Students in education-related majors can gain valuable knowledge by attending education conferences throughout the year. Once students graduate and move into teaching positions, these conferences often count toward professional development credits that are needed to keep a teaching certificate valid.
Here are five great education conferences in 2016 that will give future educators the opportunity to learn about the latest trends in education.
CUE Conference
The CUE Conference held in Palm Springs, California each March focuses on the integration of technology in the classroom. A unique feature of the conference is that technology is used to run the conference itself; many of the interactive learning opportunities for educators are run through online learning or even social media discussions. Educators are able to learn about using technology in the classroom in a hands-on way when they attend the conference and participate in online sessions.
Serious Play
Getting children to be engaged in the learning process can be difficult, but game-based learning has been shown to help children who resist traditional forms of instruction. Serious Play is an annual conference that focuses on how games can be used to help people learn in the classroom. The conference also features discussions on the role of games in therapy and even military training. Dates and a location are still pending for 2016.
Distance Teaching and Learning Conference
Students are not always able to attend traditional classes to get an education. Distance learning has expanded the reach of education by allowing children and college students to learn from home. The Distance Teaching and Learning Conference held in Madison, Wisconsin in August focuses on competency-based education and the role of distance learning in the education field. Attendees learn about how online courses are designed to offer the most benefits for students, and innovative topics like the use of social media in education are discussed.
SXSWEdu
College students have probably heard of the SXSW film festival held in Austin, Texas, but they may not be aware that the city also offers a SXSWEdu conference in early March. The large-scale conference offers educators informative and interactive programs in topics ranging from entrepreneurship to educational equality. The unique Playground forum lets educators learn and collaborate on educational gaming, virtual reality, STEM and accessibility for disabled students. Hands-on activities give creative educators the opportunity to voice their opinions and share their ideas to inspire others. As a conference that shares a name with Austin’s famous film festival, SXSWEdu also features a series of documentaries and educational films.
Global Education Conference
Students in education do not always have the ability to travel to attend conferences. The Global Education Conference accommodates these future educators by offering virtual sessions throughout the year. Educators, students and leaders are then given the opportunity to participate in discussions and interactive sessions over the course of a week in November. All participants are eligible to receive a Global Education Conference Certificate at the end of the event. Topics covered during the conference are based on proposals made by influential people in the field of education.
The field of education is always changing, and educators keep up with these changes by attending conferences and workshops to learn about new techniques and technology. Students who are going into education can give themselves an edge by attending an education conference.
Further reading: Top 10 Best Online Master of Arts in Teaching Degree Programs
