Attendees at the 2009 National Educational Computing Conference (NECC) will examine what it means to live in a digital world, and will discuss the best ways to prepare students to become global citizens.
NECC celebrates its 30th anniversary in Washington, D.C. on June 28-July 1, 2009, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. The conference is sponsored by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), which also celebrates its 30th year.
More than 18,000 teachers, teacher educators, technology coordinators, library media specialists, administrators, policy makers, and industry representatives are expected to attend.
"As we build this year’s program we’re exploring fundamental questions about what it means to be a digital citizen in a digital age," said Leslie Conery, ISTE’s deputy CEO and NECC conference chair.
"How do we prepare students for living and working in a global society and increasingly complex world? What new knowledge and skills are needed for productive collaboration in the 21st century? And what types of learning environments foster the development of those skills?"
The conference will leverage ISTE’s 30th anniversary as an opportunity to celebrate the past, honor the present, and envision the future of technology-supported education. Some of the themes being explored at the conference include the role of technology in school improvement, the use of technology and the ethics and equity of equal access, and the construction of a technological infrastructure that supports effective teaching, learning, and administration.
The conference will feature myriad interactive learning formats, from hands-on workshops to bring-your-own-laptop sessions, special interest playgrounds, and multi-faceted networking opportunities for participants.
Author and journalist Malcolm Gladwell will deliver the opening keynote address. The author of two perennial bestsellers, "The Tipping Point" and "Blink," Gladwell’s idea-driven narratives combine research with personal, social, and historical material. A staff writer for the New Yorker, Gladwell has introduced new concepts into the common vocabulary and helped transform business and culture.
As part of ISTE’s three-keynote series on digital citizenship, Gladwell will deliver his unique perspective on the ways that intentional practice today influences expert-development of the future.
"We’re pleased to bring Malcolm Gladwell back to NECC audiences for an opportunity to hear his latest thinking about learning," said Conery. "His ideas challenged us in 2004 to think about the crucial role educators can play as connectors. We look forward to knowing more about his latest work–including his assessment of the role and value of technology for improving learning."
Gladwell’s speech will complement many of the themes being explored at NECC 2009.
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