The NECC conference is scheduled for June 29-July 2, 2008. Click on the picture to access the 
NECC 2008 web site. NECC (National Educators Computing Conference) has been the "premier forum in which to learn, exchange, and survey the field of educational technology. This annual conference—presented by ISTE and keyed to the National Educational Technology Standards (NETS)—features hands-on workshops, lecture-format and interactive concurrent sessions, discussions with key industry leaders, and the largest educational technology exhibit in the nation."
I have personally attended three NECC conferences and found them to be very informative. The opportunity to hear from leaders in education and technology, to speak directly with vendors, and to see live demonstrations of educational technology is invaluable in staying abreast of current trends.
I recommend that we NOT just send our IT staff. We are responsible for our school's vision, allocation of limited resources, and setting priorities. Consequently, it is imperative that WE stay abreast of current trends in technology and how technology can contribute to, or distract from, providing a 21st century Christian education for God's glory.
Topics to be covered at this year's conference include:
School Improvement addresses development and articulation of a vision for the role of technology in school improvement, and includes such strands as:
- 21st-Century School Design
- Educational Visions/Planning
- Funding
- One-to-One Initiatives
Technology Infrastructure focuses on the technology, resources, and policies necessary to build the technology infrastructure for effective teaching, learning, and administration.
Professional Learning focuses on the development of leaders and the education and accountability of students, teachers, administrators, and other educators, and includes strands such as: - Administrative Development
- Instructional & Administrative Productivity Tools/Resources
- Online Professional Development
- Professional Development
- Student, Teacher, and/or Administrator Leader Preparation
- Teacher Education (Preservice & Advanced)
21st-Century Teaching & Learning covers all aspects of technology use in the learning environment, and includes strands such as:- All Curriculum Areas
- Innovative Learning Technologies
- Instructional Strategies & Classroom Management
- Laptop Learning/Learning with Handhelds
- Literacies for the Information/Creativity Age
- Multimedia/Video/Virtual Reality
- One-to-One Curriculum
- Problem Solving & Critical Thinking
- Project-Based & Problem-Based Curricula
- Student Assessment of Content Standards
- Student Assessment of Technology Standards
- Technology Integration
- Videoconferencing
- Web/Internet/Web 2.0
Virtual Schooling/E-learning covers all aspects of designing, choosing and evaluating, and implementing online courses and e-learning experiences for students and includes strands such as:- Developing/Locating Digital Content/Learning Objects
- Evaluating Online Courses
- Instructional Design
- Student Assessment
- Virtual Learning Technologies
- Virtual School Programs
Response:
--Do you believe that school technology can make a meaningful contribution to the quality of education provided or do you believe it is merely necessary because parents expect it? In other words, is technology important as PR or important for making substantive contributions to student learning and understanding?
--Have you ever attended an educational technology conference? Why or why not?
--If you sent your IT staff but you have never attended such a conference, why?
--If you have attended a technology conference, what was your experience?
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