Anyone seeking evidence of a healthier U.S. economy and renewed tech-sector growth should have been in New Orleans from June 20-23 for the 25th annual National Educational Computing Conference (NECC).

The largest educational technology exhibit in the world drew a record crowd of more than 17,500 people, according to the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), which staged the conference. The massive crowd included 13,302 registered attendees from roughly 50 countries. They made the trek across an expansive convention floor that featured 1,189 booths and 450 companies displaying their hardware, software, and other solutions for educators.

The host city's festive reputation helped shape an upbeat atmosphere surrounding the four-day show, but the real engine of enthusiasm was a tangible sense that the future is bright for ed tech. NECC 2004 seemed proof that the entire technology industry has reawakened after several difficult years, and the education field is one of its top priorities.

How else to explain the presence of so many high-profile attendees at this year's show? Two of the world's largest technology companies, Dell and Intel, both sent their CEOs to New Orleans, a clear indication of the field's promise and NECC's importance.