Another one of the industry’s biggest events of the year, the Texas Computer Education Association (TCEA) Convention & Exposition, is coming up in just a couple of weeks on February 3–7. With thousands of educators, EdTech leaders, and technology enthusiasts slated to attend, you won’t want to miss TCEA 2020. Being held in Austin, Texas, this year’s conference and expo will offer dozens of opportunities for both professional development and pleasure.

Whether you’re looking to network with some of EdTech’s greatest innovators, discover this year’s best EdTech trends, or gain professional development at the conference, TCEA 2020 will be a valuable opportunity for all who attend.

There are clearly some potential barriers for teachers as they seek student input into their lesson design and curricular choices. It can feel overwhelming on the teacher’s end, and might be considered just one more thing for them to think about. It can be hard to trust that the students will actually be good co-pilots on the learning journey—even if all the desire in the world is present, it might be hard to know how to actually put it all into action.

Fortunately, we have a few models we can look to that will assist us in how this can look in the classroom. These concepts might seem divergent and like squeezing a round peg into a square hole, but even so, I think the philosophies are definitely worth considering for every teacher.

It’s that time of year when a nice, warm bowl of soup can make a dreary winter day feel warm and comforting. Those soups, every now and then, need a little extra something to help them hit the spot. Our lessons in our classrooms are not much different. When the learning might feel dreary, adding a little bit of spice to our lessons can go a long way. 

To go a little further with the metaphor, not all soups need the same thing to make them better. Some might benefit from more salt or pepper, while others need more substance to them or might need thinning out. Each of these can create a perfect balance for the consumer, making sure the “spice” is just right for the season.

I’m still fairly new to the coding game. In November 2018, I finally enrolled in a Code.org class held near me. I loved this free class and wanted to try it out with my students. However, I didn’t feel like the timing was right for me to participate in the Hour of Code taking place just a couple of weeks following my training. After all, I was still learning myself and only beginning to teach the Code.org curriculum to my third and fourth graders. So, I bowed out of the Hour of Code in December 2018, thinking I’d try it the next year.

Fast-forward to December 2019. I now had a year of experience teaching the Code.org curriculum. This year, I even included my second graders in coding activities. By the time December rolled around, I was ready. I had already signed up for the Hour of Code and had a plan of action.

Situated in one of the lowest-funded school districts in California, Ethel Dwyer Middle School is a Huntington Beach icon. Built in the 1930s, the school’s principals were historically focused more on coaching teachers and encouraging success than on the actual teaching, learning, and staff management.

That changed when Christa Glembocki moved into the principal role a few years ago. “I wanted to set the stage for working as a team,” she says, “and being there for the betterment of our students.”

The flipped classroom has become a reality in many educational institutions around the world. Educators have acknowledged that the process of combining technology with traditional teaching methods has ultimately increased learning retention and created a more personalized learning environment. However, while many teachers understand what the flipped classroom model entails, they have trouble actually identifying how they can implement the process themselves.

While so many educators, parents, and even psychologists are concerned regarding how much screen time is appropriate for children, the emerging innovating technology of machine learning and artificial learning has begun to alter educational and institutional tools toward a better future of education.

According to the Artificial Intelligence Market in the US Education Sector report, the expected growth of artificial intelligence (AI) in this sector is 47.7% from 2018 to 2022. However, most experts believe that the presence of qualified and experienced teachers is irreplaceable. Still, there are many advantages AI can bring to teachers’ educational best practices.

With the turn of another new year comes another round of EdTech conferences and expos. First up on the docket for 2020 is the 40th annual Future of Education Technology Conference, better known as FETC, being held this year in warm and sunny Miami, Florida. The conference—held from January 14–17—is right around the corner, and we’re getting excited for all of the opportunities the event has in store.

Happy New Year! I can’t even believe it—where has half the school year gone? Hopefully, you have just enjoyed a restful holiday and are gearing up for the second semester. Resolutions seem to be a thing of the past these days, and focusing on a single word is now the way to go. It’s less pressure, but still gives you something to work toward.

What better word to focus on for the new year than the word “new” itself? Webster defines new as: not existing before; made, introduced, or discovered recently or now for the first time.

Here are a few ways to adopt some newness into your life in 2020: