Session 1

9:30-10:25

Panelists

Robotics: Terminator or Big Hero 6

How have robots evolved? Do we truly understand the essence of robotics or is it merely about building a machine? What challenges do robotics pose in the classroom, in the workplace, and in your home?

This panel will discuss the present and future of robotics, and how to solve real-world problems through hands-on robotics and engineering.

Shaina Glass

Michael Dennis Heinroth

Tracy Washington

Becky Zalesnik

Privacy Disasters: What lies ahead…

Amazon… Apple… Facebook… Microsoft… We willingly give rights to our data to companies such as these, but have they earned our trust? Recently, high-profile privacy scandals have rocked our sense of privacy, involving technologies from search to social media; e-mail to voice mail; mobile phones to webcams and GPS.

This panel will discuss privacy scandals, Privacy Policies/Terms of Use, and how to make better informed decisions about your personal data.

Kevin Lewis

Branding: Your Lasting Impression

Branding is more than just a logo, a motto, or a session at a conference. It reflects your vision, purpose, values, and passion; differentiating yourself from the “herd”. Just as branding is important for the well-being of the “calves”, it is also the cornerstone to producing quality “beef”.

This panel will discuss ways to strategically craft and place your brand.

Robyn Hrivnatz

l-ISTE-n Up: We’ve Got High Standards

ISTE (the International Society for Technology in Education) provides a framework for rethinking education and creating innovative learning environments through standards for students, teachers, leaders, coaches, and computer science educators.

This panel will discuss how the various ISTE standards relate to one another, to individual/collective roles, and the future of education.

Dawn Wilson

Photo Booth

Session 2

10:30-11:25

Panelists

ROAR with Social Media

Social networks are an inherent part of today’s Internet (online culture) and used by more than a billion people worldwide. This global exposure underscores a need for a better understanding of these ubiquitous platforms.

This panel will discuss how we can Recognize Opportunity and Accept Risks – ROAR!

Lorena Gonzalez

Bradford Harris

Lexi Marshall

Ethics in the Digital Age

Our ethical frameworks have been changed and challenged by digital technology, sometimes causing people to straddle the line between what is good and bad, appropriate or inappropriate. As leaders, we must deal with the shifting of professional norms, moderate offensive content, and protect the privacy of those we serve.

This panel will discuss some of the hot-button ethical issues facing education in a society where digital has become the new normal.

David Becker

Sundie Dahlkamp

Laura Reeves

Dr. Melissa Williams-Scott

Driving Innovation

It’s no secret that the education sector is ripe with opportunities for disruption and innovation. These processes could drive our educational system away from incremental improvements and toward real, lasting change for the betterment of humanity. What are we waiting for? You don’t have to have a title to lead.

This panel will discuss ways to utilize play, passion, and purpose to encourage positive risk-taking, stir up curiosity and imagination, and fuel our learners’ intrinsic motivation to learn.

Katie Alaniz

Tina Niemann

Tiffany Regan

The TEK-FILES

THE TEKS ARE OUT THERE…

The state defines a “technology literate” student as one who has mastered the Technology Applications TEKS for grades K-8, and these standards ensure that learners gain and apply critical 21st-Century digital knowledge and skills.

This panel discussion will help us find methods for aligning the TA TEKS with grade level content and strategies for promoting awareness about them.

Brian Gonzalez

Ashley May

Dawn Wilson

Photo Booth

Session 3

12:30-1:25

Panelists

GenZ: The Voice-First Generation

If millennials are considered dependent upon their devices, GenZ is nearly inseparable. Having grown up in a world where smart devices have not been outside of arm’s reach, GenZ prefers platforms that deliver instant results such as video and audio, which are more immediately engaging than text.

This session will explore the balance needed to reach GenZ while teaching other skillsets.

George Williams

Hacking Leadership

Hack \ ˈhak  \ (n.) a clever tip or technique for doing or improving something

Are you a leader looking for cutting-edge ways to utilize new and useful technologies that redefine what is expected from leadership and create a collaborative experience for everyone? Let’s break away from the mundane, routine, and uninspired practices that stifle growth and change.

This panel will explore leadership hacks that promote innovative leadership that empowers teachers and encourages increased student engagement and success in the classroom.

Michael Dennis Heinroth

Cassie Herndon

Tiffany Regan

“Suite”n Up Your Habitat

We all prefer to live in an environment suitable to our needs. The same is true when it comes to productivity suites. Where do you live – Google Suite for Education; Office 365; or both?

This panel will discuss ways to capitalize on the strengths of each for personal and organizational benefits.

LaSonya Cobbs

Robyn Hrivnatz

Gretta Rogne

“Build Peaks – Don’t Fix Potholes”

In Educational Technology, we have been conditioned to believe that fixing problems as they arise will satisfy the needs of others. Realistically, this is a losing battle – Merely fixing problems does not make people happy.

This panel will brainstorm ways to empower employees through the lenses of culture, environment, leadership, and staff development by creating meaningful memorable moments that matter.

Mandy Benedix

Michelle Leggett

Dr. Melissa Williams-Scott

Photo Booth

Session 4

1:30-2:25

Panelists

What Do You Meme in a GIF

The old adage that a picture is worth a thousand words might be an understatement in regard to memes and GIFs. Join the conversation about how memes and GIFs can be used as educational devices to promote clarity, pedagogy, and humor.

Adrienne Smith

Keeping Up with the Joneses’

We are being asked to do more with less; trainings, funding, staffing, programs, etc. How do we find ways to fund innovation on a budget? Are there different ways to look at projects, pare them down, or go down different avenues?

This panel will discuss how to keep our districts vision/mission in the forefront while progressing towards future driven practices.

Keith Barnett

Shaina Glass

Robert Sims

Say I Do! Marrying Curriculum and Technology

I, Technology, take thee, Curriculum to be….partners, collaborators, communicators, advocates, leaders, and visionary planners… from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to respect and to collaborate, for the benefit of our students, till death do us part.

Michelle Barber

Bradford Harris

Michelle Leggett

PD in the PM

Regardless of how many years you’ve been in education, the one thing that remains consistent is the absolute need for continuous learning. If professional development is the vehicle, how do we drive home the value of this essential resource?

This panel will discuss how to elevate professional development and overcome the challenges of after-hours PD.

Ashley May

Thurman Nassoiy

Jackie Nowlin

Photo Booth