Conferences in 2018 to Get You Pumped Up for PD!

Conferences in 2018 to Get You Pumped Up for PD! (0) It’s a new year, which often means new goals and new resolutions (ones that we will try our best to stick to, am I right?!) Since we’re all such fierce and dedicated educators who constantly try to stay on top of our game, I bet one of your resolutions is to learn new ideas in your field. One way to make it happen? Attend an educational conference. There are tons of conferences on tap for 2018 and here are some of our favorites. For more information, be sure to check the official website for the individual event(s) you’re interested in since details are subject to change. *Please note that this post not an endorsement for any specific event. January 23-26, Orlando, FL:  FETC Future of Education Technology Dubbed the largest K-12 independent edtech conference in the country, this conference has it all for educators, administrators, and IT personnel. There are over 550 workshops and sessions and a vendor hall filled with hands-on demos and exhibits. Plus, it’s in sunny Florida! Go escape the cold for a few days while you learn! February 5-9, Austin, TX:  TCEA Texas Computer Education Association Founded in 1980 with over 17,000 members, TCEA is a nonprofit association with a mission to “advance teaching and learning through the use of technology.” TCEA’s five day conference features 8,000+ attendees (administrators, teachers, IT personnel, librarians, consultants, and specialists), 1,000+ sessions, and 450+ exhibitors. March 5-8, Austin, TX:  SXSW EDU South by Southwest Interested in learning about the most innovative topics in education? Want to know what the future holds? SXSW EDU features speakers, film screenings, policy discussions, and workshops. Attendees can choose a “program track” to focus on a particular interest of study. Program tracks include VR/AR, Equity, Learning Spaces, among others. Check out the competitions to see what entrepreneurs and students have on tap for the future. March 24-26, Boston, MA:  ASCD’s Empower- Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development With over 10,000 attendees (48% of which are superintendents, administrators, or executives) ASCD’s Empower18 wants to empower you to be a leader in the field. This year’s conference boasts high profile speakers including Jill Biden and General Colin L. Powell. April 16-18, San Diego, CA:  ASU + GSV Summit by Arizona State University Global Silicon Valley Yes, a ticket to this conference will set you back $2,000, but attending ASU + GSV’s Summit will allow you to learn from the world’s top leaders in innovation and talent. Over 350 CEOs from the tech industry share their insight and present on innovation in the classroom. The conference’s ultimate goal is to make sure that all students have an equal opportunity to learn and participate in the future. June 21-26, New Orleans, LA:  ALA Annual Conference American Library Association This conference has it all for every type of librarian: public, school, academic, you name it. In addition to engaging sessions that are specifically tailored for library professionals and exhibits that match librarians’ needs, the ALA conference always boasts big name speakers. Last year’s 2017 conference featured Hillary Rodham Clinton, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Ron Chernow. June 24-27, Chicago, IL:  ISTE International Society for Technology in Education While ISTE is known for creating educational technology standards, they’re probably best known for their annual conference, which attracts around 20,000 educators. Professional development sessions, a jam-packed expo hall, and networking with tons of other educators and vendors are just some of the features of this action filled weekend. Bonus points: When you register for the conference, you are provided with a one year membership to ISTE. November 15-18, Houston, TX:  NCTE Annual Convention National Council of Teachers of English The theme for this year’s NCTE Conference is, “Raising Student Voice: Speaking Out for Equity and Justice.” Workshops, sessions, and presentations will revolve around creating change in the classroom to positively affect students and their communities. English teachers of all grade levels attend this conference and there are four different tracks to choose from: The Elementary Experience, The Middle Experience, The Secondary Experience, and The College Experience. Looking for more information about these conferences? Check out each individual website and follow the Twitter hashtags to find up to date news and developments. Cheers to a new year and new learning that will happen in 2018! 2018 is going to be a big year for us and we want to keep you in the know! Subscribe to our newsletters below to receive our updates, articles on citations (i.e. Citing different sources in MLA format, APA citations, etc.), original videos, and more!