Conferences and trade shows focused on education technology are great places to network with other IT professionals, try out new technologies, and hear the latest news about up-and-coming developments in IT. These days, there are dozens of annual ed tech events across the country (not to mention internationally), but how do you decide which ones will yield the best return on your time and your investment for plane tickets and accommodations?
Here’s a quick run-down on five of the biggest higher ed tech events coming up in 2018:
ACCS Annual Conference – March 14–16, Virginia Beach, Virginia
The Association of Collegiate Computing Services (ACCS) of Virginia’s 2018 conference will explore the theme “Navigating the Possibilities.” Presenters from a number of institutions will share insights related to service management, cloud service security and user experience, service desk/client services, and much more. Keynotes this year will be from motivational speaker Billy Riggs and organizational expert Preston Ni. As always, the ACCS conference will include an expo with a range of higher education technology vendors on hand.
CUE 2018 – March 14–17, Palm Springs, California
Computer-Using Educators, a 40-year-old nonprofit organization, aims to inspire innovative learners in all disciplines from K–12 through college. The organization’s conferences are some of the west coast’s premiere education technology events. Each year more than 6,000 educators gather to share ideas and learn about how the latest technology is being implemented in classrooms. Attendees can explore the CUE 2018 exhibit hall with its nearly 200 displays, select from a wide range of presentations to attend, and participate in poster sessions, where they can engage one-on-one with presenters. The conference also offers hands-on education tech training through a range of workshops that complement the sessions.
SUNY Tech Conference 2018, June 18–21, Lake Placid, New York
Celebrating its 25th year in 2018, the SUNY Tech Conference is hosted by the State University of New York (SUNY), a 64-campus institution that’s faced a host of technology challenges and learned the value of cross-campus collaboration to find solutions. The conference acts as an open community of IT professionals sharing ideas, exploring new technologies and seeking solutions together. The theme for 2018 is “The Ongoing Search for the Next Big Thing: the Next 25 Years of Practice.”
ISTE 2018 – June 24–27, Chicago, Illinois
Hosted by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), this yearly conference and expo is called “the epicenter of ed tech.” The event attracts more than 16,000 attendees, who enjoy hands-on experiences with new technology, hear a range of presenters, and connect with the brightest minds in education tech today.
EDUCAUSE Annual Conference 2018, October 30–November 2, Denver, Colorado
EDUCAUSE is the largest organization of higher education IT professionals, and its yearly conference features presenters from around the world and opportunities to network with colleagues from other institutions, share problems, brainstorm solutions, and interact with new technology. With more than 275 exhibitors, this conference’s expo is worth checking out.
In addition to the national conference, EDUCAUSE hosts frequent regional and online gatherings for IT professionals in higher education. Check out their events page to find an upcoming event near you.
Looking for campus technology solutions? Check out Epson’s higher education products, and be sure to connect with us at your next ed tech conference.
