EdWeek Market Brief On the Scene at SXSWedu
This year’s South by Southwest education annual conference kicks off today in Austin, Texas, drawing thousands of ed-tech devotees seeking to pick up information, share ideas, and tout products.
My EdWeek Market Brief colleague Michele Molnar and I will be covering the event in the Lone Star state’s capital city. Organizers predict SXSWedu will draw between 7,000 and 8,000 registrants, and the agenda features 460 sessions, workshops, films and other activities.
The eclectic lineup this year includes Christopher Emdin, an author from Teachers College, Columbia University, speaking today about the absence of student voice in the designing of teaching and learning strategies. Also on hand: former CBS anchor Dan Rather, who will appear at a panel to give an award called the Rather Prize for the “best idea to improve Texas education.” The is the second year it’s been given.
Michele and I will also appear on a number of panels exploring pressing issues in K-12 education. Michele will moderate a panel at 11 a.m. Tuesday on K-12 purchasing, which invites both school officials and vendors to describe the challenges of the selection and buying process.
I’ll be speaking on a panel at 11 a.m. Tuesday called the “PD Puzzle,” along with Christina Luke of Digital Promise, in which we’ll delve into what educators say they want from professional development, and what they don’t.
And at 2 p.m. Tuesday, David DeSchryver of Whiteboard Advisors and I will break down what ed-tech companies need to know about the behemoth of a law known as the Every Student Succeeds Act.
So keep an eye out for our updates on this blog, and let us know what you’re hearing at the events that most intrigue you.
Photo: Heather Lamb, left, marketing manager for Smart, demonstrates the Smart Kapp, a bluetooth collaborative board that works with all mobile devices, at SXSWedu in 2015 at the Austin Convention Center. –Swikar Patel/Education Week