agreed that the challenge for districts is determining how to shift the focus from the technology itself. Diane Doersch, from the Green Bay Area Public School District, said that school districts need to rebuild curriculum for universal instruction. Many in this session echoed her thoughts. Most school districts are well equipped with tech tools but must now provide guidance and resources for teachers to make pedagogical changes that meet the learning needs of all students with multi-level systems of support.

The escalating concern of student data privacy in school districts was evident in another working group session. All agreed with Andrew Wallace, from South Portland (ME) Schools, that districts need to be out ahead of student data privacy issues. Developing partnerships with student data privacy alliances, training teachers on the importance of student data privacy, and partnering with vendors to limit shared information are steps that all school districts should be taking. While states are proactively creating legislation that protects student data privacy and PII, these laws often have unintended consequences that can hamstring teaching and use of digital tools.

Many new school buildings have been built across the US in the last ten years, and innovative state-of-the-art buildings are providing school districts with opportunities to create learning spaces that encourage collaboration and personalized learning. In the working group on learning spaces, school districts like Anderson (SC) school district discussed how traditional classroom spaces and outdoor areas are being converted into “Innovation Learning Labs” and playgrounds that provide both physical and virtual learning experiences. Attendees in this session agreed that when designing new spaces, buildings, or classrooms, it’s essential to envision what success will look like in the new learning space.

Artificial intelligence, drones, virtual assistants, esports, and interactive media were focus of discussions in the emerging technologies working groups. Donna Williamson, from Mountain Brook (AL) SD, emphasized that every emerging idea or technology needs to provide compelling, challenging, and engaging educational experiences for every one of our students. Pete Just, from Wayne Township (IN), advised having edtech coaches train teachers on both the mechanics and the instructional impact of technologies such as VR and AR in classrooms. All agreed that, to be successful, the implementation of any emerging idea or technology requires strategic planning that involves all stakeholders—including library media specialists, tech coaches, students, and teachers.

The carnival-themed snacks in the afternoon brought the attendees together at the day’s end, but what enticed them to stay was the opportunity to share lessons learned during the Summit. Discussions ranged from planning for staff, administrators, and community partnerships to creating digital citizenship programming for parents and students. The edtech leaders praised Summit organizers for providing them with opportunities for one-on-one vendor meetings, hands-on visits to innovation schools, and for the chance to hear different perspectives on these topics from districts across the country. A consistent theme echoed throughout the Summit was the power of edtech leaders embracing technology, not as an isolated component, but as an integral partner in providing innovative experiences for our students and teachers.

Eileen Belastock, CETL (@EileenBelastock) is a Director of Academic Technology in Massachusetts.

The #NYCSchoolsTech Summit is the largest annual #EdTech conference in New York City. At the conference innovative educators from across NYC Schools share their knowledge and expertise with other educators from NYC, surrounding areas, and even around the world thanks to social media. The conference is so popular, it trends on Twitter.  

There are dozens of workshops, lunchtime activities, and school reimagineer Jason Green is our keynote speaker. It makes it hard to choose and even harder to stay informed of all that is going on. But don’t despair. When educators connect, everyone benefits and learns even if they aren’t able to attend a particular session in person.  

Here is how participants (live or remote) can do just that at this year’s #NYCSchoolsTech Summit.

Tip 1 - Check out the Agenda

At the #NYCSchoolsTech Summit all workshops have a link to an agenda which you can find by viewing any session in Livecube. #NYCSchoolsTech teacher and all around nerd,Eileen Lennon offers a hint that she has used before. “Scour the agenda beforehand for questions and discussion points. If you’re ahead of the game, you get the most out of the workshop and may even help steer the conversation in helpful ways.”

Tip 2 - Participate in Backchannel Conversations

You can see where and when all the backchannel conversations are taking place in Livecuberight here.  Introduce yourself and jump into the conversation.

Tip 3 - Moderate

Ask the presenter if s/he would like you to moderate backchannel conversations and/or comments on the livestream. Whether you're there f2f or remotely, just message the presenter of a session you are interested in and offer your help.

Tip 4 - Hashtag Happiness

Follow the hashtag for the conference (#NYCSchoolsTech) and session you are interested in. You can see the hashtag for each session in Livecube when you “Join the Conversation.”

Tip 5 - Follow the Livestream

Presenters are encouraged to livestream.  When they do, we want them to post the link to the workshop in Livecube. After the Summit you can visit the workshop schedule. There we encourage presenters to update the sheet with a link to their livestream. If you're presenting or helping the presenter, you can read this for some strategies to keep in mind.

Tip 6 - Follow The Presenters

It goes without saying to follow the presenters on Twitter and any other social media. They may have a blog where they have shared their expertise in more detail. As innovative educator Eileen Lennon says, “Learning doesn’t happen all in one day in a classroom, neither should it from a one day summit. It’s the start of a journey. You might as well take a map and a guide with you.” To make this easier you can visit the #NYCSchoolsTech Summit presenters list.

Tip 7 - Session Summary

Offer to capture the session you attended via Wakelet. The moderator will be thankful.

Tip 8 - Share on Social Media

Share what you are learning using the session hashtag (found in Livecube), the conference hashtag #NYCSchoolsTech, and your name. 

What do you think? How do you plan to connect at this year's #NYCSchoolTech Summit? We can't wait to share and learn with you.

cross posted at theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com

Lisa Nielsen (@InnovativeEdu) has worked as a public-school educator and administrator since 1997. She is a prolific writer best known for her award-winning blog, The Innovative Educator. Nielsen is the author of several booksand her writing has been featured in media outlets such as The New York Times,The Wall Street Journal, Tech&Learning, and T.H.E. Journal.