When the Texas Computer Education Association’s (TCEA) annual conference [1] kicks off on Feb. 7 in Austin, Texas, attendees will be immersed in the “No Limits” theme, from inspiring keynotes to in-depth sessions covering how to best integrate technology into every part of education.
Speaker Leigh Anne Tuohy delivers the Feb. 9 opening keynote. Tuohy was the subject of Michael Lewis’s book, The Blind Side, and she was later portrayed by Sandra Bullock in the book’s film adaptation. She will discuss how to look past society’s prejudices and find value in different people, theories, and ideas.
Mark Nizer, who combines comedy, juggling, music, and technology, will deliver a 3D keynote presentation on Feb. 10.
Well-known New York Times personal technology columnist David Pogue will deliver the closing keynote on Feb. 11. Pogue is a best-selling author who contributes a print column, online column, an online video, and daily blog posts to the world of personal technology.
Each year, TCEA gives its members the opportunity to explore the impact of robotics through its Robotics Contest. Participating students from elementary and secondary schools design, collaborate, plan, redesign, construct, create, assemble, invent, reinvent, write, present, and compete to see who has developed the smartest robot. The contests vary based on strategies that involve speed, accuracy, sensing objects, and light. A programmable robot is limited only by the imagination of its inventor.
Students not only have the opportunity to compete in a prescribed problem contest; there is also an open-ended invention contest. Students use marketing, programming, writing, constructing, and presentation skills to find a solution for a problem of their choice.
And in an effort to support the integration of technology within the educational system, TCEA has aligned convention strands to different themes.
- Share: These themes focus on best practices, and presenters discuss and demonstrate their processes, techniques, issues, and solutions.
- Learn: These sessions focus on personal professional development, and participants will improve or gain skills that further their professional development plan.
- Lead: These are sessions in which content is linked to administration, leadership, and instructional or informational technology support. Session attendees benefit from innovative strategies, latest technology trends, and out-of-the box solutions that provide the vision to lead and inspire innovation.
- Collaborate: These sessions feature 0pportunities to build Personal Learning Networks (PLN) and provide opportunities for attendees to network, engage, and exchange information with other educational professionals on technology integration. PLNs offer individual’s valuable opportunities to build partnerships, and meaningful relationships that will contribute to professional development growth, and accomplishing goals.
Attendees can view and plan out their sessions by clicking here [2].
This year, all educators attending TCEA can download the TCEA App for Apple devices [3], Android devices [4], and other handhelds [5].
Follow Me is the official iPhone/iPod Touch application for TCEA. Attendees can use the app to navigate the show floor with interactive maps, search the exhibitor directory, or create a show schedule by choosing sessions they want to attend and speakers they want to hear.